Cache Valley firm automating iron mine trucks in Ukraine

Washington isn’t the only place that news about Ukraine is being made. A Utah company is deeply involved in the automation of an iron ore mine near the mining town of Horishni Plavni in central Ukraine. ASI Mining, a subsidiary of Autonomous Solutions Inc. (ASI), located in Mendon in Cache County, has started work on a project to retrofit and automate a fleet of 15 haul trucks at the Ferrexpo Yeristovo Mine.{mprestriction ids="1,3"}

“This project is one of the first major autonomous haulage deployments in Eastern Europe. It represents a major milestone for the accessibility of automation at sites across the world,” said Patrick Hald, general manager of ASI Mining. “Autonomous mining is no longer a luxury available only to the largest mines.”

ASI Mining successfully completed an initial test in October by converting, and autonomously operating, a Caterpillar 793D haul truck. Ferrexpo plans to expand automation to a total of 15 trucks within the next two project phases, subject to market conditions and cash flows.

Alexander Tubaltsev, chief miner at Ferrexpo Yeristovo Mining, said, “We selected ASI Mining because it is one of the world’s leading providers of robotics and automation and has already completed a significant number of successful deployments with major corporations in the mining and automotive industries. Ferrexpo is very proud to be the first to lead this initiative, not only in Ukraine, but also as the first open pit mine in Europe to do so.”

The mining company anticipates that the autonomous mining fleet will deliver significant safety benefits to employees, particularly by eliminating fatigue-induced accidents. The improved safety benefits will also be complemented by expected improvements in productivity and better control over the quality of the company’s ore mix, the company said.

ASI’s Mobius Haulage A.I. will be a key component in the implementation and operation of the project. Mobius leverages advanced multi-vehicle command and control software to set up and manage a coordinated system of haul trucks. The Mobius Haulage Platform manages autonomous traffic, coordinates manned or unmanned vehicles and regulates the haul cycle in the most efficient way possible, according to ASI. 

ASI was founded in 2000 and employs over 200 at its Mendon labs and proving grounds. ASI Mining is recognized for its products and solutions in robotics and autonomous vehicle technology, including autonomous haulage, semi-autonomous blasting, drilling, dozing, loading and other applications. In addition to providing solutions for some of the world’s largest mining corporations, ASI Mining is also an automation partner for several global mining vehicle manufacturers.

Ferrexpo is a Swiss headquartered iron ore company with assets in Ukraine. It has been mining, processing and selling iron ore pellets to the global steel industry for 40 years.{/mprestriction}