Sandvik partners with Pretivm for Brucejack mine battery-electric trucks
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 during which a Sandvik Z50 proved to fit the production and sustainability needs of the 3,800-tonne-per-day Brucejack operation, Pretivm has selected Sandvik to supply seven Sandvik Z50 haul trucks, with the option for an eighth. Sandvik will begin delivery of 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,” said Jacques Perron, President and Chief Executive Officer of Pretivm. “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-tonne 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. “We are proud to support Pretivm in their pursuit of sustainable technologies.”
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.
Added Perron, “The implementation of the battery-electric Sandvik Z50 haul trucks is expected to improve operations at Brucejack, including the potential reduction of ventilation requirements and increased haul capacity.”
To further support this shift to battery-powered equipment, Sandvik now offers Batteries as a Service (BaaS) to partners including Pretivm. This turnkey solution eliminates the risk of owning batteries as Sandvik takes full responsibility of battery maintenance, renewal and disposal.
British Columbia, Canada, June 30, 2021
For more information, please contact:
Dale Rakochy
Business Line Manager
Load and Haul division
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions
Email: dale.rakochy@sandvik.com
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sandvik Group
Sandvik is a high-tech and global engineering group offering products and services that enhance customer productivity, profitability and safety. We hold world-leading positions in selected areas – tools and tooling systems for metal cutting; equipment and tools, service and technical solutions for the mining industry and rock excavation within the construction industry; products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys as well as products for industrial heating. In 2020 the Group had approximately 37,000 employees and revenues of about 86 billion SEK in more than 160 countries within continuing operations.
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is a business area within the Sandvik Group and a global leading supplier of equipment and tools, parts, service and digital solutions and sustainability-driving technologies for the mining and construction industries. Application areas include rock drilling, rock cutting, loading and hauling, tunneling and quarrying. In 2020, sales were approximately 33.6 billion SEK with about 12,500 employees within continuing operations.