Mining and Technology

Mining and
Technology

The Côté Gold deposit will be mined via open pit using a fleet of 23 autonomous haul trucks (CAT 793F), two electric shovels (CAT 6060), three front-end loaders (CAT 994), six autonomous drills (Epiroc Pit Viper 231), and other supporting equipment.

The advantages of our autonomous operations include:

higher equipment productivity and consistency
better positioning for truck/shovel interactions
reduced truck maintenance due to continuous operations within equipment specifications
reduced manpower, resulting in reduced camp size and accommodation costs

Our Integrated Operations Centre

The autonomous fleet is controlled from an integrated operations centre (IOC) at site. Key IOC staff have access to data, metrics, and advanced analytics, so we can make informed, coordinated, and expedient decisions.

Autonomous Operating Zones

To maximize safety and control the operating conditions of our automated equipment, the machines work in designated Autonomous Operating Zones (AOZ). They are connected back to our IOC via a dense communications and surveillance network. Human access to our AOZ is restricted to qualified and necessary personnel.

Autonomous Drilling Operator in the Côté Gold Integrated Control Room

Image description: digital screen featuring data analytics

Data and Analytics

In addition to our fleet of surveying drones and remote monitoring stations, each of our autonomous machines carries a suite of external and internal sensors. From LIDAR scanners to road analysis and payload sensors, we generate a lot of data at Côté Gold. By analyzing this data and taking action on the resulting insights, we can continuously optimize our operations.