Tag Archives: MacLean

Fortescue ready to disrupt the decarbonisation status quo

Automation, Environmental, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It was hard to keep up with Fortescue at MINExpo 2024, in Las Vegas, last week – IM did its best – with the mining company having on-booth presentations throughout the three days and four press events on four other stands during the show.

The company’s presence was felt far beyond this, with the headline $2.8 billion agreement to supply 475 new Liebherr machines featuring Fortescue’s innovative green technology to Fortescue’s operations in Western Australia being a major talking point.

This was swiftly followed by announcements that the company would work with MacLean on delivering a fleet of 30 GR8 electric graders to its sites, take delivery of Australia’s first Epiroc Pit Viper 271 E (PV271E) electric-driven blasthole drill rig at one of its mines, and work with Scania on developing and validating a fully integrated autonomous road train solution, leveraging Scania’s technology in truck automation and Fortescue’s own fleet management system (FMS).

The common theme among all these was the perception that Fortescue should be viewed as more than just a mining company.

“There is an opportunity here for Fortescue to be seen as a technology company, as opposed to solely an iron ore miner,” Dino Otranto, CEO of Fortescue Metals, told IM after another press event appearance.

The technology the company acquired and is now deploying via its purchase of Williams Advanced Engineering in early 2022 is a key part of this transition. This has led to the development of battery-electric solutions as well as charging solutions – Fortescue Zero now has a 6 MW charging solution to call on.

Otranto got into some of the specifics behind this offering – including mention of an in-house DC-DC converter that is significantly smaller than other ultraclass battery-electric trucks showcased at the show, as well as batteries that are both cheaper and offer higher power densities than others on the market – and said these elements would all come into the Liebherr and MacLean machines that appear on site in Western Australia.

The Fortescue MINExpo 2024 booth was a hive of activity, with many interested parties looking to find out more about the company’s battery-electric solutions

He went further than this though, outlining how the company’s “Fortex” solution – which combines autonomous haulage, FMS and Level 9 collision avoidance – would seamlessly integrate all the elements to create optimised autonomous and electric sites of the future.

“What we are developing with Fortex is akin to Android,” he said. “Where the traditional OEM models lock you into Apple and iOS, we want to offer an Android-style open source platform that allows you to share data and interface with other apps within the ecosystem.

“You will soon see us demonstrate that through the process of a traction power system at a mine site.”

With some of the energy requirement numbers for full battery-electric fleets being discussed today it is hard to see any company being able to commercialise zero-emission fleet haulage solutions without an overriding energy management platform. The operation will inevitably have to be optimised (read: automated) to ensure no kilowatt of energy is wasted and no machines run out of battery power. Add in automation, and the safety element around vehicle interaction also comes into play.

The AHS solution Fortescue and Liebherr have jointly developed as part of its latest rollout in Western Australia has a fleet management assignment engine at the core to monitor fleet energy levels. This should mean material movement and energy replenishment tasks can be assigned efficiently within zero emission fleets equipped with the system.

In this regard, Fortescue has its ‘ducks in a row’ to compete with the traditional mining OEMs in the evolving decarbonisation space.

The company will have to take these OEMs on, with Otranto acknowledging there are a finite number of Liebherrs and MacLeans willing to provide the machines that the company’s batteries will power, as well as an even smaller pool of companies open to accepting the type of AHS and FMS integration Fortescue currently envisages.

“We’re aware that some OEMs will do everything they can to protect their supply chain, but what we are offering – especially on the software side – represents real disruption,” Otranto said.

“We are looking to take a decent market share in the mining sector when it comes to decarbonisation, but there are even bigger opportunities outside of mining – in construction, in shipping, with locomotives, etc.”

IM Editor, Dan Gleeson (left), with Dino Otranto, Fortescue Metals CEO (right), at MINExpo 2024

Such a move would bolster the company’s bottom line, as well as allow Fortescue to be rated by the investment community as something equivalent to a technology stock: a status that comes with premium trading multiples.

