First Quantum Minerals (TSX: FM) has secured a UK patent and trademark for its Quantum Electra-Haul trolley-assist technology as the Canadian miner expands a system capable of cutting truck diesel use by as much as 90% on uphill hauls.
The UK Intellectual Property Office granted the protections this summer, while additional patent applications covering other aspects of the technology remain pending.
First Quantum has spent more than 14 years developing and operating trolley-assist systems and recorded nearly 500,000 km of trolley-assisted haulage across its mines in 2025.
“The world needs copper to be mined in a responsible manner,” Gordon White, First Quantum’s director of mine operations and technology, said. “Our patented trolley-assist solution, Quantum Electra-Haul, is a key element of this evolution.”
The system allows mine trucks fitted with pantographs to connect to overhead electrical lines while climbing ramps out of open pits. Once connected, electric wheel motors take over from the diesel engine, reducing fuel consumption when fully laden trucks are using the most energy.
Electrifying haulage
First Quantum says the technology saved about 45,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions at its Zambian mines in 2025 by replacing diesel with renewable electricity. Combined with other pit-electrification initiatives, the company estimates the operations avoided more than 130,000 tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions during the year.
The company has more than 15 km of trolley-assist infrastructure installed across its three largest operations and plans further expansion under its long-term mine plans. Its ambition is eventually to electrify as much as 100% of the uphill portion of applicable haul cycles.
First Quantum has worked with equipment manufacturers including Liebherr, Hitachi and Komatsu since 2011 to develop trucks and the electrical infrastructure required to operate the systems. Its design includes mobile transformers, electrical houses and trolley lines that can be relocated as open pits expand through successive cutbacks.
The company says trucks also save about two minutes on each trolley-assisted stretch because electric power allows them to climb ramps faster. Shorter cycle times can reduce fleet requirements and the number of equipment interactions in the pit.
“We designed the Quantum Electra-Haul hardware to be lightweight and mobile, enabling efficient relocation as the mine evolves through various cutbacks,” White said. “We believe that this technology is pivotal for decarbonizing load and haul operations.”
Battery breakthrough
First Quantum in April commissioned what it says is the world’s first ultra-large battery-electric mining truck at its Kansanshi copper-gold mine in Zambia, extending its trolley-assist strategy into fully electric haulage.
The all-electric Hitachi EH4000 integrates advanced battery technology with trolley assist, allowing the truck to connect to overhead power infrastructure during operation. The project builds on a trial First Quantum and Hitachi Construction Machinery began at Kansanshi in June 2024.
The companies are testing whether the truck can perform the full range of rock-haulage duties required under actual mine conditions while assessing dynamic battery charging and discharging cycles. Combining batteries with trolley infrastructure could allow electric trucks to draw power while operating and reduce their dependence on stationary charging.
Kansanshi, near Solwezi in Zambia’s Northwestern Province, has been a flagship First Quantum operation since 2005 and is one of the country’s largest mines.
The UK patent gives First Quantum intellectual-property protection around a trolley system already operating at its mines rather than a technology awaiting commercial deployment. Its combination with battery-electric trucks points to how the infrastructure could play a larger role as miners look for ways to reduce diesel consumption without sacrificing haulage performance.
“This system is operational, practical and represents an economically feasible solution that will reduce emissions in global mining as other companies look to follow our lead,” White said.
Source: https://www.mining.com/first-quantum-patents-its-answer-to-minings-diesel-habit/
