Eldorado Gold (TSX:ELD) has taken delivery of the first of two Sandvik TH550B battery-electric trucks at its Lamaque mine in Val d’Or, Que. The 50-tonne BEV at Lamaque is the first TH550B assembled and delivered in Canada from Sandvik’s factory in Winnipeg.
The delivery is a major milestone in Eldorado’s efforts to continuously improve sustainable mining practices at its Canadian mine. Company president and CEO George Burns said that integrating electric vehicles into operations is just one of the many ways Eldorado is reducing its environmental impact, lowering operating costs, and ensuring long-term sustainability.
The Sandvik TH550B has been designed from the ground up entirely around its battery systems and electric drivelines. It features Sandvik’s patented self-swapping battery system, including the AutoSwap and AutoCorrect functions, improving equipment availability and safety. Sandvik says it operates the fastest BEV “pit stop” in the industry, enabling its equipment to return to operation sooner than “fast-charge” mining BEVs.
Sandvik’s TH550B also features sophisticated data collection and analysis capabilities, enabling operators and maintenance personnel to monitor and optimize the truck’s performance is real time.
As part of its commitment to more sustainable mining, and with the expected success of the first two BEV trucks, Eldorado plans to build a larger electrified haulage fleet in the future.
Learn more about the capabilities of Sandvik underground loaders and trucks at Sandvik.com.
