Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions will supply a fleet of 20 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) for Foran Mining’s McIlvenna Bay project, located in east-central Saskatchewan, Canada. Set to be the world’s first carbon-neutral underground copper-zinc mining project, McIlvenna Bay will be powered by hydroelectric power and designed to take advantage of battery-electric equipment.
Sandvik’s biggest BEV fleet to date will include seven Sandvik LH518B loaders, six Sandvik TH550B trucks, four Sandvik DD422iE jumbos, two Sandvik DL422iE longhole drills and one Sandvik DS412iE mechanical bolter. Delivery of the equipment is scheduled to begin next year and continue into 2025. Sandvik will also provide on-site service support and Battery as a Service.
“This record contract is the culmination of a year-long collaborative effort between Foran Mining and Sandvik and demonstrates a shared vision that electrification will drive the future of sustainable mining,” said Jakob Rutqvist, VP of Strategy and Commercial for Sandvik’s Battery and Hybrid Electric Vehicles Business Unit. “BEVs have enormous potential to reduce a mining operation’s carbon footprint, and Canada continues to be the epicenter for mining electrification and a blueprint for what to expect in other major mining regions very soon.”
“This is a very exciting period for Foran as we continue to execute on our initiatives to permit, construct and operate McIlvenna Bay,” said Foran Mining COO Dave Bernier. “Sandvik is a global leader in industrial battery technology and we look forward to working together on our project. Utilizing battery-electric equipment with semi- and fully-autonomous capabilities can help us achieve carbon neutral targets and provide a safer working environment, which is part of our Net Positive Business strategy as we look to deliver critical metals essential for global decarbonization in a responsible and socially-empowering way.”
Foran Mining conducted a thorough analysis during its 2020 pre-feasibility study to determine the investment case for BEVs compared to diesel. The company determined that BEVs would deliver better financial results at McIlvenna Bay when considering the savings generated through lower ventilation capital and operating costs.
A dedicated on-site project team will be jointly working with the mine’s operations team to ensure the products and services in the delivery scope support the alliance on Foran’s journey towards more productive, efficient and sustainable mining. Battery as a Service by Sandvik will enable McIlvenna Bay to get the most out of its battery-electric equipment by relying on unrivaled expertise to manage the capacity and health of batteries and chargers throughout their long lives.
