Tag Archives: Caterpillar 789D

Nornickel targets safety boost at Bystrinsky GOK with collision avoidance tech

Norilsk Nickel’s Bystrinsky GOK operation in the Trans-Baikal Territory of Russia has been testing a collision avoidance system from V2-Group with the aim of improving safety and avoiding haul road accidents at the open-pit gold-iron-copper mine.

Bystrinsky GOK, which consists of a mining operation and processing plant, is home to the Bystrinsky gold-iron-copper deposit. This deposit contained some 343 Mt of reserves when the mine started up in 2017.

Collision avoidance sensors from V2-Group have been installed on one Komatsu PC4000 excavator and two Caterpillar 789D mining trucks at the open-pit operation, Nornickel confirmed. The company has also employed a V2-Group dispatch system at the mine.

A Nornickel spokesperson said testing of the system started in November 2020, with the company currently looking at trialling collision avoidance equipment from other vendors as part of its due diligence process.

“A collision avoidance system should be operational around-the-clock without fail even in the most difficult weather conditions,” the spokesperson said. “It should have the capacity to adjust its parameters depending on the dimensions of various equipment and situations encountered in the pit, on the dump, and while moving between mines.”

The testing represents a step towards helping the company meet one of its key priorities in the operation of the “largest mining and processing plant in the Trans-Baikal Territory – that of ensuring safety, especially when working with mining equipment”, the spokesperson added.

The mining operation has already implemented a range of measures, including IT projects, to ensure safety of personnel, industrial safety and road safety. Last year, it tested a fatigue detection system, which quickly detects everything from episodes of driver microsleep to distractions on the road, as well as an intelligent control system.

Should testing of the collision avoidance systems prove successful, Nornickel expects to rollout the equipment on all mining and auxiliary vehicles, the spokesperson concluded.

Fortescue’s autonomous haul truck fleet at Christmas Creek still growing

Fortescue Metals Group has now seen 35 manned haul trucks converted to autonomous mode at its Christmas Creek operations in the Pilbara of Western Australia, with Caterpillar recently completing a Command for hauling installation on a Komatsu 930 E, according to the iron ore miner.

The company shared the news ahead of an investor and media tour of the company’s operations this week.

During the tour, attendees will take in details of the company’s new 60.1% Fe product, West Pilbara Fines, in addition to viewing the innovative relocatable conveyor that started operating earlier this year.

Visitors can also expect to see first-hand Fortescue’s roll out of autonomous haulage technology. This includes a global first where Cat Command for hauling, part of Caterpillar’s MineStar technology offering first used on a commercial scale at Fortescue’s Solomon Hub operation, has been retrofitted on a CAT 789D and a Komatsu 930E haul truck.

Chief Executive Officer Elizabeth Gaines said: “Fortescue has led the way globally in embracing automation at our operations. The 789D is the 35th manned truck to be converted to autonomous at Christmas Creek, demonstrating our progress to becoming the only iron ore operation in the world to have a fully autonomous haulage fleet.”

Gaines said the tour will also see the company discuss Fortescue’s new energy agenda, including the integration of renewable energy and its recently announced landmark partnership with CSIRO to commercialise hydrogen technology.