Australian mining technology firm Jevons Robotics says it has been asked by gold major Newmont to build an automated explosive loading machine to reduce mine worker exposure around hazardous openpit highwalls.
Pre-split blasting is a controlled blasting method designed to maintain pit highwall stability in a range of operating scenarios. It is said to be used primarily in mines and quarries to cut blast-induced damage and promote pit slope integrity.
With increasing pit depths geotechnical risks increase the importance of effective pre-splitting.
Perth-based Jevons said it had signed an agreement with Newmont Australia for delivery of an “automated, packaged pre-split loading robotic solution designed to materially reduce exposure hours in highwall mining environments”.
“The agreement reflects a shared commitment to advancing safety and productivity through practical automation that integrates seamlessly with existing drill and blast workflows and consumables,” Jevons said.
The machine will be based on Jevons’ ARTEV1000 battery-electric robotic platform, which the manufacturer describes as purpose-built for drill and blast applications. The automated pre-split loading robot will be designed to deliver repeatable loading results without human intervention.
“This agreement represents the first payload extension of our existing ARTEV1000 platform and reinforces the value our robotic solutions deliver to global miners,” Jevons CEO Todd Peate said.
