Cerro Verde Triples Copper Production Thanks to ABB Drive Systems
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2007-05-02 - ABB High Pressure Grinding Roll Systems went in operation in a copper concentrator plant in Peru
Baden, May 2, 2007 - ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today that the start-up of copper concentrate production at the Cerro Verde mine expansion near Arequipa, Peru, has taken place in December 2006.
The order value exceeded $41 million and was placed by the consultant Fluor in Vancouver, Canada, for and on behalf of the final client Sociedad Minera Cerro Verde S.A.A., of which Phelps Dodge Corporation has a 53.56% equity interest. The remaining interest is held by SMM Cerro Verde Netherlands B.V. (21%). Compania de Minas Buenaventura S.A.A. (18.5%) and other minority shareholders through shares publicly traded on the Lima Stock Exchange.
ABB's deliveries to the customer comprised installation and commissioning of four gearless ball mill drive systems including ring motors, transformers and E-houses with cycloconverters. Furthermore ABB supplied four High Pressure Grinding Roll Drive Systems (HPGR-Systems), each driven by two water cooled ACS 1000 drive systems, including transformers and motors. Additionally various conveyor and pump drive systems, harmonic filters and spare parts were part of the scope of supply. In total, 24 medium voltage converters of the ACS 1000 family were delivered to Cerro Verde.
Once it has reached full production, the expansion will allow the mine to triple its annual production from 100'000 tons of copper up to 300'000 tons. Furthermore this expansion not only brings great economic benefits to the end-customer, but also to Peru and the communities surrounding the mine. Phelps Dodge Corp. estimates the expansion will create 350 permanent new jobs at the mine, which currently employs about 660 employees.
ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 108,000 people.
