Precision drilling and operational discipline are essential at the low-grade, high-tonnage Masbate Gold Project, one of the largest operating surface mines in the Philippines.
Every meter matters at the Masbate Gold Project. Located on a remote island 350 kilometers southeast of Manila, the mine has built a reputation for delivering gold safely, sustainably, and efficiently.
Filminera Resources Corporation (FRC) is responsible for mining the mature epithermal deposit while B2Gold Corporation subsidiary Phil. Gold Processing & Refining Corp. (PGPRC) handles processing.
PGPRC is projected to process around 8 million metric tons of ore during 2025, blending fresh and stockpiled ore in the flexible plant to produce between 170,000 and 190,000 gold ounces. The mine’s daily tonnage ranges between 90,000 and 105,000 tons, and with an average gold grade of 0.9 grams per ton, every ton counts.
“You can imagine it’s a lot of dirt,” said Patrick Mkonyi, Assistant Vice President Technical Services of FRC. “Our success hinges on mine-to-mill discipline. We need clean drilling and blasting, minimal dilution, reliable equipment and process stability to keep tons and recovery where they need to be. Our focus is sustained productivity on variable ore sources while maintaining safety excellence and cost discipline.”
Disciplined, efficient production is paramount. That starts with drilling precision and reliability.
“It’s foundational to our success,” Mkonyi said. “Good drilling underpins everything we measure daily. If we miss a bit on the drilling, then the downstream side will run dry just like a river. It dictates blast outcome, which determines fragmentation, diggability, crusher throughput and, ultimately, cost per ton. If drilling isn’t right, nothing else works.”
In 2012, FRC took delivery of its first four Pantera™ DP1500i surface drill rigs from Sandvik. The rigs impressed in Masbate’s demanding conditions, standing out for their balance of power, intelligence and serviceability.
Thereafter, in 2017, FRC decided to self-operate the mines, instead of relying on a service contractor, it again purchased four new Pantera™ DP1500i rigs to replace the original four.
“We matched bench geometry, hole size range and desired penetration rates against haul-road constraints and maintainability,” Mkonyi said. “Pantera™ DP1500i hit the sweet spot. Power-to-weight ratio, automation options and cost per meter all aligned perfectly for our benches and rock mass.”
Designed for a wide hole range of 89 to 152 millimeters, Pantera™ DP1500i is a versatile top-hammer rig suited to high-capacity production drilling. Intelligent control systems and automated rod handling streamline the drilling cycle.
“The operator-friendly cab layout, intuitive controls and fast setup meant quick learning curves and high early utilization,” Mkonyi said. “Over time, the rigs have continued to meet or exceed expectations for penetration, accuracy and availability.”
Masbate measures the drills’ performance in meters per shift, hole deviation, utilization and cost per meter. Across all those KPIs, the fleet of Pantera™ DP1500i rigs deliver.
“We’ve seen stable penetration rates, repeatable hole quality and steady availability that aligns with our production plan,” Mkonyi said.
Sandvik delivered FRC’s 15th and 16th Pantera™ DP1500i units in 2024, the final additions to the fleet before open-pit mining is scheduled to conclude.
“They’re performing really well,” said Nikko Vanell Dolino, FRC’s Chief Mining Engineer. “They’re very reliable and they have aligned with our goals, especially with cost savings and production targets.”
Sandvik’s local support team in the Philippines plays a key role in sustaining that performance. Through regular site visits, technical guidance and proactive parts logistics, Sandvik ensures the rigs stay productive.
“Depth of local expertise is one of Sandvik’s greatest strengths,” Mkonyi said. “Their technicians are on the ground, helping with condition-based maintenance, operator coaching and parts management. That partnership gives us confidence to meet our targets every month.”
In Masbate’s tropical and logistically remote environment, equipment reliability is vital.
“Access to service points is good, planned maintenance windows are short and predictable and the Pantera™ DP1500i’s design makes daily inspections straightforward,” Mkonyi said. “With genuine Sandvik parts and consumables, we’ve extended component life and stabilized cost per meter.”
Over time, FRC’s fleet of Pantera™ DP1500i rigs has grown steadily, a clear vote of confidence in both the equipment and the partnership behind it.
“Uptime, hole quality and responsive local support are the reasons we’ve stayed with Sandvik,” Mkonyi said. “Their commitment to performance transparency and fast feedback loops matches our own culture.”
While FRC’s open-pit operations evolve in response to market conditions, its legacy is already defined as a safe, responsible operation that has sustained thousands of jobs and delivered consistent output. From the first four Pantera™ DP1500i rigs in 2012 to the latest deliveries in 2024, one thing has remained constant: consistent performance, locally supported — the hallmark of Sandvik’s relationship with the Masbate Gold Project operation.
