Rehabilitation Efficiency and Cycle

Challenge Launch Date: September 19, 2025
Submissions Close: October 24, 2025

Mine Operator is Requesting

Equipment and/or hardware systems to improve rock bolting and rehabilitation efficiency, including muck handling, belt drift ground rehab processes below, beside and above the beltline. Beltlines can be supported from the floor or primarily hung from the back/ceiling.

Desired Timeline to Find a Solution

Open to long-term development and capital planning integration.

The Challenge

The Company is seeking solutions to optimize underground belt line rehabilitation and muck handling during ground repairs. Current processes are extremely slow, involving sequential takedown and reinstallation of belts across long distances. The aim is to find safer, faster, and more cost-efficient ways to handle muck and reset belts. Additionally, rock bolting efficiencies are being sought through continuous improvement but could benefit from disruptive innovation.

Context and Background

The current belt rehab process involves removing kilometers of belt line and structure, rehabbing ground, and reinstalling the system—over and over. Muck is either stockpiled or ideally redirected to the belt and sent to the surface. The process is labor-intensive, time-consuming, and presents operational bottlenecks. While continuous improvement is underway, there is openness to evaluating novel or unconventional solutions, including new equipment or hardware configurations.

Problem Definition

There is no defined commercial solution currently deployed that adequately improves the speed and safety of the underground rehab cycle. The Company is open to testing early-stage concepts (TRL 5-6), especially if they address integration and maintenance barriers.

Scope and Scalability

Potential for company-wide adoption if proven effective.

Solution Parameter Requirements

Installation Requirements: Should be compatible with existing underground infrastructure; minimal downtime preferred.
Maintenance Requirements: Solutions should allow for redepositing of scaled ore back onto belts to avoid stockpiling within the mine.
Support Requirements: Vendor should be available for integration support and early-stage troubleshooting.
Hardware/Software Requirements: Hardware-focused innovations preferred (e.g., new belt rehab tools or haulage systems). This can include tele-remote and autonomous solutions, but the underlying manual use must prove out prior to progressing to more advanced solutions.
Integration Requirements: Should work with existing belt tracking and frame systems or improve them.
TRL / CRI: Open to TRL 5–6 (prototype or piloting stage); long-term planning for higher TRL integration is feasible.