Enaex all-electric emulsion charging at MSC: ventilation gains for mine engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
Enaex Argentina has commissioned a 100% electric mechanised emulsion charging unit at the Minera Santa Cruz San José underground gold-silver mine, a joint venture originally formed by Hochschild Mining and Minera Andes (now McEwen Mining). The battery-powered system replaces diesel charging units in production stopes, cutting local emissions and heat load in confined headings. For mine engineers, the move supports ventilation-constrained deepening and offers a reference case for fully electric blasting logistics in narrow-vein underground operations.
Technical Brief
- Unit is a mechanised emulsion charger configured specifically for underground deployment at San José mine.
- Electric platform removes diesel fuel storage and refuelling logistics from production charging activities.
- Reduced thermal output from the unit lowers refrigeration and airflow demand in deep, confined headings.
- Commissioning at a narrow-vein gold–silver operation offers a reference for similar Latin American underground mines.
Our Take
Among the 388 gold- and silver-tagged pieces in our database, Argentina appears far less frequently than jurisdictions like Canada or Australia, so an all-electric blasting unit at Minera Santa Cruz signals that lower-profile regions are starting to host some of the more advanced decarbonisation trials.
For a mine like Minera Santa Cruz, founded in 2001, retrofitting a 100% electric mechanised emulsion charging unit suggests that similar mature underground gold–silver operations can pursue incremental emissions cuts without waiting for full fleet replacement, which could influence how mid-life assets plan their next capital cycle.
Hochschild Mining’s involvement at the San José Mine means this Argentine deployment may become a reference case for the company’s other Latin American underground gold–silver operations, potentially standardising electric charging units where power reliability and ventilation constraints are manageable.
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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