Gearless mill drive order in Kazakhstan
ABB recently won an order worth 44 million US$ to deliver three gearless mill drive systems (GMDs) for a new copper mine to be operated by Kazakhmys PLC (Kazakhmys) in southeastern Kazakhstan. The contract was awarded in the first quarter of 2012. Kazakhmys is the largest copper producer in Kazakhstan and one of the top copper producers in the world. Located approximately 450 km northeast of Almaty, the Aktogay sulphide complex has an expected lifespan of over 40 years and will provide long-term production of approximately 100 000 t of copper in concentrate per year. ABB’s scope of supply consists of one 28 megawatt GMD for a 40-foot semiautogenous (SAG) mill and two 22 megawatt GMDs for two 28-foot ball mills. Each GMD system includes phase and excitation transformers, a ring motor with its associated local mill control panel, a containerized electrical house (E-house) including cycloconverter, advanced specific grinding control software with the full system protection and auxiliary distribution. Equipment deliveries are scheduled for the second half of 2013; with mine production projected to start in 2014.
