The energy transition is creating a transformational opportunity across the mining industry. This discussion will explore those opportunities and how the mining industry can work together to address the people, process, infrastructure and technology changes that will be needed to create a better, more sustainable mining ecosystem.
As a global player in mining technology, Komatsu is also at the forefront of helping its customers as they strive to achieve interim and final emissions targets. That work starts with partnerships that guide development efforts related to process optimisation, interoperability and common sustainability goals. Komatsu offers a unique depth of experience and large installed base of electric mining equipment, including those taking advantage of many different technologies including trolley assist, energy storage, automation and optimisation technologies through our Fleet Management Systems (FMS). The next generation of products in the journey toward decarbonised mining is coming soon. These products will continue to advance along with supporting technologies including static and dynamic charging, the use of other alternative power sources such as hydrogen and new optimisation technologies. This talk will discuss all this and more.
The challenge of electrifying mining haul truck operations has taken a step forward with the launch of the CharIN Mining Interoperability Taskforce, a partnership between global organisations CharIN and ICMM. Interoperability is a critical element in overcoming technical and commercial barriers to decarbonising diesel haul truck fleets and achieving ambitious targets to reduce emissions. It cannot be accomplished without a new level of technical collaboration across the mining and e-mobility industries. Hear from taskforce leaders about the taskforce remit to define the requirements of ruggedised higher power stationary charging plug and dynamic charging interfaces, and how to get involved.
The only operating haul truck trolley assist system in North America, the Copper Mountain project consists of an approximate 1-km trolley-assist haul ramp and overhead catenary system, seven pantograph-equipped 240 ton diesel-electric Komatsu 830E-5 haul trucks, a new 138 kV to 25 kV 65 MVA substation with 20 MVAR Statcoms, 5 km of 25 kV double circuit transmission line and thermal system upgrades to the BC Hydro Grid. This pioneering project was developed by Copper Mountain Mining Corporation with support from their partners: ABB, SMS Equipment, Komatsu, Clean BC, B.C. Hydro and WN Brazier, and aims at cutting carbon emissions at the Copper Mountain Mine by at least 30%, paving a solid foundation towards the company’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2035. Copper Mountain is also actively testing and researching renewable diesel, hydrogen, battery and fuel-cell technology to power its haulage units to achieve this goal. Learn all about this pioneering project in this discussion from Copper Mountain Mining and ABB.
Click Here to Download Session PDFWabtec’s Mining Equipment business provides electric-drive systems for mining trucks with manufacturing facilities in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Fort Worth, Texas, as well as service shops around the world. This session will outline how Wabtec’s Mining Equipment business and its renowned AC electric drive systems and electrification infrastructure are enabling the decarbonisation of mining operations across the globe.
Derek Alband, GM Sales at Liebherr Mining, will provide an overview of the significant progress the company has made in zero emissions mining. Taking trolley assist as an example; all Liebherr trucks up to 375-t payload are equipped with an AC electric drive and are available with a trolley assist option. Liebherr currently runs the world’s largest ultraclass trolley-assist truck fleet. In the near future, battery and trolley will have the potential to work together to charge the battery while on the trolley line.
During this presentation, Dave will provide an overview of how electrification of off-highway projects is being approached by WAE; a company born from motorsport and recently acquired by Fortescue, a global
Electrification is one of the key imperatives to decarbonise the operations in the mining sector. This session will explain how to electrify the fleet of haul trucks in the mine to achieve decarbonisation without jeopardising the operational efficiency of the mine. Flash-charging technology allows rapid charging of trucks so that they can fully top up the batteries in just a few minutes. The presentation will explain how the ambitious but realistic target of an 8 MW charge of three minutes can be achieved and how it would work. The different technologies required in terms of converters, power transfer and digital are addressed.
Click Here to Download Session PDFWabtec Corporation is playing a significant role in mining's shift to net zero, offering solutions that are advancing electrification and sustainability for the mining industry. Its AC electric drives lead the mining truck market right up to the top end 400-ton class machines, with the technology already delivering roughly 5% of fuel savings over mechanical drive-powered mining trucks. Its electric propulsion and electric auxiliaries are also important enablers for the transition of mining trucks to alternative fuel sources, including natural gas, trolley, battery and hydrogen fuel cell. In trolley assist specifically, its pantographs provide power for open-pit mining trucks and are specially designed to help promote high-traction efficiency, low maintenance and maximum life of parts and overhead wire.
Reaching 2050 net-zero emissions goals requires action today. Join Cummins Inc to explore how to build and manage a mine site microgrid that delivers resiliency and emissions reduction, while also considering various pathways forward for greenhouse gas reduction technologies in mining vehicles. The reality is that each option presents a unique set of opportunities and challenges to navigate. From battery-electric vehicles and alternative fuels to internal combustion engine hybridisation, Cummins experts are sharing what considerations are driving their decision making as they develop power solutions for the future of mining ecosystems.
Glencore is one of the world’s largest globally diversified natural resource companies, with a purpose to responsibly source the commodities that advance everyday life. Aligned with this purpose is an ambition to become a net-zero commodity producer. In order to achieve net zero, Glencore has been investigating different alternatives to reduce CO2 emissions in its mining fleet. This presentation will look at some of those alternatives and the company’s roadmap for achieving zero emissions across the fleet.
Boliden has been at the forefront with trolley installations in Aitik and Kevitsa mine using both Caterpillar and Komatsu trucks. This has generated a lot of positive attention, but it has also highlighted some challenges. Trolley trucks have their drawbacks and will never be enough to meet Boliden’s challenging CO2 targets. What is the next step then? Battery trucks, of course! But what’s the business case for those? Will existing trolley lines be used for dynamic charging? Or is the future stationary charging? These are a few examples of the many questions that will be answered in this presentation.
