Abstract
An increasing number of underground mines, whether they are existing operations or still in the project study stage, are turning to battery electric vehicles to assist them in achieving their production, economic, and health and safety goals. Due to the depletion of shallow depth deposits, mining companies are forced to extract from progressively-deeper ore bodies, which carry with them multiple operational challenges not typically associated with shallow mines.
Implementing battery-powered equipment into the mobile fleet allows underground mining operations to overcome some of these challenges, particularly regarding the air quality, airflow volume constraints, and heat and noise generation by diesel equipment. To be successful in this endeavor, however, requires more thought than simply replacing a diesel-powered piece of equipment with its battery-powered equivalent.
A thorough understanding of the opportunities and drawbacks of battery electric vehicles, and their impact on the long-range mine design and its day-to-day execution, are required for operations seeking to maximize the return from their investment into this rapidly developing technology.
This paper will explore some strategies, tactics and tools to help mining companies achieve their goals during and after the implementation of battery electric mobile equipment into their underground operations.
