Codelco has entered into a one-year agreement with French institute CEA-Liten to advance the electrification of equipment used in underground mining.
The agreement aims to support the energy transition in mining operations through combined efforts such as advanced simulations, lithium battery testing in laboratories and techno-economic analysis.
It was officially signed at Codelco’s headquarters in Santiago, Chile.
Senior Codelco executives were present, including members of the CEA-Liten team, academic representatives and the French Ambassador to Chile, Cyrille Rogeau.
The project will be jointly funded by Codelco and the French Government via the Fund for Studies and Assistance to the Private Sector (FASEP), which is intended to promote the transfer of sustainable technologies to strategic sectors.
The FASEP fund will contribute to the initiative, which also involves academic participation from the University of Chile through the Advanced Mining Technology Centre and the Centre for Sustainable Acceleration of Electromobility.
WattAlps, a French battery manufacturer, will be responsible for designing and supplying the batteries to be tested at laboratories in Grenoble, France.
Under the agreement, Codelco and CEA-Liten will work together on several fronts.
These include crafting technical specifications, assessing the technological maturity of available solutions, and evaluating technical and economic parameters for key options.
In addition, CEA-Liten will carry out in-depth battery testing at its research facilities.
Outcomes from this collaboration are expected to guide a plan for potential future research and development projects between the two organisations.
Codelco emphasised that electrifying its underground mining equipment is central to its goal of decarbonising production processes and improving safety for personnel.
The use of electric vehicles in mines can reduce emissions and lower worker exposure to hazardous environments by minimising maintenance and eliminating on-site fossil fuel refuelling.
Codelco corporate manager of innovation and technology Felipe Lagno said: “Beyond accessing cutting-edge technologies, we seek to develop frontier knowledge in partnership with centres of excellence, universities and industry.
“With alliances like this, we are accelerating the Chilean industry's transition to sustainable, safe and globally competitive mining,” he added.
In December last year, Codelco and SQM launched the NovaAndino Litio joint venture, which will manage the exploration, extraction, production and marketing of lithium in Salar de Atacama, Chile.
