Following the flooding incident at the Thumela mine in early 2025, ABB intervened to restore critical infrastructure and restart mining operations.
In early 2025, South Africa’s Limpopo province experienced a rare convergence of natural and infrastructure crises. The sudden collapse of the Viaspruit dam near Swartklip and heavy rains caused widespread flooding across the region, devastating the operations of several mining facilities.
The hardest hit was Valterra Platinum’s Thumela mine, part of the Amandelbult complex. Thanks to quick action and strong emergency procedures, all personnel were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported. However, underground facilities and a major pumping station were flooded, halting production and threatening up to 10% of the company’s monthly metal in concentrate output.
In the face of increasing operational pressure, Valterra Platinum sought urgent assistance from ABB to restore critical power infrastructure.
“When the Tumela mine was hit by flooding, our top priority was the safety of our employees and the protection of our critical infrastructure. Thanks to our emergency procedures, we were able to safely evacuate and avoid injury, but it was essential that we brought operations back online quickly. ABB’s quick response and technical expertise helped us restore production without compromising safety,” said Isaac Rudolph, Principal Engineer Electrical and Automation at Valterra Platinum.
Rapid recovery to restore operations
Within 24 hours, ABB mobilized a cross-functional response team from its Longmeadow facility in Johannesburg, led by Jan van Zyl, primary switchgear product line manager, and Manie Jooste, secondary switchgear product line manager.
“We knew the risks were high, not only for production, but also for safety and continuity. Our team quickly came together to design, build and deliver a solution that could quickly bring Thumela mine back online,” said van Zyl.
Two major substations housing both primary air-insulated switchgear and secondary gas-insulated switchgear were identified for emergency restoration. Due to the extensive damage and standard manufacturing lead times, ABB and Valterra Platinum worked together to fast-track a solution. ABB developed and delivered an accelerated 10-week production and commissioning plan to replace the damaged switchgear.
Thanks to seamless coordination, factory acceptance testing was completed ahead of schedule and ABB’s electrification services team was quickly deployed to install and commission the new UniGear ZS1 primary air-insulated switchgear and SafePlus secondary gas-insulated switchgear, bringing operations back online within the planned timeframe. “Our switchgear is user-friendly and delivers efficiency, reduced maintenance costs and seamless integration with smart grid systems,” says Jooste.
emergency engineering model
This extraordinary effort not only brought the Thumela mine back into operation ahead of schedule, but also set a new benchmark for rapid engineering response in crisis situations. This collaboration demonstrated the power of agility, precision, and partnership to overcome operational adversity.
“The restoration of the Thumela mine is a strong example of how ABB supports its customers not just with technology, but with people who come on-site when it matters most, solve problems and deliver results.The entire project was carried out without a single safety incident or lost-time injury, reinforcing our team’s commitment to putting safety first,” said Oliver Morton, project manager for ABB South African Electrification Services.
View article online: https://www.globalminingreview.com/mining/23102025/abb-enables-rapid-recovery-at-valterra-platinums-tumela-mine/
