Ok Tedi Mining Limited reached a significant milestone in its mining operations with the commissioning and deployment of its first-ever Reverse Circulation (RC) Drill Rig. The rig was officially put into operation on Sunday, 11 May 2025.
The successful introduction of the RC Drill Rig by the Mine Geology and Grade Control team, with the company’s Mine Technical Services Department, marks a major step forward in enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of geological data collection.
This advancement will directly support improved short-term and long-term mine planning, enabling more strategic decision-making in ore extraction.
Manager Mine Technical Services, James Bu, said that this investment demonstrated Ok Tedi’s commitment to continuous improvement and operational excellence.
“The RC Drill Rig will play a vital role with our Mine Geology and Grade Control team in optimising our mining processes and ensuring the long-term sustainability of our operations.
“The idea of engaging a RC drill to close gaps in the Resource Model (RM) and to enable a high confidence planning output for short term and long-term planning, commenced in 2017.
‘’There wasn’t much traction over the years until 2023 when Ok Tedi’s Executive Leadership Team (ELT) recognised the value that such program can add to the business and made the commitment to purchase the RC drill rig and revive the RC drill program,” Mr Bu said.
“Given the geometry of the other ore bodies apart from the mine pit ore. Widely spaced resource drillings of 50m x 50m have not captured well the changes in the ore quality and characteristics of the other smaller size ore types which carry high grade material.”
"Monthly reconciliation data has consistently shown a +10% variance in ore tonnes and Copper (Au) and Gold (Au) feed grades between the Resource Model (RM) and the Grade Control Model (GCM). This variance indicates lower confidence in the RM output, with significant implications for mine planning and forecasting."
“In order to close this gap, RC drilling program will be carried out in the targeted areas with >10% variance, with closely spaced drilling of 20m x 20m, and will also provide data for 3 benches at a time. The data will be used to create an interim model or used to update the Grade Control model for the planning team to use for planning and budgeting purposes,” Mr Bu said.
RC drilling is widely recognised for its cost-effectiveness and its ability to deliver high-quality geological samples quickly and reliably. It also prevents cross-contamination and enables a large number of sample bags in a short amount of time.
The first samples were produced on Wednesday, 14 May, with the historic first hole yielding an excellent sample return weighing 7 kilograms.
By incorporating this technology into its operations, Ok Tedi aims to strengthen its resource modelling and grade control practices, further reinforcing its position as an industry leader in responsible and innovative mining.
This milestone aligns with the Ok Tedi 2050 Growth Strategy with specific focus on transformational growth, paving the way for a stronger, more sustainable future for the company and its shareholders.
