Xstrata Zinc has awarded ABB a $24 million contract for ore hoisting equipment at its George Fisher mine.
The automation company will supply a ground mounted friction hoist which will carry ore from depths of more than a kilometer and is expected to increase the mine’s production by around 30% annually by 2013.
It will design, supply and commission all the electrical and mechanical equipment ofr the system.
According to ABB, the hoist will operate at speeds of 16 metres per second and can raise 600 tonnes of ore per hour.
It will use an ACS 6000 medium voltage drive system which will control torque and speed, and powers a 9000 kW synchronous motor.
ABB says it will also design and supply the bottom dump ore skips with inspection platforms, the rope deflection sheaves and a skip dumping system.
It will use an 800xA AC800M industrial controller to manage the ore hoisting system.
This latest development comes as Xstrata commits $274 million to expanding its George Fisher operations in the North West, as well as the nearby Lady Loretta zinc deposit.
Xstrata most recently secured a power supply for its operations in the region.
[This article originally appeared in our related website Australian Mining.]