Page 39 - HMC 125 Year Book Narrative_042816.indd

And in January 2016, we initiated a project with Atlas Copco, a Swedish mining equipment manufacturing company, to look at the possibility of building a mechanical mining system that could mine the vein without drilling and blasting – a battery-based system that’s operated remotely through the use of cameras and directional lighting. This could be a game-changer at the Lucky Friday.
Another breakthrough is the use of Computer-Aided Design for automated drilling, a technique that will be deployed this year at the Casa Berardi gold mine. This method will not only enable longer drill lines and faster advance rates, but also, since the drill can be controlled via computer, the potential for automatic drilling over shift changes – when activity is typically at a minimum.
Of course, with any of these technological advances,
the first consideration is whether it will improve worker safety – especially considering the depths at which Hecla mines. The ultimate goal, in fact, is to remove people from the immediate environment where, in addition
to heat, the potential is greater for higher-stress rock conditions.
The new #4 Shaft hoist control room at the 4900 level of the Lucky Friday mine.
35