Following a soft launch of the Emax 3 low-voltage air circuit breaker (ACB) by electrification and automation technology company ABB at the Electra Mining Africa 2026 expo – held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in September – the company officially launched the product in October.

The model, which replaces the Emax 2, was introduced to the European market in 2025 and will now be available throughout sub-Saharan Africa, says ABB South Africa electrification smart power and smart building senior VP Ettienne Delport.

The Emax 3 provides electrical protection and insight into plant performance, including predictive maintenance at low-voltage level. It combines functions that previously required add-ons with the Emax 2 into one unit, with the same dimensions and busbar.

As the Emax 3 uses the same base frame, operations can swap old units for new ones. The two models can also be cross-integrated, he explains.

While its primary function remains protection against short circuits and overloads, ABB has added measurement and energy management capabilities. The Emax 3 measures to an accuracy of 0.5%, compared with 1% of the Emax 2.

Trip units, which previously had to be ordered by protection type, are now integrated into the standard touch unit, along with built-in earth-fault protection and temperature sensors.

The Emax 3 unit also tracks the number of operations and warns when maintenance is required. It also supports transmission control protocol communication and units can be linked in series.

“Previously, you would have separate meters, while the circuit breaker did earth-fault protection. Our unit now has everything incorporated,” says Delport.

Although many mines still rely on older technology, the Emax 3 can operate purely as a circuit breaker while carrying built-in digital capability for future use.

“You do not want to install something, then later have to remove it and replace it with something new. Even if the mine is not ready to use its digital capabilities, the core function of the circuit breaker remains,” he adds.

Nevertheless, the Emax 3’s digital capabilities enhance the unit’s value, as data can be fed into a centralised distributed control system, which can act automatically or through a controller to save resources by, for example, limiting energy to certain areas when consumption peaks.

Delport further notes that mines are under pressure to increase production, which results in increased operation costs. Therefore, while digitalisation requires upfront investment, it provides operations with better control of the plant, which, in turn, can save costs over time.

Enhanced Offering
At Electra Mining Africa 2026, ABB also highlighted its enhanced International Efficiency (IE) 5 motor, which is about 15% to 20% more energy efficient than a standard IE5 motor, says ABB South Africa motion business area senior VP Graham Abrahams.

The majority of mining operations across Africa use IE1 or IE2 motors, which typically achieve efficiencies of about 85% to 91%. Under test conditions, the enhanced IE5 motor reaches about 99% efficiency, with 100 kW input yielding about 99 kW output, he states.

“The motor costs a little more because of its efficiency, but a 110 kW enhanced IE5 motor has a quoted payback period of eight months. Every day after that, the customer saves on energy costs,” says Abrahams.

When a drive and motor are installed together, Abrahams adds that ABB’s drive service business supports these systems’ longevity, resulting in a lifespan of up to 40 years.

Meanwhile, sensors can be mounted on the side of a motor, with the data then fed into an automation system where an algorithm, with an element of AI, predicts maintenance needs and downtime, extending uptime for the mine owner, he says.

Automated Future
As mining operators navigate rising production targets, higher operating costs and evolving sustainability requirements, they must “do more with less” by optimising production at existing facilities, often without the option of expanding them, according to ABB South Africa process industries local division manager Charl Marais.

He adds that the company’s solutions aim to raise productivity while reducing environmental impact through efficient electrification.



Electrifying mobile equipment can reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by about 80%, but achieving this requires interconnectedness, with automation deployed across the entire value chain to enable operators to optimise resources, he adds.