In southern Sierra Leone, Sierra Rutile extracts rutile from mineral-bearing sand. This raw material is processed into pigment for paint and plastics, among other things, and used in the production of titanium. A product that finds its way far from the mine therefore starts with machines that must be able to run on site day after day.

This requires a lot of electricity. If the available grid capacity falls short or the power fails, extraction and processing can come to a standstill. This has an immediate financial impact: production has come to a standstill, while personnel and equipment remain available and the start-up again takes time. A reliable power supply is therefore a prerequisite for this mine to be able to continue production.

Jeco Energies developed a 7 MW emergency power solution tailored to the site. The installation includes a medium-voltage container with switchgear, four transformers and four low-voltage distribution boards. Our team took care of the installation, commissioning and electrical tests. The operation of the system can also be monitored remotely via online monitoring.

For example, Sierra Rutile has an additional power supply that helps limit the impact of grid problems on its operations. Behind the solution lies a simple goal: to prevent a power supply problem from bringing the entire mine to a standstill.

At a Glance:

• 7 MW emergency power
• 4 transformers
• Online monitoring