The net-zero commitments announced by major mining companies are considerably easier to make than to deliver. Diesel haulage, process heat, and emissions embedded in explosives and reagents remain difficult to decarbonize, and electrification addresses only part of the challenge. At the same time, investors and regulators are scrutinizing Scope 1 and 2 emissions more closely, while carbon content is increasingly influencing procurement decisions.
Battery-electric haul trucks are gaining traction, but their economics remain viable only under specific operating conditions. Energy density limitations and charging infrastructure continue to constrain adoption across high-payload surface mines. Hydrogen is also emerging as a promising option for process heat and long-haul haulage, although its total cost of ownership remains a significant hurdle outside purpose-built mining regions.
The transition calls for investment decisions grounded in operational feasibility rather than technology ambition. There is a need to focus on:

• Assessing site-level electrification based on haul distances, payload, elevation, and energy availability.
• Evaluating renewable power procurement and on-site generation to improve energy resilience in remote operations.
• Building Scope 3 strategies that align with customer expectations while remaining operationally practical.
• Identifying carbon offset pathways that remain credible under evolving verification standards.