Electrification of mining equipment and utilization of renewable energy sources promote sustainable mine development



Electrification of mining equipment and utilization of renewable energy sources promote sustainable mine development

Trend one

In the context of carbon neutrality, large mining companies around the world have actively deployed and implemented the electrification of mining equipment to enhance their sustainable development capabilities

Under the background of "double carbon", the world's large mining companies have put forward their own climate change solutions. Rio Tinto's Climate Change 2020 Report Outlines its strategy and pathway to a low-carbon future across all operations in compliance with the Paris Agreement by reducing absolute emissions by 15 per cent in 2030 and emissions intensity by 30 per cent relative to 2018 baseline levels, as well as achieving a net zero emissions target by 2050. Chile's national Copper industry's 2030 sustainability plan promises to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70 percent by establishing what it calls a "100 percent clean energy matrix," including electrifying all underground production and transportation facilities and actively participating in the search for new clean energy sources, such as hydrogen. Russian Multi-Metals' first Climate Change Report, published in 2021, proposes to achieve a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emission intensity and a 35% reduction in absolute emissions by 2030, relative to the 2019 baseline level.

According to a recent survey of global mining industry executives, 87% believe all existing mines will be fully electrified within 20 years, while 60% believe the next generation of mines will be fully electrified. Some of the world's largest mining companies, such as Vale, Chile's National Copper and Barrick Gold, are experimenting with fully battery-powered underground mining equipment. Among them, South African precious metals miner Sibanye-Stillwater is testing Artisan at its Stillwater and East Boulder platinum group metals mines in Montana, USA The A4 underground scraper of Vehicles (Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology's Loading & Transport division), with a payload capacity of 4 tonnes, offers the best line of sight in a compact space and a 20% reduction in turning radius for greater maneuverability. The device uses a lithium iron phosphate battery motor that can produce 150 kilowatts of power and 800 nm of torque. Compared to other diesel-powered scrapers, the A4 has 3.5 times more power and more torque, while producing only one eighth of the heat. LKAB's Kiruna Iron mine is one of the most automated/intelligent mines in the world, although the six unmanned scrapers that have been remotely operated at the same time are still diesel-powered. However, LKAB plans to conduct field tests on Epitop's 14-ton ST14 battery-powered scraper and Sandvik's 15-ton 625IE battery-powered scraper in 2021. In February 2021, Canadian mining company New Gold announced that it would deploy a battery-powered mining fleet at its New Afton underground copper-gold mine in British Columbia, Canada. These include Sandvik's 50-ton Z50 battery-powered mining truck, the first 18-ton LH518B battery-powered scraper deployed in North America and the world, and the new DS412ie anchor rig. In March of the same year, Fortescu Metals Group announced an agreement with Williams Advanced Engineering for the design, construction, testing and integration of battery systems to power mining trucks, as well as the development of fast charging devices, in which the battery system will be installed on a prototype 240-ton transport truck developed by Fortescu. The company is also conducting performance tests at its mines in Australia's Pilbara mines, where the next stage will consider hydrogen fuel cell power systems. In July of the same year, Epito announced that Ivanhoe Mines' South African subsidiary had ordered several Boomer M2 battery-powered drilling RIGS and Scooptram ST14 battery-powered loaders for its Platreef project.

Chile is a major mining country, and mining production accounts for 14% of the country's total greenhouse gas emissions. In July 2020, Chile's Economic Development Agency, Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Chile International Centre of Excellence, France's ENGIE Group and Australia's Mining3 announced the creation of the HYDRA project, which aims to develop fuel cell mining trucks equipped with hybrid power systems for Chile's mining industry. Using advanced lithium batteries and hydrogen fuel cells (green hydrogen) to replace the traditional diesel power system. The HYDRA project is part of a new round of national emission reduction policies in Chile, after the Chilean government and the country's mining sector agreed on a "Green mining plan" aimed at helping the country meet its 2050 carbon neutral commitment by decarbonizing mining production. The HYDRA project will start in December 2020 for 18 months and is expected to complete the development of the green powered truck prototype by the end of April 2021. By June 2021, the project hopes to achieve the following goals: (1) Computer simulations demonstrate that the mechanical and electrical design can improve the system efficiency by at least 10%; (2) Comparative analysis of cost and benefit between diesel power system and HYDRA system; ③ Contact with major mining truck original equipment manufacturers including Komatsu, Caterpillar, etc., integrate the developed system into the actual truck, and plan to conduct field testing; Legal and technical analysis in accordance with the regulations of the Chilean hydrogen energy and electric power system; ⑤ Consider a business model for the large-scale application of HYDRA technology in the mining industry.

