JB Switchgear Solutions was recently awarded a multi-million Rand contract for the design, manufacture and supply of motor control centres (MCC’s) destined for the Liqhobong diamond mine in Lesotho. Well-known project house DRA placed the order on behalf of the end client and manufacturing is expected to be completed by March 2016.
The Liqhobong diamond mine is located at the head of the Liqhobong valley in the Maluti Mountains of northern Lesotho. Ownership of the mine is held by Firestone Diamonds (75%) and the Lesotho Government (25%) Liqhobong is a robust project with over 11 Million carats in reserve. The total open pit resource contains over 17 Million carats down to 393 tons per hour (twin stream 250 tonne) to yield 1.1 million carats per annum over a 15 years life of mine.
JB Switchgear’s scope of supply includes eleven ‘Eagle Series’ motor control centres, seven of which will be installed into modified marine containers and three on outdoor skids. Incomers are typically rated for 2500A at 525V, and fault levels up to 50kA. Intelligent electronic overloads are used, and the communication protocol is Ethernet. Starter sizes vary between 4kW and 250kW. In addition, sixteen remote I/O panels, thirty VSD’s, fifteen soft-starter, fourteen DB’s, seventy field isolators and a PLC panel will also be supplied by JBSS.
JB Switchgear is an ISO9001 certified company who carries comprehensive type test certification for their ‘Eagle Series’ of motor control centres. The company is a level 4 BEE supplier.
