Diamond/Core Drill Rod and Inner Tube Handling

Operating Context

Diamond drill rods are currently handled by hand. The rods are heavy and bulky, creating short-term and long-term health and safety risks.
The physically demanding nature of rod handling negatively impacts job attractiveness and creates recruitment and retention challenges.
Underground operations will use 3 m long rods.
Surface operations will handle 3 m, 6 m, and 9 m rods.
Typical NQ rod weight by length is approximately: 3 m = 25 kg (55 lb), 6 m = 50 kg (110 lb), and 9 m = 75 kg (165 lb).
Drilling is done mostly with NQ rods (about 85%); HQ rods are used sometimes (about 10%); other rod types represent the remaining ~5%.
Surface reference: approximately 40 seconds for a driller helper to complete a rod transfer.
Underground reference: approximately 40 seconds for a driller helper to complete rod transfer in the drill bay.
Typical underground drill bay size ranges from 5 m x 5 m to 6 m x 6 m, with variable length greater than 10 m.
Average underground hole: approximately 1,500 m.
Average surface hole: approximately 1,500 m.

Have a machine handle the full sequence of rod and inner tube handling.
Develop one machine design specifically for surface and one specifically for underground; the two concepts will most likely be very different.
Keep the solution universally adaptable across drill manufacturers; modifications to existing rigs are acceptable if required.

Underground handling equipment is limited in size; maximum capacity is around 5,000 lb.
Surface sloops are moved by bulldozers, so weight is generally less of a constraint on surface.
Surface rod handler must be weather resistant for deployment across Canada, including the arctic circle; target operating range is approximately +40C to -50C.
Underground systems must account for dust, humidity, water, and salt exposure, as well as temperature variations across mine sites.
Integration points cannot be specified to one control model yet because multiple drill manufacturers are in scope.
A key requirement is future readiness for tele-remote operations and transition toward autonomous drilling.

Initial test volume is expected to be one or two units.
The mine operator alone operates around 150 to 200 diamond drills on its properties, and the opportunity is scalable to the Canadian market.
Budget is to be determined but should not exceed $500,000.
The mine operator is open to lower TRL and potentially aiding companies to develop technology if it is the right solution.
The drill optimization project is expected to continue for the next 5 years.
For the market scan process, the mine operator is not currently going through procurement; MICA is conducting a comprehensive scan for technologies.

Health and safety is the primary factor and must not be neglected; rods are heavy and workers are bonus driven.
Accelerate rod removal and installation to increase drilled meters per shift.
Support long-term transition to tele-remote operations and autonomous drilling.
Measure practical field performance, including uptime and maintenance implications, while preserving safety gains.
Existing concepts (e.g., AVD manipulation arm, ABB robotic arms, cable systems, and others) are of interest; detailed assessment is still open and outside-the-box ideas are welcome.

Rod length

3 m, 6 m, and 9 m rods

Typical NQ load

3 m: ~25 kg (55 lb), 6 m: ~50 kg (110 lb), 9 m: ~75 kg (165 lb)

Rod usage split

NQ ~85%, HQ ~10%, other ~5%

Baseline cycle

~40 seconds per manual transfer

Underground cassette

~180 m rod capacity per cassette; ~9 for 1,500 m hole

Surface sloop

~1,000 m rod capacity per sloop; ~2 for 1,500 m hole

Underground equipment cap

~5,000 lb max

Temperature range

Approximately +40C to -50C

Rig compatibility

Universal concept with acceptable rig modifications

TRL position

Open to lower TRL with development support

Initial testing volume

1 to 2 units

Budget guidance

Not to exceed $500,000

Scale potential

~150 to 200 drills at the mine operator, plus Canadian market

Market scan timeline

Submissions close October 31, 2026; testing through 2027

Program horizon

Optimization project expected over next 5 years