MacLean Engineering has named Scania Industrial Batteries as the primary battery supplier for its underground electric mining equipment. MacLean expects the partnership to strengthen its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) platform and support its goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040.

Safety was a key factor in MacLean’s decision to select Scania as its battery supplier, said Maarten van Koppen, vice-president of product management and marketing at MacLean, in an email to CIM Magazine.

MacLean conducted arc-flash studies of a wide range of battery options and found that Scania’s battery systems recorded the lowest rating by a wide margin. These studies assess a mine’s electrical distribution system to determine the potential severity of an arc-flash event at energized equipment. They identify incident energy levels, arc-flash boundaries, personal protective equipment requirements and measures to reduce worker risk.

“That is important because we are uncompromising when it comes to battery safety for both maintenance personnel at customer sites as well as our own people,” van Koppen said.

Scania’s battery systems are purpose-built for off-highway underground applications and designed to withstand demanding conditions such as vibration and other environmental stresses. According to the Swedish company, more than 2,000 of these systems are currently operating in underground mines worldwide in electric rigs, loaders and other heavy-duty mining vehicles. The systems support powertrains from 400 to 800 volts and scalable energy capacities ranging from 21 to 768 kilowatt hours (kWh).

Under the new partnership, Scania will supply MacLean with its Core 800 battery packs. Scania’s flagship industrial battery pack, the Core 800 delivers 97 kWh of installed energy at a nominal voltage of 691 volts and features advanced thermal management and a proprietary battery management system.

“Electrification in demanding off-road applications places exceptionally high requirements on safety, reliability and system integration,” Elin Åkerström, managing director at Scania Industrial Batteries, said in a July 27 news release.

“We are applying our deep expertise in electrified power solutions to support customers like MacLean as they transition to zero-emission operations in some of the world’s most challenging environments.”

As MacLean integrates Scania’s battery systems, the Ontario-based mining equipment manufacturer also plans to revamp its broader electric vehicle design to improve performance and reduce total cost of ownership, van Koppen added.

In 2015, MacLean initiated a fleet-electrification program for its mining equipment, which the company launched at MINExpo 2016. Since then, the company has electrified more than 25 mining vehicle models and sold over 100 BEV units for use in Canada, Mexico, Australia and South Africa.

MacLean has supplied battery-electric mining equipment for projects including Glencore’s Onaping Depth project, Discovery Mining’s Borden gold mine in Ontario, Agnico Eagle’s Odyssey gold mine in Quebec, and Torex Gold’s Media Luna gold-copper project in Mexico.