George Fisher leads underground automation

Glencore’s George Fisher mine in Queensland continues to pioneer the use of underground automation with its growing automated Sandvik fleet.

In 2024, Glencore commissioned three automated Toro TH663i trucks at the site following the successful integration of an automated loader fleet in 2020.

The automated loaders and trucks now operate around the clock on separate levels of the mine, successfully improving safety and efficiency at the site.

Glencore automation specialist Raukawa Danklof says productivity has also seen major benefits.

“Our operations were already efficient but following the automation of the Sandvik trucks we have further enhanced productivity and operational efficiency,” he said.

“I would say automation and the increased uptime that it provides are a big part of the reason for that achievement.”

Part of Glencore’s Mount Isa complex, the George Fisher mine produces around 3mtpa of ore and undertakes up to 12km of underground development annually.

Following the initial agreement with Sandvik, the AutoMine Multi-Lite system was introduced with five Toro LH517 loaders in July 2020. The loaders were capable of tramming and dumping entirely independently, with human operators on the surface only required to take charge during loading.

George Fisher mine production superintendent Manfred Drutschmann says safety is paramount.

“With Sandvik AutoMine, we not only remove people from high-risk underground environments but also unlock new levels of efficiency and consistency in our operations,” he said.

“The automated trucks allow us to haul more material faster, without shift change delays, helping us optimise our overall production.”

Glencore has continued to trial and implement Sandvik’s AutoLoad 2.0 feature and loaders now successfully run complete cycles without human intervention.

Presently, a total of 10 Toro loaders are in operation at the site.

Sandvik automation technical support manager Tommi Rautio says the success George Fisher mine is enjoying with AutoMine is triggering widespread interest in automation technologies across the wider industry.

“This is the first time a Sandvik automated trucking solution has been implemented in a mine in Australia, and other mining operations have been watching closely,” he said.

“Now that they are seeing what automation can do, I expect a surge in interest.”