Hindustan Zinc Signs MoU with Epiroc for Using BEVs in Underground Mining

India’s integrated producer of Zinc-Lead and Silver and a Vedanta Group Company, Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Epiroc Rock Drills AB for Zero Emission and Sustainable Mining by introducing Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) in underground mining.

HZL claims to become the first mining company in India to introduce electric vehicles in UG mines after this initiative. Also, this will help to explore the possibility of introducing BEVs in underground mines that will help reduce carbon emissions, enabling the mine operations to become more environmentally friendly.

Talking on the MoU, Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc stated, “At Hindustan Zinc, we are committed to Smart, Safe, and Sustainable operations and we believe that as a leader it is incumbent on us to be catalysts for transformation towards adopting sustainability driven business solutions.”

“This partnership with Epiroc fortifies our commitment to green and responsible mining and takes us furthers in the right direction to achieve carbon neutrality, in line with our emission reduction Sustainability Development Goal for 2025,” Arun added.

HZL says that the future is electric, and technologies such as these will be at the forefront of smart operations. This partnership will in the future allow a fleet of highly efficient electric-powered equipment that on one end will reduce carbon emission by replacing diesel-fuelled equipment and on the other hand will increase productivity with its evolved design.

According to the company, sustainability across operations is part of the core business philosophy at Hindustan Zinc. As a COP26 business leader, the company has been consistently working towards achieving science-based targets (SBT) to curb carbon footprint. It is part of the prestigious CDP “A List” for all its initiatives towards tackling climate change and is also ranked 1st in Asia Pacific & 7th Globally by The Dow Jones Sustainability Index 2020.

Supporting the initiative, Jerry Andersson, Managing Director, Epiroc India added, “A safer and cleaner mining starts only if someone takes the first step. Epiroc has always been a leader in mining technologies. We showcase the BEV in underground mining with the broadest offerings and a mission to deliver the world’s greenest machines.

He further spoke on the MoU, “Our memorandum with Hindustan Zinc is a step on our mutual journey for a safer and more sustainable mining operation to come.”