Real-time underground 3D visibility streamlines work at a gold mine

Above ground, navigation is easy: you open a navigation app and go. Underground, hundreds of meters below the surface, navigation has relied on radio communication and 2D maps for decades. At Agnico Eagle's Kittilä mine, operators now navigate using a 3D map on their mobile devices, with real-time location data for people and vehicles across the mine.

Agnico Eagle’s Kittilä mine isa gold mine, producing up to 2 million tonnes of ore per year and employing 1,000 people. Below the surface, more than 200 kilometers of tunnels span multiple levels. Cybercube's mobile solution helps workers navigate and operate underground as efficiently and safely as possible.

"We are a relatively young, technology-driven mine. We have built a 5G network specifically for our needs, for example. With Cybercube, we are now building added value on top of that 5G network," says Jari Näsi, Development Manager at Agnico Eagle Kittilä.

3D maps and positioning on mobile — clearer navigation underground

Above ground, finding your way and choosing routes is straightforward with GPS and mapping apps. Underground, it is a different story. Mines have traditionally relied on 2D maps and radio communication — an approach that does not always work smoothly and rarely gives a real-time picture of what is happening across the site.

Kittilä's own 5G network already supports mobile device use underground, and operators carry personal tablets or phones during their shifts.

The next step is being built on that foundation: a real-time 3D view of the mine that allows operators to anticipate traffic, track production tasks, communicate, and automate key functions.

To make this work, Kittilä needed:

• Reliable positioning — implemented using Bluetooth beacons

• 3D visualization that runs smoothly on mobile devices

• Real-time visibility of located people and vehicles on the map

• Integration of the production management system into the visualization

• An up-to-date map of the tunnel network, with new tunnels added without delay

"Getting maps to run smoothly on a mobile device — a tablet or a smartphone — without lag or stuttering, and combining that with real-time positioning: that was something we had not been able to find on the market before," says Näsi.

That is where Cybercube came in.

Cybercube's software provides a lightweight view of the entire mine that runs smoothly on mobile. At Kittilä, the mine's production management system has also been integrated directly into the 3D view.

"This is not just visualization and traffic on a map — our production management system is built into it too. That means task starts and completions for each operator show up right there in the same view."

Smoother, safer work underground

The 3D map and real-time positioning help operators navigate more efficiently and choose the best route, taking other traffic into account. Also, production management is at every operator's fingertips on their own device.

The solution is still in its testing phase, but it has already changed how work gets done in some aspects of daily tasks:

"A concrete example is rock haulage by contractors, which is billed on a tonne-kilometer basis — so the final invoice depends on how much material was hauled and how far. With this visualization tool, it is straightforward to calculate and verify the distances billed. Invoice checks are already faster and easier."

Looking ahead, the software will support Kittilä mine in several areas that are crucial for efficient work underground:

Better safety and less traffic congestion

Soon, the positioning system will display two types of moving icons on the 3D map: light and heavy vehicles. This will help operators anticipate what is ahead on their route, avoid congestion, and stay aware of potential risks.

The power of automation

The software enables automation of key functions, including ventilation. In an underground mine, ventilation is activated only in areas where work is taking place.

Until now, an operator arriving in an empty tunnel would request ventilation by radio. Soon, ventilation can be set to activate automatically when the software detects that a worker has arrived at a work site.

Energy savings and smarter resource use

Ventilation will also switch off automatically when an area is vacated. Automation means less energy wasted and ventilation capacity directed where it is actually needed.

"The right size partner" — Cybercube responds quickly when changes or updates are needed

"We have now launched Cybercube's solution in a test phase and introduced it to our underground shifts: what it does and how they can use it. Those conversations have already taught us a lot about how different user groups — management, drillers, contractor supervisors — want to use it and what features matter most to each of them."

Feedback from early users has been passed on to Cybercube, who have responded quickly and adapted the software to fit the way Kittilä operates.

"Updates to the visualization and the mobile app have come incredibly fast every time we have identified and shared development needs with Cybercube. There is real value in having a partner that is the right size, who can respond quickly to our needs."