Canadian gold miner Pretivm is investing in a fleet of Sandvik Z50 battery-electric haul trucks to replace its diesel truck fleet at its Brucejack underground gold mine in northwestern British Columbia, Canada. Following a successful six-month trial with a Sandvik Z50 that proved to fit the production and sustainability needs of the 3,800-metric-ton-per-day (mt/d) Brucejack operation, Pretivm selected seven Sandvik Z50 haul trucks, with the option for an eighth. Sandvik will start delivering the battery electric vehicles (BEVs) next month, with a final delivery date for the entire fleet expected in early 2023.
“Replacing our diesel-fueled fleet with zero-emissions electric haul trucks delivers significant environmental benefits and extends the advantages from our use of low-carbon hydro-electric power at Brucejack,” Pretivm President and CEO Jacques Perron said. “The successful test period with the Sandvik Z50 haul truck provided the opportunity to confirm the production benefits of the BEV technology in our own underground operations.”
The envelope size of Sandvik Z50 is one of the smallest 50-mt capacity trucks on the market and generates twice the peak horsepower and 1/8th the heat of its diesel equivalent.
“The success of the Sandvik Z50 battery truck at Pretivm is indicative of an expected trend we will see with underground mining operations in the pursuit of productive technologies that reduce overall costs, while significantly reducing environmental impact,” said Dale Rakochy, business line manager for Sandvik’s Load and Haul division.
On top of the sustainability improvements with battery-based mining, another major benefit of electrification is the amount of money that can be saved on initial capital and operating expenses, including construction of ventilation shafts and the cost of operating ventilation systems, according to the company.
In related news, Sandvik reported it received record orders for BEVs in June, amounting to about SEK 140 million ($16.4 million), marking Sandvik’s highest ever order intake for mining BEVs in a single month. The company said they have also secured commitments for battery-as-a-service (BaaS) contracts as well. In addition to Pretivm’s seven trucks, Sandvik also sold two 18-mt LH518B battery-electric loaders during June.