Barrick Gold Corporation

Client: Barrick Gold Corporation

‍Presenter: Patricia Frisch, Head of Mineral Resource Management

‍Event: Exploration Symposium 2024

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“Every metric you could measure was improved. We didn’t need more drillers—we just needed better coordination and data.”— Patricia Frisch, Barrick Gold Corporation
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Challenge

Barrick faced significant challenges at a remote site - their data was inconsistent and time consuming to manage. With four contractors, 28 rigs, inconsistent reporting, and harsh weather delays, managing data was time-consuming and complex.

• High variability in F1 reconciliation
• Gaps in drill density affecting orebody confidence
• A tight two-year timeline to complete a 125,000-meter drill program
• Multiple contractors (4 companies, 28 rigs) with inconsistent reporting
• Harsh weather conditions and logistical delays 

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Solution‍

Barrick implemented Krux across all site contractors and began collecting normalized drilling data in real time. They used Krux to:

• Digitize and standardize drilling activity logs
• Tie contractor payments to drilling metrics
• Analyze standby time, downtime, and productivity
• Identify and resolve inefficiencies in blast sequencing, rig setup, and water delivery

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Results

• Standby time reduced from 66% to 46%
• Downtime dropped from 9.5% to 6.1%
• Improved contractor accountability and billing accuracy
• More meters drilled without adding rigs
• Enabled a life-of-mine expansion based on improved orebody confidence
• Penetration rate data used to validate geological models and fault zones

Barrick also used penetration rate data from Krux to:

• Identify fault zones and silicified zones
• Validate geological models in Leapfrog
• Improve real-time decision-making in the field

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Watch Patricia present the full case study in the video below.

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