As safe as can be: LKAB teams up with Epiroc to further digitalization
18 марта 2025 г.
Mining group LKAB is aiming to digitalize operations at its iron ore mines in northern Sweden. This transition also includes increasing workforce safety, leading the company to team up with Epiroc.
Two years ago, LKAB launched a project to implement digital safety solutions that meet the challenges it is facing at its Kiruna mine, one of the largest of its type in the world. The project was further expanded to include the Malmberget mine, and roll out and testing of the solutions has now begun in both locations.
Tell us more about the background of the project in Kiruna.
Mikael Winnebäck, Project Manager in LKAB’s IT department, based in Karuna
Mikael Winnebäck: “LKAB wanted to expand its safety capabilities since the existing safety system did not fully address the very special challenges in the mine. For example, we needed to improve communication with employees underground and also receive more reliable information about the location of both people and machines in the event of an emergency.”
Erika Svedlund: “Epiroc has a wide portfolio of digital products that increases safety in mines, already implemented all over the world. However, we are extra proud that LKAB trusted us to be their partner to further digitalize its mines. LKAB had a clear vision of its needs; therefore, we have improved certain products to meet the requirements.”
How did you tackle the joint challenge?
Erika Svedlund, Project Office Manager at Epiroc, based in Luleå
Erika Svedlund: “We started by creating a common target image. The next step was to bring together the right people from both sides. For example, both control room personnel and miners were involved in the project.”
Mikael Winnebäck: “For us at LKAB, it was important to have Epiroc’s team on site in the mine so the developers could understand the complexity and clearly see the effects of the solutions they developed. We also prioritized the team spirit and did not take a ‘we vs. them’ approach; instead, we were working from the idea that ‘this is the vision, this is what we’re going to create, and we must do it together.”
Erika Svedlund: Both product managers and developers were on site in the mine regularly during the project and received a lot of useful input on how to adapt the products to meet LKAB’s requirements.”
How did you bring the solutions to the level required by LKAB?
Erika Svedlund: “One element was to add new functionality to the Virtual Tag, a software tag integrated into the miners’ work phones. The product already existed and was refined to be able to manage the size of the mine.”
Mikael Winnebäck: “LKAB already uses a mine tag system that shows information on a 2D map, but we needed a solution that indicates the position more accurately and in 3D. We also wanted to add a function that would enable quick and efficient communication with our employees underground.”
The Kiruna mine is huge. What challenges did this pose?
Mikael Winnebäck: “We needed a solution that divides the mine into different zones and allows us to send messages to restricted areas and communicate only with relevant personnel. The system also needed to be very reliable because it must be able to process large amounts of data that can be displayed in real time. In order to achieve this, a stable Wi-Fi network is essential.”
Erika Svedlund: “One product that is especially useful in large mines is Network Awareness, which allows Wi-Fi access points and their network coverage to be visible. We also, together with LKAB, got the opportunity to enhance our zone-based notifications and evacuation products, Emergency Support, which makes it possible to send notifications to parts of the mine. Using PocketMine, a digital map of the mine that is installed on work phones, also provides support for navigation to a safe location.”
You started with the Kiruna mine and are in the process of rolling out the same solutions in the mine in Malmberget. What experiences did you take with you?
Erika Svedlund: “An important part was, and indeed is, working with change management, including training of mine personnel. Everyone should know how the new digital products work and what added value they bring to every miner. Ultimately, it’s about increasing the safety of everyone underground.”
Mikael Winnebäck: “Those of us who worked on the Kiruna project, both from LKAB and Epiroc, gives the Malmberget team support based on our experiences. Because we had already developed the technology, everything went much faster.”
How have all the new features affected everyday life in the mines?
Mikael Winnebäck: “We are using our existing mine tag system in parallel with the rollout of the new digital safety solution, and we are conducting regular notification and emergency tests.”
Erika Svedlund: “From Epiroc’s side, we are still on hand to provide support in every way we can.”
Mikael Winnebäck: “Although safety is our primary consideration, we also see more added value. The fact that employees can see vehicles in PocketMine makes it easier for them to quickly find relevant vehicles that, for example, need servicing. It also means that they avoid having to go to a production site where there is already another machine.”
Luossavaara-Kiirunavaara Aktiebolag (LKAB) is a mining group that was founded in 1890 and is owned by the Swedish state. Its head office is located in Luleå. KAB conducts iron ore mining operations at sites in Kiruna, Svappavaara, and Malmberget. The extracted ore is processed into pellets and shipped to a number of companies, including steel producer SSAB.
The Kiruna site is the largest underground iron ore mine in the world and employs around 2000 people. The Malmberget site, the second largest underground iron ore mine in the world, employs 900 people.
