Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    AllGeotechnicalMiningInfrastructureMaterialsHazardsEnvironmentalSoftwarePolicy
    Projects
    Product
    Safety

    EACON autonomy at Mulgarrie: retrofit haul truck lessons for mine engineers

    January 12, 2026|

    Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

    EACON autonomy at Mulgarrie: retrofit haul truck lessons for mine engineers

    First reported on International Mining – News

    30 Second Briefing

    EACON Mining Technology has begun fully autonomous testing of a retrofitted Komatsu HD1500 haul truck operating without a safety driver at Norton Gold Fields’ Mulgarrie open-pit mine in Western Australia. The tri-partite project with Thiess and Norton Gold involves converting an existing mechanical-drive fleet rather than deploying factory-built autonomous trucks, targeting lower capex and faster deployment on brownfield haul roads. Engineers will be watching interaction with manned fleets, traffic management rules, and system performance under variable pit geometries and blast conditions.

    Technical Brief

    • Project learnings are expected to inform retrofit autonomy roll-outs on other legacy mechanical-drive fleets.

    Our Take

    The related December 2025 item on the first fully autonomous Komatsu HD1500 cycle at Norton Gold Fields indicates Mulgarrie is one of the earliest Australian gold operations where EACON’s system has run without a safety driver, signalling a relatively advanced autonomy maturity compared with most gold mines in our database.

    EACON’s parallel rollout of an on‑board perception‑centric haulage system in China suggests that lessons from higher‑volume Chinese fleets could quickly inform software updates at Australian sites like Mulgarrie, potentially shortening the optimisation cycle for mixed‑fleet autonomy in hard‑rock gold operations.

    With gold flagged repeatedly in our recent coverage, including record 2025 prices, successful autonomy milestones at an Australian gold mine such as Mulgarrie are likely to be watched by other cost‑sensitive gold operators looking to lock in margins rather than expand greenfield capacity.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Mining
    about 1 hour ago

    Osisko–JDS Cariboo gold build: execution and EPCM takeaways for mine engineers

    Osisko Development’s Barkerville Gold Mines has signed a definitive project and construction management services agreement with JDS Energy & Mining to build the Cariboo underground gold project in British Columbia. A feasibility study completed in April 2025 outlines a “robust and scalable” underground mine, with JDS to coordinate detailed engineering, procurement and construction management across the processing plant, underground infrastructure and surface facilities. The deal signals progression from study to execution, with geotechnical design, underground access development and shaft/decline construction planning now moving onto a defined EPCM footing.

    TOMRA Mining waste sorting: design and value notes for mine project teams
    Mining
    about 1 hour ago

    TOMRA Mining waste sorting: design and value notes for mine project teams

    TOMRA Mining is deploying advanced sensor-based ore sorting to convert mine waste rock and tailings into saleable aggregate for infrastructure, extending mine life and reducing primary crushing and haulage demands. By separating barren from mineralised material on conveyors using XRT and other sensors, operations can upgrade run-of-mine feed, cut energy and water use in downstream comminution, and divert clean fractions for construction uses. The approach opens a secondary revenue stream while lowering waste dump volumes and long-term rehabilitation liabilities.

    Mining
    about 5 hours ago

    Sandvik drill bit resharpening expansion: safety and productivity notes for mines

    Sandvik is adding the mid-range RG550Be drill bit resharpening machine to its portfolio, extending coverage across both top hammer (TH) and down-the-hole (DTH) drilling with a tiered line-up of high-end, mid-range and handheld units. The OEM is targeting improved safety and ergonomics in bit maintenance, moving more grinding work off manual benches and into enclosed, purpose-built machines. For mine operators, the broader range allows closer matching of resharpening capacity to fleet size and bit type, with potential gains in bit life and drilling penetration rates.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.