Epiroc increases focus on sustainable mining

Epiroc has ramped up deliveries of its battery-electric vehicles and said it is seeing strong results from the field in terms of productivity, CO2 reduction and customer satisfaction. The company’s new Smart and Green series is its next step to highlight the benefits of zero-emission technology and automation – together with several strong partnerships and initiatives within the sustainability field.

“Mining is an essential part of modern society, and crucial in the shift to fossil-free energy sources. We want to provide the equipment to mine the required metals and minerals in the most sustainable way possible”, said Sarah Hoffman, VP Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division.

Epiroc has rebranded its underground battery-electric range to the Smart and Green series, broadening the fleet to potentially include other zero-emission technologies in the future. These battery-powered machines come equipped with Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which the company said makes them ready for smart functionality such as automation and remote control.

Epiroc said it plans to offer a complete range of emission-free underground products by 2025. (Photo: Epiroc)

“Our ambition is to produce the world’s greenest machines, all the way from cell level to recycling of the batteries. And with smart functionality added, we can help improve safety, productivity, and machine availability even further,” said Hoffman.

At the same time, Epiroc has also introduced the Smart series for its diesel-powered range outfitted with RCS. Just like the electric range, the smart machines are prepared for additional functionality from Epiroc’s 6th Sense offering. The included machine models will feature new decal designs as well as updated product naming.

The batteries of the electric range are produced together with Northvolt, a Swedish company that has said it is committed to building the world’s greenest batteries. Sourcing of materials is reportedly done ethically to secure a supply chain free from corruption of people and planet. The high energy-density batteries are certified with international standards and feature a built-in multi-layer safety system.

Other sustainability initiatives from Epiroc include the recently announced partnership with Swedish steelmaker SSAB to secure fossil-free steel for use in the production of Epiroc’s mining equipment. The partnership with SSAB fits well with Epiroc’s ambitious sustainability goals for 2030, which includes halving its CO2e emissions.

By 2025, Epiroc aims to offer a complete range of emission-free underground products.