Abstract

The global energy crisis has caused a very considerable increase in gas and electricity prices since 2021. The unreliable supply of fossil fuels due to geopolitical instability caused by the war in Ukraine, combined with the aforementioned price increase, has led countries to change their energy policies. On the one hand, the transition to a larger proportion of energy supplied by renewable sources is being pursued, and on the other, there is higher consumption of particular fossil fuels to offset potential supply shortages. These two situations have led to increased mining activity, because certain minerals and metals are critical for the technologies used to produce renewable energies. Energy efficiency has become a critical factor in view of the upwards trend of energy costs and environmental policies. This paper provides an updated view of transport in mining and presents a literature review illustrating how different authors address the operating practices of dump trucks in mines specifically to minimize diesel consumption. It concludes with an example using benchmarking, one of the procedures mentioned in the literature.

Keywords:Esterification; Global energy; Caterpillar; Gradient; Petrochemical