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    3ME, Rio Tinto ArcFlash tests and Toshiba LTO: safety design notes for mine fleets

    March 17, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    3ME, Rio Tinto ArcFlash tests and Toshiba LTO: safety design notes for mine fleets

    First reported on International Mining – News

    30 Second Briefing

    3ME Technology has completed what it calls a world‑first DC ArcFlash testing programme with Rio Tinto on high‑voltage battery systems for mining fleets, generating empirical data on arc energy, blast pressure and thermal effects to refine PPE categories and enclosure designs. In a parallel development, 3ME is collaborating with Toshiba to integrate lithium titanate oxide (LTO) cells into its Bladevolt battery platform, targeting fast‑charge, high‑cycle underground mining vehicles. The work directly informs electrical protection coordination, battery pack architecture and risk assessments for diesel‑to‑battery conversions.

    Technical Brief

    • DC ArcFlash tests were conducted on complete high‑voltage battery packs, not just individual cells.
    • Empirical arc data are being tied into existing electrical isolation and lock‑out/tag‑out procedures.
    • Results are intended to refine site‑specific arc flash labels, approach boundaries and PPE categories for maintainers.
    • Testing outcomes will inform enclosure venting, blast‑relief and segregation requirements in battery pack housings.
    • LTO chemistry selection is driven by underground duty cycles requiring frequent fast‑charge and high cycle life.
    • Work provides a template for DC arc characterisation of other high‑voltage battery systems in mining and tunnelling.

    Our Take

    Within the 2084 tag-matched pieces on Projects, Safety and Product, very few items involve battery OEMs like Toshiba working directly with mining-focused suppliers such as 3ME Technology, signalling that this is still a relatively early-stage pattern in electrified mining fleets.

    Rio Tinto’s involvement gives 3ME Technology a route to validate LTO-based systems against Tier-1 miner safety requirements, which in our database often becomes a de facto benchmark for smaller operators when they later procure battery-electric equipment.

    LTO chemistries are typically chosen in mining for their cycle life and thermal stability rather than pure energy density, so this collaboration positions 3ME Technology more towards heavy-duty underground or high-duty-cycle applications rather than long-range surface haulage.

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    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

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