Innovation Fall 2026

recovery can translate into substantial additional metal production. Material that is uneconomic to recover today may become a future resource if processing technologies improve. Electrification in mining Red Chris also highlights another trend reshaping mining: electrification. According to information provided by Newmont, the project will rely heavily on electrified systems, including extensive conveyor infrastructure that reduces dependence on conventional haul-truck haulage. Conveyor systems move material continuously, require less energy per tonne-kilometre transported than truck fleets, and eliminate much of the diesel consumption associated with conventional open-pit operations. The company expects greenhouse-gas emissions intensity to decline as operations become increasingly electrified and automated. At the same time, workforce needs are shifting toward electricians, instrumentation specialists, automation technicians, and other highly skilled technical roles.

The biggest technical and environmental challenge is managing subsidence. As the orebody caves underground, the rock above gradually settles into the newly created void space. Engineers and geoscientists must carefully model how stresses will redistribute through the surrounding rock mass, how quickly subsidence will occur, and how that movement could affect groundwater pathways, surface infrastructure, and nearby geological structures. Monitoring systems commonly include extensometers, microseismic arrays, geotechnical instrumentation, and increasingly sophisticated 3D geomechanical modelling software. Block caving also creates a metallurgical challenge. As the orebody collapses, waste rock from surrounding zones can mix with the ore stream, a phenomenon known as dilution. That dilution lowers the average grade of the material arriving at the processing plant. More tonnes must therefore be crushed, ground, and processed to recover the same quantity of metal, increasing energy consumption and producing larger volumes of tailings. However, those larger volumes create opportunities. Because bulk-mining methods process enormous quantities of material, even small improvements in Block caving conveyor system In the Red Chris block caving project, water is pumped into targeted ore mass areas to help break it into smaller sections (1); an undercut is created beneath the ore mass and gravity pulls it down (2-3); the broken up ore moves through drawbells from the undercut level to the extraction level (4); the ore goes to an underground crusher before being transported via conveyors to a process plant or mill for further processing (5-6). g raPhIc : c ourteSy of n eWMont c orPoratIon

PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS & GEOMATICS ENGINEERS

Congratulations, Serianna Schroh, CLS

Congratulations to Serianna in earning her Canada Lands Surveyor (CLS) designation. This achievement reflects years of dedication and professional excellence. We are proud to celebrate this milestone with her.

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Innovation Fall 2026

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