CR Digital has agreed terms to acquire Seattle-based Thunderbird Mining Systems in a transaction that, it says, further expands CQMS Razer’s digital technology division’s product offering, IP, sales/marketing and technical support activities.
Thunderbird founder, John Vynne, and his team have been pioneering measurement while drilling (MWD) technologies since founding the company and have a rich history in drilling technology and guidance for surface mining, CR Digital said.
Damian Assaillit, Head of CR Digital, said: “Thunderbird Mining Systems were highly regarded in the mining technology sector, providing world-leading blasthole drill optimisation technologies to mining customers for over 30 years.”
Vynne added: “There is immense appetite for digital knowledge of drill planning and blast outcomes, and the Thunderbird technology combined with CR Digital’s Load Haul Optimization creates a unique and compelling combination that our mining customers will be able to leverage.
“Thunderbird’s technology is proven to increase mine productivity, reduce drilling costs and improve blasting effectiveness.”
The addition of blasthole drill optimisation and rock knowledge systems reflects a strategic move by CR Digital to expand its product range across fragmentation through to load and haul optimisation, it said.
Assaillit said: “Thunderbird Mining Systems products complement our existing CR Digital product range, including our market-leading Titan 3330™ Load Haul Optimization technology. Optimised fragmentation is a key variable in the productivity of load haul circuits and being able to offer our customers more real-time knowledge is a great opportunity to further enhance mining productivity using technology.”
The Titan 3330 technology uses sophisticated instruments and patented algorithms to calculate and display the payload of each bucket, accurately, in real-time and during motion, before it is dumped into the truck, according to CR Digital.
CR Digital said Thunderbird Mining Systems’ customers will benefit from the enhanced capability of the global CR group, CR Digital’s proactive technical support, the data analytics capability of its Orion platform, and access to a broader technology portfolio providing enhanced value to their operations.