Trend two

The source and utilization of mining equipment electrification power is an important development direction for technical equipment suppliers to seize the future mining market

Mining equipment, as the main source of carbon emissions in mines (according to statistics, 40% to 50% of carbon emissions come from the diesel used in mining equipment, and the other 30% to 35% from the production of non-renewable energy electricity), has become the focus of the realization of full electrification in mines. At present, the mining industry is forming a mining enterprise, equipment manufacturing enterprises, energy production enterprises as one of the mine electrification solution team, For example, the Mine Electrification Alliance established by South32, OZ Minerals, Barminco, Epitop, Sandvik, Dassault and other major mining companies and technology suppliers, And the greenhouse gas alliance formed by Komatsu, Rio Tinto Group, BHP Billiton, Chile's National Copper and Boliden. As mining companies focus on reducing carbon emissions and reducing costs, equipment manufacturers have also begun to increase research and development and manufacturing of mining equipment electrification.

Komatsu, an original equipment manufacturer, is embarking on a development program for hydrogen-powered mining trucks, with the goal of having such trucks in operation by 2030. But in reality, hydrogen energy is just one part of the big mining companies looking to a decarbonized future (battery power, hydrogen fuel cell power, battery-fuel cell hybrid power), and rail AIDS and the latest ultra-low emission engines will all be part of the decarbonized development of mining trucks. Masayuki Moriyama, president of Komatsu's mining business unit, said that Komatsu will actively develop mining trucks with multiple power sources, and plans to mass produce the next generation of micro-excavators powered by lithium-ion batteries in 2022, and mass produce small and medium-sized electro-hydraulic excavators in 2023 to 2024.

According to Sandvik's forecast, as mining companies focus on reducing carbon emissions and reducing costs, the market size of battery-powered underground mining equipment will accelerate in two to three years, and in 10 years, the number of battery-powered underground mining equipment sold by Sandvik may exceed that of diesel powered equipment. Sandvik hopes to achieve its goal of providing a full range of battery-powered underground mining equipment by 2022. For example, Sandvik recently introduced the new DL422iE fully automatic top-hammer deep hole drilling rig with a pure electric drivetrain, replacing the use of high-emission and polluting diesel fuel while improving equipment utilization and productivity through continuous, automated and remote operations. The device can charge itself during drilling, or it can obtain electricity from the mine power supply system. By the end of 2021, Sandvik expects to offer a full range of battery-powered drilling RIGS covering the full range of underground blasting drilling applications.

In February 2021, Komatsu said its prototype 2650CX hybrid excavator was in operation at Asarco's Mission copper mine and Climax Molybdenum's molybdenum mine. The design combines the cost-effectiveness of the high productivity of the electric rope shovel with the flexibility and maneuverability of the diesel hydraulic excavator and can be used in similar hydraulic excavator or rope shovel operating scenarios. Compared with hydraulic excavators, hybrid excavators reduce diesel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 50 percent, saving 14 million liters of diesel fuel and reducing 37,000 tons of carbon emissions over their lifetime. The hybrid excavator uses SR hybrid drive technology to capture naturally generated renewable energy. Diesel fuel is converted to electricity by a switched reluctance generator to power lifting, gathering and turning motors. When the 2650CX lowers its bucket or slows the swing, the motor becomes a generator, powering the machine and cutting off the fuel supply. During a typical load cycle (including digging, turning, tipping, and returning), the engine does not consume fuel about 17 percent of the time, which helps to reduce fuel consumption and extend engine life. To maximize efficiency, the machine uses electricity instead of hydraulics to regenerate energy. Therefore, compared with hydraulic excavators, the hydraulic fluid required is reduced by 50% to 60%. This means that the device delivers additional economic and environmental benefits by reducing fluid costs, reducing hydraulic lines and fittings, and reducing environmental impact.

