https://www.miningweekly.com

Cullinan, Finsch MCC contracts drawing to a close

CONTRACT COMPLETED
JB Switchgear Solutions’ contract for the design, manufacture and supply of motor control centres to diamond mining group Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan and Finsch mines is drawing to a close

CONTRACT COMPLETED JB Switchgear Solutions’ contract for the design, manufacture and supply of motor control centres to diamond mining group Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan and Finsch mines is drawing to a close

5th June 2015

By: Kimberley Smuts

Creamer Media Reporter

  

Font size: - +

Switchgear solutions designer and manufacturer JB Switchgear Solutions’ contract for the design, manufacture and supply of motor control centres (MCCs) to diamond mining group Petra Diamonds’ Cullinan and Finsch mines, in Gauteng and the Northern Cape respectively, is drawing to a close.

The multimillion-rand contract was awarded at the end of last year, and after the contract approval date, engineering and construction started immediately. The manufacturing phase of a project this size usually takes about six months, the company notes.

A subcontracted company is conducting software testing and engineering of the MCCs, with turning motors and hot commissioning set to start in August this year.


Cullinan Mine
The C-Cut Phase 1 project is essentially to deepen the shaft to facilitate further block mining to extend its life, and JB Switchgear Solutions installed ten Eagle series MCCs containing more than 200 direct on line (DOL) motor starters ranging between 18.5 kW and 160 kW, as well as soft starters ranging from between 160 kW and 200 kW. JB Switchgear provided incomers of up to 2 500 A and the MCCs used Profinet as the communication protocol to connect the devices.

JB Switchgear Solutions have also tendered on the planned new surface plant, which is expected to proceed in 2016.

Finsch Mine
JB Switchgear’s manufacturing of MCCs aims to support the project’s ramp-up from the current 2.9-million tons a year to 3.5-million tons a year run-of-mine, with carat production also expected to increase from 1.88-million carats a year to two-million carats a year.

JB Switchgear’s contract scope comprised five Eagle series MCCs, which included more than 70 DOL motor starters providing power of between 0.37 kW and 200 kW, as well as a variety of variable speed drives and soft starters ranging between 30 kW and 220 kW. The incomers are rated at 1 600 A and the communication protocol is Profinet.

All starters in the MCCs have full communication capability to ensure efficient control, monitoring and data acquisition of the various processes on the plant, says JB Switchgear Solutions MD Johan Basson.

Test Certification
JB Switchgear’s Eagle series of assemblies carry type-test certification for compliance with IEC 61439/ SANS 1973-1 and IEC 61641 standards.

The design is well proven, robust and user-friendly, with more than 30 000 tiers installed globally. JB Switchgear is also ISO 9001-certified for its quality management system.

“With new international standards that are developed, we make it our business to see that our product is being tested at the South African Bureau of Standards to meet all applicable standards and specifications,” says Basson.

Future Projects
JB Switchgear also did work on the new security building and new medical station at diamond major De Beers’ Venetia underground mine, near Musina, and is currently developing 1 000 V gulley rigs for the new underground project at this mine.

Meanwhile, the company has also tendered for the supply of prefabricated substations for the new tailings plant that will be constructed at Debswana’s Lethlakane mine. Construction of this plant is expected to start later this year.
Basson says: “We are working very closely with [fabrication, machining, manufacturing and heavy engineering works] Efficient Engineering as a technology partner on projects of this nature.”

Edited by Leandi Kolver
Creamer Media Deputy Editor

Comments

Latest News

Kropz Elandsfontein
Kropz secures R170m loan facility
27th March 2024 By: Darren Parker

Showroom

Alco-Safe
Alco-Safe

An unmanned breathalyser that is made to be tough and simple to use. Can be used in any environment for operator-free breathalyser testing.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
SBS Tanks
SBS Tanks

SBS® Tanks is a leading provider of innovative water security solutions with offices in Southern Africa, East and West Africa, the USA and an...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
Hyphen, Eva mine, ferrochrome price make headlines
27th March 2024
Resources Watch
Resources Watch
27th March 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.217 0.261s - 174pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now