The autonomous technology equipped machines are positioned as part of the company’s digital transformation strategy, aimed at enhancing efficiency and safety across its mining operations.
The order package includes nine Sandvik DR416i rotary blast hole drills capable of fully autonomous operation with the AutoMine® system, as well as seven Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs. The majority of deliveries were completed in the second and third quarters of 2025, with the remaining units scheduled to be delivered to Vale in 2026.
Shipments of the Sandvik DR416i model began in the fourth quarter of 2025 and are set to continue through the second quarter of 2027. Of the DI650i units, four are planned for delivery in 2026, while the remaining three drill rigs are expected to arrive on site in 2029.
Brazil’s first copper operation, the Sossego Complex, began operations in 2004, while Salobo stands out as the project with the largest copper reserves in the country. Cooperation between Sandvik and Vale started in 2021 with the testing of the DR416i model at the Sossego mine, and following successful results, the partnership has now moved into a broader phase of technology expansion.
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