ABB wins $28-million Canadian mining order

Jan. 30, 2009

Houston, January 27 – ABB has won a contract valued over $28 million from Terrane Metals Corporation in late 2008. The contract includes the delivery of drive systems for the new Mount Milligan copper-gold mine in northwest Canada.

ABB’s solutions will help to optimize energy use and equipment reliability at the mine. Located 155 kilometers northwest of Prince George in central British Columbia, the anticipated annual yield from Mount Milligan’s copper-gold deposit is about 40,000 metric tons of copper and 217,000 ounces of gold.

“ABB’s unparalleled range of technology and industry solutions, combined with our vast application knowledge and experience, significantly improve productivity and process reliability for our minerals and mining customers,” said Veli-Matti Reinikkala, head of ABB’s Process Automation division. “Our comprehensive drive system offerings and ability to deliver world-class solutions were decisive factors in this important contract win.”

ABB’s scope of supply for this project includes a complete 22 megawatt (MW) gearless mill drive (GMD) system for a 40’ semiautogenous (SAG) mill, consisting of motor, transformers, and E-house. ABB’s delivery also includes two units of dual pinion mill drive systems for 26’ ball mills, each powered by 6.5MW. The ACS6000 dual pinion mill drive systems include synchronmachines, transformers and E-house.

Both the SAG mill and the ball mills will be powered by variable-speed mill drives; this solution offers the customer exceptional performance and flexibility during the production process.

Deliveries are scheduled to be concluded by the end of 2011; installation and start-up of the project are scheduled for 2012.