ALROSA said that its Production System Development Centre (PSDC) and Aikhal Mining and Processing Division are gearing up to launch the “Perfect Shift” project in order to improve performance and reduce downtime of the mining fleet.

Some time back, in 2019, the Company’s Aikhal Division started examining ways and means of improving efficiency and the organisational changes required to make this happen. As a result, the division adapted Perfect Shift project to the Jubilee mine; and ALROSA's PSDC also created an Aikhal production system development function.

“The Perfect Shift has been successfully piloted at Nyurba and Udachny Divisions,” said Artem Polyvyanny, Head of the Aikhal Production System Development function. “Preliminary results showed higher performance and lower downtime of the mining fleet. Now we need to change the mining and transportation processes and minimise unproductive time at Aikhal Division.”

ALROSA, elucidating on the improvements envisaged said that Perfect Shift at Aikhal Division will focus on pit stop, hotseat and flexible swing shift initiatives. “Pit stop means that full maintenance, refuelling and inspection of the mining fleet between the shifts will take place at a fixed time and place,” the Company explained. “Hotseat means that a replacement driver will change the regular mine truck driver during his lunchtime. Flexible swing shift facilitates operational continuity.”

These three initiatives are expected to improve the mine truck utilisation rate to above 81%, ALROSA stated.

“The Perfect Shift will be launched at Aikhal Division in April 2020,” the Company announced. “A Unified Control Centre has already been set up to cut the downtime of mine trucks waiting for loading. A service centre based on the mining equipment repair shop will be created to perform the maintenance of mine trucks and excavators during each shift.”