Power and automation technology group ABB recently won an $11 million order to supply a complete ore hoisting solution for Xstrata Copper’s Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) copper-gold operation in north-west Queensland, Australia. The tower-mounted hoist will transport ore for EHM’s new underground mine and play a key role in securing the long-term future of the operation by extending its life of mine by 12 years. The order was booked in the first quarter of 2011. ABB’s Axel Kuhr, country manager for Australia said it was selected for this project “because of our unique position as a sole-supplier of complete mine hoist systems, and mining industry expertise, to provide a complete solution that will help this operation develop, thrive and profit well into the future.” ABB has delivered more than 600 new mine hoist systems worldwide.

ABB will design, supply and commission all the electrical and mechanical equipment for a new vertical tower mounted mine ore hoist system. The hoist will run at a speed of 16 m/s, allowing it to raise 1,020 t of ore per hour from a depth of 950 m to the surface. The hoist will be driven by a 5,000 kW synchronous motor powered by ABB’s state-of-the-art ACS 6000 drive system to control torque and speed for energy efficient ore haulage. ABB’s system design also provides additional reactive power during operation, to minimise the new hoist’s impact on the surrounding power network. ABB design and supply responsibilities include the bottom dump ore skips with inspection platforms, the rope deflection sheaves and a skip dumping system. The fully integrated automated hoisting system will be controlled by ABB’s System 800xA AC800M industrial controller; it will manage and control the entire mine hoisting system from the loading conveyors to the surface ore dump station. Delivery is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2012.