Nouveau Monde Graphite has awarded ABB a contract to supply, construct and commission the 120 kV substation for its Phase-2 Matawinie mine in the province of Quebec, Canada, as part of the construction preparation for the establishment of a 103,000 t/y graphite mining and concentrator complex.
Located 120 km north of Montreal, the Matawinie mine will be connected to the provincial hydropower network, enabling the access to clean energy to support mining activities and concentrator production of carbon-neutral graphite concentrate destined for the lithium-ion battery market. Nouveau Monde Graphite is set to equip the Matawinie mine with a zero-emission mining fleet and associated charging infrastructure, which would make it the world’s first all-electric open-pit mine when it starts operating.
“We are excited to move one step closer to building the mine of the future, powered by clean energy to responsibly extract and produce a critical mineral for global decarbonisation,” said Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President and CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite. “Our environmental stewardship and innovative mindset have been matched by the team at ABB, from the commencement of our electrification journey, to translate our vision into reality.”
A recognised global leader in mine electrification with its ABB eMine™ portfolio of solutions, ABB will lead construction of the substation as the primary connection point between the mine site and Hydro-Québec’s hydropower generation facility, enabling full electrification of the Matawinie mine using clean energy. With dedicated project management resources from ABB overseeing engineering, supply, commissioning and start-up of the substation, Nouveau Monde Graphite will rely on robust technical expertise.
“It’s a proud moment for the electrification and automation professionals at ABB to be part of this landmark operation at Matawinie, the type of project we’ve been working towards in recent years,” said Sachin Jari, Head of Mining for North America, ABB Process Industries. “From the onset, we’ve engaged with Nouveau Monde Graphite to help make their vision a reality and now have the opportunity to power it forward together.”
