In March and April of 2019, the technical teams of UNEXMIN travelled to Portugal for the third trial at the Urgeiriça uranium mine. The mine, which reaches a maximum depth of 450m, provided an ideal testing ground for the robot and its equipment, which had to endure harsh conditions including high water pressure and acidic water. During the interim between the field trials, the UX-1a and UX-1b robots were significantly enhanced at INESC TEC’s facilities in Porto.

The Urgeiriça mine played a crucial role in history, having been used for the exploitation of uranium and radium ores from 1913 to 1995.

See the following YouTube video about the mission: