PlantWeb selected for BHP Billiton mining complex

Emerson has won a $A3.1 million contract for digital automation and control of minerals processing at the BHP Billiton nickel/cobalt mine and treatment facility, under construction in Ravensthorpe

Emerson Process Management announced today that it has won a $A3.1 million contract for digital automation and control of minerals processing at the BHP Billiton nickel/cobalt mine and treatment facility, currently under construction in Ravensthorpe, Australia.

The new open-pit mine and minerals processing plant is part of a $A1.1 billion project that will annually produce up to 50,000 tons of nickel and 1,400 tons of cobalt.

Emerson will install PlantWeb digital architecture with Foundation fieldbus technology to deliver significantly more process and equipment information than traditional analogue systems, enabling BHP Billiton to operate a safer, more reliable, and better performing mine and plant.

The DeltaV digital automation system with AMS Suite predictive maintenance software, key components of PlantWeb, are at the core of the innovative digital approach that will include more than 2000 smart digital field devices, making it the largest Foundation fieldbus installation in Australia, and the largest use for mineral processing in the world.

Emerson PlantWeb architecture enables manufacturers to avoid costly, unexpected process interruptions and optimise performance of production equipment by establishing a predictive maintenance environment that is anchored by digital monitoring of instrumentation and equipment condition using data from smart field devices.

"Our BHP Billiton contract signifies the recognition of PlantWeb as the leading driver for the adoption of fieldbus technology," said John Berra, president of Emerson Process Management.

"Engineers around the world are turning to PlantWeb with Foundation fieldbus as the preferred digital automation technology for both today and tomorrow, because it offers such benefits as lower installation costs, more reliable and consistent operations, and lower maintenance costs.".

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