General Electric (GE) has secured a contract from Minera Mexico to supply its Quadramatic drive technology to power Latin America’s largest ball mill operation.
The drive technology will be employed to support the expansion of the Buenavista site in Sonora, home to one of the largest open-pit copper mines in the world.
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GE will provide 84MW to six Buenavista ball mills. Quadramatic motors run at fixed speeds with minimum system losses to promote efficiency, thus lowering the mine’s energy requirements.
Grupo Mexico corporate purchasing director Manuel Tellez said that the technology was selected to enable a production enhancement against the backdrop of high copper prices driven by infrastructure expansion in Asia.
“By supporting the long-term economic viability of the Buenavista mine, our expansion project will support the local economy at Cananea Sonora, Mexico,” Tellez added.
GE power conversion business grinding solutions leader Israel Astorga commented, “GE’s unique and highly efficient Quadramatic system offers Grupo Mexico the reliability and simplicity required to help reduce Buenavista’s energy requirements and costs.”
The equipment is expected to be installed at Buenavista before October 2013, while phased commercial operations are set to begin from April-June 2013.
Image: GE’s power conversion business will supply its Quadramatic drive technology to Grupo Mexico. Photo: General Electric Company.
