An important milestone was recently reached – Boliden’s Kevitsa nickel mine has started truck tests on its new electric trolley line. In the coming year, 13 Komatsu 227 t 830E-5 trucks will be converted to partially running on electricity via trolley assist. This means that the mine’s carbon dioxide emissions connected to transport in Kevitsa will be reduced by 9% over the lifetime of the mine. It is the first trolley assist line in Finland and joins Boliden’s other trolley operation at Aitik copper mine in Sweden, which uses Caterpillar 313 t 795F AC trucks.

From December 2021 to February 2022, two trucks are being tested on the 500 m test track. In total, the final trolley track will be 1.3 km long. “I think this is a milestone for the project, and it shows proof of our values. We take responsibility, make the investments and show our vision in action,” says Project Manager Roope Partamies. The benefits are many. In addition to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, this will also improve local air quality as nitrogen oxides and particulate emissions are reduced. In addition, productivity increases, as electrified trucks can drive at a higher speed than diesel trucks. The work environment for employees will also improve, given that the noise will be reduced.