This business model adaptation already appears to be gaining traction.

IM has spoken to mining companies in touch with Fortescue about potentially deploying some of its solutions within a mine decarbonisation context.

Reuters also reported, last week, that Fortescue and Liebherr have secured orders for 100 autonomous battery-powered mining trucks for other mining and transport companies, quoting Fortescue Executive Chairman, Andrew Forrest.

Fortescue is evidently ready to disrupt the decarbonisation status quo. The question is: is the wider mining company community willing to accept this new market dynamic?

MacLean to deliver 30 battery-electric graders to Fortescue operations

Environmental, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Steel and iron ore, , ,

Fortescue, one of the world’s leading technology, energy and metals companies, and MacLean, a global leader in battery electric mining vehicles (BEVs), have announced a new partnership at MINExpo 2024 to help rapidly electrify and decarbonise the surface mining industry.

Today, Fortescue Metals CEO, Dino Otranto, was joined by MacLean CEO, Kevin MacLean, and MacLean President, Stella Holloway, to announce that MacLean will deliver a fleet of 30 GR8 EV graders to Fortescue’s mining operations in Western Australia. The EV graders will be powered by a Fortescue Zero battery power system, making them one of the first battery electric graders for surface mining. The first EV grader is expected to be delivered in 2026, with the full battery electric fleet aiming to be operational in 2029.

“We’ve been in the underground mining vehicle business for over 50 years and as a manufacturer we have almost a decade under our belts with our full-fleet electrification program. Our track record to date is 25 vehicle models battery electrified, 100 EV units sold from bolters to boom trucks to shotcrete sprayers to graders, and half a million operating hours logged. Now we’re turning our sights to surface mining operations,” remarks MacLean CEO, Kevin MacLean. “Our ‘first 50’ saw us shape the underground mining industry in the name of increased safety and productivity. Now our next 50 will be shaped by our deep commitment to supporting the decarbonisation of the mining industry around the globe, where a majority of operations are above ground. I’m truly honoured that Fortescue, such a successful and forward-thinking company, has chosen MacLean as their partner for this essential work in the 21st century.”

“Surface mining vehicle electrification represents the dawn of a new era at MacLean, but it’s one with a deep foundation in our past as a manufacturer of fit-for-purpose solutions for the mining industry,” adds David Jacques, Vice President – Surface Mining Vehicles at MacLean. “We’re taking all the learnings from our GR5 Underground Grader commercialisation and our years of experience in underground BEV design, manufacturing, and site support, and putting it to good use in the context of surface mining electrification. With MacLean and Fortescue, you have two ambitious companies that share the same vision and depth of commitment to innovation that delivers results when it comes to transforming the industry through decarbonisation. This is going to be a powerful collaboration for positive change.”

Fortescue Metals CEO, Dino Otranto, said: “Fortescue is resolutely committed to being the world’s leading green technology, metals and energy company with a laser focus on achieving Real Zero across our Australian iron ore operations by 2030. In 2030, we believe Fortescue will be the go-to Company for green metals, technology, energy and energy storage globally. When the world needs the ‘how’ to be answered, it will turn to Fortescue. To fulfil our 2030 mission, we must partner with like-minded companies like MacLean, which has a proud reputation for designing and manufacturing innovative and high-quality products for underground mining. Importantly, they also share our vision for a mining industry – and a world – no longer reliant on fossil fuels.”

MacLean to bolster parts support and field services at Oyu Tolgoi with ULE agreement

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

MacLean has entered into a dealer agreement with ULE Equipment Company, the full-service heavy equipment specialists based in Mongolia, that, it says, will improve MacLean parts support and field service capabilities at the Rio Tinto majority-owned Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold mine in the Southern Gobi Desert.

