Atlas Copco has received one of its largest orders ever in South Africa, to deliver Pit Viper 351 blasthole drilling rigs for a value of around SEK250 million to Kumba Iron Ore, a unit of Anglo American. The equipment will be supplied to the Sishen mine in Kathu, northwest South Africa. The units are scheduled to be delivered from July 2012, and the last unit should be introduced into productivity in March 2013.

Atlas Copco was recently identified by Anglo American as one of two preferred suppliers of surface drills with a drill diameter bigger than 165 mm. Sishen, one of the seven largest open-pit mines in the world, already has an existing fleet of ten Pit Viper 351s.

“We are proud to have been chosen as a strategic long-term partner to Anglo American and we look forward to building the relationship further in the future,” says Bob Fassl, Business Area President, Atlas Copco Mining and Rock Excavation Technique. “The Pit Viper 351 has a good reputation among our customers and we see great interest in this product from mining companies around the world.”