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ABB wins massive truckless mine automation contract

ABB has won a contract to make the world’s largest iron truckless.

The $103 million contract will see it install electrical and automation systems at Vale’s S11D iron ore mine in Brazil.

This latest contract follows on from an earlier $140 million contract to complete the first phase of the mine’s automation project which saw it begin to install shiftable conveyor belts instead of off-highway dump trucks to move the ore from the mine to the processing plant.

“This is the first time a ‘truckless’ solution will be used on a large scale at an iron ore mine,” according to the company.

It stated that using “a truckless system significantly reduces operating costs and produces lower carbon emissions.

“If the S11D mine were to be operated using trucks it would need around 100 trucks and consume 77% more diesel per year.”

This new contract will see ABB supply a 230 kilovolt in-feed substation to connect the mine to the grid, as well as 42 secondary substations.

These secondary substations will be self-contained in ABB’s e-houses, prefabricated, walk-in, modular, outdoor enclosures.

ABB will also supply the motors driving the mine’s conveyor belts.

According to ABB’s head of process automation division, Velo-Matti Reinikkala “this project will also allow Vale to increase production by approximately 90 million tonnes, while reducing emissions and improving operational efficiency and process safety”.

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