The partnership between MacLean and ULE offers Oyu Tolgoi a unique blend of global expertise and local understanding, MacLean says. MacLean’s decades of experience in underground mining equipment, combined with ULE’s deep-rooted presence in the Mongolian market, can provide significant benefits for the operations, according to Gerelt-Od Rinchin (Jerry), Executive Director, ULE. This new partnership could bolster the development of more underground mines in Mongolia, similar to Oyu Tolgoi.

“We’re thrilled to have ULE as an in-country partner in Mongolia, at the truly multi-generational Oyu Tolgoi mine,” Patrick Marshall, MacLean VP of Technology, says. “ULE have been adding value at the Oyu Tolgoi mine for close to two decades with innovative products, services and support. We look forward to adding another pillar of value to Rio Tinto by pursuing this Mongolian partnership.”

Jari Tuorila, VP Australasia for MacLean, added: “The size of the orebody and the expected mine life for this project in southern Mongolia make it almost unique in the mining world, so the team at MacLean Australasia recognizes the importance of this project and is taking a long view when it comes to selling and supporting MacLean mining vehicles into it. We have a good foundation to build on, with the early success of our LR3 Boom Lifts currently working at site, and we are eager to work with ULE to identify other support vehicle needs that Oyu Tolgoi will have in the months and years to come.”

He added: “Even though our Perth branch team is in the same time zone as Oyu Tolgoi, we are aware how remote the Southern Gobi Desert is and how critical it is to have a world-class business partner that will help us maximise the success of MacLean mining vehicles that get commissioned, trained up and supported at site, working closely with the heavy equipment experts at ULE.”

MacLean and Sandvik making headway on automation zone interoperability

Automation, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining safety, Mining services, , , ,

Sandvik and MacLean have completed the first phase of a collaboration to provide mining companies with more options for expanding automation in the underground environment, they say.

MacLean and Sandvik are working together to improve automation zone interoperability of production and support fleets, with the installation of the Sandvik AutoMine® system at the MacLean Research & Training Facility and the demonstration of a surface-controlled MacLean utility vehicle, a BT5 Boom Truck, activating multiple AutoMine automation zones delimited with light curtain safety gates.

With this phase now complete, the first key steps in the companies’ interoperability collaboration have been successfully achieved: automation communications infrastructure installation and the testing of a piece of non-Sandvik mining equipment activating the safety gate system.

In a separate press release, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions referred to its part of this solution as AutoMine Interoperable Access Control System (ACS), a new feature for its AutoMine Core underground system for autonomous mining operations. Designed to improve productivity and increase operational flexibility, this new capability builds on the proven AutoMine Flexible Safety Zone by enabling non-Sandvik, third-party autonomous equipment to operate seamlessly in AutoMine access-controlled isolated zones, it said.

The solution enables a mixed fleet of underground loaders, trucks, drills and auxiliary equipment to be managed with one seamless safety system, as long as third-party equipment designs conform to the functional safety requirements specified for AutoMine operations. Non-Sandvik equipment can be retrofitted with an AutoMine ACS Onboard Box to provide the needed interface between ACS and the machine’s safety circuit, according to the OEM.

AutoMine Interoperable ACS, Sandvik says, increases the flexibility between Sandvik automated equipment and third-party equipment by allowing access to a shared automated zone at different times. Each machine can be independently controlled by its own system while operating within the unified AutoMine Interoperable ACS system. This leverages optimised control of each OEM’s machine while maintaining a safer working environment.

Patrice Corneau, MacLean Director of Advanced Vehicles and Technology, said: “If we want to advance the mine of the future where an increasing amount and complexity of automation is available as an option for mining customers around the globe, we need to work differently. Realising that broader, longer-term goal will require collaboration between original equipment manufacturers in the industry, who historically have perceived each other primarily as competitors as opposed to mining technology development co-practitioners.

“This collaboration between MacLean and Sandvik embodies that new way of thinking about the mine of the future and how mining equipment manufacturers can help successfully deliver it to mining companies.”

