Leading Australian mining, civil and minerals processing contracting group, MACA, has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply nine new surface drill rigs as a complete replacement for an ageing mixed fleet at the Gruyere open-pit gold mine in the Western Australian Goldfields, where it was recently awarded a five-year contract extension.

The order, which was booked in the June quarter of 2023, includes six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drills, two Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and a Pantera™ DP1500i top hammer drill rig. Deliveries began in July and will continue through April 2024.

MACA, part of Thiess, has specialised in mining, crushing, civil construction, infrastructure and mineral processing for more than 20 years. It employs more than 3,000 people across operations in Australia and internationally.

MACA has provided various services at Gruyere, a joint venture between Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, since the contractor initiated bulk earthworks in 2017. Gruyere is expected to produce an annual average of 350,000 oz of gold through a current mine life of at least 2032.

Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rigs (pictured) are compact, powerful and technologically advanced, the OEM says. They are designed for rotary and DTH holes up to 254 mm, with a mast offering a first pass capability of 14 m and a maximum depth of 32.3 m.

The Leopard DI650i is a self-contained, crawler-mounted, intelligent DTH drill rig designed for demanding high-capacity production drilling applications, Sandvik says, while the Pantera DP1500i is a hydraulic, self-propelled top hammer drill rig, ideal for production or pre-split drilling in large quarries or open-pit mines and construction sites.