Russia Trains Future Miners with Virtual Reality Simulators

The Bystrinsky mining and processing plant has launched a VR pilot program to train workers in high-risk jobs, marking one of the first large-scale applications of immersive technology in Russia’s mining industry.

The Bystrinsky Mining and Processing Plant has kicked off a pilot project using virtual reality (VR) to train key industrial specialists. It is one of Russia’s first large-scale cases of immersive technology being integrated into training at a mining enterprise, according to the company.

The new training format allows employees to practice complex, high-risk industrial operations in a safe virtual environment. The first to try the innovation will be riggers: by September 2025, a dedicated program will launch to simulate cable installation, securing loads, and proper weight distribution. In the future, similar simulators will be developed for gas welders and fire safety personnel.

The technical base of the project includes three full training kits: VR goggles, helmets, and specialized joystick controllers. Wearing the headset, employees enter a digital twin of a real warehouse or workshop, where they can interact with virtual objects—lifting, moving, and arranging them to build muscle memory and refine action sequences.

Bystrinsky’s use of immersive technologies sets a new benchmark for safety and efficiency across Russia’s mining sector.