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A new trolley assist solution to meet Copper Mountain Mining’s sustainable development goals in Canada

ABB supplied haul truck trolley assist infrastructure to help Copper Mountain achieve a reduction in carbon intensity by more than 50 percent in medium-term with a final target of zero by 2035

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Press release: ABB to deliver trolley assist solution to meet Copper Mountain Mining’s sustainable development goals in Canada

Video

ABB eMine™ trolley system commissioned at Copper Mountain

Location: Canada

Customer: Copper Mountain

Copper Mountain mine near Princeton, British Columbia is the mining company’s flagship site. It is a conventional open-pit, truck and shovel operation which produces approximately 100 million pounds (45,000 metric tons) of copper equivalent per year.

Challenge

Help Copper Mountain reduce carbon intensity by more than 50 percent in medium term with a final target of zero by 2035.

Solution

ABB provided a trolley assist solution for mining haul trucks, including the design of the overhead catenary system (OCS) infrastructure and a rectifier substation providing in excess of 12MW of DC power.

Benefits

Reduce carbon emissions at the site by up to 7 percent, while staying competitive and ensuring high performance.

“A trolley assist system significantly reduces GHG emissions for ultra-class mining haul trucks, which are typically the biggest source of emissions in a mining operation. Together with Copper Mountain Mining, we look forward to making this happen again so they can meet their sustainability goals, while staying competitive and ensuring high performance. ABB is a reliable and committed partner for all-electric transformation and this project underlines our world-class expertise in mine electrification.”

^{Sachin Jari, Industry Lead – Mining, North America at ABB}

“From initial feasibility study onwards, ABB has been aligned with our commitments to develop our mining operations in a way that fits with energy conservation and emissions reduction goals. The trolley assist infrastructure is an essential part of our plans to reach our bold medium to long-term targets, and ABB has proven the results it can have in terms of helping reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We trust their expertise and have achieved past successes together, notably with grinding and automation systems already in operation in the mine.”

^{Walt Halipchuk, Copper Mountain Mining’s Director of Energy Management}

It is estimated that the initial phase of the trolley assist system will reduce carbon emissions at the site by up to 7 percent.
Copper Mountain Mining has advised that overall the mine will reduce carbon intensity by more than 50 percent in 5-7 years through electrification and capacity increase.

VIDEO: ABB will install trolley assist solution to meet Copper Mountain’s sustainable goals in Canada

Seamless integration and monitoring of trolley operations and energy consumption

The installation, which includes engineering, supply and construction management for a DC substation and an overhead catenary system (OCS), combines ABB’s electrification and automation expertise in the mining industry.

Each truck is fitted with a pantograph to receive external electric power. ABB was responsible for the off-truck trolley assist infrastructure and provided engineering, project management, equipment supply, system commissioning and construction management. ABB designed the overhead catenary system (OCS) infrastructure and delivered a rectifier substation providing in excess of 12MW of DC power to the trolley assist system. The trolley control system is connected to the existing ABB Ability^TM System 800xA distributed control system (DCS) automation platform to seamlessly integrate and monitor trolley operations and energy consumption. ABB is also providing OCS components customized for mining applications.

ABB collaborates with mining companies from initial feasibility studies through to full deployment. ABB has previously installed a similar substation at Boliden AB’s Aitik mine, Sweden's largest open-pit copper mine and is part of ongoing expansion plans at the site. This included a 4.8 megawatt rectifier, connected to the ABB Ability^™ System 800xA control system.