Q: What recent innovations or strategic projects demonstrate the company's approach as a solutions provider?

AC: Our core business remains raise boring, but we differentiate ourselves as a true solutions provider. We have a dedicated Digital Solutions division that deploys anti-collision systems and personnel-tracking technology. The acquisition of A&R,  a company with over 40 years of experience,  has significantly strengthened this area. Globally, we currently track around 60,000 people and nearly 1,000 of heavy equipment every day.

Our third pillar is Research and Development (R&D). This division adapts machinery and engineering processes to meet very specific client requirements.

GS: A perfect example is our new shaft boring system (SBS), which recently completed a highly successful first trial in South Africa, exceeding all key performance indicators. We are now developing the next-generation machine with a larger diameter. We have also launched a new mobile tunnel boring machine project in South Africa that will excavate a reef drive over 1 km long at the Bokoni mine.

Another breakthrough is the reef borer we designed for a thin, 22-degree inclined mineralized zone. The machine is only 0.6 m high and 3.2 m wide, drills upward, and uses AI-guided cameras to follow the ore body precisely, achieving 100 % extraction with zero dilution. After the drive is completed and backfilled, we return to remove the pillars. For mines battling dilution, this technology is a game-changer. These examples show that when a mining company faces a unique challenge, they just need to talk to us – we will co-engineer a fit-for-purpose solution..

Q: How does Master Drilling develop customized solutions, and what role do long-term client relationships play in your R&D process?

GS: Everything starts with the relationships we have built over decades. We sit down with clients, listen to their pain points, and work together on solutions. Some developments take up to seven years from concept to deployment. Unlike traditional OEMs that sell standardized equipment, we design and build machines exclusively for one client’s geology and operating conditions.

AC: Once clients see what we have achieved for others, they become much more open. They start sharing ideas they have carried for years: “We have this very special case, can you analyze if it is possible?” And that is exactly how our mining-specific tunnel boring machine was born. We took a construction-industry TBM and completely re-engineered it for the harsher demands of underground mining. 

Q: What are the primary benefits of Master Drilling's Digital Solutions portfolio, and how do you manage the infrastructure and human challenges of implementing this technology?

AC: Safety is the number one benefit. Most fatal accidents underground involve vehicle-to-vehicle or vehicle-to-person collisions. Our anti-collision systems are designed to prevent those incidents. The second benefit is productivity; real-time tracking of people and equipment enables faster, data-driven decisions.

Implementation requires care, especially in Mexico, where strong unions are present. Announcing “efficiency improvements” too early can raise privacy concerns. We always lead with safety and the promise of higher year-end profit sharing; that shifts the mindset positively.

We offer scalable options: On one side A&R Level 9 system can automatically stop a vehicle, while Konec – an AI solution for mining heavy equipment recently acquired in Chile – is a Level 8 system that alerts the driver for a possible collision but leaves the final decision to the operator to stop or continue. Clients choose according to their needs and budget.

GS: Many mines lack the underground internet infrastructure required for full automation. The A&R system works even without full Wi-Fi coverage, whereas surface-controlled automation does need robust connectivity,  a current limiting factor that we always consider when proposing solutions.

Q: How has demand for Master Drilling services varied since the slowdown of mining activity in Mexico?

AC: New mine approvals are extremely limited by regulation at the moment. In consequence, capital sales are difficult, so the market has shifted toward servicing its existing equipment. Now, we have added the service of repairing, rebuilding, and upgrading clients’ raise-boring machines in our Torreon shop, incorporating all the improvements developed for our own fleet. Turnaround time is typically between one to three months, depending on the complexity, and we also provide training and operational support for it. 

GS: Clients increasingly involve us from the planning stage. We jointly analyze geotechnical and hydrological data and recommend the optimum excavation method – sometimes consolidating rock first or switching techniques entirely. Modern directional drilling technology now delivers 100 % vertical shafts that stay open for 10–20 years and can be fully equipped without issues.

Q: How do you currently measure the success of Master Drilling's operations in Mexico?

AC: A very good KPI for our success is that clients are seeking us out again after a tough couple of years, because we have resumed our world-class safety and operating standards.

On the other hand, we have the strong backing and confidence of the global group, while recovering and growing the business is key. Mexico is currently between the fourth and fifth-largest revenue contributor worldwide for the company; our goal is to reach the second or third position. We can already call 2025 a very good year because we have met our safety, operational, and financial KPI’s meanwhile the 2026 looks better at the moment. 

GS: This year, we celebrate 20 years of operations in Mexico. Success for us means delivering safe, efficient, and cost-effective solutions in genuine partnership with our clients.

Q: What projects are the most challenging and promising for Master Drilling in the near future? 

AC: We are in advanced talks for large-diameter underground dewatering wells at 700–800 m depth. These are complex, high-value projects that would be a major milestone for us in Mexico.

GS: Very few companies worldwide can drill large-diameter dewatering wells underground. Surface drilling is increasingly restricted by permitting issues, so our compact underground rig solution is unique and positions us perfectly for this growing demand.

Master Drilling is a South Africa-based drilling solutions provider for the mining and civil industries, specializing in raise boring activities. The company offers specialized services, including shaft lining, advanced anti-collision, tracking, and data monitoring solutions.