Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has secured an order to supply a fleet of mining equipment to Portuguese mining company Almina Minas do Alentejo.
The order, facilitated through Portuguese distributor Cimertex, includes a 32-unit fleet of loaders, autonomous trucks and underground drills. It is intended to double Almina's production capacity.
Under the contract, Sandvik will deliver 20 Toro TH663i trucks, five Toro LH621i loaders, four Sandvik DS411 rock bolters and three Sandlink DL421 longhole production drills.
The company plans to commence deliveries in the third quarter (Q3) of 2024 and extend into 2025.
This move is set to enhance Almina's operations within the Iberian pyrite belt, increasing its output to six million tonnes per annum (mtpa).
This agreement builds on a previous 2023 order from Cimertex for 18 Toro TH663i trucks, which have all been delivered.
Cimertex executive director Álvaro Bastos said: “Almina will soon operate one of the largest Sandvik fleets in all of Europe.
“Almina is seeking higher productivity and lower costs, and Sandvik’s autonomous loaders and longhole drills have already proven to deliver higher utilisation operating during shift change.”
Sandvik said that 12 of the 20 Toro TH663i trucks included in the new order will feature AutoMine Fleet automation system.
The system enables the seamless management of a fleet of Sandvik underground loaders and trucks within the same production space, offering remote control and monitoring capabilities.
The service contract with Sandvik spans seven years, ensuring full aftermarket service for Almina.
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Iberia territory manager Enrique Mota said: “This cooperation represents a strong mutual trust among Almina, Cimertex and Sandvik, and strengthens more than 20 years of collaboration with our strategic partner and Portuguese distributor Cimertex.”
In a separate announcement, Sandvik has also announced an order from an undisclosed mining client in South East Asia for the delivery of Sandvik DD422i development drills, Sandvik DL432i longhole drills, a Sandvik DL422i longhole drill and Sandvik DS422i rock bolters.
Deliveries are expected to start in Q3 2024 and conclude by Q2 2025.
Last month, Sandvik Mining unveiled the electric Sandvik DR416iE, a rotary blasthole drill that extends the company's intelligent drilling range.
