Source: bluvein.com
It has only been in recent years that Australia has looked to sustainable mining: BluVein has had AU$9 million ARENA funding to pilot-test its “hammer and rail” dynamic charging technology for heavy EV haul trucks—the ability to refuel them on the move. With emissions and diesel fuel now at the peak of the industry’s risk profile, it could transform the way that mines fuel operations.
Innovative Charging That Keeps Trucks on the Move
ARENA finance will support two trial stages:
- BluVein1: A 1MW unit for underground haul trucks with a 40–60 tonne weight.
- BluVeinXL: An 8MW unit designed specifically for ultra-class open-pit trucks weighing over 200 tonnes.
It has a slotted rail, hung solidly along or over the car, with a “hammer” connector that takes the truck onto the rail—powered en route. It eliminates downtime, lessens reliance on enormous batteries, and gives significant boosts in productivity.
James Oliver, BluVein president and CEO, calls the mission more than technology—a quantum leap to cleaner, greener mining. “We’re transforming the power of haul trucks,” he says. “No more battery backup or fuel stops—grid power along the route.”
Source: bluvein.com
National Mining Players See the Future
The industry titans are especially interested in this new system. Seven mining behemoths, from BHP and Newcrest all the way down to Agnico Eagle, have already signed up to support the pilot, which will allow BluVein to test and prove the technology in Brisbane. Original equipment manufacturers of vehicles such as Volvo and Scania are also developing it so that it can be compatible.
For the mines, it’s not a trial—something needs to be done. One of the operations managers at a Western Australian mine told me, bluntly, over coffee, “If it works, it’s a game-changer. Power on the move is uptime, not waiting for juice.”
Why Now? Why Here?
Australia‘s mining sector is one of the world’s energy-thirstiest. Heavy haulage alone consumes millions of litres of diesel each year—costly, logistically wasteful fuel that’s a heavy emitter.
ARENA CEO Darren Miller cited the timing:
“We need solutions that don’t cut emissions—just slow us down. Mining doesn’t quit. This has to keep up with that.”
The trial is part of a broader national plan to put a lid on carbon and create high-tech industrial capability. BluVein’s technology is flexible, scalable, and uses lighter batteries—an advantage for all forms and locations of mines.
Local Jobs, Global Ambitions
Source: bluvein.com
This trial is more than emissions reduction—this trial is bringing opportunity. BluVein’s Queensland trial locations will establish employment, from operators and engineers to trainers and construction staff.
It’s best explained by Brisbane-local trainee Sarah Nguyen: “This is where climate tech meets mining. We need real skills—not just rhetoric.”
By replicating and spreading the technology, Australia can bring about world electrification of mining—not export ore, but technology.
Technical Leap: Safety Converges with Speed
Safety was a design top priority. BluVein’s rail system is fully enclosed—removing dangerous exposed high-voltage cables. Charges take place on the go, not fixed in place. Speeds can actually increase, not stay constant.
Peter Hall, safety engineer: “Operators never have to stop, battery weight is minimized, safety equipment is not obstructive. That’s marvelous flexibility.”
What’s Next? Rolling Out and Scaling Up
Pilot trials depart today, BluVein1 on an Epiroc MT42 underground truck in Queensland. The plan? Roll—and then roll out for BluVeinXL on surface trucks.
If everything goes according to plan, we can anticipate a revolution in mining:
- Emissions reduction—especially in remote, diesel-dependent regions.
- Capital expenditures cutback—lighter-weight batteries, lighter trucks.
- Expanded Australian capability in niche electrification tech—an export angle.
A Broader Narrative for Resource Australia
This is not a single project. It is one of Fortescue’s rollouts of net-zero drive, fast-chargers, and electric loaders—but not mobile charging, as such.
The broader message? Australia can power remote heavy industry with clean energy, but also with groundbreaking engineering that resets the way we get around on the planet.
On Queensland plains studded with high-tech innovation, this technology experiment can appear to be the first spark of a fresh industrial age. Successful, and zero-carbon technology dominance by Australia will be driven by mining haul trucks carrying ore.
It is a period in which vision, tax money, and engineering expertise meet—not as speculation, but as proof of what Australian clean high-tech mining can achieve.
