Status of Mine Electrification and Future Potentials

The electrification of mining operations is rapidly emerging as a central issue for the resources sector and its efforts to improve reliability and health/safety, and to reduce cost. The reliance on fossil fuel and gas generated electricity is a significant proportion of current mining operational costs and the prevalence of diesel fuel usage is a significant health and safety concern. The use of electric vehicles and machinery combined with partial or stand-alone renewable energy powered microgrids provides a pathway to more efficient, sustainable and safer mining operations, both for underground mining and open-pit mining. Electrification also presents an opportunity to integrate Internet of Things (IoT) technologies such as autonomous vehicles, communications networks and data analysis for safety and higher efficiency. Digitalization and automation is also the solution to reduce operational costs in areas related with concentration and transport. The transition to an electric mining future is complex and will require substantial investment in infrastructure, technologies, and hardware as well as collaboration between the mine operators and service industries, research organisations and regional, State and Federal governments, and newly skilled workforce in Australia. This paper provides an overview of the status of mine electrification and highlights the potential research directions, which aimed to help shape the resource industries transition to an electric and renewables mining future.