BEVs are robust machines that run solely on electricity sourced from the batteries on board, thereby making them independent of any need for any internal combustion engine. Underground hard rock mining refers to mining operations whereby hard rock is excavated from beneath the earth’s surface with a view of extracting mineral deposits within the rock. Mining activities in such confined environments are faced with numerous health risks and therefore call for the gradual adoption of electrification.
Currently, the development of BEVs in underground mining operations seems extremely promising and is developing. Electric vehicles offer many benefits over their diesel counterparts in that they eliminate the emission of harmful fumes and diesel particulates within such confined spaces. Due to the lower heat generation from electrical motors compared to diesel engines, mining operations can save considerably in ventilation and cooling costs since they have always constituted the major energy cost in an underground mine (Hooli & Halim, 2025).
Despite all these obvious benefits, some difficulties emerge from experience of operations. Employees positively perceive low vibrations, minimal maintenance of fluids, and clean air provided by BEVs. Nevertheless, the extreme silence of electric engines has been identified as a safety threat because the vehicles cannot be heard when moving near people working close by (Hooli & Halim, 2025). Moreover, people working in mines have some legitimate fears concerning the issue of the risk of fire associated with batteries.
While the operational advantages of BEVs are rather obvious, there are several major barriers to the implementation of these machines on the global scale. First, economic and technical factors become critical barriers to implementation. In particular, extremely high expenses for buying the machinery and building corresponding infrastructure do not motivate investors to make their decision right away. In addition, the mining sector highly values stability of operations; thus, a lack of reliable performance of BEVs becomes an important concern.
Furthermore, there are numerous organizational challenges that hinder the implementation of new technological advances. The mining industry involves large financial investments, uncertain market conditions, and the use of proven technology. The conversion to electric fleets implies the need to redesign the mining plan and improve infrastructure such as the installation of charging points and electrical grids, which many current mining operations have yet to accomplish.
To summarize, although the introduction of battery-electric vehicles in the mining process of the future is inevitable, the full transition to these technologies still takes place in stages. The industry understands the significant health advantages and enormous savings associated with ventilation. The challenges should be addressed through the improvement of batteries’ reliability, cost-saving production, and changing mindsets.
References
Ediriweera, A., & Wiewiora, A. (2021). Barriers and enablers of technology adoption in the mining industry. Resources Policy, 73, 102188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2021.102188
Hooli, J., & Halim, A. (2025). Battery electric vehicles in underground mines: Insights from industry. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 208, 115024. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2024.115024
