According to Hexagon, BMT's blast movement measurement technologies complement its drill and blast solutions with accurate ore location information, enabling customers to extract greater profit from every blast. Its technology is designed to enable accurate delineation of ore boundaries after blasting in open cut mining.

"This is great news for Hexagon customers," said Nick Hare, COO of Hexagon's mining division. "The Blast Movement Technologies system is the only one of its type and generates significant profits for customers in every blast at over 120 open pit mines globally. The company is rapidly growing and is becoming standard best practice for open cut mining operations. It will be a highly valuable and complementary addition to our suite of pit-to-plant digital solutions."

The ability to accurately track blast movement is a huge benefit for mines striving to be smarter and more sustainable. Blasting is a highly variable process and movement of the ore during blasting can cost mines millions of dollars in lost revenue per year from ore loss, where valuable ore is sent to the waste pile, and dilution, where waste is sent to the mill.

Through a combination of sensors and software, BMT's solution provides customers with accurate blast information that is used to recover all of a mine's resources, allowing the valuable ore to be sent to the mill, avoiding dilution and misclassification.

The solution collects data from blast movement sensors, which move with the blasted material. Software is used to transform the data into actionable insights - from the post-blast location of ore to the outputs of more precise dig lines based on the measured movement.

"Controlling ore loss and dilution is critical for mining operations, particularly when profit margins are tight during commodity down-cycles," said Ola Rollén, president and CEO of Hexagon. "Today's acquisition of BMT is a powerful addition to our Smart Mine portfolio, further closing the drill and blast loop for our customers, and ultimately, improving their ability to measure, manage and improve mining operations from pit to plant."

Lyle Bruce, chairman of Blast Movement Technologies since 2015 when it was acquired by RCF Jolimont, where he is a partner, commented: "We are delighted the business is joining the Hexagon family and look forward to an even more productive future serving the mining industry."

Hare added: "The acquisition aligns perfectly with our vision of driving sustainability through efficiency gains, increased safety, improved productivity and less waste."

With offices worldwide, Brisbane, Australia-based BMT counts more than 100 customer sites mining nine commodities in nearly 40 countries. BMT will be fully consolidated as of today, operating within the mining unit of Hexagon's Geosystems division. The business will continue to be run by Jacques Janse, CEO of Blast Movement Technologies. BMT's 2019 sales amounted to €19 million (US$21.1 million).