Sandfire MATSA, Insersa and MAXAM complete first surface-initiated blast at Sotiel mine
Sandfire MATSA, as part of its commitment to innovation, digitalisation and improving safety in its underground operations, has achieved a new technological milestone at the Sotiel mine, in the municipality of Calañas (Huelva), Spain.
In collaboration with Insersa and MAXAM, the company has carried out the first blasting operation controlled 100% remotely from the surface – a key advance in smart mining for the province of Huelva, it says.
The remote-controlled blast was carried out in the Migollas orebody within the Sotiel deposit. To advance into this area, a new ramp is currently being developed, opening up a strategic route for access to new reserves and also becoming an indispensable piece of infrastructure for the modernisation of this underground operation.
Carrying out a blasting operation from an office on the surface requires a high degree of technical precision and a robust communications infrastructure, the company explained. To make this possible, Sandfire MATSA and its partner companies have spent months planning and preparing for this operation, as well as installing Wi-Fi access points at strategic locations to enable connection to the data network and, consequently, communication between the underground mine and the surface.
Thanks to this technology, the engineering and project management professionals involved in this operation can verify safety parameters in real time and authorise remote detonation under optimal conditions for the safety of personnel and equipment, while also improving production efficiency.
This achievement also builds on Sandfire MATSA’s significant progress in the field of smart mining. The company currently operates three types of underground machinery from two remote control rooms located at its Aguas Teñidas and Magdalena mines, thanks to the more than 80 km of Wi-Fi network available at both underground operations. These include ore loaders; Epiroc Simba long-hole drill rigs for production chambers; and jumbos for tunnelling and underground mining.
Sandfire MATSA concluded: “Therefore, beyond the optimisation of mining processes, this milestone reinforces Sandfire MATSA’s commitment to modern mining that prioritises safety at its sites, whilst driving technological advances that ensure more innovative and sustainable operations.”
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