Kachkanarsky GOK Moves 57 Haul Trucks to Smart Maintenance
The EVRAZ mining operation in Russia’s Urals has deployed a digital maintenance planning system for its fleet of BELAZ mining haul trucks. Algorithms prioritize service work, calculate maintenance dates and determine material requirements.
The software integrates previously separate information and analytics systems: Engine-hour and mileage data is automatically transferred to the IAS KSR repair database and then to the SAP PM module. This creates the foundation for predictive maintenance.
The digital system, which takes maintenance schedules and component condition into account, was developed jointly by specialists from Kachkanarsky GOK and EvrazTekhnika. Maintenance planning was previously performed manually. Algorithms now calculate precise repair dates and assess how critical individual components are to vehicle reliability while factoring in production plans for fleet availability. The system also schedules the procurement of components so they are available when maintenance is due.
The Complexities of Open-Pit Maintenance
Equipment of this class is serviced directly in the open pit. Scheduling accuracy is critical: A dedicated maintenance crew, with its own tools, equipment and consumables, is assigned to work on each vehicle. Planning errors can cause haul trucks to exceed their scheduled service mileage, leave maintenance crews idle and disrupt supply logistics – risks the digital system is designed to minimize.
The project continues to evolve, with plans to integrate an onboard intelligent monitoring system and telematics sensors that will automatically transmit data on component condition without driver involvement. Changes such as a gradual rise in bearing temperature or shifts in vibration patterns will be evaluated over time. As a result, maintenance will be scheduled not simply according to prescribed intervals and the expected service life of parts but according to the equipment’s actual, dynamically changing condition. Industry research estimates that this approach can reduce unscheduled repairs by 20–30% and cut total maintenance costs by as much as 15% a year.
Geometallurgy in Action
The project is part of Geometallurgiya (Geometallurgy), a broader digital transformation program at the mining and processing complex. The EVRAZ initiative is being implemented at Kachkanarsky GOK with Zyfra Group to provide end-to-end ore quality management from the mine to the processing plant.
The idea is to move away from averages and manage the ore flow with much greater precision, tracking raw material quality literally “bucket by bucket.” High-precision equipment positioning is used to accomplish this: The system tracks the origin of each delivered batch and factors in the characteristics of the open-pit zone it came from.
The system also coordinates equipment positioning across the site, helping balance workloads at stockpiles and transfer points. An algorithm generates weekly and daily schedules, assigns equipment and accounts for all operating constraints to maximize productivity while maintaining the required raw-material quality. MES modules connect the mine and processing plant in a single digital environment, allowing the system to recommend optimal equipment operating modes based on raw-material parameters. Dispatchers work in a unified environment with dashboards and large-format monitoring displays, speeding up decision-making and improving operational control.
Returns From Digitalization
The iron content of ore at Kachkanarsky GOK ranges from 14% to 16%. Raising that figure by even a fraction of a percentage point can produce a tangible economic benefit by increasing concentrate yield and reducing iron losses to tailings.
Heavy mining equipment is costly when idle, so improving physical availability can have a significant impact on profitability. A study of digitalization in Russia’s mining and metals sector conducted by an independent analytical agency found that equipment maintenance is one of the most economically compelling areas for further digitalization in the industry.
Maintaining optimal processing conditions improves recovery of the valuable component and reduces losses during wet and dry magnetic separation. The project’s expected economic benefit is estimated at more than RUB200 million (about USD2.3 million) through optimized process operations and lower losses. Taken as a whole, Geometallurgiya does more than track operations – it actively manages them.
The deployment of the new system at Kachkanarsky GOK is a clear example of Russia’s mining industry moving from localized automation toward end-to-end, data-driven equipment management.
