As BHP continues to expand the vast underground mine to chase their large ore deposit, there is a constant need to also expand their infrastructure, in this case their ventilation system. As the miners perform their duties hundreds of meters below the ground the quality of the air is paramount to their wellbeing.
The Raise Bore fans provide this vital resource by drawing large volumes of hot, moist and polluted air out from the mine, allowing fresh air to be circulated throughout to mine in a constant cycle.
At each Raise Bore site, the ICE team ran and terminated cables from two transformers (11kV/415V) to the MCC within the switch room, then completed all cabling and supports from the switch room out to the 930kW, 690VAC, 6 Pole induction motors that drive the ventilation fans.
We also completed installation and commissioning on all low voltage systems for each site including all of the lighting, general power, instrumentation, air conditioning systems and emergency systems.
With mine expansions continuing into the future, this was a great opportunity for ICE’s local Olympic Dam based team to demonstrate their excellent quality of work.