Nornickel Digitizes Monitoring of Tailings Facilities in Norilsk

Russian mining company Nornickel has deployed an automated diagnostic monitoring system at two tailings storage facilities in the Norilsk industrial region. The system enables real-time tracking of ground temperature, groundwater levels, wind conditions and precipitation on dam structures, according to Digital Economy.

Reducing Manual Workload

Tailings facilities at the Norilsk and Talnakh processing plants are hydraulic structures designed for the safe storage of waste from ore processing. More than 400 sensors have been installed across the sites.

A key advantage of the system is the reduction in manual labor. Its deployment at tailings facilities builds on Nornickel’s unified monitoring platform for buildings and infrastructure, launched in 2020. Today, the system includes more than 2,000 sensors tracking temperature, groundwater levels, structural deviations and climate parameters in real time across 1,500 facilities.

Adapted for Arctic Conditions

The new monitoring system is designed for harsh northern environments. Sensors operate without cables and have battery lifespans of up to three years. Data from wells are transmitted to a central server once per day, with access provided to dispatch operators. The system also allows for adjustable measurement frequency, which can be increased from once daily to every 15 minutes during flood periods.

Nornickel plans to expand the system to all five of its tailings facilities.