Smart Tunneling Drilling Assistant Deployed at Norilsk Mine
The system tracks machine position, boom angle, and drilling depth in real time
Nornickel is scaling up technologies previously tested at individual sites. At the Skalisty mine, one of the most advanced operations in the Arctic region, the company has begun deploying a domestic hardware-software system called Prokhodcheskogo bureniya assistant (tunneling drilling assistant), the company’s press service told IT RUSSIA.
Touchscreen Control Module
According to Ramil Batraliev, director of innovation at Nornickel’s Polar Division, the project centers on equipping drilling rigs with a dedicated touchscreen module, along with a set of sensors, a robotic total station, and a high-precision positioning system for underground operations.
Working Alongside the Operator
The tunneling drilling assistant operates in tandem with the machine operator, acting as a high-precision navigation system. The module display provides guidance, indicating whether the machine is correctly aligned with the face and whether the boom is properly positioned for drilling the next borehole.
A key advantage of the system is its compatibility with different models of self-propelled drilling rigs. The equipment has already been installed on several machines from various manufacturers.
Earlier reports noted that Nornickel plans to fully automate drilling machines at its northern mines and transition to a new drilling model by 2026.
