BATTERY AND ELECTRIC MACHINES
Normet, having announced its SmartDrive battery-electric machine platform in 2019, now has more than 60 SD machines operating across six continents and in 18 different work sites, the company says. The latest model to have launched is the battery-electric Spraymec MF 050 VC SD, pictured here
“ Feedback from customers has confirmed that the R 9400 E demonstrates the same power and productivity as its counterpart powered by an internal combustion engine,” Liebherr said.“ Running this electric excavator on site also reduces operational costs all while this machine emits zero greenhouse gases during operation.”
Third generation BluVein1 system announced
In what it is referring to as a“ breakthrough in mine electrification” that leverages over 50,000 hours of engineering development, BluVein has introduced the third generation of its BluVein1 dynamic charging technology for underground mining vehicles.
The technology underpinning this newgeneration platform consists of – at least in terms of hardware – a patented slotted( electric) rail system( BluVein Arm) that uses an enclosed electrified e-rail system mounted above or beside the mining vehicle( BluVein Rail) together with the BluVein Hammer that connects the vehicle to the rail. The system offers dynamic in-motion charging that can be used on hybrid, dieselelectric battery trucks or BEVs.
“ By enabling BEVs to charge while moving, BluVein’ s dynamic in-motion charging technology enhances operational efficiency and significantly reduces the carbon footprint of mining activities,” the company says.“ Moreover, eliminating diesel from underground mines marks a major advancement in protecting miners from harmful diesel particulates, leading to healthier work environments.”
While legacy systems and BEVs are billed as offering this same diesel elimination benefit, BluVein states that the lack of flexibility and cost associated with existing trolley systems, and cost and limitations associated with the current crop of BEVs, mean they are not suitable for many deep, complex underground mines.
This concept has sparked interest in many miners, with BluVein collaborating with partners like Rio Tinto, BHP, Vale, South32 and Northern Star Resources on BluVein1 developments. The technology development has also attracted the attention of Epiroc, Hitachi Energy and Worley through separate agreements.
It was this type of flexibility, plus the ability to match if not improve on current underground haulage productivity levels, that first attracted Northern Star to this technology, according to Jeff Brown, General Manager – Technical Services.“ We evaluated many different solutions when we started on our electrification and decarbonisation journey, carrying out a technology scan across the ecosystem,” he told IM.“ Many of those technologies evaluated came with productivity tradeoffs that made it hard to build an equitable
business case, but we felt BluVein1 met the majority of our criteria and would compete with our current productivity levels.
“ Not only that, but the technology also provided a pathway to full electrification, allowing us to start off in a‘ hybrid setup’ with diesel, or diesel-electric trucks, before transitioning to a fully-electric operation.”
He added:“ Some other attractions to the technology were the compactness of the overhead solution and the flexibility of attaching to the overhead rail – allowing us to transition between‘ trolley off’ and‘ trolley on’ mode – as opposed to other, more rigid trolley-type systems that inhibit flexibility and may necessitate changes in, say, ramp conditions.”
The company has carried out rigorous testing on its second generation prototype BluVein1 system, completing high-voltage, high-power tests at KEMA Labs in Germany, an independent testing, inspection and certification facility for the power industry.
Having concluded this testing and factored the learnings into a new design, the Gen 3 prototype is only a matter of months away from being installed on a vehicle to be tested at the BluVein Proving Grounds in Queensland, Australia: an open decline simulating an underground tunnel that is situated within an operating quarry. The proving grounds have already showcased BluVein’ s advanced vision system, reliably detecting the rail’ s proximity and enabling repeated, successful mechanical connections while the vehicle is in motion, the company says.
James Oliver, CEO of BluVein, said:“ By the end of the year, we fully expect a diesel-to-battery-converted Epiroc Minetruck MT42 underground truck to be running with the system at the proving grounds.” An underground mine test is also in the works, IM understands.
BluVein’ s slim line rail adapts to any haul route profile, including spiral declines, while the system auto connects and disconnects, allowing trucks to charge seamlessly without interruptions, the company says
30 International Mining | MAY 2025