VANCOUVER (miningweekly.com) – Goldcorp is planning to build what is expected to be the world's first diesel-free hard rock gold mine at its Borden project, near Chapleau, Ontario.
The company has appointed Collingwood, Ontario-based MacLean Engineering to provide a fleet of battery-powered mobile underground mining equipment for mine development and eventually production at the project.
Located about 160 km west of Goldcorp's Porcupine mine, the Borden project is believed to have potential to further enhance the long-term economics of the active Porcupine operation.
Founded in 1973, MacLean will supply its Electric Vehicle (EV) Series battery propulsion system, which leverages high power, high efficiency and long cycle life battery chemistry, along with battery management and vehicle monitoring capabilities and onboard charging that ensures compatibility with existing mine infrastructure.
MacLean’s fleet electrification programme started in 2015 and, by 2017, the company expects to be able to offer customers a battery tramming/battery operating option on all units across the company’s ground support, ore flow and utility vehicle product lines.
The engineering firm’s engineered integration of the various battery power and drive train components that make up the MacLean EV Series propulsion system was supported by a research and development collaboration with Collingwood-based specialised engineering firm MEDATech.
Goldcorp is undertaking a feasibility study at the Borden project and expects to complete the study during the first quarter of 2017.