Atlas Copco has been selected by Rio Tinto to develop one of two rapid tunneling concepts for underground block cave projects. The new machine will enable fast and cost-effective construction of mines which are safe, productive and have a minimal impact on the environment.
Rio Tinto’s development of projects such as Resolution Copper in Oyu Tolgoi in Mongolia will use an underground block cave mining method that requires construction of significant underground infrastructure prior to the production of ore. In anticipation of this need, Rio Tinto Technology and Innovation began investigating alternative construction methods to further improve both safety and speed of constructing underground block cave infrastructure such as shafts and tunnels.

The Atlas Copco Modular Mining Machine (MMM) is a new tunneling machine that utilizes the learnings of the Atlas Copco Robbins Mobile Miner. This mechanical rock excavation system is anticipated to be able to achieve more than twice the performance of normal tunneling methods in the expected ground conditions. The cooperation between Rio Tinto and Atlas Copco on the development of this machine has been underway for some time and is approaching reality. The Rio Tinto and Atlas Copco team have agreed to share further information on this mining breakthrough with the mining community at the upcoming SME conference in Phoenix Arizona, March 1-3, 2010.