The challenge of developing an electric haul truck is not just the design of a new vehicle; it requires a new haulage ecosystem. By adopting a different energy source, we need to consider the movement of that energy, from production, transportation, to on-board storage and management. While this is a significant challenge requiring many partners both in and out of the mining sector, it does provide new opportunities. Efficiencies can be improved, power delivery will be more flexible and ultimately mine design will be influenced.
Shell and Spirae present Shell’s Mining Electrification Solutions for off-road vehicles. Mobile equipment comprises between 40-50% of mining’s CO2 emissions – with electrification offering the immediate potential to shift away from a long-standing reliance on diesel. Shell’s solution aims to enable a decarbonised and cost-effective electrification system, while minimising operational impact by providing ultra-fast charging points for haul trucks across the entire mining operation. It is developed by a Shell-led consortium of nine members and is an end-to-end, modular and interoperable electrification system that reduces emissions. Spirae develops the solution aspect for integrating renewable and distributed energy resources within microgrids and power systems for operational optimisation and resiliency enhancement.
Electrifying mining operations, like mining itself, is a process. Based on industry expertise and deep experience, our team understands the challenges facing the mining industry as it considers transitioning to all-electric. We will share how we make the all-electric mine possible with proven methods, electrification & automation systems – all integrated from mine to port. Using our experience from innovating in sustainable transportation solutions since the late 19th century, we will also present the latest energy-efficient electric powertrain solutions for mining vehicles.
Michael Bobotis, Engineering Manager at Hatch, will give a presentation on zero emission implementation pathways for surface mining equipment. Leveraging in-house mining, material handling, simulation, power sourcing/distribution and clean technology expertise, as well as knowledge gained from interactions with OEMs and solution providers, Michael has engaged with numerous mining companies to identify pathways towards achieving short- and long-term mine decarbonisation goals. Over the course of these studies, Michael and his teams have focused on maximising the potential of future electric mining fleets and alternative material handling systems by designing and simulating for improved power management, TCOs and operational disruption KPIs.
Click Here to Download Session PDFThis presentation will showcase nuGen™, First Mode’s innovative hydrogen and battery hybrid haulage solution for diesel-free mining. The talk will focus on the comprehensive system solution, including retrofits for existing trucks, hydrogen production, refuelling technology, data systems, training and maintenance. Lessons learned from a technology demonstration in South Africa will be shared, highlighting the successful integration and performance of nuGen in a real-world mining environment. The presentation will also provide insights into the future product plans of the company, emphasising their commitment to reducing emissions and creating sustainable solutions for the mining industry. Attendees will gain valuable knowledge on the potential of nuGen to transform mining operations while minimising environmental impact.
The plethora of existing diesel-electric and mechanical-drive mining haul trucks presents an opportunity and need for decarbonisation upgrades and conversion technologies that are scalable and leverageable across various machine designs, sizes and configurations. An agnostic haul truck electrification solution platform with the flexibility to adapt to various emission reduction solutions and truck classes is presented. This platform family allows mine operators to choose the technology and energy source configuration that is the best fit for their fleets and meets corporate decarbonisation goals while offering consistent operator and maintenance interfaces, spare parts inventory, remote monitoring and flexibility for the incorporation of future technologies. These features are applicable across various truck manufacturers and offer an opportunity to decarbonise and re-utilise existing fleets in a time that can be significantly more aggressive and cost effective than the expected availability of new commercialised configurations from the various OEMs.
Miners must continue to go from point A to point B as safely and efficiently as possible and at the lowest cost to remain viable. Decarbonising mine operations presents both challenges as well as opportunities. Companies must be willing to embrace change and challenge traditional norms. This presentation will highlight key considerations from a mine operator’s perspective as well as the pathway Freeport-McMoRan is following to decarbonise its operations to 2030 and beyond.
The electrical mine is not only about electric energy and the evolutionary switch from diesel to electric energy haulage for mining. It will demand flexibility of rethinking how material conveying (particularly) and the supply of energy at mines is envisioned. How can we “see” into the future and ensure we are making the right capital commitments now to a future that does not quite exist? What other major developments are needed to achieve this future beyond “electrification”? What might that look like? And what are the barriers that must be navigated to achieve this future? An exploration of the “new world”.
Click Here to Download Session PDFIs the journey to net-zero haulage revolutionary? Out with the old diesel trucks, fuel supply chain, maintenance and operating processes – and in with new energy-efficient, low maintenance electric machines. Or is it evolutionary? Renewing our long-life, capital-intensive fleets – to consume lower carbon intensity fuel, enable electric propulsion on strategic segments of their duty cycle and engineer a phased re-thinking of the haulage paradigm that has remained fundamentally unchanged for decades. Or can these two approaches be symbiotic? Can advancing these divergent approaches in tandem actually accelerate our progress to net zero?
As digital transformation revolutionises mining, autonomous technology will play an integral role in the industry’s future – enabling more sustainable operations through enhanced safety, increased productivity and improved efficiency. But it's not enough to keep pace with the industry. As a services provider, we must continually identify and implement new technologies to unlock value for our clients’ operations. Through intentional collaboration, Thiess has successfully combined leading-edge insight with our extensive operational experience to provide a range of autonomous services, assisting our clients in realising the full benefits of automation sooner than any other services provider – becoming the first to ever have a fully autonomous operation. Autonomy also goes hand in hand with electrification and is going to be a big interplay between battery mining trucks and fleet management, energy management and autonomy systems.
