May 27, 2014 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, and Boliden Garpenberg, have agreed and signed the takeover protocol for a production hoist and a man hoist. ABB has delivered a complete production hoist including mechanical, control and drive systems, as well as shaft equipment, and a man hoist with all the necessary mechanical, control and drive systems to Boliden’s Garpenberg Mine. The production hoist has a capacity to raise 416 tons of ore per hour at a speed of 17 meters per second. Both hoists will be operated from a control center via an 800xA Control System, which in turn, can connect all equipment and systems to automate the production and administration of the entire mine.
The project has involved very close cooperation between ABB, Boliden and the other contractors. Garpenberg has become one of the biggest construction sites in Sweden with over 700 people working on the project. "I am very pleased with the outcome of our projects at Boliden in Garpenberg. The main benefits for the customer are increased productivity, higher energy efficiency and improved safety," says Andreas Malmport, head of ABB’s Global Market Segment for Underground Mining. ABB has also delivered the mill drives and the automation system for the concentrator plant to the Garpenberg project.
Dating back to the 1200s, Garpenberg Mine is Sweden's oldest mine which is still in operation. Boliden is investing 3.9 billion SEK to almost double the annual production by the end 2015. ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 150,000 people.
