Iron ore miner Vale is partnering with Epiroc to test a battery-electric and automation project at its Creighton underground mine in Sudbury, Ontario.
Vale has previously tested various battery-electric equipment at its mines, making it a pioneer in electrification applications in mining. The company plans to combine its experience of autonomous loading operations with its experience in electrification in the project at Creighton. The intention is to take advantage of the synergies between automation and electrification for loading and haulage operations.
The company operationalized four Epiroc ST14 Battery Scooptram and two MT42 Battery trucks at the mine in December quarter of 2022.
According to a Vale spokesman, the company intends to now leverage the autonomous capability of these battery-electric scoops to enable operations between shifts depending on the application at the mine.
Source: INTERNATIONAL MINING
Image Source: Epiroc