Autonomous Trucks
In 2020, the company adjusted the operation modes of the group’s robot-aided system further following a number of tests. Following these tests, results show that the productivity of unmanned dump trucks can be 20-25% higher compared with those under human control, while the consumption of diesel fuel is 13% lower. Following such encouraging results, in 2021, SUEK says it is considering the possibility of incorporating the system more broadly in the business, as well as expanding the group’s fleet of unmanned dump trucks. In conventional open pit mining, SUEK continues to expand the capacity of its Nikolsky open-pit mine in order to replace the Olon-Shibirskoe deposit which is being retired. To increase this capacity it has purchased additional dump trucks for coal transportation to the washing plant.