**Categories:** Analysis, Mining **Tags:** mining, fuel, operating costs, electrification, productivity **Excerpt:** Fuel accounts for a large share of mining costs, particularly in material transport and remote sites. Lasting savings depend on seven complementary measures: route optimization, driving practices, maintenance, digital management, targeted electrification, alternative fuels and energy planning. **Slug:** mines-sept-leviers-reduire-couts-carburant **Image alt:** Mining truck traveling beneath a trolley-assist power line at an open-pit mine.
Fuel is a major component of mining operating costs. Haul trucks, machinery, generators and logistics vehicles consume diesel in volumes that expose producers to price fluctuations and supply disruptions. Mines far from ports or electricity grids sometimes have to transport and store their own fuel, adding costs and operational risks.
Reduction strategies do not rely on a single technology. They combine efficiency measures that can deliver quick gains with larger investments, such as electrifying part of the haulage fleet. Seven measures are particularly useful for structuring an approach suited to each site.
1. Reduce distances and waiting times
Haul road design directly influences consumption. Shorter routes, controlled gradients, maintained road surfaces and well-organized intersections enable trucks to move more ore per liter of fuel. Reducing waits at loading and unloading points also improves the utilization of engines and crews.
2. Improve haulage cycles
Loading, speed, schedules and truck allocation influence the metric tons transported per cycle. Dispatch systems can allocate equipment according to distance, traffic and shovel availability. They must rely on accurate data and work alongside operator practices so digital recommendations translate into actual changes on the ground.
3. Train operators for more efficient driving
Sharp acceleration, prolonged idling and unsuitable speeds increase consumption and equipment wear. Training programs can help drivers follow guidance suited to gradients and loads. Performance comparisons must account for safety: reducing consumption must never encourage driving that increases accident risk.
4. Prevent losses through maintenance
A poorly tuned engine, clogged filters, unsuitable tire pressure or repeated breakdowns can increase consumption. Preventive maintenance and component monitoring enable intervention before deterioration reduces efficiency. Telematics data can help identify equipment with abnormal consumption and assess the effects of repairs.
5. Electrify where the operating profile is suitable
Trolley-assist lines supply trucks on certain uphill sections and can reduce diesel consumption while improving cycle speed. Their profitability depends on mine geometry, the proportion of equipped roads, the truck fleet and electricity costs. Full equipment electrification also depends on battery maturity, charging times and power requirements.
6. Test alternative fuels and hybrid systems
Lower-carbon fuels, gas, biofuels or hybrid systems can suit certain fleets. Their value must be assessed according to availability, price, engine compatibility and the overall emissions impact. A solution that performs well in one country cannot automatically be transferred to a remote site without the same supply arrangements.
7. Coordinate energy and production
Mining planning and energy planning must be linked. A mine with reliable electricity supply can shift some operations from diesel to the grid or local generation. Fuel stocks and supply contracts must also align with production schedules and logistics seasons to avoid emergency purchases and work stoppages.
Measure cost per metric ton, not just per liter
Gains must be measured through energy cost per metric ton moved or processed, rather than the pump price alone. Lower consumption achieved at the expense of reduced productivity can worsen the overall result. Mines must monitor consumption by equipment, availability rates, cycle times, emissions and the total cost of investments.
The most effective plan combines short-term management measures with long-term infrastructure projects. The former improve utilization of existing equipment. The latter can durably change diesel dependence but require studies, electricity networks and capital. Price volatility strengthens the case for this approach without justifying investments whose returns have not been established.
Controlling the fuel bill is therefore a matter of productivity, supply security and competitiveness. Mines using accurate data to identify their main sources of consumption can select the most suitable measures and track their effects. The priority is to reduce the liters needed for each metric ton produced while maintaining operational safety and reliability.