10
2026-07
China Nerin Empowers Sicomines’ Smart Mine Dispatch System to Officially Launch in Africa
Recently, the 3D visual smart dispatch system jointly developed by China Nerin Engineering Co., Ltd. (China Nerin) and La Sino-Congolaise Des Mines S.A. (Sicomines), a subsidiary of China Railway Resources Group, successfully passed acceptance testing and was fully put into operation. Built upon China Nerin's independently developed NDI full-process digital-intelligent solutions, the project reconstructs the mine dispatch system using Chinese-developed technologies such as the Ruizhi Platform, digital twin, and core algorithms. It aims to set a new benchmark for smart mines overseas and provide a mature, replicable, and scalable digitalization solution for the mining sector.
The original system at Sicomines was done in 2014. This upgrade was carried out without interrupting operation, adopting a cloud-native architecture that integrates front-end micro-applications, back-end microservices, and a high-availability middleware cluster. The project successfully integrated 11 master control systems across the mining area, aggregating data from approximately 2,000 equipment monitoring points into a local server to build a localized cloud data hub. This established a comprehensive dispatch model characterized by "one screen for whole-mine visibility and one network for global management."
The entire dispatch system features five technological highlights, setting a new record for the pace of digitalization in African mines.
1. Full-Domain Digital Twin Management: Powered by a BIM+GIS 3D graphics engine, the system creates a 1:1 realistic replica of the mine's topography, plant buildings, and equipment. Key equipment sensor data are mapped in real-time in 3D, upgrading dispatch from traditional spreadsheet viewing to realistic visual command.
2. Cloud-Edge Collaborative Security Architecture: Edge computing nodes are deployed locally, ensuring all data collection, processing, and storage remain on-premises. The system maintains stable operation even during network interruptions and features automatic data completion to achieve zero loss of production data, perfectly aligning with the stringent data security requirements of overseas mines.
3. Multi-Terminal Mobile Collaborative Dispatch: Featuring a bilingual Chinese-French interface, the platform is compatible with large screens and mobile devices. This breaks the spatial limitations of central control rooms, enabling 24/7 remote monitoring and rapid cross-site coordination.
4. Algorithm-Driven Process Optimization: Based on real-time monitoring and historical data, the system automatically calculates core indicators such as ore grade and oxidation rate, providing intelligent data support for dynamic adjustments to production processes.
5. Autonomous and Controllable Localization: The core BIM+GIS 3D engine utilizes Chinese-developed technology. Through local deployment and proprietary code development, a secure, controllable, and iteratively upgradable digital platform has been established.
Since trial operation in January 2026, the system has integrated five major production areas: mining, mineral processing, metallurgical, roasting, and power plants. It also synchronizes comprehensive data from testing, tailings, and video surveillance, achieving a closed-loop integrated management of production, equipment, safety, and emergency response, strongly supporting Sicomines' 2026 campaign for "stable and high-yield production." Compared to the previous status, the system has significantly improved dispatch response efficiency and comprehensively strengthened safety management capabilities.
The successful launch of the 3D dispatch system at Sicomines serves as a benchmark practice for China Nerin in building large-scale integrated digital copper-cobalt mines in Africa. It fully demonstrates the comprehensive strength of NDI technologies in adapting to complex overseas mining production scenarios. Moving forward, China Nerin will continue to iterate and upgrade its NDI solutions, consistently exporting mature, secure, and efficient technologies for smart mines, intelligent plants, and smart parks, empowering global green mining development through digitalization and intelligence.