Europe’s biggest operating gold mine is located in the little town of Kittilä, high up above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland. Awarded from its sustainable performance, the mine is owned by Agnico Eagle Finland Oy, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd. At a challenging depth of 350 meters underground, Konecranes’ Agilon is used to improve everyday operations and sustainability.


CHALLENGE

  • A mine is a challenging environment, where disseminating exact information is key for the safety of mining employees and the ease of operations.
  • A mine located far from the suppliers in a secluded area has to have a material handling system that is always up-to-date.


REQUIREMENTS

  • Material handling system needs to provide and allow effective information flow for a well-functioning and secure operating environment.
  • The system must fit to a curved, tunnel-like space 10 meters wide, 25 meters long and 5 meters high, and work 350 meters underground.


RESULTS

It was essential to ensure the Agilon system’s ability to withstand external challenges, such as tremors from explosions, blast waves, dust, and humidity, which are an inherent part of the mining environment.

The overall implementation process was easy

  • The installment did not require a significant financial investment from the customer.
  • The Agilon system was compatible with the customer’s own production system and therefore easy to integrate and implement.

Agilon improved everyday sustainability and operations

  • Agilon provides valuable information such as the real-time information on component stocks, the order history, the search functions, the simple user interface and the overall simplicity of use for employees and suppliers.
  • Information related to usage and consumption can also be monitored through the Agilon system.
  • Agilon improves overall safety and protects equipment, since the system stores materials such as blades, hydraulics components, respiratory masks and safety gloves inside its shelves and tubes.
  • Agilon facilitates the monitoring of safety gear stocks by suppliers, and ensures stocks don’t run out
  • Since the quarry is in a very secluded area and there are no material suppliers in the immediate vicinity, Agilon provides valuable information for inventory management

 

“Through the system, we can access real-time inventory information and order history. Information related to usage and consumption can also be monitored. It makes storage management transparent, trustworthy and exact,” Agnico Eagle's representative explains.