By fully integrating electrification and digital systems from the mine to the port it is possible to reduce overall costs

Mining is one of the world’s most vital yet hidden from-view industries. While the minerals and materials produced by mining, such as copper and lithium, are increasingly essential to equip us with everyday items like computers and electric motors, the industry is under increasing pressure to improve its green credentials. And like many other sectors of the global economy, mining is looking towards electrification, digitisation, and automation to enhance its sustainability and productivity.

Electrification provides a chance to also create OPEX savings, develop pioneering mine designs, and increase both productivity and long-term profitability.

ABB Ability™ eMine to make the all-electric mine possible

ABB Ability™ eMine, a portfolio of electrification technologies that enable all-electric mining from mine to port and are integrated with digital applications and services to monitor and optimise energy usage, was recently introduced by ABB.It can be used to electrify any piece of mining equipment across hoisting, grinding, hauling, material handling, and the entire process area. It will include the upcoming ABB Ability™ eMine FastCharge, which is currently in pilot phase and provides high-power electric charging for mining trucks. It will be built on decades of electrification experience and expertise and will include the ABB Ability™ eMine Trolley System, which can reduce diesel consumption by up to 90% with trolley-assisted hauling versus purely diesel-driven hauling, lowering energy costs and environmental impact.The new flagship technology, ABB Ability™ eMine FastCharge, will be significant for the future of mining.

eMine™ provides integral design planning and thinking to maximise the value of electrification, helping to design the hauling process in the most optimised way with electrical solutions that match mine constraints and help to meet production targets. ABB is supporting mine operators to map their journey towards an all-electric mine, from phasing out diesel to embedding a new mindset and new team skills. By fully integrating electrification and digital systems from the mine to the port it is possible to reduce overall costs and improve mine performance as well as significantly lowering environmental impact. Wider benefits include increased safety through automation, lower noise, and higher air quality, which results in lower ventilation requirements and associated costs.

This milestone electrification portfolio fits neatly under the ABB Ability™ eMine optimise portfolio of engineering capabilities, system solutions, digital applications and collaborative services which unifies and optimises the lifecycle of any mine, mineral processing plant and enterprise, from design and build to operation and service. It draws on automation and information management platforms, which are based on proven standardised building blocks, deep domain expertise and connectivity, and ensures the right people have the right information at the right time. It offers a cross-functional, enterprise-wide approach to digital transformation in mining.

In the case of electrification, miners are clear that they cannot go on this journey alone. Partnerships and co-creation of solutions with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), other mining companies and governments are needed to successfully integrate electrification in mines. Through eMine™ ABB will constantly conduct new collaborations with known partners – OEMs in most cases – but also with others. This effort is to define the best collaborative strategy according to the goals of the project and the specificity of the target market. We believe we can convince many in the supply chain to work together for mutual benefit in meeting important challenges and this work has already started.

Bringing our electrification approach for your future 

We have committed to helping customers realise the all-electric mine, helping mines move towards carbon neutral operations and drawing upon the 130 years of experience in the mining industry. By deploying world-class electrification, automation and digital solutions we are optimising processes and equipment and integrating stable, efficient systems. 

Expertise shared by: Dharamdev Rajwar, Regional Sales Manager – Mining, Aluminium & cement, South East Asia and India,
ABB Process Industries