Sandvik has announced five orders for its mining automation system from Brynecut, the world’s largest underground mining contractor.
The orders, all of which include the AutoMine Multi-Lite systems, were booked in the first quarter of the year for the Gwalia, Ulysses, Youanmi and Gossan Valley mine sites in Australia. The Navachab mine in Namibia will also benefit from the software.
The majority of Byrnecut’s global operations now run on the AutoMine system for loading, Sandvik said, with the orders acquired to help with underground drilling.
AutoMine Multi-Lite is an advanced automation system that enables loaders to operate fully autonomously from the stope to the designated loading or dumping area, allowing a single operator to control up to three loaders simultaneously from a safe, climate-controlled control room on the surface.
With shift changes one of the largest contributors of downtime, Byrnecut is said to be using AutoMine to reduce this impact through maintaining material movement and drilling progress.
“Safety is Byrnecut’s number one priority and AutoMine helps ensure that our people get home safely, while also enabling high productivity through precise, consistent, repeatable operations,” Byrnecut manager – automation and electrification Luke Clements said.
Operators also benefit from the system, Sandvik said, as they can remotely supervise and control multiple machines, reducing exposure to dust, noise, vibration and other onsite hazards.
This approach enhances safety for operators and mine personnel, while also supporting workforce development as moving operators into technology-focused roles and providing real-time feedback helps build skills for an increasingly automated mining environment.
“This deal highlights the growing understanding across the mining sector that Sandvik’s advanced automation solutions help mines run safer, more efficiently and more sustainably,” Sandvik vice president – automation David Hallett said.