Robert McEwan, Product Line Manager, Automation, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “While we are confident that customers will achieve optimal performance with Sandvik equipment, we understand the importance of maximising automation’s potential across all equipment, regardless of manufacturer. This technology enables mixed-fleet customers to benefit from enhanced safety and improved productivity with the support of AutoMine.”

New ML5 lifts MacLean’s elevated work platform to new heights

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , ,

MacLean is adding to its elevated work platform product suite with the launch of a new mining vehicle: the ML5 Multi-Lift.

The latest in the line of MacLean 5 Series, next-generation mining vehicles is now commercially available for mining customers around the globe as the first unit, a battery electric model, gets ready to ship from the MacLean production facility in Collingwood, Ontario, to its eventual destination and deployment in Australia.

IM heard all about this development at the IMARC show in Sydney in early November 2022, meeting MacLean Engineering’s Dan Stern, Senior Product Manager, and Peter Black, Technical Sales Manager.

The newest addition to the MacLean utility vehicle (UTV) product line was initially designed as a safe and purpose-built alternative to the use of integrated tool carriers (ITs) in underground operations across Australia. This specific application context – mine services installation and repair work from a certified elevated work platform with a 6.5-m working height and a 4.5-t payload – was the foundation of the ML5’s engineered design for safety, productivity and versatility. And these design principles deliver a value proposition that is relevant to underground mines around the globe and particularly in Australia.

The ML5’s safety and versatility dividends are embedded in the unit’s OEM design from the ground up. The slew boom range of motion delivers best-in-class coverage, along with in-basket operator controls and remote drive. The boom’s hydraulic and mechanical linkages are also doubled-up for contingency, to increase operator safety, MacLean explained. And a quick hitch design allows for easy switch-out between multiple baskets, as well as the use of forks or a jib boom for material handling and general underground construction.

“MacLean product design has always been about safety and productivity, and this new ML5 Multi-Lift continues in that tradition of solving a specific problem underground in a way that engineers in the protection of the worker in the real, underground environment, while also enhancing productivity on the specific application,” Bryson Lehman, Product Marketing Manager, Elevated Work Platforms, said. “Safety is our veins – Innovation in our DNA isn’t just a slogan, it’s the how and the why of MacLean product development.”

Maarten van Koppen, MacLean Vice President of Product Management, added: “We’re also excited to launch this new product because of how it complements our Elevated Work Platform product suite – the SL2 and SL3 Scissor Lifts, and the LR3 Boom Lift for high reach and heavy load mine services applications,. We are now able to offer a range of mine services installation and repair solutions to mines around the world, depending on their haulage ramp and drift sizes, the size and weight of the infrastructure being installed or repaired, and the working height. This is MacLean Application Intelligence in a nutshell – engineered solutions for the actual job underground.”

Jari Tuorila, General Manager, Australasia, for MacLean, said: “We can’t wait to see this first unit arrive in Australia in Q2. This continues the MacLean tradition of designing mobile equipment solutions for one particular part of the underground mining world, which are then taken around the globe to solve similar problems at different operations – each mine site is unique, but safety and productivity requirements are universal.”

MacLean SS5 battery-electric shotcrete sprayer to be tested at AngloGold’s Sunrise Dam

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , ,

MacLean is set to showcase its SS5 battery-electric vehicle (BEV) Shotcrete Sprayer at the Underground Operators Conference 2023 (UGOPS), in Brisbane, Australia, next week, but it also has one eye on the unit’s first mine site trial at the AngloGold Ashanti-owned Sunrise Dam operation in Western Australia.

Attendees of UGOPS will get a first-hand look at the EV Series™ product on the company’s booth. This battery-electric shotcrete sprayer has been put through its paces at the Maclean Research & Training Facility in Sudbury, Ontario, and is equipped with the likes of Quickscan thickness imaging and Chemsave accelerant savings technologies.

