At Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, two new laboratories were inaugurated: "Autonomous Electromechanical Systems for Electric Drive Mining Equipment" and "Onboard Systems for BELAZ Machinery".
The collaboration between the Belarusian automotive giant and the university began in March 2022, when the Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Roman Golovchenko, and the rector of the Mining University, Vladimir Litvinenko, launched the first four research facilities. This complex is designed for interstate scientific research and joint training of engineering personnel.
The complex included two laboratories operating as a joint research institute: "Intelligent Mining Production Management" and "Intelligent Mining Equipment." Additionally, two testing grounds were established for practical implementation of research findings: "BELAZ Educational and Laboratory Complex" and "BELAZ Training and Simulation Complex".
Scientists at the Center for Digital Technologies have long been successfully engaged in developing artificial intelligence programs. Their innovations have proven to be highly in demand for the creation of autonomous heavy-duty vehicles designed to operate in deep open-pit mines and the Arctic region. The production of such vehicles is currently being implemented by a holding company within the Union State. Amid the ongoing import substitution efforts, enterprises in Russia’s mineral resource sector are replacing Western mining equipment with Belarusian alternatives. The technological solutions developed in Saint Petersburg are applicable to the entire range of wheeled and tracked machinery used in the country’s fuel and energy sector. Given the near-revolutionary modernization of the industry, which plays a key role in shaping the national budget, this research can be regarded as a priority area for technological cooperation between the two countries.
The second key function of the complex—where not only students but also specialists from nearly all raw material companies in Russia undergo practical training—is equally important. Under the aegis of the UNESCO Center for Mining Education, international educational programs are conducted here for representatives from Africa, China, Iran, Armenia, and more than twenty other countries.
As the host of the venue, the first to speak at the opening ceremony was Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University:
«Transportation is crucial today for drillers, geologists, and specialists in all mining industries, including underground operations. The company with which we are opening these laboratories is globally renowned. It is our Academic Partner, along with 130 other major innovative manufacturers. The competencies developed within these laboratories will be integrated into the entire educational cycle of future engineers. Our collaboration is a true example of working for the future. It is undoubtedly costly, but considering the long-term benefits for both sides, no expense is too great».
Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus Viktor Karankevich spoke about the motivation behind training specialists:
«One of the priorities of our state is to create all possible conditions for the comprehensive development of young people. This includes implementing new approaches and technologies to ensure high-quality education and its practical application. The close cooperation between our countries in science, industry, and education is a guarantee of strong friendship, warm neighborly relations, and the prosperity of our peoples in Belarus and Russia».
State Secretary of the Union State, Dmitry Mezentsev, highlighted the prevailing atmosphere at the university:
«There is a well-known principle in Belarus: ‘Discipline is our trend, discipline is our foundation.’ Discipline, engagement in collective work, and the structure that unites students, faculty, and researchers are essential. At the Mining University, this is felt more strongly than anywhere else!»
Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Vasily Osmakov, emphasized the shared participation of both countries in the BELAZ project:
«BELAZ is a source of national pride for Belarus, yet it plays a critical role in addressing the needs of the Russian mining industry and is largely composed of Russian components. This makes it one of the most exemplary and truly effective investment projects. The establishment of a laboratory at Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University is a major event, an important step forward in our cooperation, and a clear demonstration of the closeness of our allied relations».
Sergey Lesin, General Director of OJSC BELAZ, underscored the synergy between the holding company and the university:
«Seven years ago, we first visited the Mining University, found common ground, and identified key challenges that we needed to address together. The results speak for themselves: we have increased young people's interest in engineering professions, raised the level and quality of education received by students at the Mining University, and most importantly, attracted talented youth who can contribute significantly to the technological breakthroughs of both nations. I know that both the university’s faculty and students, as well as the BELAZ team, genuinely enjoy this collaboration, because we are confident that our efforts will not be in vain».
Following this, the first launch and demonstration of the autonomous electric drive system took place in the new laboratory, utilizing a real BELAZ mining dump truck with a 90-ton payload capacity. The system features an intelligent motion control system capable of operating in various positions and conditions, an energy-efficient cycle for power conversion and distribution, as well as a data collection, analytics, and diagnostics system that uses artificial intelligence to assess the technical condition of the vehicle. This equipment, along with the entire research complex, will enhance the development of the "mining dump truck of the future.
The guests were also introduced to the methodological approach to educational activities, which includes practical training using real components of operational equipment. The facility offers training in dozens of competencies and at least ten different specializations in technical professions.
The new laboratories, fully equipped by the Belarusian side, will be the only ones of their kind in the world. Nowhere else has a single location been created to support the full-cycle research of AI-driven automation in the electric drive systems of BELAZ mining equipment. Notably, at the recent Artificial Intelligence Forum in Tehran, organized by Imam Hussein University, Saint Petersburg’s advancements in real-time engine diagnostics and autonomous power supply algorithms made a significant impact.
Since 2022, the total investment in the Center has exceeded 160 million rubles, with 85 million contributed by OJSC BELAZ, LLC AVTOTECHINMASH, LLC RUSELPROM MANAGEMENT, GK Tsifra / JSC VIST Group, LLC PROMTECHSNAB, and LLC Service Center VGSH. Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University invested 75 million rubles in the project.
It is worth noting that the university’s partners in Belarus also include BNTU (Belarusian National Technical University) and the country’s largest industrial enterprise, Belaruskal.
The culmination of the Russian-Belarusian meeting was the signing of a Scientific and Technical Cooperation Agreement between Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, the Competence Center for Mining Education under the auspices of UNESCO, and the BELAZ-Holding management company. The previous agreement, which had been in effect since 2019 for a five-year term, was recognized by all parties as highly successful.
«By uniting engineering and scientific schools, we once again demonstrate how, despite external constraints, we can continue to move forward, implement innovative projects in the shortest timeframes, and develop new scientific research with broad practical applications. It is gratifying to see that our cooperation, aimed at improving the well-being of our citizens, is developing at an exponential pace», - Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus, Viktor Karankevich, highlighted the significance of the collaboration.
«It is essential to accomplish work whose results will last a lifetime. Metaphorically speaking, we must build structures that we are not afraid to approach once they are completed. They must be solid, reliable, and built to stand the test of time—like the building designed by Andrey Voronikhin, where we are gathered today. Such achievements are possible only when people approach their work with both dedication and responsibility», -Vladimir Litvinenko, Rector of Empress Catherine II Saint Petersburg Mining University, concluded the event.
At the end of the meeting, the rector proposed a moment of silence to honor the memory of those who lost their lives in the special military operation.
Following this, the university's conference hall hosted a strategic discussion titled "The Role of Engineering Personnel in the Sustainable Development of Machine-Building Industries".
