Robot Takes on the Risk
Robotechnics has developed the remotely operated Betonolom 2000 RN (Concrete Breaker 2000 RN) robotic system. The machine, already in pilot commercial operation, is designed for some of the most hazardous underground tasks.
The equipment has been put into operation at the Lovozersky GOK (Lovozersky Mining and Processing Plant) at the Karnasurt mine in Murmansk Region, part of Rosatom’s mining division. The request for a dedicated drilling machine was driven by difficult working conditions: in some workings, the roof height is no more than 1.2 m. The machine is designed for the most hazardous underground operations. It removes unstable rock fragments, significantly improves the safety of underground workings and breaks up strong rock masses. The operator controls the system remotely from outside the potential rockfall zone.
With a height of less than 1.2 m and a width of 78 cm, the robot can maneuver effectively in confined spaces. The Betonolom 2000 RN is a multi-purpose machine rather than a single-function unit. Different tools can be installed quickly, including a hydraulic breaker, buckets, a hydraulic grapple, a drill, a diamond cutter or concrete shears. All adaptations for a specific task can be made directly at the worksite.
A Piece of a Larger Strategy
The robot’s deployment is part of a large-scale strategy by Rosatom’s mining division to automate its operations and advance the broader concept of a “digital” or “people-free mine.” As part of the program through 2035, the division plans to deploy about 200 domestically developed robotic systems. In spring 2026, Rosatom Nedra reported that it was developing a comprehensive program for underground and surface automation at the operation. The plans include robotic drilling machines, process digitalization and the future use of AI.
Other technologies are being tested in parallel. One example is the Strela-1 (Arrow-1) autonomous drilling unit. The robotic self-propelled drilling rig is designed for selective underground ore extraction. It targets only ore zones, leaving waste rock in place. The rig moves, positions itself and drills a fan pattern of boreholes according to a preloaded plan. Almazgeobur has been developing the Strela line since 2024 as a replacement for equipment previously supplied by manufacturers that have exited the Russian market. Four such units are now operating at the Lovozersky GOK.
The mine is also developing a digital twin of the Karnasurt operation. Across the entire enterprise, production processes are undergoing an in-depth audit as the company moves from individual pilot projects toward systematic automation.
A Strategic Mining Asset
The Lovozersky GOK is a strategically important link in Rosatom’s production chain for rare and rare-earth metals. No other operation in Russia mines and processes loparite ore. The resulting concentrate is the basis for producing tantalum, niobium, titanium and other rare-earth metals, which are essential for manufacturing high-precision equipment that underpins the digital economy.
The Lovozersky GOK provides a significant share of Russia’s domestic demand for rare-earth raw materials, reducing the country’s industrial dependence on imports. Against the backdrop of the government’s goal of reaching a robot density of 145 units per 10,000 workers by 2030 and placing Russia among the world’s top 25 countries on this measure, the strategic importance of the operation is clear.
Economically viable rare-earth deposits are relatively scarce worldwide, while ore processing is inherently energy-intensive and technologically complex. Despite these challenges, loparite remains an economically and strategically valuable raw material. The operation now faces the ambitious task of doubling its production volumes, a goal that cannot be achieved without greater automation and new equipment.
Toward Full Automation
The next stage of automation associated with the Betonolom deployment is a shift from remote control to autonomous operation. In mining, this transition can be traced back to 2023, when researchers at the Mining Institute of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, working with Uralkali, developed an inertial navigation system for autonomous mining machines to support unmanned potash mining.
Autonomous haul trucks have been operating in Khakassia for a year. At the Izykhsky open-pit mine, two robotic BELAZ trucks operated as part of a Russian autonomous haulage system. Following pilot commercial operation, the developer reported productivity gains of up to 20% compared with human drivers.
The technology being deployed at the Lovozersky GOK is particularly relevant amid a severe labor shortage. Robots are being viewed simultaneously as a way to improve safety and productivity and to offset the shortage of personnel.
