Drill Assist

Acquired from Phoenix Drill Control LLC (Arizona) in June 2025, Drill Assist uses artificial intelligence to continually optimise the drilling process, functioning as a smart automation layer above existing drill rig control systems. It can be deployed on virtually any drill type, and new operators can reach expert-level performance in as little as 15 minutes of training. Early adopters report up to 50% productivity increases, major reductions in rework, and lower energy use and emissions.

The technology influences the drilling of more than 5 million blastholes annually worldwide. Drill Assist captures highly accurate downhole measurement-while-drilling (MWD) data that can detect hardness variations and fracture zones, enabling improved blast design and fragmentation optimisation. Future integration with MinePlan Blast is planned for closed-loop blast optimisation.