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Ces sociétés, soit Agnico-Eagle, AREVA, Barrick Gold, CAMECO, IAMGOLD, KGHM, Vale et Rio Tinto, de concert avec Hydro-Québec, la Société de recherche et développement minier (SOREDEM) et CanmetMINES, participent à une initiative de recherche coopérative dont les travaux visent à élaborer une boîte à outils de techniques de rupture du roc sans explosif.
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In spite of those limitations, possible breakthroughs in this technology have garnered serious interest by mining companies, who have already funded a number of large-scale EFRB projects. There are strategic drivers within the industry, such as an operational shift from open pit to underground mining, faster accessibility to orebodies and reduction in development costs, which are currently making EFRB an option that is being reconsidered by eight mining companies: Agnico-Eagle, AREVA, Barrick Gold, CAMECO, IAMGOLD, KGHM, Vale and Rio Tinto. They, along with Hydro-Quebec, the Societé de Recherche et Développement Minier (SOREDEM) and CanmetMINING are participating in a cooperative initiative to develop a toolbox of non-explosive rock breaking technologies that would be available for underground development at significantly higher advance rates than, but at cost of the same order of magnitude as, drill-and-blast. Ultimately, a matrix of technologies versus best applications would also be produced. In particular, the initiative will evaluate the field performance of selected technologies, compare selected technologies to drill-and-blast extraction performance through cost benefit analyses and identify potential equipment that would carry the selected technologies.
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