ABB wins Xstrata hoist order

ABB has won a US$24 million order to supply a complete ore hoisting solution for Xstrata Zinc’s George Fisher Mine (GFM) located near Mount Isa in north-west Queensland, Australia.

The hoist will carry ore from a depth of 1,135m and help increase GFM’s production by 30% per year by 2013. The order was booked during the September quarter of 2011.

Xstrata Zinc’s resources at Mount Isa, including GFM, comprise the world’s largest zinc resource base, with an estimated 600Mt of ore and 36Mt of contained zinc metal.

ABB will design, supply and commission all the electrical and mechanical equipment for a new ground-mounted mine ore hoist system. At speeds of 16m/sec, the hoist will raise 600t/h. ABB’s state-of-the-art ACS6000 medium-voltage drive system, which controls torque and speed to enable energy-efficient ore haulage, will power a 9,000kW synchronous motor to run the hoist. The hoist design will minimise impact on the surrounding power network.

ABB will also design and supply the bottom dump ore skips with inspection platforms, the rope deflection sheaves and a skip dumping system. ABB’s System 800xA AC800M industrial controller will manage and control the entire mine hoisting system, from the loading conveyors to the surface ore dump station. Reliable performance of the hoist is critical to the safety and financial success of the mine operation.

Delivery is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2013.