With the global drive to move towards a low carbon economy, the mining industry has come under immense pressure to transition their mines to cleaner and greener facilities. As an intensive user of diesel and coal generated power, the mining industry has the potential to be at the forefront of this transition.

As part of an optimisation study, Fraser M^cGill performed a techno economic life cycle analysis with a client, aimed at quantifying the total cost of ownership associated with replacing an underground diesel fleet with state of the art battery electric vehicles .

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), along with the advances in battery technology, provide a feasible solution to improve environmental conditions in underground mines which in turn provides a significant benefit to mine health and safety. Not only does this technology support a cleaner and greener mining environment, but it unlocks sustainable incremental value by reducing the total costs associated with operating mining fleets in underground mines.

Together with leaders in BEV and battery technology, Fraser M^cGill analysed the impact of implementing BEVs on infrastructure, underground equipment, ventilation and refrigeration requirements to determine the risks , benefits and opportunities existing for deep level hard rock mining applications. The study provides a quantified comparison between diesel and battery vehicles and contextualises any pre conceived assumptions, from a holistic point of view associated with BEVs.