Mining’s old guard needs strong medicine
A new report details subpar investor returns in the mining industry over the last decade, particularly big cap diversified companies which have not adapted to new realities.
System 800xA will maximize process overview while minimizing manual operations at sorting plant
Baden, Switzerland – ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, started commissioning a System 800xA control system at Dannemora’s brand new sorting plant in
east central Sweden. Crude ore production for commercial use started at the beginning of April; ABB has delivered a complete control system that is the heart of the sorting plant, which is currently under commissioning while the plant is in production.
The control system was designed in close cooperation with the customer and the system’s interfaces, displays and functions were fine-tuned in cooperation with the operators that will use it. The userfriendly and reliable 800xA control system will give the operators the most detailed process overview while minimizing required manual operations. The entire sorting plant is operated by four persons per shift, with one person from ABB. During commissioning, ABB is using a broadband connection to provide speedy, expert support, eliminating travelling time and expense. This remote access capability allowed ABB to download a new program and commission the system from 500 km away.
“During the commissioning, we will fine tune the control system to achieve maximum output. This is done in close cooperation with Dannemora and its mechanical suppliers”, says Lars Henriksson, Project Manager at ABB’s Mining and Minerals unit in Sweden.
The new sorting plant is projected to have an annual production of 2.0 million tons of finished products, in the proportion of 60 percent lump ore and 40 percent fines. This will require that about 3.3 million tons of crude ore be processed each year. Production at the sorting plant will grow in phases, from today’s start of production at an annual rate of 0.5 million tons to full production of 1.5 million tons per year. The company expects to reach full production when the hoisting system, also delivered by ABB, is installed in March 2013. Crude ore will then be transported by the new hoist from about 600 meters underground up to the head frame on ground level and from there via the conveyor belt into the sorting plant.
In addition to the mine hoisting system and the sorting plant automation system, ABB signed a five-year Full Service® contract with Dannemora Magnetit, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dannemora Mineral AB, in February this year. Under this contract, ABB has overall responsibility for process plant maintenance.
“We are proud to be one of the major suppliers to Dannemora Minerals. We will do our utmost to help meet Dannemora Minerals’ demands for an overall optimized plant so that Dannemora can resume operation of the iron ore mine as planned”, says Andreas Malmport, head of ABB’s Mining and Minerals unit in Sweden.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 135,000 people.
