By Neville Judd
Of all the mining processes ripe for automation, blasthole drilling is up there.
Firstly, it’s a labour- and capital-intensive process; delays in drilling affect the rest of the mine. Secondly, there’s a growing talent shortfall of drillers across the world’s mines.
According to Curtis Stacy, it takes a person three to five years to become a good driller. Hexagon Drill Assist changes that.
Stacy is a senior product manager at Hexagon and co-founder of Phoenix Drill Control. In June, Hexagon acquired Drill Assist, a blasthole drilling automation technology developed by Phoenix Drill Control.
Drill Assist is an artificial intelligence-powered automation technology that’s designed to work like an expert operator. It can be used at nearly every step of the blasthole drilling process, on any kind of drill. Using an AI algorithm, Drill Assist continually optimises the drilling process, resulting in improved penetration rates, greater machine availability, and reliable downhole data.
“The ability to train an operator in 15 minutes and instantly increase their productivity and quality of drilled holes can transform an entire workforce into expert drillers in a matter of days, not years,” said Stacy.
“We successfully trained an operator by text message during a night shift at a North American iron mine,” Stacy added.
The system can be disengaged instantly, returning full control to the operator. “Your drill remains just as you purchased it, with no additional technician training and minimal additional maintenance, but with increased productivity.”
Transforming drilling at Capstone Copper
Joe Kalkus, senior mine coordinator at Capstone Copper’s Pinto Valley mine in Arizona, has seen the benefits of Drill Assist first hand.
“Finding people in mining is challenging these days,” said Kalkus in a video interview. “Drill Assist can take a green driller and turn them into a 20-year veteran after a three-hour training. It’s been the best drilling software, drilling program, that I’ve seen in my career.”
Pinto Valley Mine drill operator, Robin Toot, echoed Kalkus’s praise for Drill Assist.
“I learn something new every day and I’ve been doing this for a long time,” said Toot. “It’s helped me quite a bit. In fact, every hole I’ve ever drilled with it has been a nice, clean, good hole.
“The training time for the Drill Assist was really quick. You just have basically one button you push, and it’ll run right through its program from levelling the drill out, to drilling, to finishing out the hole. I would say in three hours I can teach you how to drill with it.”
Hexagon has enhanced Drill Assist to support down-the-hole (DTH) hammer drilling and multi-pass drilling.
“While the AI algorithms have not changed in some time, additional functionality including the ability to hammer drill and track multi-pass hole depth have been implemented,” said Stacy.
Drill Assist operates as an automation layer above OEM control systems, using existing rig sensors to manage drilling processes and reduce manual input. It requires no extra sensors for multi-pass tracking.
“The multi-pass system requires no additional sensors to track the rod length down the hole!” Stacy said. “The rod add-and-remove functions are still performed by operators.”
Joe Kalkus and Curtis Stacy discuss Drill Assist at Capstone Copper’s Pinto Valley mine
Errors eliminated and productivity up 30%
Drill Assist has been deployed globally, most recently at a South American iron ore project. “The miner was struggling with hole quality issues, primarily drill to depth,” Stacy explained. “The AI-based hole-quality algorithms, along with high-precision machine guidance, eliminated driller-induced errors and reduced re-work.”
Initial productivity gains of 30% seen in copper mining were replicated in iron mining, with DTH hammer drilling showing similarly strong results.
The system also delivers significant cost and environmental benefits. “A mine site is evaluating the potential of parking one of four drills, cutting drilling costs by an additional 25%,” Stacy said.
Future development may include improved blast planning and full automation. “Use of our measurement while drilling (MWD) data for custom blast loading is currently in testing,” Stacy said, adding that this could further reduce energy consumption.
Fully autonomous drilling is the goal. Users will have minimal interaction as rigs autonomously determine and execute drilling patterns, said Stacy.
- Watch the video to learn more about the use of Drill Assist at Capstone Copper.
- Australian Mining recently featured Drill Assist here.
Throughout 2025 we’ll be blogging about the challenges facing the mining industry. Drawing upon insights from thought leaders in our customer community and from within Hexagon, we’ll share how trusted partnerships and proven technology are addressing those challenges, helping to improve safety and cut costs while balancing the demands of productivity and sustainability.