Nornickel, Belaz agree to form joint venture
ZHODINO. Sept 8 (Interfax) - Russian mining giant Nornickel and the Belarusian Autoworks (Belaz) have agreed to form a mining equipment joint venture.
The agreement, which was signed by Nornickel president Vladimir Potanin and Belaz CEO Sergei Lesin on Monday in the Belarusian city of Zhodino, calls for forming a joint venture to manufacture next generation mining equipment and introduce autonomous technologies for mining and other innovations, as well as a full-service repair facility to develop production, repair and maintenance of underground mining equipment.
"The future of mining is in innovation and new technologies. We have been determinedly moving in this direction for a long time already. And now, by combining the efforts of two leaders in their industries, Nornickel and Belaz, we intend to realize the technological dream of efficient and safe production," Potanin said at the signing.
Lesin said the formation of the joint venture takes the companies' partnership to a new level.
"Our common goal is to build next generation underground machines, including innovative models that run on environmentally clean energy sources. This alliance will enable Belaz and Nornickel to strengthen their positions on the market and provide Russian miners with reliable and high performance mining equipment under the Belaz brand," Lesin told reporters.
The successful implementation of the project is expected to make it possible to meet domestic demand for new underground mining equipment in Russia, thus ensuring import substitution and minimizing risks related to sanctions. The partnership is also expected to help ensure technological sovereignty, promote the development of engineering and industrial potential, and strengthen cooperation within the Union State.
Nornickel and Belaz began to actively cooperate with the aim of developing and mass producing underground mining equipment in 2022. Six pilot mine dump trucks (MoAZ-75851) and the first load-haul-dump machine (PDM MoAZ-4076) are already undergoing trials in Norilsk. The latest set of underground machines for loading and hauling rock - a 45-tonne mine dump truck (Belaz-75855) and loader with capacity of 17.2 tonnes (PDM Belaz-79550) - is undergoing factory testing.
Nornickel is also involved in improving the technical specifications of the machines being developed, tests them and helps bring specs up to the best world standards. The company is also actively developing its own equipment repair and maintenance competencies. It has set up a production facility in Krasnoyarsk Territory with a complete underground machinery restoration cycle.
Potanin and Lesin said their companies plan to develop innovative production. In addition to conventional diesel machines, they have already started working on unique promising equipment that will run on alternative energy sources, such as electricity and hydrogen.
There are plans to start piloting battery-powered mine dump trucks in 2027. A battery-powered loader-hauler is undergoing factory testing, and the development of other types of equipment, including underground self-propelled equipment to move people and freight, is at various stages.
"Promising areas of work include studying the possible application of palladium in catalysts in hydrogen production units on board mining equipment. The produced hydrogen will be used as a source of energy, thus realizing the decision to create machines that run on hydrogen," Nornickel said.
