Industrial Automation Magazine India

Underground hauling fleet electrification system design builds on Epiroc's battery-electric Minetruck MT42 SG and ABB's eMine Trolley System.

Zurich, Switzerland, April 22, 2024 – Boliden, Epiroc and ABB have passed a new technology milestone by successfully deploying the first fully battery-electric truck trolley system on an 800-meter-long underground mine test track in Sweden, with a 13 percent incline. This means the mining industry is a step closer to realizing the all-electric mine of the future, with sustainable, productive operations and improved working conditions. 

The achievement of the collaboration in Boliden's Kristineberg mine in northern Sweden marks a critical moment for the mining industry as it continues to face rising pressures to balance increased outputs of critical minerals and metals with lower carbon emissions and energy usage. Demand for minerals critical to society's clean-energy transformation is predicted to increase between 1.5 to seven times by 2030 according to the IEA1, making electrification a priority. 

In tandem with reducing carbon emissions, the electrification of mining also promises improved health and safety for the industry's workforce. By deploying this system, the collaboration partners aim to prove that the underground working environment can be significantly improved, with less emissions, noise and vibration while reducing the total cost per ton.

"Over the past three years, we have worked in close collaboration with the ABB and Epiroc teams to bring the electric mine of the future one step closer," said Peter Bergman, General Manager Boliden Area, Boliden. "The most important thing for us is of course that the technology works in our own operations, but we also see added value that we together with our partners can drive technology development so that the system can be used in other mines. We are proud to have taken this concept to a live installment." 

Each partner has provided a unique set of expertise to this development process, clearly demonstrating the value of industry collaboration. Epiroc has added dynamic charging to its proven battery-electric Minetruck MT42 SG and battery system, and the trolley solution is equipped with ABB's DC converter, HES880 inverters and AMXE motors to enhance the power. The truck features a trolley pantograph connected to an overhead catenary line, a concept which is highly suitable for long haul ramps. The electric trolley line gives additional assistance to the battery-electric mine truck on the most demanding stretches up-ramp while fully loaded, enabling further reach and battery regeneration during drift, which increases productivity drastically for a mining operation. 

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