Codelco–CEA-Liten underground fleet electrification: design notes for mine engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell
First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
Codelco has signed a collaboration agreement with French research institute CEA-Liten (Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials) to develop technologies for electrifying underground mining fleets across its Chilean operations. The partnership will focus on powertrain electrification, high‑density battery systems and charging strategies suited to deep, high‑altitude block cave and panel cave mines, where ventilation demand and heat load are critical constraints. Outcomes are expected to inform future specifications for electric LHDs, trucks and support equipment, with direct implications for mine power distribution, ramp design and ventilation sizing.
Technical Brief
- Agreement formalised between Codelco and CEA-Liten specifically targets underground mobile equipment technologies.
- CEA-Liten brings laboratory capability in new energy technologies and nanomaterials to the mining context.
- Collaboration scope explicitly includes both study (concept/feasibility) and development (prototype/industrialisation) phases.
- Decarbonisation of Codelco’s production processes is stated as a primary driver for the technology programme.
- Partnership is framed as part of Codelco’s wider technological innovation strategy, not a standalone pilot.
Our Take
Codelco’s work with CEA-Liten on underground fleet electrification sits alongside its recent trials of XCMG all‑electric heavy‑duty trucks on the 700 km Chuquicamata–Mejillones route, signalling that the company is testing electrification across both underground and long-haul segments rather than in isolated pilots.
Given Codelco’s recent scrutiny over copper output misclassification, visible partnerships with technical institutes like CEA-Liten on fleet decarbonisation can also help rebalance stakeholder narratives towards operational modernisation and ESG performance rather than purely governance issues.
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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