In March 2021, MacLean Engineering said it is developing and testing a new concrete shotter-mixer combination, which is expected to make it the only original equipment manufacturing company capable of providing fully electrified articulated concrete shotters for underground mining. The SS5 battery-powered concrete jet in this combination is nearly 2.13 meters wide and is the first concrete jet ever built by MacLean Engineering to have a forward-facing cab that provides a better view of the jet operation from the cockpit. Next to the SS5 concrete jet will be a 2.59m-wide TM3 battery-powered concrete mixer. If the working area, the battery charging capacity in the mine and the air conditions are suitable, the SS5 concrete jet can use pure battery power for concrete injection. In addition, the SS5 concrete jet is equipped with the "first of its kind" automatic accelerated feeding system and the Auto Doser software platform, which can reduce concrete consumption during the spraying process, improve the construction quality of wall shotcrete, and more importantly, provide a safer working environment for mine operators. In addition, advanced scanning technology is used to monitor the thickness of shotcrete, which will further guarantee the quality of shotcrete for roadway and working surface walls, and reduce consumption by reducing excessive shotcrete. Tests have shown that by using rapid feeding and real-time scanning technology, costs can be saved by 30% to 60% and shotcrete consumption can be reduced by 20%.

Because battery-powered equipment in mines requires battery systems that can store a large amount of energy, and batteries face challenges in the areas of size, weight, and extreme operating conditions, BluVein has proposed an innovative "dynamic charging" solution, an electrified rail system that can be used as an industry standard. All equipment manufacturing enterprises can be connected to the system and implemented, while avoiding the exposure of the power catenary system (due to electrical safety and regulatory issues, exposed power catenary system cannot be used in underground mining). The advantage of this solution is that through dynamic charging, electrification of heavy-duty loading and transportation equipment can be achieved with the use of smaller, lighter and lower cost batteries; The track infrastructure does not need to be spread throughout the mine, it can only be installed in heavy load areas (such as downhill or uphill), and the equipment is powered by on-board batteries in low and medium load areas. BluVein plans to test the scheme's performance at a demonstration site in Brisbane, Australia, in late 2021.

Trend three

Realizing clean and low carbonization of electricity production is an important condition for sustainable development of mining industry

Because mine operations currently rely on fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas for their electricity supply, the carbon reduction effects of electrification of mining equipment will be greatly reduced if mining companies do not change the way they produce their electricity sources. Therefore, the use of clean and low-carbon energy, including wind and solar energy, will play a positive role in achieving carbon emission reduction in the process of mining development. In its latest industry report, Fitch Solutions, a well-known global market analyst, pointed out that green hydrogen (hydrogen energy obtained through the electrolysis of water from renewable energy sources) will likely play an important role in the decarbonization of the mining industry in the next few years. Currently, green hydrogen production accounts for only 0.1% of the global hydrogen market due to its high cost of production due to the large amount of electricity it consumes. It is estimated that the cost of electricity accounts for about 50% to 75% of the total production cost of green hydrogen, so the downward trend of renewable energy power generation costs is conducive to the future development of green hydrogen industry.

In March 2021, Rio Tinto Group announced that it would use high-temperature solar technology developed by US renewable energy start-up Heliogen at its borate mine in California, which uses artificial intelligence to control a mirror mesh array to concentrate sunlight to capture energy, and then provide heat and electricity through the generated steam. In addition, Rio Tinto has signed a $44 million contract with Resources and Infrastructure Contracting Services to build a 34-megawatt solar photovoltaic plant at Rio Tinto's Gudai-Darri iron ore mine in Australia's Pilbara mining region. The plant, which will consist of about 100,000 solar panels, will meet about 65% of the average electricity demand of the Gudai-Darri mine and even all of the mine's electricity demand during peak solar generation.