Digitalisation in the Permafrost: Chernogorsky Mining and Processing Plant Begins Ore Production
The new mining and processing plant in Russia's Krasnoyarsk Region is being equipped with domestically developed digital technologies to manage ore mining and processing. Total investment in the Chernogorsky Mining and Processing Plant between 2020 and 2026 has been estimated at 215.3 billion rubles (approximately $2.75 billion).
The project is being developed by Chernogorskaya GRK, part of the Russian Platinum Group, and has been incorporated into the Yeniseyskaya Sibir (Enisey Siberia) integrated investment programme. The mining and processing plant is under construction in Russia's Arctic zone, about 15km from Norilsk. Once operational, the project is expected to create approximately 1,600 jobs.
The Chernogorskoye deposit is one of the world's largest undeveloped platinum-palladium resources. In addition to platinum-group metals, the ore contains nickel, copper, gold, silver, cobalt, tellurium, and selenium. Over the longer term, the operation is expected to become Russia's second major production centre for palladium and platinum.
The plant is deploying a comprehensive suite of Russian-developed digital technologies to manage both mining and mineral processing. These include a 3D digital mine model, fleet automation that automatically assigns haul trucks to excavators, and real-time equipment monitoring, with sensors continuously analyzing vibration, temperature, and hydraulic system pressure. Artificial intelligence is also being used to predict potential equipment failures and mitigate operational risks, a capability that is particularly important for a mining operation of this scale and complexity.
Particular attention is being given to 1C:TOIR KORP, an enterprise maintenance and repair management system. The platform has been operating since the construction phase, ensuring that core digital processes are already in place before the main production facilities enter full operation. Its database includes maintenance procedures, equipment passport data, and servicing standards. The system already covers around 700 assets, ranging from crushers and grinding mills to an 80MW power plant currently under construction. It is now used to monitor equipment parameters during supervised installation and commissioning, as well as to manage supporting infrastructure such as the vehicle fleet. Future plans include integration with BIM platforms and corporate procurement systems, followed by migration to 1C:RCM Reliability Management, enabling a risk-based maintenance strategy.
A New Mining Giant
The project is supported by Russia's development finance institutions, including VEB.RF and VTB, partly through the Project Finance Factory programme. The first stage of ore preparation has already entered operation, with the first ore now moving through the processing line. Full commissioning of the first production phase is scheduled for the end of 2026. Initial design capacity is set at 7 million tonnes of ore per year, with plans to double output to 14 million tonnes annually as development expands to the Norilsk-1 deposit.
Today, the operation stands out as one of Russia's most comprehensive examples of end-to-end digitalisation at a newly built mining and processing plant. Rather than being added after construction, digital technologies are being embedded as the production system itself takes shape. Once 3D mine modelling, fleet dispatch, equipment monitoring, and concentrator management are fully integrated into a single digital environment, operators will be able to analyze the entire production chain in real time.
Digital Paradoxes
Today, more than 200 Russian software developers offer digital solutions for the mining industry's technology ecosystem. Even so, market data shows that nearly half of mining companies continue to develop digital capabilities through their own in-house IT departments despite the higher costs associated with that approach. Only 24% of companies rely on external systems integrators for implementation.
Across Russia's mining sector, nearly half of companies have maintained digital investment at 2025 levels this year, while another quarter have increased their budgets. Most companies, however, are prioritizing support for existing digital systems rather than launching new initiatives. Only 5% plan to invest in new large-scale digital transformation projects.
Overall, digitalisation across Russia's mining industry remains largely fragmented. Industry research indicates that 81% of mining companies deploy standalone digital solutions rather than fully integrated platforms. At the same time, those companies acknowledge that end-to-end integration delivers greater operational benefits than isolated efficiency improvements. Against that backdrop, the Chernogorsky Mining and Processing Plant provides an important demonstration of what a fully integrated digital operating model can achieve at a large-scale mining operation in challenging Arctic conditions.
Ultimately, the project's significance will be measured not by the number of digital systems installed but by demonstrated operating results, including reduced downtime and equipment failures, higher haul truck and excavator productivity, lower maintenance costs, and improved recovery of valuable minerals from ore. Even at this stage, however, the advantages of an integrated digital strategy are becoming evident compared with reactive responses to changing market conditions and operational challenges.
