SASKATCHEWAN - CAMECO CORP., the world's leading uranium producer, has selected Invensys Process Systems to implement a FOXBORO (www.Foxboro.com) automation system at the Cigar Lake mine in the Athabasca Basin. The system will monitor and control all key mining production operations at Cigar Lake, the world's largest undeveloped high-grade uranium deposit. The implementation includes the latest I/A Series V8.0 hardware and software, engineering services, training, field services, and Foxboro HART-based field instrumentation for processes bid to date.
The I/A Series automation system for Cigar Lake is highly distributed. The newest generation I/A Series family field-mounted control processors is being deployed at various stages of the uranium mining process, having started with the shaft concrete plant and freeze systems (orebody stabilization) plant, to be followed by underground ore handling, grinding operations, slurry load-out, and waste water treatment. A variety of field I/O platforms are being deployed, integrating HART combined analogue and digital signals with Ethernet and serial connections to third-party devices. The I/A Series system will also interface with Modicon PLC systems using Foxboro's latest field device system integrator I/O modules.
Cameco implementation of the Foxboro control automation project is in two stages. The shaft concrete plant and freeze systems are being implemented now for completion in the fall of 2005. Automation for the balance of the Cigar Lake operation is projected to be complete in 2007.
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