Belarusian BelAZ, Russia’s Nornickel agree on joint venture to develop mining equipment

The agreement seeks to combine efforts to develop S&T capabilities for creating next-generation mining equipment, introduce autonomous technologies for mining operations, and develop other innovations. The parties plan to set up a joint venture to implement these plans, and an enterprise with a full-service repair facility to develop the production, repair, and maintenance of underground mining equipment.

Successful implementation of the project will help meet domestic demand for new underground mining equipment, thereby facilitating import substitution and minimizing risks associated with sanctions restrictions. The joint efforts will contribute to technological sovereignty, the development of mechanical engineering and industrial capacity, and stronger cooperation ties within the Union State of Belarus and Russia.

According to Sergei Lesin, the joint venture will be established in Russia. “The focus is on repairs. At the first stage, we are considering setting up repair facilities so that these machines can be restored and given a second life. This will help improve their efficiency,” he explained. He added that the companies’ efforts would focus on producing equipment capable of operating in the challenging conditions of underground mines while delivering high productivity, reliability, and low fuel consumption.

Vladimir Potanin noted that cooperation between Nornickel and BelAZ has a long history and has been based on contracts under which the necessary mining equipment was purchased on mutually beneficial terms. “Now we are moving to a new stage of our cooperation. The joint venture will help us promote the range of equipment that BelAZ is already capable of producing and could produce in the future, test it at Nornickel’s facilities and, possibly, in the near future offer it on the Russian and other markets,” he said.

He added that BelAZ has the necessary expertise to develop, introduce, and manufacture mining equipment. “The agreement is based on a focus on developing this production using all the advantages, including personnel, expertise, and many years of experience,” he said. “We expect equipment to be made here to order, taking into account our specific needs. As for repairs, including overhauls, it makes sense to bring them closer to where the equipment is used and develop such expertise there.”

According to Vladimir Potanin, the parties also discussed the possible use of digital twins of various components to make quality and reliability testing more effective. “There is a huge scope for innovation. We need new products and interesting market offerings that other manufacturers have not yet mastered. BelAZ has such developments, while Nornickel has the desire, resources and expertise to test, and fine-tune them in preparation for subsequent large-scale production,” he added.

Vladimir Potanin stressed that the cooperation would be long-term. “Our developments will result in joint intellectual property and rights to technical documentation,” he said. “The long-term nature of the cooperation also gives us greater flexibility in investment policy. It allows us to invest more boldly, experiment and prioritize tasks.”

BelAZ and Nornickel plan to jointly develop innovative production. Alongside traditional diesel-powered machines, work has already begun on unique, next-generation equipment powered by alternative energy sources (electricity, hydrogen, etc.). As early as 2027, pilot-industrial tests of battery-powered mining haul trucks are planned to begin, and a battery-powered load-haul-dump machine is currently undergoing factory tests. Other types of equipment are at various stages of development, including underground self-propelled equipment for transporting people and cargo. 

Among the promising areas of work is the study of the potential use of palladium in catalysts for a hydrogen production unit installed on board mining equipment. The hydrogen produced would be used as an energy source, thereby implementing a solution for creating hydrogen-powered machines.

BelAZ and Nornickel began active cooperation in 2022 to develop and launch serial production of underground mining equipment. Six test underground dump trucks and the first load-haul-dump machine are already undergoing trials in Norilsk. The companies are currently conducting factory tests of the latest underground equipment complex for loading and transporting mined rock, comprising a 45-tonne underground dump truck and a 17.2-tonne-capacity loader. Nornickel is involved in improving the technical characteristics of the machines under development, testing them and helping bring their performance in line with the world’s best standards. The company is also actively developing its own equipment repair and maintenance capabilities. A production site has been established in Krasnoyarsk Territory, providing a full cycle of underground machine restoration.