Natural Resources Canada backing BEV trials, deployments in latest mining industry push
A recent C$73 million ($51 million) investment by the Canadian government in its national mining sector looks set to benefit several battery-electric vehicle trials, which are among a list of 12 projects to receive funds.
On June 26, the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, announced the investments, saying they would advance Canadian mining and build the infrastructure needed to connect Canadian critical minerals to global markets.
These investments include:
- Up to C$51.57 million through the First and Last Mile Fund for five projects to advance critical minerals production and supply chains;
- C$19.6 million under the Energy Innovation Program for five projects to advance clean energy and industrial decarbonisation technologies that strengthen Canada’s economic and climate competitiveness; and
- Nearly C$2 million under the Indigenous Natural Resource Partnerships program for the Tahltan Central Government’s project to co-develop, assess and participate in decision‑making on major critical minerals resource projects.
Among the five projects receiving investment under the Energy Innovation Program, which has been established to develop and demonstrate technologies that reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency in Canada’s mining sector, are:
- pH7 Technologies Inc is to receive up to C$5 million to demonstrate a closed-loop, net-zero copper extraction technology at the Gibraltar Mine, owned by Taseko Mines, in British Columbia, producing 99.9%-pure copper cathodes from low-grade ore on-site while generating green hydrogen and reducing emissions, water use and transportation requirements.
- ReThink Mining is to receive up to C$5 million of funding to help demonstrate battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) at multiple underground mine sites across Canada. It will assess vehicle performance in real-world conditions, identify barriers to broader adoption and establish best practices for deployment across the mining sector.
- Hudbay Minerals is to receive up to C$5 million for a project designed to replace traditional diesel mining equipment with electric vehicles and establish the required charging infrastructure at is Lalor mine. Using Manitoba’s clean electricity grid, the initiative will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance operational efficiency while simultaneously improving workplace safety by reducing noise, heat, dust and environmental risks. John O’Shaughnessy, Hudbay’s Vice President, Manitoba Business Unit, said the company is always looking for innovative ways to use technology to meet Hudbay’s environmental and health and safety goals, with this support from Natural Resources Canada helping the company “accelerate our electric vehicle program”. He added: “It’s a great step forward for our team in Manitoba, showing how we can integrate sustainability while constantly improving our everyday workplace underground.” Last year, Epiroc received an order from Hudbay for a fleet of BEVs to be used at Lalor, which included battery-electric versions of the Boomer M20 SG face drilling rig, the Scooptram ST18 SG, Scooptram ST14 SG loader and the Minetruck MT42 SG hauler.
- IAMGOLD Corporation is also set to receive up to C$2.4 million for a project at its Westwood mine in Quebec looking to replace large diesel haul trucks with electric vehicles and install charging infrastructure, improving air quality and demonstrating how electrification can be scaled across mining operations.
- The gold miner is also due to receive up to C$2,168,970 for a mine ventilation energy recovery project that will see it implement energy recovery technologies to reduce heating requirements in underground ventilation systems, significantly lowering natural gas use.
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