About us

Claude MacDonald, visionary and driller by profession hailing from Malartic, Quebec, establishes CMAC Long Hole Drilling in 1995, a three-employee drilling company with, as sole client, Agnico-Eagle’s La Ronde division.

In order to meet the specific needs of the region’s narrow vein mines, CMAC – in collaboration with Agnico-Eagle Mines – invests heavily into research and development to design, develop, and commercialize drilling equipment tailored for the operational challenges that are unique to this type of deposit. A manufacturing division is created, its products tested within Agnico-Eagle’s various mines and the range of services offered by CMAC expands into both drilling and mining development.

As a result of the company’s focus on research and development the prototype of the CMAC 2001 drill is released. Versatile, robust, powerful, and featuring a unique positioning table allowing for a wider drilling radius, the new modular drill is able to be dismantled easily for use in captive mining sites.

With the purpose of offering integrated services to mining companies, CMAC completes the acquisition of Talpa, a regional mining contractor, and CMAC Mining Contractor is born. After further research and development CMAC releases the Tamrock Solo CMAC LH drill.

As the reputation of CMAC’s products and services grows in Quebec, CMAC begins exporting its knowledge and expertise overseas and CMAC’s Africa Mining division is created in Tanzania.

Thyssen’s unique expertise allows them to construct shafts using their overburden freezing technology. In collaboration with CMAC, Thyssen designs and constructs the ventilation shaft for a mining project in the province of Quebec.

After collaborating successfully for a joint construction project an official partnership is announced: CMAC-THYSSEN is born!

CMAC designs and develops the CMAC Drilling Platform. Safe and effective, this platform revolutionizes ore pass enlargement work, securing CMAC’s position as a key player in the field of mining development.

Strengthened since its inception by its many collaborations, CMAC firmly believes that sharing expertise and knowledge is the best way to overcome our limitations and attain our common goals. CMAC continues to focus on long term and equitable business relationships while branching out with new products and collaborations.

Our partnership with Sarliaq for the Nunavut project was leveraged to facilitate recruitment efforts and train the local workforce and has since served as a template in other communities to make the mining profession more accessible on a wider scale, leading to agreements with Youdin, Avataa, Qillaq and Miyuu Kaa.

The agreement with the Orbit Garant exploration company led to the use of CMAC’s transporter with PDD and HDD drills in the diamond drilling sector.

In collaboration with a manufacturer a new type of elevator was created by adapting the Fraco technology for the mining industry.

A collaboration with a mining equipment supplier for the design of the SPLH drill, a hydraulic and electrical drill moved with a diesel transporter that is used for long hole drilling, production drilling, and for the installation of ground support in underground mines.

A partnership with Maxem to expand into the African market.

The merger of CMAC Long Hole Drilling and CMAC Mining Contractor leads to the creation of CMAC-Thyssen Mining Group. The newly-formed group completes its first contract in Morocco for the rehabilitation of an ore pass.

CMAC-Thyssen Mining Group adapts a technology used in the demolition of concrete structures and, in collaboration with RNP, designs the DHS, a zero-gravity drill manipulator arm that completely eliminates the risk factors associated with tool vibrations in manual drilling operations.

Through the business relationships created in Morocco in 2012, CMAC is awarded the contracts for mining work on the Draa Sfar and CMT sites. This agreement allows CMAC-Thyssen to train tens of local workers in mechanized mining operations to complete two shaft contracts.

CMAC-Thyssen builds its new head office on the outskirts of Val d’Or, uniting its many departments in a single location; open spaces, areas for collaborating, communicating, and sharing ideas with the goal of creating a healthy and harmonious work environment where each and all can grow and realize their full potential. The CMAC team combines its forces and prepares for the future!

Shaft sinking for a project in Morocco with a new manufacturing product, the CMAC GSD, a remote-controlled ground drilling system designed to transport its own control systems and support booms while eliminating risk factors associated with the handling of vibrating tools.

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Our projects may be on hold but our expertise never rests! We channel our efforts, energy, and imagination to adapt to the new global situation in order to come out stronger, more solid than ever before, and ready to bounce back; the future can’t wait!

1995-2025