Australian miner IGO awarded a contract to ABB and Perenti to provide an all-electric mine study for the full underground electrification of its Cosmos nickel project. Experts from the three companies will work together to provide a pathway for the optimum design for all-electric operations, including production and operating philosophy, fleet selection, power distribution and electrical infrastructure design, electrification system and battery management. The study will all also assess ESG and safety impacts and provide cost modeling of both capital and operating expenses.
“At IGO, we believe in a cleaner energy future, and that extends to our underground mining operations where the electrification of our fleets will create a safer, greener, and more productive operation,” said Chris Carr, head of technical service for IGO.
The study is a significant step in IGO’s commitment to continuously improving its sustainability performance by trialing new technologies and decarbonizing its operations, helping to create a cleaner energy future. The mine operator’s aspiration is to implement a complete mine electrification solution at Cosmos by mid-2025.
“Valuing the environment and enabling the energy transition is one of Perenti’s three key sustainability imperatives, and this study demonstrates the capabilities of our electrification collaboration with ABB,” said Mark Norwell, managing director and CEO for Perenti. “Decarbonization and electrification are critical to the future of mining, and we are privileged to be working with our client IGO on this pioneering study.”
The effort will combine Perenti’s mining expertise and technical capabilities with ABB’s eMine framework and approach for electrification and automation.
“The progress between ABB and Perenti is advancing every day, and this study is an ideal opportunity to further our efforts and collectively drive towards providing electric solutions that effectively decarbonize the mining industry,” said Max Luedtke, vice president and business line, mining manager for ABB.
