Five-year technology development program to pilot autonomous and remotely operated mining solutions at El Teniente mine.
Normet and Codelco, one of the world's largest copper producers, have entered into a five-year technology development program to advance autonomous and remotely operated underground mining technologies. The collaboration will focus on developing safer, more productive mining processes through technology pilots at Codelco's El Teniente mine in Chile.
Codelco and Normet Partner to Accelerate Autonomous Underground Mining Technologies
The program will concentrate on three key development areas: autonomous concrete transport and spraying solution, remotely operated scaling, and autonomous stationary breaker operations. The technologies aim to remove personnel from hazardous underground environments while improving operational performance and process continuity.
As mines continue to expand deeper underground and access increasingly challenging ore bodies, they face growing challenges from seismic activity, rising temperatures and demanding ground conditions.
“Through this collaboration, we are addressing some of the industry's most critical challenges, including safety and operational efficiency. The technologies being developed have the potential to transform how mining processes are carried out in demanding underground conditions,” said Gonzalo Ramírez, Corporate Innovation Director of Codelco.
The first pilot will focus on autonomous concrete spraying and transport solution, utilizing advanced perception systems, environment mapping, onboard artificial intelligence, connectivity solutions, and data-driven decision-making solutions to enable increasingly autonomous operation. The second pilot will develop remotely operated scaling capabilities using advanced mapping and extended reality technologies. The third pilot will focus on autonomous stationary breaker operations designed to support uninterrupted rock flow in challenging production environments.
Development activities related to the pilots will be carried out at Normet's recently opened Technology Center in Pirkkala, which serves as a hub for autonomy, robotics, software development and digital technologies for the mining industry. The center was established to accelerate the development, testing and deployment of advanced mining technologies.
“This collaboration with Codelco represents an important step forward in developing the next generation of underground mining processes,” said Ed Santamaria, President and CEO of Normet. “As mining operations move deeper and conditions become increasingly complex, automation and remote operation are essential to improving safety and productivity. Normet brings not only advanced technology, but also deep expertise in the underground processes being transformed. Together, we aim to remove people from hazardous areas while improving productivity and process continuity in demanding production environments.”
The technologies developed through the program will be piloted in production conditions at El Teniente, helping to establish future operating models for safer and more autonomous underground mining.
About Codelco
Codelco is one of the world's largest copper producers and a global leader in underground mining. The company operates major mining divisions throughout Chile, including El Teniente, the world's largest underground copper mine. Owned by the State of Chile, the company is committed to advancing safe, sustainable and innovative mining practices that support the supply of critical minerals for the future. In 2025, Codelco generated revenues of US$19.6 billion and employed approximately 16,000 in-house workers across its operations, in addition to nearly 60,000 contractors.
About Normet
Normet is a globally leading technology company defining the future of underground operations in mining, tunneling, and civil engineering. Normet provides deep expertise and innovative solutions and services for sprayed concrete and concrete transportation, explosives charging, breaking and scaling, as well as general transport and logistics underground. Normet creates outstanding customer value in the toughest environments. Headquartered in Finland, Normet employs 2,000 professionals in over 30 countries worldwide. Normet Group’s net sales totaled EUR 471 million in 2025. www.normet.com