The expansion of the Tanami underground gold mine in the Northern Territory is progressing with a new contract being awarded. The mine, located approximately 563 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs, is operated by Newmont Mining Service Pty Ltd, a division of global mining player Newmont.
Since 1986, the mine has produced more than 10 million ounces of gold from various open pits and underground mines.
Presently, the mine produces from the Callie underground operation at Dead Bullock Soak with ore processed at the Granites Mill, more than 40 kilometres to the east.
Newmont’s Tanami Expansion 2 (TE2) project is expected to increase the annual capacity of the processing site to 3.5 million tonnes per annum from 2.6 million tonnes and extend the life of the mine beyond 2040.
Neil Steyn, Regional Project Director at Newmont said the TE2 project includes the construction of a 5.4-metre shaft that can reach 1,460 metres below surface depth to enable recovery of ore at a depth.
“This provides a viable solution to extend the mine and with an additional investment in processing is expected to increase production to 3.5 million tonnes per year,” he said.
The AU$24 million contract awarded to ABB includes the delivery of two complete mine hoist systems, a double drum personnel-riding hoist and a friction hoist.
“ABB’s in-house mechanical hoist design capability will help deliver a tailormade solution in a cost-effective way,” said Mr Steyn.
As part of the TE2 project, ABB’s solutions package also includes digital applications covering functional safety, a programmable logic controllers (PLC) control system, remote operations, shaft communication and the latest drive systems technology.