Sandvik, Rio Tinto partner to advance autonomous open-pit drilling

Sandvik and Rio Tinto are partnering to jointly develop and integrate Sandvik i-series surface drill rigs with Rio Tinto’s Autonomous Drilling System (Rio Tinto ADS™).

The collaboration combines Rio Tinto’s experience in autonomous drilling and remote operations with Sandvik’s AutoMine® automation technology to improve safety, productivity, and system compatibility, starting initially on support drilling activities in opencast mining operations.

Under the agreement, Sandvik and Rio Tinto will co-develop the interoperability and autonomous capabilities required for remote, multi-rig and multi-site autonomous operation via Rio Tinto’s Perth Operations Centre. The programme will include field trials to validate performance against production targets.

The project will begin with development and on-rig testing at the Sandvik Test Pit in Finland, followed by site-based testing at Rio Tinto operations in Western Australia.

“This joint development reflects Sandvik’s commitment to improving safety and productivity through open, interoperable automation,” said Petri Virrankoski, President of Surface Drilling at Sandvik.

“Building on AutoMine® and our i-series platform, we are proud to extend our long-standing relationship with Rio Tinto and support the continued development of autonomous drilling for demanding Pilbara conditions.”

The joint programme builds on Rio Tinto’s long track record in autonomous systems, including the remote monitoring and control of drills, trucks, and trains from Perth. This approach is in active use at Rio Tinto Iron Ore sites such as Gudai-Darri, which combines an autonomous mobile fleet with a digital operations model.