Alongside celebrating its 50th year of existence as an Ontario-headquartered company, 2023 is a landmark year for MacLean Australia, with multiple MacLean BEVs starting to arrive in-country to be introduced to Australian mining companies and mining contractors. One such contractor is Barminco, which is set to receive the SS5 for testing at Sunrise Dam. Sandvik’s 65-t-payload battery-electric truck, the TH665B, is also set for field testing at the same operation.

MacLean has had a full-service parts and technical support branch in Perth, Western Australia, for over a decade and, in 2021, opened a second service and support branch in Orange, New South Wales, to support a growing fleet of MacLean mining vehicles in underground mining hubs in the eastern region of the country.

Jari Tuorila, MacLean GM for Australasia, said: “We are really looking forward to the UGOPS event and showing – not just telling – the Australian mining industry exactly what the value proposition of MacLean EV Series product line is. When we say, ‘EV-proven, EV-ready’, we mean it. It’s not just a slogan. Over 50 MacLean BEVs have been commissioned around the mining world since the MacLean Fleet Electrification program was launched in 2015, with a quarter million operating hours logged, and we’re only at the starting line for Australia.

“Our message to our industry colleagues is simple – we have a diesel-free production support fleet option for you, right now. We can’t wait to welcome visitors to our booth to see the BEV shotcrete sprayer in person and speak with our team of technical experts, which will include product management and engineering colleagues from Canada.”

Patrick Marshall, MacLean’s Brisbane-based Vice President of Technology, added: “The UGOPS showcase is just the kick-off to a multi-stage introduction of MacLean EV Series technology to Australia across 2023. The minute the show closes on March 29th, the MacLean Australia team will be turning their attention to shipping the BEV SS5 unit to Barminco at Sunrise Dam, where it will be trialled by the contractor throughout the summer. We are committed to seeing this real-world trial succeed and then build on that success to more broadly introduce MacLean fleet electrification to the Australian industry.”

MacLean and RufDiamond unveil BP3 Mobile Batch Plant for underground in-situ concrete applications

Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

MacLean and RufDiamond have officially launched the BP3 Mobile Batch Plant for fresh, in-situ concrete in underground mining and civil tunnelling projects.

The latest addition to the MacLean shotcrete product line combines the rugged, mobile equipment expertise of MacLean and RufDiamond with specialised dry-to-wet mix digital batching technology, MacLean says.

IM previously reported on the incoming launch back in July, speaking to RufDiamond President, Daryl Adams, and Global Product Manager – Shotcrete at MacLean Engineering, Jonathan Lavallee.

The BP3’s high-speed, high-capacity delivery mechanism offers up an efficient, near-zero waste solution for shotcrete quality control in the mining and civil tunnelling sectors.

Its design features a 6 cu.m dry hopper, a 500-liter water tank, a 3.3 m mixing auger, and digitally controlled mixing technology with up/down capabilities, plus a 30 cu.m/h output, all integrated onto a MacLean-quality mining vehicle carrier that can be either battery-electric or diesel-powered. The design also provides for ease of maintenance with electronic diagnostics, accessible fuel filling and grease points, MacLean says.

“This is truly a team effort with RufDiamond, one where our combined mobile equipment and underground mining expertise has developed something truly unique and needed,” Lavallee said in today’s press release. “Not every underground construction project has a surface batch plant operating at full capacity and with optimal quality control, and not every project has a slick line infrastructure for the delivery of concrete for shotcrete applications underground. This is where the BP3 Mobile Batch Plant steps in – offering up a solution for customers looking for another option for instant, quality mix for shotcrete spraying where and when it is needed.”

Adams added in the same press release: “This innovation with MacLean offers up a paradigm shift for shotcrete delivery in the mining and civil construction sectors around the globe. With the additional support of Bay-Lynx, our integration partner for the specialised dry concrete hopper, this partnership solves a specific problem around concrete delivery and quality in the challenging
underground environments of mining and tunnelling.”

Maarten van Koppen, Vice President of Product Management for MacLean, said: “MacLean has been innovating for 50 years in the underground mining sector and our shotcrete product line continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of underground construction projects worldwide. We’re thrilled to be partnering with RufDiamond to introduce and support this product around the globe, wherever mining or tunnelling projects are looking to optimise the efficiency of their concrete delivery and the quality of their shotcrete application.”

