The first four 5 MW gearless drives were recently commissioned at the head drive station of conveyor CV-02, which forms part of Tenova TAKRAF´s scope of supply for Codelco’s Chuquicamata Underground mining project in northern Chile and the world’s most powerful belt conveyor system. Conveyor CV-02 is the second of TAKRAF’s mega 11,000 t/h gearless drive conveyors which will convey crushed copper ore from the underground mining area to the surface.

Conveyor CV-02 is fed by conveyor CV-01 boasting a similar length, with both conveyors overcoming significant elevation change as they transport ore from the first level of the underground mine system to the surface. Conveyor CV-02 feeds into another TAKRAF conveyor, this time an overland conveyor, also boasting advanced gearless drive technology, which itself feeds into an existing conveying system.

“Thanks to the effective collaboration of all concerned, together with our technology partners, ABB, commissioning of the drives was realised in a record time of only 14 days. This now means that the drives are ready and can be employed for the arduous task of belt installation, which makes the process significantly safer and faster”, said Marc Hollinger, TAKRAF Project Manager. “We always strive to ensure that our commissioning processes are conducted safely and efficiently while exceeding client expectations across all areas”, said Carlos Gonzalez, TAKRAF Construction Manager.