ABB and Perenti to study all-electric mine in Australia

The collaboration set up by ABB and mining services group Perenti has been awarded its first contract by Australian mine operator IGO Ltd. to provide an all-electric mine study for the full underground electrification of IGO’s Cosmos nickel project in Western Australia.

Experts from the three companies will work together to provide a pathway for the optimum design of mine electrification at the project. This will include mine design optimization for electric operations, production and operating philosophy, fleet selection, power distribution, and electrical infrastructure design, electrification system and battery management, ESG and safety impact analysis, and cost modeling of both capex and opex.

The study is a significant step in IGO’s commitment to continuously improving its sustainability performance by trialing new technologies and decarbonizing its operations, helping to create a cleaner energy future. The miner’s aspiration is to implement a complete mine electrification solution at Cosmos by mid-2025.

Perenti’s mining expertise and technical capabilities have been combined with ABB’s eMine framework and approach for electrification and automation. The contract with IGO is a milestone as they continue to collaborate and explore approaches to support net-zero emissions targets for underground and open pit mines.

ABB’s Process Automation business automates, electrifies and digitalizes industrial operations that address a wide range of essential needs – from supplying energy, water and materials, to producing goods and transporting them to market. With its roughly 20,000 employees, ABB Process Automation helps customers in process, hybrid and maritime industries improve performance and safety of operations, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future.

Learn more at www.go.ABB/ProcessAutomation.