BluVein’s underground dynamic charging developments accelerating

Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BluVein, after officially receiving agreement and project approval from all project partners, has initiated the third phase of technology development and testing of its underground mine electrification solution, BluVein1, it says.

BluVein is a joint venture between Australia-based mining innovator Olitek and Sweden-based electric highways developer Evias. The company has devised a patented slotted (electric) rail system, which uses an enclosed electrified e-rail system mounted above or beside the mining vehicle together with the BluVein hammer that connects the electric vehicle to the rail.

The system, which is OEM agnostic, provides power for driving the vehicle, typically a mine truck, and charging the truck’s batteries while the truck is hauling load up the ramp and out of an underground mine.

The underground-focused development under BluVein is coined BluVein1, with the open-pit development looking to offer dynamic charging for ultra-class haul trucks called BluVein XL. This latter project was recently named among eight winning ideas selected to progress to the next stage of the Charge On Innovation Challenge.

The purpose of the third phase of the BluVein1 technology development is to:

  • Conduct a full-scale refined hammer (collector) and arm design and testing with a second prototype;
  • Execute early integration works with mining partners and OEMs;
  • Provide full-power dynamic energy transfer for a vehicle demonstration on a local test site; and
  • Confirm a local test site for development.

IM understands that the company is close to sealing an agreement for a local test site where it will carry out trials of the dynamic charging technology.

James Oliver, CEO, BluVein, said the third phase represents an essential final pre-pilot stage of BluVein1.

“It excites me that the BluVein solution is becoming an industry reality,” he said. “The faster BluVein1 is ready for deployment, the better for our partners and the mining industry globally.”

BluVein recently entered a Memorandum of Understanding with Epiroc, where the Sweden-based OEM will provide the first ever diesel-to-battery-converted Minetruck MT42 underground truck for pilot testing on the slotted electric rail system from BluVein.

“This MoU also ensures that we are designing and developing the system into a real-world BEV for full-scale live testing and demonstration on a pilot site in 2023,” BluVein says.

In addition to Epiroc, IM understands BluVein is working with Sandvik, MacLean, Volvo and Scania, among others, on preparing demonstration vehicles for the BluVein1 pilot site.

The BluVein1 consortium welcomed South32 into the project in May, joining Northern Star Resources, Newcrest Mining, Vale, Glencore, Agnico Eagle, AngloGold Ashanti and BHP, all of which have signed a consortium project agreement that aims to enable final system development and the construction of a technology demonstration pilot site in Australia.

The project is being conducted through the consortium model by Rethink Mining, powered by the Canada Mining Innovation Council (CMIC), which CMIC says is a unique collaboration structure that fast-tracks mining innovation technologies such as BluVein and CAHM (Conjugate Anvil Hammer Mill).

Carl Weatherell, Executive Director and CEO, CMIC/President Rethink Mining Ventures, said: “With the urgent need to decarbonise, CMIC’s approach to co-develop and co-deploy new platform technologies is the way to accelerate to net zero greenhouse gases. The BluVein consortium is a perfect example of how to accelerate co-development of new technology platforms.”

Oliver concluded: “The BluVein1 consortium is a great reminder that many hands make light work, and through this open collaboration with OEMs and mining companies, we’re moving faster together towards a cleaner, greener future for mining.”

MacLean details battery-electric vehicle order for Glencore’s Onaping Depth

Base metals, Environmental, Mineral project development, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , , ,

With the Onaping Depth Project in Ontario, Canada, advancing towards production, MacLean has announced that its battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have been selected by Glencore’s Sudbury Integrated Nickel Operations (Glencore Sudbury INO) as one of the mobile equipment suppliers for this deep mine under the existing Craig Mine in Onaping, a longtime base metals mining hub in the Greater Sudbury region.

