Discover Hybrid Impact Technology (HIT)
Hydraulic DTH for faster, cleaner production drilling – drill more meters, use less fuel, lower total drilling cost.
At a glance:
- HIT will power the world’s first production hydraulic DTH hammers for open-pit mining.
- Step-change in drilling performance compared to modern rotary solutions, with associated reductions in fuel consumption and total drilling costs.
- Strategic collaboration with Epiroc to enable and deliver this change and drive down carbon emissions from drilling.
Shannon, Ireland, 11 September 2025 – For decades, large-diameter blasthole drilling has relied on rotary tools or pneumatic DTH systems. Both approaches suffer significant energy losses between the power source and the rock face – especially when seeking higher penetration rates.
Mincon’s Hybrid Impact Technology™ (HIT) replaces compressed air with hydraulic energy, transferring power to the bit more directly with reduced energy loss. The result is a proven combination of higher penetration rates through dramatically improved energy efficiency and significantly decreased fuel usage, which together reduce total drilling cost (TDC).
HIT is the culmination of R&D dating back to 2013 and builds on Mincon’s pioneering work in developing high-efficiency air-powered rock drilling solutions for mining, construction, and renewable energy. That extensive expertise, combined with Mincon’s innovative spirit, helped to refine and develop this patented new hydraulic DTH technology during field testing in demanding conditions, from Australia to Arizona.
Proven performance and lower emissions
In extensive mine testing, drilling 10⅝” (270 mm) hole size on an adapted Epiroc PV271 drill rig, at an Arizona copper mine, a HIT-powered system demonstrated significant increases in drilling speed and reductions in fuel usage per foot drilled compared to the mine’s current rotary drilling method. These speed gains and fuel savings combined to significantly reduce the total drilling cost (TDC) of drilling operations, along with a corresponding reduction in CO2 emissions, supporting decarbonisation goals without compromising production.
Built for single-pass production drilling
HIT is engineered for single-pass production mining using modern rotary platforms. By delivering more metres per rig with less fuel, mines can achieve required output with fewer rigs and operators, lowering on-site emissions and capital employed, while maintaining or improving productivity.
Epiroc collaboration: scaling HIT to the industry
Under a three-year exclusive collaboration, Mincon and Epiroc will be integrating Hybrid Impact Technology™ on Epiroc’s rotary blasthole drill rigs. Mincon’s hydraulic DTH expertise and Epiroc’s market-leading Pit Viper single-pass drill rigs will bring this technology into everyday production across global sites.
“HIT has been designed to deliver a step change in drilling performance for the mining industry. The long-term future demand for mined minerals, along with global decarbonization goals, will require systems that offer much higher productivity while lowering carbon emissions. We’re incredibly proud to bring this technology, in collaboration with Epiroc, to the mining market as a showcase of our innovation and collective capabilities.” – Joe Purcell, CEO, Mincon Group
“Epiroc is excited to embark on this long-term collaboration journey with Mincon and combine our advanced drilling technologies to raise the efficiency and performance in the large blasthole drilling activities of our customers and set a new standard in the industry. We are proud to be able to support the mining industry with a new, next level, sustainable drilling solution that will support the mining industry to reach their environmental goals.” – Martin Hjerpe, President, Epiroc Tools Division
