NMMC drill rig expansion at Muruntau: design and blast insights for mine planners
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan
First reported on International Mining – News
30 Second Briefing
NMMC is expanding its high-capacity drill rig fleet at the Muruntau gold mine in Uzbekistan, adding modern units such as Epiroc’s electric Pit Viper rigs to support the next phase of pit development. The electric, large-diameter blasthole rigs are geared to longer benches and higher penetration rates, enabling tighter drill patterns and more consistent fragmentation for the massive open pit. For mine planners and geotechnical teams, the shift to electric, high-precision rigs affects slope design assumptions, blast-induced vibration control and power infrastructure planning across the pit.
Technical Brief
- Similar large open pits adopting electric blasthole fleets will need early-stage power and cable-routing allowances in designs.
Our Take
Navoi Mining and Metallurgical Company’s recent upgrades to ESG scores and credit ratings in 2025–26 suggest that fleet modernisation at Muruntau is likely being framed not just as a productivity move but as part of a broader de-risking and governance story for this Uzbek gold producer.
Our database shows several 2025–26 items on NMMC investing in high-capacity belt conveyors and new grinding mills, so adding more modern Epiroc drill rigs at Muruntau fits a pattern of systematically tightening the mine-to-plant chain for large-scale gold operations in Uzbekistan.
In global rankings coverage, NMMC already appears alongside Nevada Gold Mines and Polyus among the largest gold producers, so continued drill fleet upgrades at Muruntau are likely aimed at sustaining tier-one output rather than step-change expansion.
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.
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