Rio Tinto expands Mine of the Future™ programme with new technologies in underground tunnelling and mineral recovery.

Rio Tinto is pushing ahead with its industry-leading Mine of the FutureTM programme, with plans for the development and testing of new technologies in underground tunnelling and mineral recovery.

Rio Tinto head of Innovation John McGagh said "Rio Tinto is head and shoulders above the rest of the industry in our technology and innovation programmes.

Mine of the FutureTM is becoming a reality today, with full-scale rollout of automation of mine equipment and large-scale tests of tunnelling, mineral recovery and exploration technologies.

Being ahead of the pack gives Rio Tinto a competitive edge in the global mining landscape by generating more efficient and cost-competitive methods of finding, extracting and processing mineral resources and providing new, engaging and diverse employment opportunities."