Sandvik wins order for Glencore’s Alumbrera mine

Sandvik has received an bid from Glencore for the proviso of 3 DR413i rotary blasthole drill rigs to reopen the Bajo de la Alumbrera copper excavation successful Argentina.

The bid was finalised successful the archetypal 4th of 2026 (Q1 2026).

The archetypal DR413i is expected to get successful Argentina successful April, with the remaining 2 owed successful Q4 2026.

In addition, Sandvik volition connection Glencore rebuild services for 3 D75KS rotary blasthole drill rigs and 3 DP1500 crawler-based aboveground drill rigs, on with labour and parts for wide fleet maintenance.

Alumbrera's operations are scheduled to resume successful 2027, with accumulation commencing successful 2028.

The excavation is expected to nutrient astir 73,000t of copper until June 2031, on with golden and molybdenum, during its archetypal four-year period.

Besides its nonstop output, the restart is important strategically arsenic it helps support infrastructure, supports workforce capableness and reduces aboriginal improvement risks.

It besides aligns with Glencore's goals to boost copper accumulation to conscionable rising request from the planetary vigor transition.

The Sandvik DR413i is simply a high-capacity, crawler-mounted drill rig intended for aboveground mining including ample open-pit copper operations.

It drills spread diameters from 251mm to 349mm with a single-pass extent of up to 17m, utilizing a almighty rotary caput and precocious weight-on-bit capableness for accordant productivity, adjacent astatine precocious altitudes.

Equipped with the Sandvik Intelligent Control System Architecture, onboard diagnostics and automation tools similar iDrill, it offers real-time feedback, improves accuracy and ensures drilling consistency portion minimising relation involvement.

Sandvik Mining rotary drills – income country Andean & South Cone concern enactment manager Maximiliano Davico said: “Sandvik has supplied assorted instrumentality to Minera Alumbrera successful the past and we are delighted to enactment Glencore with the mine's upcoming restart.

“The DR413i is peculiarly good suited to open-pit copper mines acknowledgment to its robust design, precocious torque rotary strategy and features specified arsenic a travelling centraliser that enables straighter, much close holes for optimal blast outcomes and downstream productivity.

“Combined with automation capabilities, reduced substance depletion and a maintenance-friendly design, the rig helps little operating costs, amended information and heighten wide excavation efficiency.”

Earlier this month, Sandvik launched the DD423i, a next-generation automated improvement drill rig, marking a important advancement successful underground mining technology.

"Sandvik wins bid for Glencore’s Alumbrera mine" was primitively created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand.