Author
Listed:
- Epp Kuslap
(Department of Geology, Tallinn University of Technology, Ehitajate Tee 5, 19086 Tallinn, Estonia)
- Jiajie Li
(Key Laboratory of Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Safety Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)
- Aibaota Talehatibieke
(Key Laboratory of Efficient Mining and Safety of Metal Mines, Ministry of Education, School of Resource and Safety Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China)
- Michael Hitch
(Faculty of Science, University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, BC V2S 7M8, Canada)
Abstract
This paper explores the implementation of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in underground mining operations, focusing on their benefits, challenges, and safety considerations. The study examines the shift from traditional diesel-powered machinery to BEVs in response to increasing environmental concerns and stricter emission regulations. It discusses various lithium-ion battery chemistries used in BEVs, particularly lithium–iron–phosphate (LFP) and nickel–manganese–cobalt (NMC), comparing their performance, safety, and suitability for underground mining applications. The research highlights the significant benefits of BEVs, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved air quality in confined spaces, and potential ventilation cost savings. However, it also addresses critical safety concerns, such as fire risks associated with lithium-ion batteries and the emission of toxic gases during thermal runaway events. The manuscript emphasises the importance of comprehensive risk assessment and mitigation strategies when introducing BEVs to underground mining environments. It concludes that while BEVs offer promising solutions for more sustainable and environmentally friendly mining operations, further research is needed to ensure their safe integration into underground mining practices. This study contributes valuable insights to the ongoing discussion on the future of mining technology and its environmental impact.
Suggested Citation
Epp Kuslap & Jiajie Li & Aibaota Talehatibieke & Michael Hitch, 2025.
"Battery Electric Vehicles in Underground Mining: Benefits, Challenges, and Safety Considerations,"
Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-13, July.
Handle:
RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:14:p:3588-:d:1696703
Download full text from publisher
Corrections
All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:14:p:3588-:d:1696703. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.
If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.
We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .
If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.
For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .
Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through
the various RePEc services.