sandvik mining has completed the delivery of the DR410i rotary drilling rig to Mariana Minerals’ Copper One operation in Utah, marking a significant step forward in autonomous surface mining technology. The equipment arrived on site during the first quarter of 2026, with the AutoMine surface drilling system currently operational.
Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining, emphasized the collaborative nature of the project. “This project reflects a shared ambition to enhance the role of automation in opencast mining. By working closely with Mariana Minerals, we have the opportunity to further develop our autonomous drilling capabilities while supporting a new approach to mine design and operation.”
“Our vision is to build mining operations where autonomy is built in from day one,” said Turner Caldwell, CEO of Mariana Minerals. “Integrating Sandvik’s drilling rig into our broader system architecture is an important step toward creating a more connected and adaptive operation at Copper One.”
Mariana Minerals operates as a software-based mining company focused on the production of critical minerals. The company designed its Copper One facility around an “autonomy first” philosophy, where all equipment and processes integrate seamlessly with MarianaOS, the company’s in-house developed autonomous orchestration platform.
The delivery represents the first phase of the expanded partnership between the Swedish mining equipment manufacturer and the vertically integrated mining company. Mariana Minerals also acquired Deswik Mine Planning software during the same quarter, expanding its digital technology investments with Sandvik beyond traditional hardware.
The two companies have committed to continuing cooperation as the Cooper One project progresses through its development stages. The partnership also extends to future projects that Mariana Minerals plans to develop across North America, creating the potential to expand the scope of autonomous mining applications.
This collaboration comes at a time when mining companies are increasingly seeking technological solutions that address labor shortages, safety concerns, and operational efficiency challenges. Autonomous drilling systems offer particular appeal in remote locations where attracting and retaining skilled operators presents ongoing difficulties.
The DR410i will operate as a ready-to-operate autonomous drilling rig within this integrated system. Sandvik engineers have configured the platform to feed high-resolution operational and subsurface data directly into MarianaOS, enabling the platform to optimize mining and processing decisions across the entire operation in real time.
Sandvik designed the DR410i as a compact and powerful rotary drill specifically for surface mining applications. The platform can drill holes from 152 to 251 mm in diameter and incorporates Sandvik’s advanced iSeries architecture combined with the DRi system. DRi technology enables continuous data capture while supporting comprehensive drilling planning, execution monitoring and performance analysis.
AutoMine surface drilling technology represents Sandvik’s fully autonomous drilling capability, allowing mining companies to operate multiple rigs simultaneously from a central remote control room. This approach removes personnel from potentially hazardous drilling sites while providing improved consistency, higher equipment utilization rates and enhanced overall productivity.
More information is available at www.Mining.Sandvik/en and www.MarianaMinerals.com
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