HOISTING – ABB to build North America’s largest friction hoist

MONTREAL - ABB has received a contract from MOSAIC CO.'s Esterhazy, Sask., operation for the turnkey supply and installation of a new 45-tonne mine hoist system. Mosaic (www.MosaicCo.com) is the company formed by the merger of IMC Global and Cargill Corp. Nutrition.

"The 234-inch drum diameter and 11,300 hp will make it the largest friction hoist in North America as well as the world's largest using the modern and energy efficient AC drive technology known as direct torque control," says Salem Tajeddine, ABB's VP and general manager, Electrification and Drive Systems - North America.

The ABB hoisting system will be installed in a newly constructed hoistroom on top of the existing headframe at Mosaic's K2 potash mine. Using this construction strategy, Mosaic is able to operate at normal mine production levels while the new hoisting system is being constructed. Changeover from the existing hoist to the new hoist will occur during a short production shutdown in the fall of 2006. This is the first project in the potash mining industry to use AC drive technology for a mine hoist.

Learn more about ABB's leading power and automation technologies at www.abb.ca.