Posted by Paul Moore on May 21, 2024
The collaboration between IGO Ltd, Perenti and ABB has revealed that an all-electric underground fleet for the Cosmos nickel mine will be able to compete with the existing all-diesel fleet that is planned. The Cosmos Underground Electrification Study is one of the first pre-feasibility level analyzes of the technical and economic aspects of converting an Australian underground mine fleet from diesel to battery electric vehicles. The study was released on the first day of The Electric Mine 2024 conference in Perth, where Chris Carr, IGO’s acting director of operations, presented a summary of the findings.
The study covered optimizing mine design for electrical operations; Production and operating philosophy; Fleet selection, power distribution and electrical infrastructure design; Electrification and battery management system; ESG and safety impact analysis; Modeling of both capital and operating costs. The study evaluated the feasibility of electrifying the entire Kosmos underground diesel fleet, including heavy vehicles such as trucks and cranes, auxiliary vehicles such as drills and loading platforms, and light vehicles, including SUVs for transporting people and equipment.
The Cosmos project is located 30 km north of Leinster in Western Australia
The key findings of the study were firstly that based on assumptions made by OEMs, battery electric vehicle fleet offerings that match the productivity of the diesel-powered Cosmos mobile fleet are currently available in the Australian market. The estimated cost of electrifying the Cosmos underground fleet was not prohibitive over the expected lifetime of my fleet, even based on conservative productivity and cost assumptions. Third, the Cosmos BEV fleet will enable a significant reduction in cooling and ventilation requirements compared to the current diesel fleet, offsetting the additional energy required by the proposed BEV fleet. As a result, the estimated total energy balance of the electrified Cosmos site was on average lower than that of the existing diesel operation.
“An all-electric mine is closer than ever, with the right equipment in place and the industry mindset changing,” said Raj Ratner, Perenti Group Executive Sponsor for Electrification and Decarbonization. As battery electric vehicle technology develops, and our understanding of how to best integrate these vehicles into an operational mine improves, we expect electric mining solutions to become more competitive against current diesel-powered options.
“Mines can become more energy efficient with significantly lower CO2 emission levels, while at the same time remaining competitive and ensuring high productivity, partly due to tram speeds,” said Max Luedtke, Mining Business Line Director at ABB. Top for electric cranes and trucks compared to their diesel equivalents We have been investing in electric mining transport through our eMine portfolio for several years now and have seen the technology go from strength to strength and we expect the results of this study to provide further momentum for electrification so our industry can continue Make real progress in reducing our emissions, while improving the health and safety of our employees.
While managing all-electric fleets is more complex than managing diesel fleets, the study found that the Cosmos BEV fleet can meet required productivity levels through a combination of strategically located battery swap stations and charging points to minimize downtime. Specifically, the study concluded that two 65-ton BEV trucks could replace and match the hauling capacity of Cosmos’ planned two 63-ton diesel trucks. Battery-powered trucks will use battery swap stations, with swaps occurring every 3-5 transfer cycles and each taking 8-10 minutes.
Due to the conservative speed assumptions used in the modeling, the planned loading fleet of three diesel loaders may need to be replaced by four BEV loaders, pending more detailed modeling and field trial data to verify true global capability. Battery-powered loaders will also use battery swap stations, which typically require a new battery 2-3 times each shift.
Additional diesel equipment such as motor graders, drills and light duty vehicles can be replaced with BEV equivalents. Unlike trucks and cranes, these units must be plugged in to charge. Non-productive time is expected to be kept to a minimum by strategically locating charging stations in common areas to enable opportunistic charging opportunities, for example, during bed time, at shift changes, and while loading and unloading consumables.
As with the pre-feasibility studies, the study identified further areas of investigation, including more detailed modeling and simulation of BEV loading and transport, energy demand, BEV fleet optimization, and a more detailed study of the communications network to support the electric universe.
IGO’s Chris Carr said: “IGO is pleased to share this study with the wider industry as it demonstrates that electrification of the underground mining fleet is technically possible, in the right circumstances. Fleet electrification in mining operations will be pivotal in the industry’s commitment to progress towards net zero emissions.” Additionally, removing diesel from underground operations will eliminate diesel particulates and other diesel exhaust gases, resulting in improved working conditions and improved health outcomes for employees.
You can access the full version of the study here.
