Aurora College and the Mine Training Society expand simulator training program
ThoroughTec’s Cybermine simulator is the world’s top-selling simulator-based training system
The ThoroughTec Cybermine simulator for a CAT 992G wheel loader is a top-seller. — Photo courtesy Aurora CollegeAurora College and the Mine Training
The ThoroughTec Cybermine simulator for a CAT 992G wheel loader is a top-seller. — Photo courtesy Aurora College
Aurora College and the Mine Training Society (MTS) in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, will soon receive advanced Cybermine high-fidelity training simulators to prepare for the employment and training needs of the three major diamond mines in the Northwest Territories. These mines—Rio Tinto’s Diavik, De Beers’ Gahcho Kué and Dominion Diamond’s Ekati—are all ramping up their surface equipment operators as new pits come on stream.
Aurora College and MTS once again turned to ThoroughTec Simulation, based in Durban, South Africa, for its expertise in designing and manufacturing these realistic equipment simulators. ThoroughTec’s Cybermine simulator is the world’s top-selling simulator-based training system and offers the widest range of products for both surface and underground operations.
The simulators will be housed at Aurora College’s Trades and Technology Centre in Yellowknife. Aurora College already has four Cybermine underground simulators at this location. These high-fidelity systems simulate a Sandvik Toro 40D ADT, a Sandvik DD420 drill rig, an Atlas Copco ST1520 LHD and an Atlas Copco Boltec MC bolter.
Over 200 operators have already been successfully trained and gone on to find full-time employment, according to Robert Ward, co-ordinator, Industrial and Mine Training at the Yellowknife North Slave campus of Aurora College.
“We are extremely pleased to have been chosen as Aurora College’s simulator training partner once again,” said José Ignacio Porras, vice-president of Americas at ThoroughTec. “Mines in the region will continue to reap the benefits of safe and productive operators for years to come.”
“Simulator training introduces new mining equipment operators to the various controls and operating procedures before they are required to operate the actual machine,” said Ward. “This reduces some operator anxiety when they step into the actual machine for the first time. It also eliminates or reduces equipment wear and tear and damage by completely inexperienced, green operators.
“In the early stages, we expect approximately 15 trainees per training program with three surface miner training programs per year,” said Ward.
