Going ahead with final system development and construction of a technology demonstration pilot site in Brisbane, Australia

BluVein’s “next-generation trolley-charging technology” initiative now has the support of BHP, which has joined as a project partner Northern Star Resources, Newcrest Mining, Vale, Glencore, Agnico Eagle, AngloGold Ashanti, and OZ Minerals.

According to a BHP spokesman, the partnership is “part of our multifaceted effort to reduce vehicle emissions at our facilities.”

Decarbonization partnerships are working to meet the company’s decarbonization targets. Circulor and Boston Metals have partnered on supply chain traceability and low emissions steelmaking, respectively.

A technological demonstration pilot site is being built in Brisbane, Australia, as part of an industry cooperation initiative that BluVein revealed in August had received financial backing from seven major mining firms. As part of the deal, four major mining vehicle manufacturers will provide BluVein controls and hardware integration into their vehicles.

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For the heaviest diesel-powered mining equipment, BluVein is a joint venture between EVIAS and Australia’s Olitek. BluVein is creating technology that does away with battery switching or buying bigger, heavier batteries customized to meet today’s demands.

EVIAS in Sweden initially created the charging system for electrified public highways, and it has adapted it for use on private roads. It uses ingress-rated slotted RailTM to link to the mine site grid. RailTM technology may be used in mining to utilize smaller, lighter battery-electric vehicles. With this technology, all exposed high-voltage conductors are successfully eliminated, enhancing safety while also guaranteeing compliance with mine electrical standards. Additionally, it has HammerTM technology and a complex power distribution unit to efficiently power electric motors and recharge a vehicle’s onboard batteries.

BluVein was developed for severe mining conditions and is entirely independent of the vehicle manufacturer. Using the same rail infrastructure across a diverse fleet of mining trucks is critical, according to BluVein. This year, BluVein intends to begin the trial installation early to experiment in a simulated subterranean environment between mid-and late-2022.