HomeGestion des fluidesHow Canada's Mine Site Fuel Mix Is Changing, and What It Means for Your Fuel Bay
Diesel will run Canadian mines for years to come. But it's no longer the only thing in the tanks.
Renewable diesel, more DEF, battery-electric equipment and more lube grades mean a modern mine site has to store and dispense several fluids, keep them apart, and track every litre.
The short answer: build fuel and lube infrastructure that can add new fluids, keep them separate and move with the mine, instead of a fuel farm built for diesel alone.
Five shifts on Canadian mine sites
1. Renewable diesel is moving from trial to tank
Renewable diesel is a drop-in fuel. It runs in existing diesel engines with no changes, and it can be blended with regular diesel at any ratio.
Canadian mines are already using it. Hudbay's Copper Mountain mine in BC tested it in haul trucks, including in cold weather, and planned for 80% of its 2024 fuel purchases to be renewable diesel. Imperial's Kearl oil sands mine took its first renewable diesel delivery for its mine fleet in 2023. And Imperial's Strathcona refinery near Edmonton, built to make over a billion litres a year, is now Canada's largest renewable diesel producer.
The pressure behind it is regulatory. Canada's Clean Fuel Regulations require fuel suppliers to cut the carbon intensity of diesel by about 15% below 2016 levels by 2030.
2. DEF is growing with every new truck
Every Tier 4 engine with an SCR system needs diesel exhaust fluid. DEF needs its own clean storage, since even a little diesel contamination ruins a batch. In Canada it also needs heat, because DEF starts to freeze at about -11°C.
3. Electrification changes fuel storage, it doesn't end it
Newmont's Borden mine in Ontario was the first underground mine in Canada to replace most of its diesel equipment with battery-electric vehicles. Copper Mountain runs electric trolley-assist on its haul ramp.
But generators, support fleets and light vehicles still burn diesel. Electric drivetrains also bring their own gear oils and coolants. A hybrid site ends up with more fluids to keep apart, not fewer.
4. More lube grades, in bigger volumes
Whatever powers the truck, the components still need oil and grease. Bigger fleets and more specialized equipment mean more grades stored on site, and more reels in the lube bay.
5. Hydrogen is coming, but slowly
Hydrogen trucks are still in the pilot stage. When they arrive, hydrogen will need its own type of storage and safety setup, and it will sit alongside diesel, DEF and lubes rather than replace them.
What a future-ready fuel bay needs
Nobody knows exactly what your site will burn in ten years. That makes a fixed, diesel-only fuel farm a risky bet. A fuel bay that can keep up needs three things:
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Separation. Each fluid gets its own storage and dispensing, so nothing cross-contaminates.
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Flexibility. You can add a new fluid, more capacity or a new dispense point without rebuilding what's there. (We compare the options in modular vs. permanent fuel farms.)
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Visibility. Every litre is metered by machine and by fluid. That's how you prove what you burned, compare renewable and regular diesel, and back up emissions reporting.
Where the iGrid fits
The Innoflo iGrid was built for this kind of mixed site. Fuel, lube and DEF each sit on their own skid-mounted module, so fluids stay separate from day one. The DEF module is heated, the lube module carries eight service reels on one rack, and new modules plug in as your fluid mix changes.
Connect it to VERIDAPT's AdaptFMS, available exclusively through Innoflo in Canada, and every litre is tracked by asset, ready for cost and emissions reporting. When the mine plan changes, the whole system moves with it.
Frequently asked questions
Can mining haul trucks run on renewable diesel?
Yes. Renewable diesel is a drop-in replacement that runs in existing diesel engines without modification. Canadian mines including Copper Mountain and Kearl have used it in their fleets. Always confirm with your engine OEM first.
Do I need separate tanks for renewable diesel?
Not always, since it can be blended with regular diesel. But if you're running a trial, comparing performance or reporting emissions, separate storage and metering make it much easier to track.
Will battery-electric equipment replace fuel infrastructure at mines?
Not any time soon. Even all-electric operations still run diesel generators, support equipment and light vehicles, and electric machines need their own oils and coolants.
How do Canada's Clean Fuel Regulations affect mines?
The rules apply to fuel producers and importers, not mines directly. But they're pushing more renewable content into the diesel you buy, so planning for renewable diesel now makes sense.
Planning for what's next?
Tell us what your site runs today and what you expect it to run in five years. We'll help you lay out a fuel bay that can handle both.
Explore the iGrid or reach the team at info@innoflo.com or 780-944-4819.
info@innoflo.com
1-780-944-4818
