Russian Miners Get a Digital Assistant for Precision Drilling
The new “Drilling Assistant” system automates positioning and boosts the accuracy of mining operations at Norilsk Nickel sites.
Russia has begun testing a domestic digital system called “Drilling Assistant” (APB), designed to automate mining operations and improve the precision of self-propelled drilling rigs. Developed for Norilsk Nickel, the platform integrates software and hardware to help operators follow digital drilling passports—a key step toward fully digitalized mining.
The system automatically adjusts drilling trajectories, reducing the risk of mixing ore with waste rock and saving millions of rubles per site through optimized resource use.
Proven Performance in the Field
According to the company’s Center for Digital Technology Development, field tests at the Kola Mining and Metallurgical Company have already confirmed the system’s effectiveness: surveying errors have dropped sharply, and the quality of drilling has significantly improved.
By combining automation, precision, and domestic software, the APB system marks more than an import substitution milestone—it represents a genuine leap forward in industrial IT and mining automation. Deployment across Norilsk Nickel’s Polar Division is planned for the near future, signaling the arrival of a new digital era for Russia’s mining sector.
