At the recent PDAC conference in Toronto, Ontario, MacLean showcased its battery propulsion program that is able to offer full-fleet EV solutions across the company’s ground support, ore flow, and utility vehicle product lines. It is providing a battery powered fleet to Goldcorp’s Borden project in Chapleau, Ontario, expected to be the world’s first all-electric hard rock mine by the time it reaches production stage.

The company’s R&D efforts going forward across 2017 will focus on rolling out EV propulsion packages across the full range of the company’s product lines in both standard (8-ft) and smaller section (6-ft) carrier configurations.

“A mobile fleet propulsion system that can significantly cut ventilation costs and at the same time reduce heat and improve air quality in the underground environment – this is the compelling business case for the new era of battery power in underground mining, one that we’re fully engaged in for our global customer base,” remarks company President Kevin MacLean.

The Maclean approach to EV propulsion in underground mining is built on giving customers access to best-in-class battery, electric motor, onboard charging (i.e. no additional charge station infrastructure required), and vehicle analytics technology, and then successfully integrating these components into mobile equipment by leveraging the company’s multi-discipline engineering expertise, hard rock mining knowledge, and custom manufacturing experience.

In other words, you can’t just understand the battery cycle, you need to understand the mining cycle it’s going to be used in. This is how MacLean has developed battery power, engineered for life underground.

More detail in the April magazine article on Canadian suppliers.