Robots to the rescue in Colombia

Colombian gold mining company Operadora Minera is using Husqvarna demolition robots to help haul 3.5 t of gold out of tunnels in a remote part of the country every year.

The company contacted Husqvarna when it was looking for a solution to increase worker safety and alleviate the stress on employees’ bodies in a hot and humid environment, as well as increasing productivity.

According to Husqvarna, demolition robots can execute the manual digging and hauling tasks the workers were performing, moving the workers away from hazardous areas.

The robot’s compact size enables it to be used in tight spaces, while its steel track helps the machine move over sharp rocks and withstand the heat and humidity. Operadora Minera also benefitted from the availability of a range of attachments.

The current project came about when Operador Minera’s Gómez Merchán contacted Gonzalo Becerra, co-owner of DiamantBec in Bogotá, to try out a Husqvarna DXR 270 demolition robot.

After putting the robot through a rigorous test in the mine, he and his team ultimately decided on it as the robot for the job.

By the end of a week’s training with the DXR, operators were accomplishing in two hours what it took the three-man team to manually load during a 12 hour-shift.