MINING'S ELECTRIC REVOLUTION

FROM BATTERY-POWERED HAUL TRUCKS TO ALL-ELECTRIC UNDERGROUND FLEETS, ELECTRIFICATION IS RAPIDLY RESHAPING THE INDUSTRY.

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The mining industry is entering an era of transformation. For Australia's resource sector, which has long been defined by diesel-driven trucks, high-heat processing plants and remote operations, electrification offers a platform for growth, efficiency and reduced carbon emissions.

Turning that opportunity into reality means embracing a new generation of equipment, systems and energy-management strategies. The result is mines that are cleaner, safer and more productive.

Electrification matters because mining remains a source of direct emissions in Australia.

Skills, systems and infrastructure built on decades of operation now face a new imperative to reduce emissions while maintaining output. As mines look to decarbonise fleets, processing circuits and energy systems, electrification becomes a sustainability statement and a business differentiator.

By swapping diesel haul trucks for battery-electric alternatives, replacing engine-driven hydraulic plants with electric motors and integrating renewables with onsite batteries, mining companies are positioning themselves for a low-carbon future.

One of the values of electrification is that the technology has matured enough to shift from pilot to deployment.

For example, at the Yandi mine in Western Australia, BHP deployed an electric excavator in 2024 to test the viability of replacing diesel machinery in its iron-ore operations.

The R 9400 E Liebherr electric excavator, wired to a trailing cable and deployed at Yandi, reflects BHP's strategy to decarbonise equipment and diesel use at its WA Iron Ore operations.