Eldorado Gold Expands Lamaque Mine Fleet with Ten Sandvik Battery-Electric Vehicles

Eldorado Gold Corporation has ordered ten battery-electric vehicles and an equal number of fast-charging systems from equipment maker Sandvik for delivery to the company’s Lamaque Complex in Val-d’Or, Québec, beginning in early 2026. Announced on 19 December 2025, the purchase combines five Sandvik TH550B haul trucks and five Toro LH518iB loaders to replace diesel models underground, advancing Eldorado’s plan to lower emissions, reduce ventilation costs and improve working conditions for miners Sandvik news release.

The contract, valued by Eldorado at roughly US $17 million, more than quintuples the site’s electric mobile equipment inventory—from two pilot units to a dozen machines—marking one of the most aggressive electrification drives currently under way in Canada’s hard-rock sector. The first units are slated to arrive in the first quarter of 2026, with the remaining equipment on site by early 2027.

Eldorado’s leadership views the move as both an operational upgrade and a strategic step toward long-term sustainability. Executives say the new trucks and loaders should slash exhaust fumes, heat and noise in the narrow tunnels beneath Val-d’Or, while boosting productivity through fast battery swaps that keep equipment moving through multiple shifts.

Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, called the order a “milestone for zero-emission operations” and noted that earlier trials at Lamaque “proved the capability of Sandvik BEVs underground.” His company will supply ten charging cabinets alongside the vehicles, supporting continuous 24-hour load-and-haul service.

The equipment package

The five TH550B haul trucks each weigh about 110,000 pounds and can carry 50 metric tons of broken ore at speeds approaching 37 kilometres per hour (23 mph) on level drifts. Propulsion comes from twin 354 kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LiFePO₄) battery packs chosen for their thermal stability—crucial in a confined setting where any fire could prove catastrophic.

Complementing the haul fleet are five Toro LH518iB loaders, each rated at an 18-tonne bucket capacity. The loaders will scoop freshly blasted rock and transfer it to the waiting trucks, completing a fully electric load-and-haul chain that eliminates diesel exhaust from the production stopes to the surface ore bin.

How the batteries stay charged

Sandvik’s “AutoSwap” technology keeps the new fleet in near-constant motion. When a vehicle’s battery approaches depletion, the operator drives to a dedicated bay where a robotic arm removes the spent module and secures a fully charged replacement in a matter of minutes—far quicker than filling a diesel tank or waiting for conventional on-board charging. The ten charging cabinets included in the purchase will cycle depleted batteries back to full capacity while vehicles return to work, enabling almost continuous operation during each shift.

Why Lamaque is going electric

Underground mines rely on massive ventilation circuits to dilute diesel exhaust, making air handling one of their largest energy expenses. By switching to battery-electric trucks and loaders, Eldorado expects to cut the amount of fresh air required, yielding significant power savings and opening the possibility of pushing development to deeper levels without building new ventilation shafts.

Noise and vibration reduction offers further benefits. Battery-electric drivetrains run noticeably quieter than internal-combustion engines, easing communication between workers and reducing fatigue. Less vibration translates into lower wear on mechanical parts and, potentially, longer component life—another factor that can offset the up-front capital cost of the new equipment.

Safety implications are equally compelling. LiFePO₄ chemistry carries a lower risk of thermal runaway than nickel-rich lithium-ion cells, and the absence of diesel particulates removes a known carcinogen from the workplace. Together, the changes create a cleaner and safer environment for Lamaque’s roughly 550 underground employees.

Delivery timetable

Under the agreement disclosed in December, Sandvik will ship the first loaders and haul trucks to Val-d’Or in the first quarter of 2026, allowing Eldorado technicians to integrate the machines, install charging infrastructure and train operators ahead of summer production. Subsequent units will arrive in staggered batches through the remainder of 2026, with final commissioning anticipated in early 2027. The phased rollout is designed to minimize disruption to production while giving maintenance teams time to adapt to battery-electric maintenance practices.

Financial commitment

The US $17 million price tag encompasses the ten vehicles, charging cabinets and associated spare parts. Eldorado has not disclosed savings projections, but internal studies indicate that lower ventilation demand and reduced diesel purchases could deliver a payback period of fewer than five years, even before accounting for intangible benefits such as improved worker health and the company’s environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives.

Industry context and future implications

While diesel power has dominated underground hard-rock mining for decades, Eldorado’s order underscores a fast-growing trend toward electrification across the sector. Battery-electric fleets have already gained ground in base-metal mines seeking to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions tied to electric-vehicle supply chains. Gold operations, traditionally more conservative on capital spending, are beginning to follow suit as battery prices fall and regulatory pressure mounts.

The Lamaque deployment will provide a real-world test bed for Sandvik’s next-generation BEV platform in a high-grade, narrow-vein setting rather than the wide orebodies more commonly associated with early adopters. Success here could embolden miners with similar geology to reassess their own fleet replacement plans, accelerating the retirement of diesel equipment industry-wide.

Electrification also dovetails with Quebec’s aggressive climate goals and abundant hydroelectric power, positioning the province as an attractive destination for low-carbon gold. Should Eldorado demonstrate measurable reductions in its carbon footprint, the company may gain a competitive edge with bullion buyers who increasingly scrutinize ESG metrics.

Longer term, widespread adoption of AutoSwap-style systems could reshape underground mine design, allowing planners to shrink ventilation raises, lower cooling loads and intensify production at depth without proportionally higher energy use. In that scenario, the economics of exploiting deeper or lower-grade deposits may improve, potentially extending the life of mature Canadian mining camps.

Yet challenges remain. Battery-electric machines carry higher capital costs than diesel peers, and the technology’s reliability under heavy-duty conditions is still being proven. Mines must also manage the end-of-life recycling of large battery packs and navigate evolving standards for fire suppression, electrical safety and emergency response. At Lamaque, the coming two-year rollout will provide valuable data on these issues, informing both Eldorado’s future purchasing decisions and best-practice guidelines for the broader industry.

When the first truck rolls down the access ramp in 2026, Lamaque will stand at the forefront of a technological shift that could redefine how gold is mined in Canada. If the initiative meets its performance and economic targets, the fleet of ten battery-powered machines may signal not just an upgrade for one mine, but a turning point for underground operations around the globe.