UNDERGROUND DRILLING
12,000 development cuts annually, the reduction in overbreak equates to avoiding approximately 2,973 t of excess material, the company claims. That’ s around 225 fewer loader buckets per year – reducing fuel usage, haulage cycles and equipment wear.
Doll added:“ This efficiency gain translates into tangible cost savings, faster tunnelling and less environmental impact from unnecessary material handling. In short, better drilling drove better outcomes across the board.”
Encouraged by the trial, OceanaGold rolled out Development Optimiser across all jumbos at Haile. The deployment focused on high-touch training – each operator received multiple in-cab coaching sessions.
Adoption went beyond simply using the system. Operators began integrating it into their routines and trusting the alignment feedback, with positive feedback received. To build on this success, Haile also introduced Hexagon’ s Production Optimiser in 2024, designed for longhole drilling in open stoping.“ This complementary system enhances collar accuracy and hole alignment, reducing dilution and improving stope shape,” Doll says.“ Together, Development and Production Optimiser form a unified digital drilling foundation – boosting performance from development through to recovery.”
Successful development drilling depends on operators drilling a precise pattern of blast holes to create a tunnel of specific shape and size, Hexagon says
Doll concluded:“ As more North American mines seek to modernise underground operations, Haile’ s journey offers a clear blueprint: precision drilling, supported by tailored training and cultural integration, unlocks efficiency without costly equipment overhauls.
“ For Hexagon, this is just the beginning. Advances in automation, planning integration and data analytics are underway – underscoring that in mining, as at Haile, better drilling is the foundation for better mining.”
Shaping the autonomous mine
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