ABB to Provide Electrification Infrastructure for LKAB's New Sorting Plant in Sweden, Operational in 2028

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 3, ABB received an order from Swedish mining group LKAB to supply medium-voltage and low-voltage switchgear for its new ore sorting plant at the Malmberget mine in northern Sweden. The electrical systems supplied by ABB will form the backbone of the new plant's power distribution network and will be integrated into LKAB's existing ABB Ability System 800xA distributed control system. Electrical equipment installation is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2027, with the new sorting plant expected to commence operations in the second quarter of 2028.

The new sorting plant is being built with an investment of approximately SEK 6 billion by LKAB, with a designed annual processing capacity of 25 million tonnes of run-of-mine ore, including 24 million tonnes of magnetite and 1 million tonnes of hematite. Upon completion, the project will replace the existing sorting facility that has been in operation since 1953, increasing processing capacity by approximately 7 to 8 million tonnes per year compared to current levels. The project has entered the construction phase, with LKAB completing major foundation works in August 2026.

Located near the existing sorting facility, the plant's main building will be approximately 210 meters long and 80 meters high. The project includes approximately 27,000 square meters of building structures and nearly 1 kilometer of conveying systems, along with underground ore storage bins, electrical systems, ventilation systems, and control systems. Ore entering the new plant will undergo crushing, screening, and magnetic separation in sequence, before proceeding to downstream beneficiation processes to produce iron ore concentrate and pellet products. The new system also includes equipment for separating steel fibers from rock support materials, reducing wear caused by steel fibers entering downstream facilities.

ABB's supply for this project forms part of the equipment installation chain. In addition to medium-voltage and low-voltage switchgear, ABB will provide local engineering support and full life-cycle services for the equipment, as well as integrate the new electrical infrastructure with LKAB's existing System 800xA control platform. Under the current schedule, the relevant electrical systems are to begin installation in the second half of 2027, in preparation for the new plant's commissioning in the second quarter of 2028.

Key ore processing equipment for the new plant has simultaneously entered the procurement and delivery phase. In June 2026, LKAB purchased cone crushers, double-deck screening equipment, and vibrating feeders from Sandvik, with an order value of approximately SEK 175 million. The equipment is scheduled for delivery in the second and third quarters of 2027 and will be connected to LKAB's plant control system after being configured with Sandvik automation and connectivity systems. The resulting equipment implementation timeline is as follows: delivery of major crushing and screening equipment begins in 2027, installation of ABB electrical systems starts in the second half of the same year, and the entire sorting plant is planned to commence operations in the second quarter of 2028.

In terms of civil works, LKAB has appointed NCC as the main contractor for the project, responsible for the construction of the new sorting plant. The project's peak period is expected to occur between summer and autumn 2027, with approximately 350 personnel working on site simultaneously. The new facility will also be equipped to handle apatite-rich tailings, corresponding to LKAB's downstream plans for processing phosphorus and rare earth element raw materials.