Modern geologists are no longer solely reliant on physical surveys for discovering new deposits, as the integration of drones and digital technologies has become commonplace. Russian scientists recently shared insights at the Astana forum on how they unearthed the world’s largest gold-copper asset – the Malmyzhskoye deposit, as reported by IA El.kz. During the 14th MINEKS Kazakhstan Mining and Geological Forum held in Astana, the Institute of Geotechnologies (IGT) presented an overview on digitalization in geological exploration. Executive Director of IGT, Dmitry Agapitov, highlighted the evolution of exploration methods over the past 120 years, starting from 1900. He referenced academician Sergey Smirnov’s conclusion in 1946 that easily accessible deposits were nearly exhausted, leaving only challenging ore bodies. Agapitov emphasized the inherent risks in geological exploration at every stage, encompassing geological, logistical, infrastructural, environmental, marketing, market situation, and legal aspects. He underscored the observable trend: the later an investor decides to enter a project, the higher the “cost” of entry, making subsequent work more expensive. Agapitov summarized that junior companies often have inflated expectations, relying on abstract or imprecise resource assessments, and tend to underestimate the importance of archival materials. Moreover, he pointed out the common issue of stage bypassing in exploration, which leads to subsequent error correction efforts. Inadequate qualification of personnel is also a recurring risk, with experts asserting that this issue extends beyond Russia and Kazakhstan, permeating the global geological exploration sphere. Despite the labor market’s mobility, the problem persists, with professionals transitioning between legal jurisdictions, indicating a global challenge. Another issue is the occasional disregard for modern technologies, particularly among junior companies attempting to cut corners, resulting in decreased project attractiveness and indecision in investment decisions.
Tag: digital technologies
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Kazatomprom implements digital technologies in industrial safety
A forum dedicated to the digitalization of industrial safety of NAC Kazatomprom JSC was held in Shymkent. The event was attended by managers and employees of subsidiaries and affiliates of the nuclear holding. Forum participants discussed the implementation of automation and digitalization in the field of industrial safety, labor and environmental protection, as well as radiation and nuclear safety.
Kazatomprom’s subsidiary KAP Technology LLP (IT integrator of the nuclear holding) presented plans for the development of eKAP and eKAP HSE information systems in the field of industrial safety, namely the automation of processes for managing personnel admission to high-risk work.
“The safety and health of each employee are Kazatomprom’s top priorities. The company applies a whole range of measures and best international practices to prevent accidents and incidents, and also systematically works with its staff to improve the safety culture at all enterprises of the nuclear holding. A key element of the safety policy is the Vision Zero concept, the goal of which is to reduce the level of injuries at work to zero. To achieve this goal, Kazatomprom enterprises regularly improve industrial safety and labor protection systems, introduce modern automated and digital systems, ensuring the safety of people and the environment,” said Mukhit Magazhanov, Chief Director for General Affairs of NAC Kazatomprom JSC.
Also during the forum, the capabilities of a video analytics system in production were presented. The digital solution allows you to identify and recognize employees, monitor the situation on site, and monitor staff compliance with safety regulations and labor protection standards. With the help of analytics, industrial specialists can identify potentially dangerous situations and use the system to investigate incidents.
“These projects will automate processes such as pre-shift medical examination of workers, pre-shift and post-shift medical examination of personnel, issuance of an electronic permit for high-risk work, recording of dangerous conditions and actions, and training,” commented Nikolay Melnikov, General Director of LLP “ KAP Technology” NAC Kazatomprom JSC.
Moreover, the SAP EHSM information system was presented at the event. The project helps improve environmental, labor and health protection, build a safe working environment, and reduce accidents and incidents at work.
The use of digital innovations will allow the nuclear holding to increase the efficiency of industrial safety and ensure the company’s competitiveness.