With nearly four decades in the industry, DMC Mining Services possesses a wealth of experience in mining construction, development, excavation and engineering. We’ve been privileged to work with many incredibly talented and driven people that have helped us become the company we are. We’d like to celebrate some prominent and promising individuals who embody the DMC spirit of digging deep.

Let’s start with one of the deepest: Rob Mundy, a veteran of the industry and someone who continues to help make DMC great. His history goes back to when we were Dynatec, making him one of the original figures in the company. He’s now our Vice President of Raise Bore, and his leadership and dedication continue to inspire us.

The Early Days

Rob Mundy graduated from Queen’s University in 1985 with a Mining Engineering degree not long after a global recession had shaken the industry. According to Rob, “there was not a lot going on in mining.” Few classmates found permanent jobs in mining. Rob’s search led him to the Dynatec offices.

Rob’s career with Dynatec began as a labour contractor for the Williams gold mine near Marathon, Ontario. The next opportunity saw him move to Leaf Rapids in Manitoba, “a two hour drive on a dirt road north of Thompson.”

After five months at Leaf Rapids, Rob found his footing in the industry and at DMC, working at the Brunswick Mine in Bathurst, New Brunswick. Rob worked on everything from mine development, excavations, installation of conveyors and heavy equipment, to shaft deepening. Though he learned a little of everything in school, Rob stresses that “it’s never like the real thing” and that his two and a half years at Brunswick Mine provided plenty of valuable experience.

A turning point came in 1990 when Rob had an opportunity to do a Raise Bore project in Quebec. Since then, Rob became our go-to guy for Raise Bore, and has worked as area manager of Raise Bore on projects in Ireland, Turkey, Canada, the U.S. and Papua New Guinea.

The Changing Face of Mining

Rob notes that when he started, mining was still “rough and tumble”, but that it has evolved. In the earlier days, Rob notes that nobody questioned working for two months at a time, much different from the usual 3-4 week shift rotations common today. This is a welcome change, as Rob relates, “people want or need the time off, and there needs to be a balance.”

Raise Bore equipment has become more advanced, and while the process remains essentially unchanged, innovation remains possible by utilizing it alongside other methods, and changing how and why it’s used. The metallurgy of drill bits has changed, but the general technique has not, because “at the end of the day, you’re still going underground, which is still an unforgiving environment.” The single greatest difference is that the maximum possible diameter has increased from 12 feet in the late 1980s to 24 feet today.

Facing the Future

Rob believes one challenge that Raise Bore field faces is its specialization. While its applications can be utilized on any project, many clients overlook it at first. Recruiting new talent is also a challenge. The work is both specialized and irregular, so turnover means losing expertise. Fortunately, DMC has taken great care to retain its core crews together and busy, so their expertise remains within the company.

Rob notes there are many innovations continually improving the Raise Bore world. DMC is working on running its bore rigs with data loggers, with the end goal being able to offer clients better Raise Bore projects through automation, maximizing efficiency and speed. Data we gather will also help us develop valuable intellectual property. As Rob points out, “quicker is usually more attractive,” in the competitive world of mining, and enabling our machines to run autonomously will help maximize up-time and allow us to help clients hit targets sooner.

Having just celebrated his 35th anniversary with us, Rob Mundy remains a major asset. His career has enabled him to wear many hats across the organization – from operations and safety to purchasing, planning and estimating – he’s come a long way from working underground at remote mines. What motivates Rob? He loves the challenge, feels at home at DMC, and believes that our reputation is peerless. He says the variety of expertise, diligence, competence and strong safety culture that makes him proud to be part of DMC also inspires clients to keep working with us. As with Rob’s career, a small opportunity can grow into a successful long-term partnership.