SHAFT SINKING
“ With the industry continuing to experience extended equipment lead times, maintaining and expanding our fleet, retaining and developing our skilled workforce and building a strong talent pipeline will be critical to executing complex projects reliably and efficiently,” Smith said.
It is the combination of these experienced teams, disciplined safety practices and the right technologies that Smith sees as achieving further industry progress in shaft sinking.
He explained:“ We continue to advance project outcomes through methodologies like ground scanning, hazard detection, mechanisation, automation and hybrid and battery-electric equipment, improving visibility and reducing worker exposure.”
“ Strategic partnerships” in underground visibility and hazard detection – like the one it has with LoopX – provide access to technologies that improve understanding of conditions and support proactive risk management, according to Smith. Use of autonomous LHD systems allow production to continue through blast clearance while workers remain safely on surface, optimising schedules, ventilation and consistency across complex projects, he added.
While the company has cemented itself as an early adopter and field-validation partner for emerging mining technologies – including its collaboration with Komatsu on the MC51 mechanical cutting technology platform for horizontal mine development – it does not yet see a direct equivalent for the vertical space. Smith added:“ Yet many of the same industry drivers are shaping innovation in the shaft space – particularly around improving safety, productivity, precision and schedule certainty.”
Smith said the future of shaft sinking will not be defined by a single breakthrough technology, instead coming from integrating engineering expertise, operational experience and safety systems, and,“ where the right collaborative partnerships exist, the potential to build smarter more resilient project delivery models grows significantly”.
Cementation Americas is also looking beyond project delivery to ensure the shafts it sinks can be run sustainably over the decades. Smith explained:“ Mining companies are increasingly focused on maximising the value and lifespan of shaft infrastructure as part of broader mine life extension strategies. Operational demands, however, have changed significantly – with mines operating deeper and equipment becoming larger and more sophisticated. Expectations around safety, ventilation, productivity and digital integration also continue to evolve.
“ As a result, shafts often require upgrades or modifications to support changing mine plans and operational requirements throughout their lifecycle.”
From Cementation’ s perspective, constructability-focused design and lifecycle project support can ensure infrastructure is built not only to perform safely and effectively today, but to remain resilient, sustainable and fit for purpose as mining conditions evolve over time.
This is where advanced shaft and ground scanning technology provides new levels of insight into ground conditions and infrastructure integrity for proactive risk management before work begins.
Smith says the company also optimises sinking and development methodologies in challenging ground conditions.“ For example, in Nevada we have applied enhanced sinking techniques on ventilation infrastructure projects to improve ground support installation, compress schedules and improve overall execution efficiency in poor, non-self-supporting ground conditions,” he said.
Success in the shaft sinking space depends on far more than equipment, according to Smith, combining engineering expertise, operational discipline, workforce capability and a deeply embedded safety culture.
“ Those companies that will lead shaft sinking into the future are those that can successfully integrate technology adoption with strong project execution and long-term partnerships,” he concluded.“ They
International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2026