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Completely automated vehicle running on roads might be a distant technology, but automation in mining industry has just recorded an important achievement. This is coming as the first two autonomous mining dump trucks BELAZ-7513R with a lifting capacity of 130 tons were recently deployed in the mines in Khakassia (Eastern Siberia), Russia.
Prior to the deployment, the two trucks successfully completed their trials. These haul trucks are jointly developed by BelAZ, Belarusian manufacturer of haulage and earthmoving equipment, and ZYFRA, Finnish-Russian digital solutions provider, and its subsidiary VIST Group.
As part of the trials, a dump truck worked continuously for 24 hours, completing 500 process cycles, as well as moved along a designated 1,350 m section of the mine, carrying overburden rock.
Two BELAZ-7513R have been commissioned by SUEK, one of top-ten global coal producers by output, international sales and reserves, and Russia’s largest coal producer.
“With every passing year mining operations are carried out in progressively more complex and dangerous mining, geological and climatic conditions. We believe that unmanned vehicles are the key to innovation in the mining industry. The unmanned truck technology has already attracted interest from potential customers in Chile, Peru, Morocco and other countries,” said Igor Bogachev, CEO of ZYFRA.
Today key solutions for the mining industry include the systems for automated and robotic mining, digital technologies for the production processes’ management of open-pit mining operations on the basis of robotic for production management, autonomous mining equipment, as well as industry solutions in the field of the Internet of things, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. “Smart mining” technologies allow reducing fuel consumption and increasing the time of effective operation of the entire fleet by more than 10%, besides ensuring safety of the personnel.
BelAZ products are supplied to more than 80 countries worldwide, including Angola, Bangladesh, Chile, India, Mongolia, Morocco, Serbia, South Africa, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zimbabwe.
According to Evgeny Guchek, Head of the Science and Technology Center at BELAZ, by 2020-2021 the company plans to develop a prototype of the autonomous mining dump truck without the conventional driver’s cabin. The truck is going to have a brand-new design.
ZYFRA
ZYFRA is a Finland-based company with an R&D center in Russia, which provides IoT and AI-based solutions for the industrial sector. The company has operations in Finland, Russia, China, India, Singapore, Bulgaria, Romania, Morocco, Peru, Turkey.
ZYFRA develops industrial digitalization technologies, invests in these products and improves the Industrial Internet of Things and Artificial Intelligence environment. The company’s key fields of industry are machinery, metallurgy, mining, oil & gas and chemical enterprises.
ZYFRA promotes readymade industry solutions in predictive analytics and data analysis, tech processes optimization, machinery and floor staff monitoring.
BELAZ-7513 Series
Mining dump trucks with payload capacity of 110-136 tonnes are designed for transportation of rocks in severe mining conditions of deep pits, at open-cast mining of mineral deposits on technological haul roads under various climatic operating conditions (ambient temperatures from -50 to +50 degrees Celsius).
