Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is introducing AutoMine® for Underground Drills, a cutting-edge tele-remote solution that, it says, enables operators to remotely and simultaneously control and supervise multiple automated Sandvik underground drills, increasing efficiency, safety and overall productivity in mining operations.

With AutoMine for Underground Drills, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has become the first OEM to introduce a unified traffic management system for drills, loaders and trucks, according to the company.

Jouni Koppanen, Product Line Manager, Underground Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “Sandvik’s holistic approach to integrate drills, loaders and trucks into the AutoMine system will set a new standard for underground mining efficiency. AutoMine for Underground Drills is another milestone in our commitment to revolutionising out customers’ mining operations. This tele-remote system redefines underground drilling autonomy and safety standards.”

The new offering is available for Sandvik longhole drills (DL) series machines, offering three levels of teleremote operations: single drill, drill fleet and machine fleet. Operators have the flexibility to choose between operating from an AutoMine chair or console station, depending on which offering level best suits their operational requirements.

The AutoMine for Underground Drills teleremote system includes advanced tramming capabilities, allowing seamless control and coordination of drills, loaders and trucks operating in the same area with sophisticated traffic management, the company added.

Prioritising safety, AutoMine incorporates an enhanced Access Protector System. This safety feature is designed to prevent personnel from entering the machine area while the system is operating in automation mode or remote mode. In addition, it also has an advanced traffic management system that enables operators to easily control the traffic flow of multi-machine operations and handle complex operating situations, resulting in greater flexibility and mining output.

Sami Anttila, Product Manager, Longhole Production Drilling at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “We have developed this system to offer our customers a deeper integration and cooperation in between the underground drills, the loading and hauling machines and especially the AutoMine environment. This means added value through improvements in machine and fleet flexible utilisation in remote operation.”

Sandvik’s history of providing proven underground solutions with automation for loading and hauling dates back to 2004. Today, more than 1,000 underground and surface units operate worldwide at more than 100 customer sites, underlining Sandvik’s commitment to delivering reliable and innovative AutoMine solutions for mining.