Mining Magazine > Panorama > ABB wins contract for its first gearless mill drive system in iron ore processing

The power and automation technology group ABB was recently contracted to supply gearless mill drive (GMD) systems for two 11.6m semi-autogenous grinding (SAG) mills at the Serra Azul iron ore mine in Brazil. The Serra Azul order will be ABB’s seventh installed unit in Brazil and the 48th in Latin America.

The Serra Azul mine unit, owned by MMX Mineração e Metálicos, an EBX Group company, is located in the iron quadrangle of Minas Gerais, next to Belo Horizonte - the heart of the Brazilian mining state. The Tico-Tico and Ipê mines form this unit with a current production capacity of 8.7Mt/y of iron ore. The order was part of a multi-billion US dollar mine expansion that is expected to increase annual iron-ore processing capacity to over 24Mt/y by 2015, allowing MMX to triple its output at Serra Azul.

ABB’s scope of supply includes two GMD systems for 11.6m 23MW SAG mills comprising transformers, ring motors and complete containerised electrical houses (e-houses). The variable speed drive solution allows for optimisation of the grinding processes for ores with varying properties and different mill loads. The GMD eliminates the need of critical high maintenance mechanical equipment such as gearbox, ring gear and pinion. It enables operational optimisation, energy and costs savings, high system efficiency and availability while reducing maintenance needs at the same time.