ADTs and
RDTs
South African OEM Bell Equipment — which working the pit and the top of the mine, and the energy consumption of construction
manufactures both surface and underground using electric rail-veyors to transport the equipment in Sweden at 14 terawatt-hours
ADTs — is also looking at electric and hybrid ore from bottom to top. This will allow the (TWh) compared to 19TWh for trucks,
drive machines, according to the company’s ADT mines to adhere to new pollution laws while 3.7TWh for buses, and 55TWh for private
product marketing manager, Tristan du Pisanie. saving money, with the electricity potentially cars. The significance of these figures
coming from on-site wind turbines and prompted the agency to ask Volvo CE what
constraint when it comes to implementation photovoltaics. And while 350kW is large, it might happen if electrical power was used
of this technology. “Both electric and hybrid is no larger than those used in other electric instead of diesel in a typical quarry. The
systems tend to be expensive, but the mine vehicle sectors. This size is made possible subsequent discussions led to the electric
operator’s main priority is to ensure that by the ever-increasing speed of battery quarry demonstration project.
they have the most commercially profitable recharging, coupled with multiple batteries solution. Both electric and hybrid have that can be switched out as needed.
Du Pisanie identifies cost as a major
“We estimated that if we could electrify
a number of the functions in the quarry, we
could reduce energy use by 71% [in kWh].
benefits not available from more traditional
solutions, but these benefits need to Volvo’s electrified quarry The intensity of the energy is much higher
outweigh the costs.” Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) is with electricity, which is why the potential
working on a project that will power machines savings are higher,” says SEA director
development of electric and hybrid solutions used in quarrying, using electricity rather general, Erik Brandsma. It is believed that
is energy storage. Although modern batteries than diesel. Launched in partnership with the conversion to electric power is likely to
are much better compared to those from 20 Swedish Energy Agency (SEA), construction reduce the amount of energy used by 71%
years ago, they still have some limitations. For giant Skanska Sweden and researchers and cut CO 2 emissions in the targeted quarry
example, they are heavy, charge more slowly at Sweden’s Linköping and Mälardalen site from the current 0.7kg/tonne of material
than would be the ideal, and they are more universities, the nearly EUR22-million project, produced to 0.3kg/tonne.
expensive than diesel. The energy density is due to be completed in 2018, is the first step Limitations in battery capability meant
also not as high as most people would like it to towards showing how a quarry of the future that the researchers decided to go down in
be, as well as being much lower than diesel, could be operated. It aims to deliver significant machine size, according to Johan Sjoberg,
although it is improving every year. reductions in fuel consumption, emissions, technical specialist in site automation, but for
and total cost of ownership, while also manned machines, it also meant additional
improving productivity. operators and labour costs. All this pushed
The second factor that has delayed the
However, rapid advances in this area are
making hybrid and fully electric vehicles seem
much more attainable.
Being a government agency for national the researchers towards a battery-electric,
energy policy issues, the SEA works towards autonomous vehicle: the HX01 load carrier.
Divorcing diesel the use of renewable energy, improved The popularity of both electric and hybrid technologies, a smarter end-use of energy, to start with electrification — many of them
engines is growing across all sectors, not just and the mitigation of climate change. already have electricity installed and have
automotive, with surface mining having made Based on 2010 figures, the SEA estimates some electric equipment on site,” says Jenny
“We consider quarries to be a good place
impressive strides in this area. However, one
of the biggest problems with switching from
time-tested diesel-driven equipment to a new
electric fleet is the significant capital investment
required. In an economy dealing with lowered
commodity prices, procurement managers are
feeling the pressure. Yet, the long-term benefits
of investing in a clean, ‘green’, and modern
range of electrically driven equipment may
outweigh the short-term cash outlay.
According to the report Electric vehicles for
construction, agriculture and mining 2017–2027,
the market for electric vehicles (including
hybrids) for the construction, agriculture, and
mining sectors will reach USD81-billion by 2027.
Over 90% of the world’s mines are
making shipping diesel to site a significant
cost. Because of this, the report states
that there is a move to electrify machines,
having 350kW giant haul trucks separately
opencast, and often located remote