World’s largest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper Nornickel subsidiary Zapolyarny Mine of Medvezhy Ruchey has completed the implementation of an IT project to create a system for determining the positions of personnel and machinery. The project is designed to ensure the safety of miners. The new positioning system will improve mining operations safety, provide for better coordination of rescue teams in emergencies, and enhance production process management. A similar program is already in place at the key mining facilities of Norilsk Division.It took Zapolyarny Mine 12 months to introduce the innovative solution, which covers 1,500 mining lights and over 80 units of rail haulage systems and underground self-propelled machinery. UralTexIs, a company that develops and manufactures electric equipment for mining enterprises, provided miners of Zapolyarny Mine with multifunctional lamps containing built-in precise positioning sensors. Similar devices are installed on vehicles as well.The system operates by constantly sending location coordinates to the control unit, where a 3D model of the mine is used to control the routes of personnel and machinery in real time. The system also gives miners timely warnings of collision threats, possible vehicle/pedestrian accidents and proximity to hazardous zones.Project implementation was supported by Micromine, a system which had already been in place at the mine, and relied on the efforts of the Shared Service Centre and developers of the Mine Dispatcher software.In addition, the precise positioning system automates a number of production management processes, such as work time recording, rock transportation target monitoring on a per-shift basis, and more. The system is currently in hot commissioning, with the full launch scheduled for June 2022. Plans until the end of the year include 100% coverage with Wi-Fi spots to enable microcell communications for the entire mine’s workers, which will boost efficiency.
World’s largest producer of palladium and high-grade nickel and a major producer of platinum and copper Nornickel subsidiary Zapolyarny Mine of Medvezhy Ruchey has completed the implementation of an IT project to create a system for determining the positions of personnel and machinery. The project is designed to ensure the safety of miners. The new positioning system will improve mining operations safety, provide for better coordination of rescue teams in emergencies, and enhance production process management. A similar program is already in place at the key mining facilities of Norilsk Division.It took Zapolyarny Mine 12 months to introduce the innovative solution, which covers 1,500 mining lights and over 80 units of rail haulage systems and underground self-propelled machinery. UralTexIs, a company that develops and manufactures electric equipment for mining enterprises, provided miners of Zapolyarny Mine with multifunctional lamps containing built-in precise positioning sensors. Similar devices are installed on vehicles as well.The system operates by constantly sending location coordinates to the control unit, where a 3D model of the mine is used to control the routes of personnel and machinery in real time. The system also gives miners timely warnings of collision threats, possible vehicle/pedestrian accidents and proximity to hazardous zones.Project implementation was supported by Micromine, a system which had already been in place at the mine, and relied on the efforts of the Shared Service Centre and developers of the Mine Dispatcher software.In addition, the precise positioning system automates a number of production management processes, such as work time recording, rock transportation target monitoring on a per-shift basis, and more. The system is currently in hot commissioning, with the full launch scheduled for June 2022. Plans until the end of the year include 100% coverage with Wi-Fi spots to enable microcell communications for the entire mine’s workers, which will boost efficiency.
