"VIST Group and Kuzbass Scientific and Research Center will launch digital mining using AI and the Industrial Internet of Things

VIST Group and the Kuzbass Science and Education Centre have agreed to launch a full-cycle joint scientific and technical programme "Clean Coal - Green Kuzbass" in 2020. The programme is to implement a series of projects to digitalise the Kemerovo Region's mining industry and create a fundamentally new management system for coal mining companies using artificial intelligence and industrial internet of things technologies.

The project is aimed at reducing production accidents, reducing the environmental load on the region, and creating a base for the growth of exports of Kuzbass manufacturers' products.

"Together with scientists and industrialists, we are mastering new technologies for coal mining and processing, transportation, implementing innovations in the energy sector, as well as projects in ecology. The main task of cooperation between VIST and SPC "Kuzbass" is improvement of efficiency of the coal industry of the Kemerovo region. Development and implementation of innovative technologies will optimise production and transportation processes which will reduce the negative impact on the region's environment through reduced fuel consumption and hazardous emissions into the atmosphere," said Pavel Rastopshin, Director General of VIST Group.

About VIST Group

Established in 1988, VIST Group (part of Tsifra Group) is an international company engaged in the development and implementation of information technologies for the mining and metallurgy industry. The company is a part of Zifra Group that focuses on improving the efficiency and safety in mining, oil and gas, chemical and machine-building industries in Russia.

Throughout its history, the company's specialists, engineers and IT-specialists have found new innovative solutions for industrial enterprises to automate and optimize production processes and reduce the cost of purchasing equipment and the burden on the environment.

The technologies and solutions of the VIST Group for the mining industry are aimed at reducing operating costs for enterprises and increasing production efficiency. The company focuses on the automation of mining processes to increase productivity and improve safety in open pit mining. The key equipment of the VISTA Group is automated control system GTC "Quarry", which was developed in 1999. It is a software-hardware complex for control, management and optimization of processes at a mining enterprise, which enables to reduce the cost of production of minerals. The equipment is effectively used at the enterprises not only in Russia but all over the world. For the development of its equipment VIST Group was awarded with the Prize of the Russian Government in the field of science and technology.

Last year, VIST Group successfully tested the BELAZ robotic dumper with the payload capacity of 130 tons as well as the robotic drilling machines at the enterprises of the leading Russian coal company. The robotic dump truck operates on the basis of artificial intelligence technology: the loader can independently build a 3D model of the rock mass to be loaded, determine the most effective sequence of operations, and relate its movement to the position of the dump truck.

In just 30 years since its foundation, the VISST Group has implemented more than 80 projects worldwide in the production of gold, coal, phosphates, non-ferrous metals, iron ore and other solid minerals. The company offers digital solutions for surface and underground mining, gold mining, concentrators and metallurgy, industrial safety and industrial rail transportation. The solution package includes innovative technologies in the mining industry, such as robotic dumper trucks and drilling machines, predictive analytics for mining plant process optimization, and robotics.

To date, cooperation and partnership established VIST Group with leading global manufacturers of quarry equipment and mining transport equipment. Moreover, the company is a partner of many educational institutions, research centres and non-profit organizations in development of innovative technologies for mining industry all over the world. Thus, VIST partners are located not only in Russia but also in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, India, Morocco, Peru, Chile, South Africa and other regions of the world with developed mining industry. VIST Group branches are located in Kemerovo, Mezhdurechensk, Stary Oskol, Apatity, Zheleznogorsk and Magnitogorsk.

The company's clients include Norilsk Nickel, SUEK, NLMK, Polyus, Mechel, SDS Coal, EuroChem, UMMC, Severstal, Polymetal, OCP Group, Cosapi, Thriveni and others.

Today, the VIST Group pays special attention to participation in stimulation programs for the Russian industry and is a member of the Solid Minerals Technology Platform.

One of the important objectives of VISTA is not only to win new customers but also to maintain partnership relations with existing customers by upgrading existing systems, providing technical support and functionality expansion and adding new modules to meet the changing needs of the mining industry.