HIGH PROFILE
separate operations from procurement, the
more the discussion shifts to price per
machine. The closer the relationship is
between operations and procurement, the
more chance you have of entering a full
productivity discussion.
IM: How widespread would you say interest
is for mine electrification? Would you say it
is penetrating into Africa, as well as North
America, Australia and Europe?
HA: Yes, is the short answer. This topic has
pretty much been on the agenda in every
discussion we have had this week (at
Mining Indaba).
One important thing often left out of this
conversation is that, in southern Africa, electric
loaders have been operating in mines for a long
time, but they are cable electric. This is the case
across the globe too. We delivered our first cable-
electric machine in 1981 and have put out more of
these loaders than anyone else. We have
delivered 600 electric machines – most of which
are tethered or cable loaders.
We have now developed a battery and cable
combination machine so when you are
underground in the section doing repetitive work
– loading and dumping the bucket – you are on a
cable, but then when you need to go to the
workshop or need to move the machine to
another section of the mine, you can unhook and
operate on battery. The machine can also carry
out a few cycles on battery-only, but this might
not be as productive in certain operations.
IM: Out of those three – North America (Canada,
more specifically), Australia and Europe – which
region would you say is leading when it comes to
adopting electrification solutions in mining? What
do you put this down to?
HA: It’s Canada for two reasons.
One is the data around diesel particulates is
that much more advanced in Canada. There are
strict regulations for how much ventilation you
need in underground mines to dilute diesel
particulates and exhaust gases.
The second – which is also linked to the first
one – is that many mines in Canada are going
deeper or further away from existing ventilation
and cooling infrastructure. As well as the obvious
health benefits, the cost of new ventilation shafts
and refrigeration can be offset by using electric
machines, since they produce zero exhaust
emissions and much lower heat.
IM: In terms of your mine electrification offering,
Sandvik recently completed the acquisition of
battery-electric vehicle leader Artisan, adding to
the company’s long history of delivering cabled
machines powered by electricity. Do you currently
see any other technologies on the market that
you might acquire/build to further your status as
a leader in mine electrification solutions?
HA: We are looking at a diesel-battery hybrid as
an option. We need to, again, see that the
economics stack up as these will be more
expensive machines to manufacture. We need to
answer the questions: Will that machine be more
productive? Will it be faster up the ramp? And will
it be more practical than using battery-electric
only?
We need to see what the case is here and work
with our customers.
A couple of the mining contractors are really
pushing for the development of these machines.
It’s good to work with the contractors on such
projects as they are so heavily focused on
Henrik Ager says the economics of running diesel and battery-powered machines are now close to
being on a par with each other
"Some mines are going to go with battery-
electric haulage and loading, some will go for
hybrid solutions, others cable and some are
just going to go with the cleanest diesel
machine they can find and, in turn, ventilate as
that is the only thing that practically works with
them," Henrik Ager says
economics and productivity. They may bid on, for
example, developing a 2 km decline into the mine.
The cheaper they can do that from a complete
project cost point of view, the more competitive
they will be and the more projects they will win.
So, they really know their numbers and can
clearly factor in new technology to these
calculations.
As previously mentioned though, if the
economics on that machine don’t make sense, it
is hard to make things work.
IM: Do you think this speaks to the fact there will
be a variety of solutions that help miners ‘go
electric’ in the future?
HA: Absolutely. It is not going to be one-size fits
all. Some mines are going to go with battery-
electric haulage and loading, some will go for
hybrid solutions, others cable and some are just
going to go with the cleanest diesel machine they
can find and, in turn, ventilate as that is the only
thing that practically works with them.
IM: Anything else to add on this subject?
HA: For me, it is important to balance the view of
how fast the pickup of this technology will be.
It will take some time like it has with every
other new technology in mining – it will be
different solutions in different places – but I think
there is a very bright future for electrification in
mining. We simply have to move in that direction.
Henrik Ager will present ‘Productivity and
sustainability through electrification’ in the
keynote slot at The Electric Mine 2020 conference,
in Stockholm, Sweden, on March 19. His
presentation will also be streamed on Sandvik
Mining and Rock Technology’s LinkedIn page. IM
MARCH 2020 | International Mining 49