Canadian miner Torex Gold Resources has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply a hybrid 35-unit fleet for its Media Luna project in Mexico, including 15 battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) for production mining and 20 pieces of conventional equipment primarily for development.
Sandvik’s third-largest battery-electric mining fleet to date and first in Latin America will include 11 Toro™ LH518iB battery-electric loaders and four Sandvik DD422iE twin-boom battery-electric jumbos.
The mine’s first Toro™ LH518iB loaders are scheduled to arrive at site before the end of 2023, with deliveries continuing into Q4 2025. The first Sandvik DD422iE is scheduled for delivery in Q4 2023 with the other three in 2024. Delivery of the conventional equipment, which includes loaders, trucks, bolters, production drills and a raiseborer, will begin in Q3 2023 and continue into Q4 2025.
“This milestone order demonstrates that both BEVs and conventional diesel mining equipment can not only coexist in today’s underground mine but deliver value in different circumstances and applications,” said Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. “We are proud to support Torex on its journey to operate a world-class mine with a significantly reduced carbon footprint.”
“Investing in a hybrid mobile fleet provides many benefits for Torex, and we look forward to this partnership with Sandvik,” said Jody Kuzenko, Torex President and CEO. “The battery-electric loaders and drills are part of a credible pathway we’ve established to achieve our GHG reduction targets, while at the same time providing a healthier underground environment for our employees, reducing ongoing operating costs and providing us with the desired flexibility and reliability for Media Luna.”
For more information: https://www.rocktechnology.sandvik/en/products/underground-drill-rigs-and-bolters/