Ukraine's largest coking coal producer, PrJSC Pokrovske Coal (Donetsk region), part of the Metinvest group, has implemented a pilot project at one of the blocks - No. 9 – to automate the transfer of rock mass from one conveyor to another to improve safety and reduce worker shortages.

According to the company, the company plans to automate all conveyor transfers.

"To minimize the human factor for trouble-free operation and solve the problem of shortage of workers, Pokrovske Coal has started implementing a project to automate intra-conveyor transport," the company said.

Director General of Pokrovske Coal Valeriy Yakovenko explained that the operator can watch on monitors how the rock mass is poured from one conveyor to another.

"The driver sees where everything is being done, there is lighting, there is no dust, there is irrigation, he sees where what is happening, if the conveyor stops, he sees it, the automation is triggered, the electrician on duty goes to the place, etc.," he said.

The plans are to modernize the entire transfer system, all conveyors to minimize the human factor for trouble-free operation.

Chief Power Engineer of Pokrovske Coal Eduard Bondarenko said that a mechanic can operate seven conveyors of block No. 9, workers are not in dangerous places, and sensors and cameras are installed at the reloading points, which are combined into a single system.

In turn, Deputy Director for Conveyor Transport Anton Orel said that this is Pokrovske Coal's own development: "We ourselves designed this scheme and implemented it."