Hindustan Zinc Limited (HZL) has deployed an advanced tele-remote drilling system at its Rajpura Dariba mine in Rajasthan, as part of its push toward digitally enabled and highly automated underground operations. The system allows engineers to operate drilling equipment remotely from the surface with real-time precision, improving safety and efficiency. Currently effective over a range of 600 metres, scalable up to 800 metres, the technology delivers drilling speeds of around 60 metres per hour.

Enabled by strong wireless connectivity, it ensures continuous drilling across shifts, improving utilization and efficiency, with an overall productivity gain of ~17 per cent.

This technology has already been successfully implemented at Hindustan Zinc’s world’s fourth most silver producing mine - Sindesar Khurd and Rampura Agucha Mine, where it has delivered strong results in improving safety, equipment utilization, and production efficiency.

A spokesperson for the company has stated that, going forward, it is set to introduce LiDAR-enabled drone-based stope scanning to elevate the accuracy of underground mine mapping and optimize extraction planning.