ABB, a leading power and automation technology group, recently won a five-year contract from Minera Escondida (operated by BHP Billiton) to manage maintenance and increase productivity at one of the world’s largest copper mine. ABB will provide performance-based maintenance services for the five crushing plants at the mine and the 25 km conveying system that then transports the copper to the processing plants. These services include management of all maintenance activities, as well as continuous improvement programs to increase overall process efficiency and improve the reliability and availability of all production equipment.

“This contract highlights how ABB’s innovative approach to performance-based services, combined with our industry expertise and commitment to helping our customers achieve their targets, provides a win-win situation for all parties,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, Head of ABB’s Process Automation division.

The Escondida mine is located in the northern part of Chile and produced 1.2 Mt of fine copper in 2008, close to 8% of the world’s total copper production. BHP Billiton is the operator and majority owner of the mine; other joint venture owners are Rio Tinto, JECO and International Finance Corp.

ABB’s Process Automation division delivers integrated solutions for control, plant optimisation, and industry-specific application knowledge and services to help process industry customers worldwide meet their critical business needs in the areas of operational profitability, capital productivity, risk management and global responsibility.