April 2020

46 n CONVEYORS, MATERIALS HANDLING AND AGVs April 2020 www.drivesncontrols.com Gearless drives will move 127,500 tonnes of copper ore every day T he Quellaveco mine currently being developed in Peru has one of the world’s largest copper reserves, with an estimated 1.3bn tonnes of exploitable ore, which could produce 7.5 million tonnes of copper – enough to wire 80 million homes or equip 90 million electric vehicles. In the first ten years of operation, it is expected to produce around 300,000 tonnes of copper equivalent per year. The mine, majority owned by Anglo- American, is located in a rugged landscape, requiring durable and efficient technologies to transport the crushed ore. A 4.7km-long overland conveyor system, supplied by the German firm thyssenkrupp, will transport 127,500 tonnes of ore every day from the pit to a stockpile next to a copper concentrator. The route will include a 3.2km-long tunnel to carry the 1,830mm-wide conveyor between two valleys. After exiting the tunnel, the conveyor will pass over a hilly landscape before feeding the stockpile. Such heavy-duty belt conveyors were traditionally powered by high-speed motors and gearboxes. The new Peruvian installation is powered by dual 5.5MW gearless drives with a design capacity of nearly 11,000 tonnes per hour. The gearless drives offer several benefits. The size of the motors is not limited by the size of gearboxes, thus eliminating the need to install multi-motor drives. The required belt driving power can be provided using a single drive per drive pulley. This means that fewer switchgear enclosures will be needed, saving space and weight in the engine room. Eliminating many mechanical and electrical components is predicted to increase the reliability and efficiency of the system by 3-4% compare to a gearbox- driven system. Another attraction is that the gearless drives need much less maintenance. This is an important factor because the annual maintenance costs of gearbox-based systems can be equivalent to up to 5% of the original cost of the gearboxes. The gearless drives for the Quellaveco conveyor system are being supplied by Siemens, which is also providing the project’s medium- and low-voltage power distribution, as well as cooling systems for the motors and engine room. A Siemens Simatic PCS-7 control system is being used to automate the conveyor system and other aspects of the mine. “This order again shows how gearless conveyor systems meet today’s demand for ever more efficient mining solutions and increased safety requirements,” says Torsten Gerlach, CEO of thyssenkrupp’s Mining Technologies business. “It is the seventh overland conveyor project of this magnitude, utilising gearless drives, that have been awarded to us since 2010.” First production from the mine is planned for 2022. n One of the world’s largest copper mines is nearing completion in Peru. It will include a 4.7km-long conveyor capable of carrying more than 120,000 tonnes of ore every day. The conveyor will be powered by gearless drives, boosting its efficiency by up to 4%. The 4.7km-long ore conveyor at the Peruvian mine will be powered by two gearless drives