ABB to Modernise Hoist System at Australia’s Largest Tin Mine

ABB has been selected by Bluestone Mines Tasmania Joint Venture Pty Ltd (BMTJV) to deliver a significant modernisation of the main production hoist at Australia’s largest tin mine. With global tin demand expected to reach 420,000 tons annually by the end of this decade, the upgrade at the Renison Tin Mine marks an important milestone in BMTJV’s long-term investment to enhance operational safety, efficiency and sustainability.

With the mine now operating at greater depths, hoist modernisation became essential to maintain reliability, maximise productivity and extend the life expectancy of critical machinery. The upgrade from ABB will replace a legacy hoist system that was installed at the Tasmanian west coast mine in the 1990s. The design will address space constraints in the existing winder house, using an innovative layout that retrofits new equipment into the current switch room and introduces a new surface-mounted room for control and safety systems.

As part of the modernisation – and against a backdrop of mining production costs increasing by nearly 30 percent globally over the past five years – ABB will also deliver a digitally integrated control system to ensure reliable performance, reduce downtime and streamline machine maintenance. At the same time, the new system will enhance energy efficiency to provide a more sustainable, cost-effective haulage solution for deeper mine operations, particularly when compared to traditional trucking.



The system will also help to reduce heat load and congestion on the decline. Image Bluestone Mines.

“The project reflects five years of close collaboration and problem solving,” said Brian McDonald, ABB Australia Sales Engineer for Hoisting. “We’re proud to support BMTJV with a tailored solution that not only upgrades their infrastructure but does so in a smart, future-ready way that balances safety, performance and sustainability. The upgrade of the hoist system, when compared to trucking operations, just made sense. The hoist provides benefits beyond just moving ore, also helping to reduce heat load and congestion on the decline and achieving production costs not seen with other material haulage solutions.”

The upgrade, which began in the first quarter of 2025, also includes the installation of ABB’s latest Safety Plus hoist control platform, a fully SIL 3-certified system designed to meet the highest functional safety standards. ABB will be supplying a new DC converter, brake stands, hydraulic power system, shaft communication system and a full suite of engineering and commissioning services.

Commissioning is expected in 2026, with both ABB and BMTJV committed to highlighting the project’s progress through future collaboration.

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