Epiroc pioneers a battery-electric underground mine truck prototype made from fossil-free steel in line with the company’s vision to produce the world’s greenest machines. This partnership with Swedish steelmaker SSAB accelerates the journey towards reduced carbon-dioxide emissions, ultimately helping mining companies reach their climate goals.
In partnership with steel manufacturer SSAB, we now prototype an underground mine truck with a dump box made of fossil-free steel, the battery-electric Minetruck MT42. The result is a 10-tonne reduction of CO2 emissions per manufactured dump box, the equivalent of taking five gasoline cars out of service for an entire year.
The partnership will help us accelerate the journey to create a more sustainable future, deliver the world’s greenest machines, and support our customers. “Our innovation agenda goes hand in hand with our customers’ sustainability agenda,” says Sami Niiranen, President of Epiroc’s Underground division. “In the shift to a new, low-carbon economy, our products and services will be a key contributor for our customers to meet their climate goals.”
SSAB aims to deliver fossil-free steel to the market in commercial scale during 2026, and delivered the first steel made of hydrogen-reduced iron in 2021. SSAB works with iron ore producer LKAB and energy company Vattenfall in Sweden as part of the HYBRIT initiative to develop a value chain for fossil-free iron- and steel production, replacing coking coal traditionally needed for iron ore-based steelmaking, with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. This process virtually eliminates carbon dioxide-emissions in steel production.
“The development of new technologies is essential to enable the transition to a low-carbon economy,” says Johnny Sjöström, head of SSAB Special Steels. “Our fossil-free steel immediately reduces the carbon footprint to near zero without compromising the high quality and properties you would expect from SSAB steels. It is the same steel, just without the negative environmental impact.”
The Minetruck MT42 Battery is a breakthrough for our sustainable innovation. It is a significant step in our company’s ambition to produce cutting-edge, environmentally smart mining equipment. It is emissions-free in operation, generating a strong positive impact on the climate as well as on operators’ work environment and productivity.
“We all play a part in creating a more sustainable future”, says Camilla Goldbeck-Löwe, Vice President Corporate Responsibility at Epiroc. “Our partnership with SSAB has enabled us to present the world’s first underground mine truck made using fossil-free steel.”
Watch the video about the battery-electric Minetruck MT42, the world’s first underground mine truck made using fossil-free steel.
