CR Digital will acquire Thunderbird Mining Systems, which, the company said, will further expand its product offering, IP, sales/marketing and technical support activities. Thunderbird pioneered Measurement While Drilling (MWD) technologies and has a rich history in drilling technology and guidance for surface mining.
Head of CR Digital Damian Assaillit said, “Thunderbird Mining Systems were highly regarded in the mining technology sector, providing world-leading blasthole drill optimization technologies to mining customers for more than 30 years.”
Thunderbird founder, John Vynne added, “I am really pleased to see that our technologies will be part of CR Digital’s range. There is immense appetite for digital knowledge of drill planning and blast outcomes, and the Thunderbird technology combined with CR Digital’s Load Haul Optimization creates a unique and compelling combination that our mining customers will be able to leverage.”
Thunderbird’s technology increases mine productivity, reduces drilling costs and improves blasting effectiveness, according to Vynne.
The addition of blasthole drill optimization and rock knowledge systems will allow CR Digital to expand its product range across fragmentation through to load and haul optimization.
“Thunderbird Mining Systems products complement our existing CR Digital product range, including our market-leading Titan 3330TM Load Haul Optimization technology,” Assaillit said. “Optimized fragmentation is a key variable in the productivity of load haul circuits and being able to offer our customers more real-time knowledge is a great opportunity to further enhance mining productivity using technology.”
Thunderbird Mining Systems’ customers will benefit from the enhanced capability of the global CR group, CR Digital’s proactive technical support, the data analytics capability of its Orion platform, and access to a broader technology portfolio providing enhanced value to their operations, according to the company.
