Mine-Spec Control Systems for a Remote Iron Ore Operation

Sector: Mining – Iron Ore
Application: Conveyor, pump, and process control systems in a remote open-cut mine
Location: Remote, arid region of Western Australia

Background
A large iron ore operation needed to upgrade its conveyor and dewatering pump control systems. Existing enclosures were suffering from corrosion, dust ingress, and heat build-up, resulting in intermittent trips and unscheduled downtime. The site experiences high ambient temperatures, abrasive dust, vibration, and saline water at the export facilities.

Challenges

  • High airborne dust and occasional washdown required a robust IP66 solution with proven sealing.
  • Corrosive conditions at processing and export facilities demanded 316L stainless steel and high-integrity surface finishes.
  • Long cable runs and distributed I/O meant multiple field enclosures were required across a large footprint.
  • Internal heat load from VSDs and PLC hardware had to be managed to maintain equipment reliability.

Solution

Using IP Enclosures’ seven-step enclosure selection framework, the engineering team standardised on a combination of:

  • Heavy Duty Sloped Roof (Mine-Spec) 316L stainless steel wall-mounted enclosures for plant areas exposed to chemical sprays and saline water, providing IP66, IK10 and NEMA 4X protection.
  • Heavy Duty Sloped Roof (Mine-Spec) powder-coated galvanised steel electrical enclosures for remote I/O and communications nodes, rated IP66/IK10 for high-exposure locations along conveyors and transfer stations.
  • Powder-coated galvanised steel enclosures for general MCC and marshalling applications where corrosion risk was lower but mechanical robustness remained critical.
  • Integrated climate control, including forced ventilation where feasible, sized using IP Enclosures’ digital climate tools.
  • Roof shields and sun shields on north- and west-facing cabinets to reduce solar gain and extend coating life.

Results

  • Marked reduction in water and dust ingress incidents, with no recorded IP seal failures over multiple summer seasons.
  • Significant improvement in corrosion performance of external panels, particularly at coastal loading facilities, reducing repainting and replacement.
  • Greater standardisation of enclosure sizes, accessories, and mounting hardware simplified spares, drawing sets, and construction.
  • Higher system uptime and more predictable maintenance windows, directly supporting the mine’s production targets.