Master Drilling North America, part of the Master Drilling Group, successfully commissioned the first remote drilling system in Canada at Agnico Eagle’s Odyssey gold mine in northwestern Quebec.
The project began with the reaming of a 220-meter hole using a 5.5-m reamer, demonstrating the capability, precision and efficiency of remote drilling technology in operation.
The RD7 raise bore machine was installed on the 65L and is fully operated remotely from the surface control room. The mine supported the project with all necessary infrastructure and a dedicated control room to ensure safe and effective remote operation.
“This milestone confirms the effectiveness of remote drilling technology and sets a strong foundation for future innovation across the mining and drilling industry,” Master Drilling said. “As the industry continues to adopt advanced solutions, remote drilling will play an increasingly important role in improving productivity, operational efficiency and safety underground.”
The Odyssey underground mine is part of Agnico Eagle’s Canadian Malartic Complex, which includes the Canadian Malartic open-pit gold mine.