MACA says the first of six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rigs has arrived at the Gruyere gold mine as part of a complete replacement of an ageing mixed fleet at the open-pit operation.

This compact yet imposing rig boasts a single pass depth of 14 m and capacity for holes some 32.3 m deep, further enhancing the capabilities of MACA’s strong fleet at Gruyere, it said. MACA, owned by Thiess, was recently awarded a five-year contract extension at the operation.

Gruyere, jointly owned by Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, is 1,200 km northeast of Perth. The long-standing partnership began in 2017 and was founded on an aligned focus for safe mining practices and operational excellence.

The strengthened drilling fleet – which will amount to nine rigs in total – will assist MACA to achieve production goals, it says.

The six Sandvik DR410i units will also be joined by two Leopard DI650is and a Pantera DP1500i, representing MACA’s significant investment in leading mining technology to deliver value to clients, it said.