Going for gold

Sheffield heavy engineering concern DavyMarkham has been awarded a $20m (£13.5m) order to supply mining hoists and associated electrical drives and controls to Canadian gold producer Iamgold.

For Iamgold's so-called Westwood project, DavyMarkham will design, manufacture and supply a 21ft (6.4m)-diameter production hoist and an 18ft double-drum service hoist, together with associated clutch assemblies and a multi-channel hydraulic brake control system.

ABB has been subcontracted to provide drive systems for both hoists, including high-voltage motors, industrial drive units, a digital hoist-control system and a hoist operator station.

Delivery is scheduled for late spring to early summer 2010, presently on a supply-to-mine-site basis, although there may be the option of providing installation and commissioning services at a later stage.

Iamgold has eight different mining operations in Africa, North America and South America. Located 2km from the company’s existing Doyon Mine operation in northern Quebec, within one of Canada’s most prolific gold production areas, its Westwood advanced exploration project began in 2004 to identify potential new deposits.