Russian metals and mining company Nornickel has deployed a TBM to excavate hard rock ore in the Arctic, replacing the usual drill-and-blast technique.
The machine, named Norda, has begun excavation at the Taimyrsky Mine in Norilsk to mine high-grade ore from the Severnaya-4 orebody.
The 160m-long gripper TBM will excavate a 5.53m-diameter tunnel in what the company says is a first for metal mining at this scale.
The project is being implemented jointly with Mining Technology Industry and Robbins. The technology has been under development for more than a decade.
Nornickel’s polar division vice-president and director, Alexander Leonov, said the project was unique for the mining industry.
“This type of equipment has not previously been used in hard ore. Norda offers us a new approach to mine development – one that is more technologically advanced, safer and more controllable,” he said.
The TBM is equipped with an electric drive, a digital control system and real-time monitoring. Nornickel says the technology will enable further automation of underground operations and reduce the need for personnel to work directly at the face.
A dedicated chamber was prepared at Taimyrsky for Norda’s assembly. About 300 tonnes of auxiliary equipment and spare parts were also delivered to Norilsk, while the personnel that will operate the machine completed training.
The TBM will advance at up to 500m per month. Nornickel’s initial target is for Norda to mine 150,000 tonnes of ore this year, ultimately scaling up to 500,000 tonnes per year.