These details follow on from an announcement from Peter Xavier, Vice PresidentGlencore, Sudbury Operations, announcing the fleet details at the ‘BEV In-Depth: Mines to Mobility’ conference in Sudbury, late last month.

The MacLean BEV fleet at Onaping will consist of support units across the mining vehicle categories of explosives charging, secondary reduction, shotcrete spraying, concrete transport and utility vehicles, MacLean said.

MacLean launched its EV SeriesTM product line in 2016 and, since that time, the company has gone on to design, manufacture and commission over 40 pieces of mobile mining equipment in five provinces across Canada, as well one state in the United States and one BEV unit recently shipped to South Africa for trialling in that country’s mining sector.

Collectively, the MacLean full-fleet electrification solution has amassed over 120,000 working hours underground. Connecting the mining cycle to the battery cycle with the right amount of best-in-class battery, on-board charging and vehicle telemetry technology has allowed the company to rapidly progress its product development and introduction of MacLean BEVs into the industry, for customers looking to maximise the operational benefits of a diesel-free mining.

“The 100-plus employees at the MacLean service and support branch in Sudbury, along with the underground Research & Training Facility just down the road in Lively, are an integral part of the economy in Sudbury and this local footprint will be a cornerstone for our project support to Glencore Sudbury INO across the life of this mine,” Stella Holloway, MacLean Vice President of Northern Ontario Operations, said. “Onaping Depth is an example to the mining world for how to successfully develop and operate a diesel-free, deep mine, so we are keenly aware of the high bar that has been set and are excited to step up and ensure the success of the MacLean EV Series fleet as it contributes to the wider success of the Glencore project as whole.”

MacLean President, Kevin MacLean, said: “We are deeply honoured to be chosen by Glencore Sudbury INO as one of the mobile equipment suppliers for this keystone project, as they advance towards production. I spent my early years growing up in Levack, when my father was working underground as a Division Foreman at the former Levack Mine, so this BEV fleet sale to Onaping Depth has special meaning for me. MacLean is committed to doing its part to ensuring the success of this project, as the entire mining world looks on.”

MEDATech launches battery thermal management unit for BEVs

Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

MEDATech has launched what it says is a rugged, space-saving thermal management unit for industrial battery-electric vehicles.

Having made battery-electric drivetrains for heavy-duty equipment OEMs like MacLean, Kovatera and Muckahi Mining Systems, MEDATech’s ALTDRIVE division had accepted that a problem area in the company’s designs had long been thermal management units.

“We could never find a battery thermal management unit robust enough or sleek enough,” MEDATech’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Darren Mueller, said. “They were either too fragile for industrial use, so bulky that we had to compromise on vehicle design, or tough to integrate into vehicle management systems. So we built one.”

The ALTDRIVE BTMU, as the unit was dubbed (BTMU = Battery Thermal Management Unit), has an AKG-built condenser that can be placed remotely to save space and enable consistent airflow. At 25 in x 26.5 in x 15 in and 105 lb (48 kg), the BTMU is a tight package that’s built rugged enough to withstand the most adverse underground conditions, but powerful enough to reject heat at a rate of 7.5 kW, MEDATech says. It is powered by the vehicle’s high-voltage system and plugs into the J1939 CAN network. The BTMU also has an optional 10 kW heater add-on that can be connected to the base unit if cold-weather operation is planned.

The ALTDRIVE BTMU works as well as a retrofit as it does on new builds, according to the company. It delivers precision cooling and can also report temperature and pressure monitoring within vehicle-control systems. Its release has seen such popular acclaim that MEDATech has partnered with AKG to expand BTMU product line offerings, MEDATech said. AKG has been a global partner in thermal-management solutions for many different markets since 1919.

Josh Belin, AKG Senior Product Manager, said: “We are very excited to partner with MEDATech to further develop the BTMU product line. As the market continues to evolve, it will become increasingly important to be able to handle the requirements of a wide variety of applications.”