China’s Zijin Mining has introduced 290 battery-electric haul trucks at its Wulagen zinc mine in Xinjiang. This is one of the largest uses of electric mining vehicles so far. Now, over 80 percent of the mine’s transportation runs on electric power as Zijin works toward lower-carbon mining.

The mining firm could not find an electric haul truck that met the mine’s needs, so the company worked with equipment maker Longking to design a custom truck for the site.

Built to handle demanding mining operations

Their work produced the LK220E, a 140-ton battery-electric haul truck with a 770-kilowatt-hour battery pack.  According to Zijin, this is the largest swappable battery used in an electric haul truck so far.

Mining puts special demands on heavy vehicles. They need to run for long hours, carry heavy loads, and avoid downtime. Standard charging can slow things down if trucks have to sit idle for too long.

To solve this, the LK220E uses a battery-swapping system. Empty batteries can be replaced in about four minutes, so trucks keep moving without long charging stops. This helps large mines stay efficient and productive.

The first LK220E truck was shown in December. Since then, hundreds more have started working at the mine.

Renewable energy supports the transition

The Wulagen mine already uses renewable energy in its operations. It combines local wind and solar power with battery storage to cut down on fossil fuel use.

With this setup, switching to electric trucks was a logical next step. By using battery-electric trucks instead of diesel ones, the mine can lower emissions and use more of its own renewable power.

This change fits with the global mining industry’s push to cut carbon emissions. Heavy-duty haul trucks use a lot of fuel, so they are a main focus for electrification.

Lower operating costs and improved reliability

Beyond environmental benefits, the firm cites significant economic advantages of electric haul trucks.

“The energy cost per tonne-kilometer for electric mining trucks is only about RMB0.177, compared to as high as RMB0.68 when using fossil energy. In addition, the safety and operating efficiency of electric mining trucks have notable advantages over diesel trucks. With fewer complex transmission components … these trucks have a much lower failure rate than that of fossil fuel vehicles. Moreover, the simpler operation of electric vehicles reduces the risk of accidents due to operational errors.”

The company said electric drivetrains have fewer moving parts, which means less maintenance and fewer breakdowns. Easier vehicle operation can also make mining sites safer.

Part of a larger electrification strategy

These new are just one part of Zijin Mining’s larger push to electrify its vehicles. The company already has over 1,700 electric vehicles working across its mines.

More electric vehicles will be added before the end of the year, with several hundred joining the fleet. This expansion supports Zijin’s goal of reaching net-zero mining operations.

With 290 LK220E trucks in use and much of its power coming from renewables, the Wulagen mine shows that big mining companies can electrify their most energy-hungry equipment and still meet production demands.

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