OREANDA-NEWS. September 30, 2008. OJSC Polyus Gold is currently introducing Wenco management systems at Olimpiada mine, reported the press-centre of Polyus Gold.

Wenco systems are designed to raise the efficiency of mining works, to monitor and improve the efficiency of haulage, optimize repair planning. The systems are aimed at automating the following areas of mining: monitoring the mining fleet and auxiliary equipment; managing drilling works.

The project has been implemented by Wenco company since 2007. Since then the company has supplied and assembled the basic system of mining process management using GPS and software adjusted to special conditions of Olimpiada mine.

The first stage of the project when completed resulted in increased efficiency of truck time usage, particularly, truck idle time was reduced, the reporting systems were improved (reports became more reliable in terms of data on idle and repair time), the quality of mining traffic streams control was improved, as well as staff occupancy control (idle time was reduced), the efficiency of loaders’ usage was raised.

The introduction of Wenco systems at Olimpiada already resulted in a possibility to reduced the truck fleet by two machines. The released tracks were moved from Olimpiada to Titimukhta project which helped achieve the planned targets of mining works for the project. The money spent on the Wenco project almost equals to the cost of additional two new trucks (RUR 65 million each) what would have been bought in case the systems had not been introduced.

At this moment the second stage of Wenco system introduction is being implemented: equipment supply and assembling is at the final stage, which will be followed by operational testing of the system. The launch of the system is planned for December 31, 2008.

The experience acquired during the introduction of the Wenco systems at Olimpiada mine will be used to introduce similar systems at other projects of the group: Blagodatnoye, Kuranakh, Verninskoye, Natalka.

Blagodatnoye project in Severo-Yeniseisk district of Krasnoyarsk region is developing in accordance with the schedule approved by the Board of Directors. Particularly, a boiler is being constructed, which is going to provide the future mine with electricity (24 MW) and heat. The foundation of the boiler is almost completed. The boiler is expected to be launched in the second quarter of 2010.

At Titimukhta project in Severo-Yeniseisk district of Krasnoyarsk region in the first half of 2008 the volume of stripping works exceeded the planned targets and amounted to 1,142 thousand cubic meters compared to the planned target of 900 thousand meters or total rock. The expected volume of striping to be done in 2008 is 2500 thousand cubic meters. The works are being implemented by recently assembled excavator EKG-10.