Rio Tinto is planning to expand its next generation technology program, Mine of the Future, to develop new equipment and systems for deep underground mines. Projects such as Oyu Tolgoi would use an underground block cave mining method, which requires construction of significant underground infrastructure prior to ore production. In anticipation of this need, Rio Tinto’s technology and innovation division has been engaged in a long-running development program to improve significantly both the safety and speed of constructing underground infrastructure such as shafts and tunnels.

The company has selected Aker Wirth, Atlas Copco and Herrenknecht to work with it on the project. Aker Wirth, an equipment supplier, and Atlas Copco, an industrial solutions provider, would individually work with Rio to develop two new tunneling concepts, which it hoped would lead to fast and cost-effective tunnel creation. Herrenknecht, a mechanized tunneling specialist, would develop a new shaft boring machine, which would combine three separate processes – rock excavation, rock transport and structural support – into a single system.

All three new concepts were a result of civil tunneling industry technologies, combined with input from Rio mining experts and contractor partners Redpath and Cementation.