Making a world of difference in mining

Distributed Control Systems

Making a world of difference in mining

Mining made better: the unseen hero of the clean energy transition

Enabling the devices and infrastructure that support a clean, comfortable and connected life are the things that often remain unseen – wires, sensors, and energy storage – all made possible by minerals and metals gleaned from beneath the earth’s surface.

Distributed Control Systems

Content

Drivers of the energy transition

Mining provides the world with the building blocks of modern life by enabling the technology that drives the clean energy transition. Electric vehicles, wind turbines, solar panels and other green technologies rely on metals and minerals, and the mining operations providing these materials are becoming increasingly electric, digital and automated.

Today, all mining equipment, from mine to port, can be electrified, and ABB is helping mining companies around the world to convert existing mine operations from being powered by fossil fuel to being all-electric. Once electrified and automated, production systems can be integrated to further optimize operations — from hoists, grinding mills and conveyors, to the large haul trucks used in modern mining.

Making a world of difference

The journey toward an all-electric mine

ABB Ability™ eMine comprises a portfolio of electrification technologies enabling the all-electric mine, integrated with digital applications and services to monitor and optimize energy use.

With eMine™, ABB electrifies mining trucks and technologies to cover the entire mining pro-cess. The portfolio also includes the electrification of ABB’s more traditional solutions for mining, such as hoisting, grinding and material handling.

Cruise ship equiped with Azipod propulsion

Leading with technology

An example of this is the pilot technology eMine™ FastCharge, set to be the world’s fastest and only fully automated charging system for mining trucks. FastCharge will provide up to 600 kilowatts of power when it comes to market. Using trolley-assisted hauling, the eMine™ Trolley System can reduce diesel consumption and carbon emissions by up to 90 percent compared to exclusively diesel operations.

The complete electrification of the mining industry will require input and cooperation from many different disciplines. ABB employs a collaborative approach to bring experts to the table, including original equipment manufacturers and technology innovators, to complete the successful all-electric mine journey.

Digitalization opens doors

Embodied in ABB systems, digital technologies like the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics give mine operators full overview of the entire production chain, enabling optimal control.

Advanced digital mining services can collect and analyze mining asset and operational data, providing remote expert support to identify, categorize and prioritize actions. ABB Ability™ Collaborative Operations allow ABB experts to connect remotely 24/7, helping to keep production up and running with fewer site visits, further reducing carbon emissions.

Putting it all together

An all-electric mine is different from a traditional one, and requires the right expertise from the early stages of planning. ABB acts as a single-source supplier with global integration experience in electrical, instrumentation, analyzers and control systems from multiple vendors, ensuring the correct technology for each application while prioritizing energy efficiency and reducing environmental impact.

Our co-creation approach leverages the domain expertise of key partners to meet a wider range of needs, including those of mining and mechanical suppliers, infrastructure and the civil sector, vehicle OEMs and retrofitters, and mine designers.

Clear purpose

The need for sustainable, safe and productive mining has never been greater. Combining advanced technology with over 130 years of experience in the mining industry, ABB is meeting the challenge.

By leveraging an integrated portfolio of electrification, digitalization and automation solutions, ABB is making a world of difference in mining.