Boliden, Epiroc, and ABB Reach Milestone in Mine Electrification in Sweden

Boliden, Epiroc, and ABB have achieved an advancement in the mining industry's move towards electrification with the successful deployment of the first fully battery-electric trolley truck system. This system, which was tested on an 800-meter-long underground track with a 13% incline at Boliden's Kristineberg mine in northern Sweden, represents a critical step toward the development of an all-electric mine.

The system tested includes Epiroc's Minetruck MT42 SG and ABB's eMine Trolley System, which combines battery power and dynamic trolley assistance. This innovation aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and energy usage in mining operations, aligning with the industry’s push towards sustainability.

The test results have demonstrated that the system can enhance operational efficiency by reducing emissions, noise, and vibrations, thereby improving the underground working conditions. This project also aims to reduce the total cost per ton of mining operations by enhancing the electric trucks' efficiency and range.

Peter Bergman, General Manager at Boliden, emphasized the importance of the technology's performance in actual mining conditions and highlighted the collaborative effort with ABB and Epiroc that led to this development. The partnership has focused on leveraging each company's strengths to innovate and refine the technology necessary for modernizing mining operations.

The project, supported by the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova, includes a trolley pantograph that connects to an overhead catenary line, allowing the truck to charge dynamically during operation. This is particularly beneficial for long haul ramps and heavy loads, enabling extended travel distances and battery regeneration.

ABB has designed the infrastructure from grid to wheel, which includes the electric trolley system and the rectifier substation for the test track. The system is integrated with ABB's distributed control system, ABB Ability System 800xA, which allows for monitoring and adjusting the electrical system as needed.

This milestone is part of a broader vision to implement a full-scale, autonomous electric-trolley system in the Ravliden mine, an extension of the Kristineberg mine. Boliden has ordered four Minetruck MT42 SG Trolley trucks from Epiroc for this expansion, which will cover a total distance of 5 kilometers at a depth of 750 meters.