Nornickel has organized a full-cycle refurbishment process for underground machines in Krasnoyarsk, a major industrial hub in Siberia. The company’s first repaired mining vehicle is now being prepared for final assembly, testing, and shipment to the mines of Norilsk following a major overhaul.

“A major overhaul not only extends the service life of equipment, but also makes its operation more cost-effective,” said Andrey Skokov, CEO of Nornickel-Technics. “Cooperation with Krasnoyarsk contractors that have the required expertise makes it possible to carry out the work to a high standard and promptly resolve current issues during the repair process.”

The project makes it possible to extend the service life of the equipment by three to four years and delivers a tangible economic benefit: the cost of a full overhaul of one load-haul-dump machine, including all logistics expenses, is twice lower than the cost of a new LHD machine.

Krasnoyarsk was chosen as the location for major equipment overhauls for a reason: the city has the necessary facilities, including lifting equipment and machine tools. The full-cycle refurbishment process at the site includes disassembly, repair of units and assemblies, restoration of metal structures, reassembly, commissioning, and road testing of the machines.

The machines are delivered from Norilsk to Krasnoyarsk mainly by river transport along the Yenisei during the navigation season, which lasts about four months a year. An alternative route is by sea to Arkhangelsk, followed by road or rail transport to Siberia. All logistics costs are included in the project’s economic model, which confirms its potential.

During the overhaul of the first three machines, specialists refined the engineering solutions and began introducing Russian-made components. The project uses Russian-made high-pressure hoses, radiators, fire suppression systems, and autonomous lubrication systems.

Nornickel underground machines get a second life after major overhaul in Siberia