Oyu Tolgoi signs major deal for advanced training simulators

Dec. 16, 2011 - PRLog -- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (ot.mn) – Oyu Tolgoi, the gold and copper mine under development in the South Gobi, has underlined its commitment to training its workforce to world’s best standards by investing in simulator-based operator training technology provided by Immersive Technologies.

Oyu Tolgoi is amongst the first mine sites in the world to purchase the new PRO3 simulator from Immersive Technologies. The PRO3 is specifically designed for surface mining and initially will support operator training of Komatsu haul trucks at the Mongolian site.

Together with the PRO3 simulator, the sale included a comprehensive training package incorporating a five- year gold support program, Custom Mine Site, TrainerAdvantage™ certification and Training Systems Integration programs.

As well as training its Oyu Tolgoi workforce, Oyu Tolgoi is running the largest vocational training program ever established in Mongolia. Many of the job skills are transferable – jobs will be created in I.T., environmental management, and accountancy.

Cameron McRae, CEO of Oyu Tolgoi, said that the purchase of the simulators and support from Immersive reflected the mine’s continued commitment to ensuring its largely Mongolian operators are the best in the world.

“This equipment will help to make our operators among the best and the safest anywhere”, he said. “I look forward to seeing the equipment myself and talking to our operators in training.”

Immersive Technologies’ Regional Vice President, Mark Eaton-Reid said: “This simulation investment will enable Oyu Tolgoi to maximise its heavy equipment operator training throughput without impacting on the skills and knowledge transfer to new operators. The investment underlines Oyu Tolgoi’s unprecedented commitment to training, and Immersive’s continuing contribution to Mongolia.”

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About Oyu Tolgoi (www.ot.mn)

Oyu Tolgoi LLC is Mongolia’s largest copper and gold mining company and is a strategic partnership between the Government of Mongolia, Ivanhoe Mines and Rio Tinto. Rio Tinto is the major shareholder in Ivanhoe Mines and the manager of the Oyu Tolgoi project. In addition to dividends from its stake in Oyu Tolgoi, the Government of Mongolia will receive taxes and royalties.

Oyu Tolgoi, located in the Gobi desert in southern Mongolia, will be one of the largest and highest-grade copper and gold mines in the world. It is the largest project ever developed in Mongolia, requiring a capital investment for phase 1 of more than US$6 billion.

Oyu Tolgoi is committed to contributing to a sustainable future for Mongolia. At least 9 out of 10 employees will be Mongolian once the mine is in production and Oyu Tolgoi is investing US$85 million dollars (110 billion tugriks) in training.
Oyu Tolgoi’s key priorities are the health and safety of employees, best-practice environmental management, contributing to sustainable communities and always doing business with integrity, for the benefit of all the project’s shareholders and the people of Mongolia.

For more information, connect with us on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/oyutolgoi) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/OTMongolia).

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Immersive Technologies is the world's largest and most proven supplier of surface and underground mining equipment simulators to the global mining industry.

The company has achieved this unique position by focusing on its mission to make every mining and earthmoving equipment operator in the world safer and their employer more profitable through its simulation technologies. Immersive Technologies’ Advanced Equipment Simulators are helping hundreds of mining companies around the world to increase their equipment operators' safety and site profitability through effective simulation training.

Immersive Technologies' provides its customers with the most effective mining equipment simulators available. This is made possible through the formal exclusive licensing and technical information alliances Immersive has established with the leading Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), including: Caterpillar, Hitachi, Komatsu, Liebherr and P&H Mining Equipment.