Improvement of Working Conditions and Opinions of Mine Workers When Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) Are Used Instead of Diesel Machines — Results of Field Trial at the Kittilä Mine, Finland

Abstract A major part of the European Union’s (EU) project Sustainable Intelligent Mining System (SIMS) is investigating development diesel-free/carbon–neutral underground mines in order to ensure sustainable mining future. Replacing diesel machines with electric vehicles hard rock has been widely acknowledged by industry worldwide as a critical step improve working conditions reducing exhaust–related contaminants, reduce mine ventilation electrical power cost airflow quantity, and greenhouse gas emissions. All these are requirements achieve future practices. field trial Epiroc’s 2nd generation Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) at Agnico Eagle Finland’s Kittilä was conducted during 2019–2020. tested were MT42 truck, ST14 Load-Haul-Dump (LHD), Boomer E2 jumbo drill rig. This paper outlines improvement observed trial, opinions personnel on using BEVs instead machines. Measurements atmospheric contaminants air temperatures taken clearly demonstrated significant when operating opposed observation supported opinion majority workers. However, some remaining concerns must be addressed before can replace