Driving Boliden’s electric transformation

• Meet the high demand for copper in a sustainable manner by replacing parts of the mine’s existing transport system with electric trucks
• Carry 70 million tons of rock at Aitik mine every year
  

Design of a digital substation, including a 4.8-megawatt rectifier, connected to the ABB Ability^™ System 800xA control system, capable of powering several electric mine trucks on a ~700 meters lane

• Improve operator’s health
• Increase productivity
• Reduce fleet gas emissions
• Reduce costs
  

^{Jonas Ranggård, technical project manager at Boliden’s Aitik mine}

ABB has designed, delivered and commissioned an effective electrical infrastructure to power several mine trucks at Boliden AB’s Aitik mine, Sweden's largest open-pit copper mine. This comes at a time when the uptake of electric vehicles has been progressing steadily, with more companies opting to reduce carbon emissions by switching to electric vehicles. ABB is helping to lay the foundation for this remarkable electric and digital transformation.

At the Aitik mine, located just south of Gällivare in northern Sweden, Boliden aimed to improve the operator’s health, increase productivity, reduce fleet gas emissions and costs through this pilot project. It will replace parts of the mine’s existing transport system with electric trucks and use ABB’s power infrastructure, with the goal of carrying 70 million tons of rock every year at the mine.

The lane is ~700 meters and is expected to save ~830 m3 diesel per year. This infrastructure will ultimately enable Boliden to carry up to 70 million tons of rock every year at the mine, and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by up to 80 per cent along those routes where the technology can be implemented.

For this project, ABB has provided a digital substation, including a 4.8-megawatt rectifier, connected to the ABB Ability™ System 800xA control system. This solution is ABB’s first-ever application for heavy-duty trucks in mining industry. It provides best-in-class digital capabilities through ABB Ability™, ABB’s cross-industry digital offering.

ABB’s rectifier will efficiently convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC), providing maximum availability and highest productivity. The digital substation will bring in digital communications through fiber optic cables that will replace traditional copper cables, significantly reducing costs. It will also ensure safety, as systems are monitored digitally without requiring manual intervention.

ABB Ability™ MineOptimize is the base of the project, offering a suite of digitally connected solutions, products, and services. The digital capabilities of MineOptimize provide connected solutions that will send early alerts when the equipment needs servicing, as well as provide remote assistance to ensure real time guidance and remote monitoring to ensure best performance. The ABB Ability™ MineOptimize offering combines the best of ABB technology with the customer’s expertise and targets, making ABB’s teams in project management, engineering and service well-equipped to achieve essential goals related to the project.

The project is supported by the Swedish Energy Agency and is being realized by a number of collaborating parties, such as Eitech and ABB for the electrical infrastructure, and Caterpillar and Pon Equipment for the truck conversion. ABB has been deeply involved in laying the groundwork for an all-electric mine concept and provides several solutions around electrification, automation and digitalization – three key elements that are transforming mining. Boliden is already partnering with ABB to develop automation in its mines to keep production running round-the-clock and improve safety.

Boliden and ABB have deployed unprecedented levels of automation and control, both below and above ground to optimize performance, building on their strong 90-year relationship. ABB has undertaken several projects at Boliden, including commissioning the first computerized mine hoist at its mine in Boliden and more recently, installing the System 800xA control solution at Aitik mine.