Autonomy makes block cave mining safer

Newcrest Mining Ltd.'s Cadia East gold-copper-molybdenum mine in Australia is a bit safer with the integration of a remote operated MacLean water cannon into the fleet of automated equipment there.

Mining water cannons, essentially water hauling trucks with a high-pressure water jet, are used to blast out wedged rocks that get lodged in underground block cave mining drawpoints.

Block caving is a r...