Swedish mining company Boliden is expanding the electrified trolley system that was in pilot mode at its Aitik mine in Northern Sweden.
Boliden will spend nearly US$31 million to:
- Expand the electric trolley line at Aitik of 700 meters by another three kilometers
- Convert an additional ten diesel trucks to electric use at Aitik
- At the Kevitsa mine in Northern Finland, build a new 1.8-kilometer electric line
- Convert 13 mining trucks to electric use at Kevitsa
Aitik is the only mine in the world to operate electric mining trucks in arctic conditions.
The electric conversions will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (from transportation) by 15% over the life of the Aitik mine, and by 9% at Kevitsa.
Once the project is complete, Boliden will cut diesel consumption by 5,500 cubic meters annually.
The electric conversions will also boost productivity because the electric trucks operate twice as fast as diesel trucks (see this blog’s featured image and the video here).
Another benefit is that miners get to operate in a much quieter environment.
Read the Mining Magazine article HERE.
Source of Image of Mining Trucks at Aitik: Boliden-El-Trolley Aitik