Dynamic Charging Hammer and Rail Technology for Mining Haulage - Underground and Above Ground

Game Changing Australian Technology Enabling the Viable Electrification of Mine Haul Fleets

The Challenge - Removing Diesel Fuel from Mining Truck Haulage 

Every year billions of litres of diesel fuel is trucked long distances to remote Australian mining locations for use.
Key issues with diesel fuel in mining include:

  • Approximately 99.9% of all heavy-duty mining fleet currently operating in Australia is powered by diesel fuel and internal combustion engines.
  • Mining haul fleets are typically responsible for 40-50% of a mine sites total greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Currently, there is no economically viable, productive and practical way of powering mine haul fleets.

This issue must be addressed to accelerate the mining industry to shift en-masse to decarbonised mining operations and to encourage the deployment at mines of renewable power generation.

The Solution - BluVein Dynamic Charging Technology

BluVein’s patented dynamic charging Hammer and Rail technology enables electricity transfer from grid to mining truck’s drive motors and batteries while hauling. The Hammer and Rail has been specifically designed to function safely and reliably in rugged mining environments and in all climates.
BluVein Is -

  • Setting the global mining industry standard for OEM agnostic, safe and flexible dynamic charging infrastructure. Current interested & supporting OEM’s are Epiroc, Volvo, Scania, Komatsu, Caterpillar & Hitachi.
  • Uniquely enables economically viable, fully electric, highly productive, and lowest cost mining operations and the complete elimination of diesel fuel in mining haul fleets.
  • Allows the use of renewable electricity/clean grid power to efficiently and productively power haul fleets.
  • The missing jigsaw piece, and a catalyst for full electrification of underground and surface mines & quarries globally.

With diesel eliminated for mine haulage, the economics of using diesel for onsite power generation then become more challenging, with the balance shifting towards wind, solar and BESS and achievement of zero emission mining operations.

BluVein1 - Visualisation - BluVein deployed in the underground mining. BluVein was originally conceived as a solution to the heath and safety concerns around toxic diesel emissions in underground mining.

BluVeinXL Visualisation - BluVein deployed in an open pit mining environment. BluVeinXL enables surface mines to decarbonise their operations by enabling widespread usage of battery electric trucks in their fleet haulage.

BluVein’s patented dynamic charging Hammer and Rail technology enables electricity transfer from grid to mining truck’s drive motors and batteries while hauling. The Hammer and Rail has been specifically designed to function safely and reliably in rugged mining environments and in all climates.

BluVein has developed an OEM agnostic dynamic power transfer system comprised of our patented safe, slotted power rail and our on vehicle hammer system. BluVein enables cost viable, high power transfer to any OEM battery electric mining vehicle while in motion, in all terrains and environmental conditions. BluVein's core hammer and rail technology is suited to both open pit and underground mining & quarry fleets, and all truck payload classes.

BluVein technology is founded upon 15 years of technology development by our partner EVIAS for electrified highways in Sweden.
Currently BluVein is progressing two products in parallel: BluVein1 product rated up to 60 tonne truck payloads, and BluVeinXL rated to 250 tonne truck payloads

Why BluVein

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    BluVein is setting the global mining industry standard for OEM agnostic, safe and flexible dynamic charging infrastructure.
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    BluVein uniquely enables economically viable, fully electric, highly productive, and lowest cost mining operations and the complete elimination of diesel fuel in mining haul fleets.
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    BluVein allows the use of renewable electricity/clean grid power to efficiently and productively power haul fleets.  
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    BluVein is the missing jigsaw piece, and a catalyst for full electrification of underground and surface mines & quarries globally.

BluVeinXL - Charge On Innovation Challenge

How BluVein Enables BEVs in Heavy Haulage  - The Electric Mine's Missing Link

BluVein vs Overhead Wire Catenary Systems

Traditional overhead wire trolley catenary approaches are expensive and slow to install and cannot be easily relocated to suit mining operational requirements. The OWCS system requires high levels of haul road maintenance and prevents use of the ramp by other fleet types (drills, shovels etc.) resulting in additional ramps at high cost.
Open wire catenary systems -
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    in open pit operations must be mounted high above the truck requiring extensive infrastructure with complex install and costs
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    have numerous safety concerns and cannot legally be used in underground mining environments within many mining jurisdictions
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    are limited in the amount of power transfer and not suited to ultra class fleets or dynamic charging.
BluVein Animation XL - Visualisation comparing BluVein's mobile and cost effective rail infrastructure vs traditional overhead wire catenary systems

BluVein Cost Advantage

At a high level, BluVein delivers system wide savings of approximately 30% compared to conventional diesel fleets and approximately 80% compared to traditional open wire catenary systems.

BluVein Key Value Drivers

OEM Agnostic

Safely powered & charged ‘in motion’

BluVein is an OEM agnostic, dynamic power connector technology that enables underground and surface mining fleets to be safely powered & charged ‘in motion’.

Smaller Onboard Batteries

Elimination of diesel fuel in mines

BluVein enables continuous electric mine haulage, smaller onboard batteries, zero charging downtime and the  complete elimination of diesel fuel in mines.

Lowest Cost Solution

Highest productivity

BluVein delivers the lowest cost, highest productivity and most sustainable pathway to fully electric open pit and underground mine fleets.

Preferred by Leading Miners

Meet 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets

BluVein’s technology has been accelerated by a group of leading mining companies who urgently require  dynamic charging technology for their mining fleets to electrify and meet 2030 and 2050 greenhouse gas reduction targets.

The Missing Piece

Enabling viable mine electrification

BluVein is seen by our partners as the missing jigsaw piece to enabling viable mine electrification.

Eliminate Diesel

Superior Economics

With diesel eliminated for mine haulage, the economics of using diesel for onsite power generation then become more challenging, with the balance shifting towards wind, solar and BESS and achievement of zero emission mining operations.

Advanced Dynamic Trolley in Action

Above - BluVein's practical deployment in a typical daily mining haulage application
Below - Video Presentation - BluVein's Proving Ground Prepared for BluVein's "Real World" Technology Validation Stage
Below - Video Presentation - BluVein's Heritage. e-Roads Research and Development Sweden
Below - Video Presentation - BluVein Technology Overview at Energy and Mines Perth Australia Summit
by BluVein's CEO - James Oliver
Below - Video Presentation - BluVein Technology Overview at The Electric Mine 2023 by BluVein's CEO - James Oliver
BluVein Background Information Slide Deck