Vale Nouvelle Calédonie selected ABB’s flagship automation solution, System 800xA, for automating its new nickel refinery — making it one of the largest System 800xA installations in the world.
The richest nickel mine in the world
Located in the French-territory South Pacific, the island of New Caledonia ranks as one of the richest undeveloped laterite ore bodies in the world, with an estimated 55 million tons of measured and indicated mineral reserves.
Mining explorations that began in 1969 culminated in 2005 when Vale, a Brazilian group, acquired the mining rights to the laterite deposit at Goro, known to have the highest nickel deposits in the world.
In the same year, Vale Nouvelle Calédonie awarded ABB the electrification and automation of this new nickel refinery.
Vale Nouvelle Calédonie ranks as one of the richest undeveloped laterite ore bodies in the world.
Automation solutions according to French standards
Beyond the breadth and scope of the mining site and plant, as well as the client expectation of continuous installation and commissioning support, there was a unique challenge posed: for the first time, ABB needed to abide by French standards. All drawings and documents produced had to be submitted in both French and English.
Open pit mine’s refinery automation
To automate its open pite mine and refinery, Vale Nouvelle Calédonie selected ABB’s flagship automation solution, System 800xA — making it one of the largest System 800xA installations in the world.
Coal-fired boiler control for producing electricity and steam
The 800xA order includes a Burner Management System (BMS) utilizing three AC 800M high-integrity (HI) controllers for three new coal-fired boilers producing electricity and steam for the plant.
Safety Instrumentation System
ABB also delivered a Safety Instrumented System (SIS), using ABB TUV-certified Functional Safety Management System (FSMS) documentation and procedures, utilizing five AC 800M HI controllers for the processing of LPG in the Ship Unloading and Port Handling facility, LPG Storage and LPG firing of the three Fluid Bed Reactors.
Engineering tools
Engineering tools included code generation from PET (GCT Process Engineering Tool).
ABB also created “purpose-defined libraries” based on the BMI libraries. The use of BMI libraries provided a framework for alarm and event standardization, workplace definition and – one of the most important components of the ABB agreement – the groundwork for translation of English