The mining industry is experiencing a period of rapid change, with many players shifting to more sustainable production methods in order to provide metals with a lower climate footprint. Boliden, a Swedish mining group, is committed to reducing its CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030.
Like many other mines, the majority of carbon dioxide emissions from Boliden’s mines are attributed to exhaust gases from diesel vehicles. In an effort to achieve its climate goals, Boliden has partnered with Volvo Trucks to introduce battery-electric trucks for heavy underground transport, starting in 2023.
The electric trucks offer several significant advantages in mining environments. Firstly, the absence of exhaust emissions ensures that the workplace is safer and healthier for employees. Secondly, the quieter working conditions reduce noise pollution, making the work environment more pleasant for all those involved. Thirdly, electric drive is more energy-efficient than diesel engines, meaning that the total amount of energy consumed in the mine will be lower. Additionally, it is possible to capture the electricity regenerated during engine braking on downhill slopes.
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Boliden’s collaboration with Volvo Trucks is an exciting development that will push the electric technology forward and provide valuable knowledge about the performance of electric trucks when driven underground. The new cooperation agreement between Boliden and Volvo Trucks means that two heavy, electric Volvo trucks will be used in Boliden’s Kankberg mine, located outside Skellefteå in northern Sweden. If all trucks in the mine were to be electric, the CO2 emissions from the mine could be reduced by more than 25%.
Volvo Trucks is the market leader in heavy electric trucks in Europe and the USA and offers the industry’s widest range of electric trucks, with six electric truck models in series production. The company’s electric trucks can cover many different transport needs, ranging from urban distribution and refuse disposal to regional transport and construction traffic. Volvo’s goal is that 50% of its new trucks sold in 2030 should be electric.
