Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology has launched a new class of narrow size drills specifically aimed at the requirements of specialist mining companies as well as drill and blast contractors requiring safe, productive, mobile rigs for use in narrow vein and other confined areas.

The new 2711 class of drills are simple and safe to operate, with robust components, and provide an excellent performance to ownership cost ratio, according to the company.

The 2711 class drills have been developed to cater to the needs of certain mining and tunnelling operations.

Sandvik explained: “Selective mining methods and small tunnel developments have proved to be a good way to extract ore economically, and control the dilution when ore is distributed in narrow veins typically less than 2-3 m in width. Sandvik’s narrow size underground drills are thus designed specifically with the requirements of drilling narrow vein drifts and that of small tunnels projects in mind.”

The drills are also equipped with Sandvik’s Fleet Data Monitoring systems, enabling mines and tunnelling contractors to improve fleet performance and management.

The 2711 class is an ideal solution for specialist mines and drilling contractors looking for smarter control of ore dilution and increasing selective process in mining, according to Sandvik. The series consists of three drill types using a common platform covering different applications: namely development drilling DD2711, rock support bolting DS2711 and long hole production drilling DL2711 and DL2721.

The DD2711 (pictured) is a compact and flexible single boom electro-hydraulic jumbo for mining development and construction in small and medium size tunnels with a minimum cross section of 2.7 m x 2.7 m. The versatile boom delivers large coverage and fully automatic parallelism for fast and accurate face drilling, while 20 kW of drilling percussion power is provided through Sandvik’s HXL5 rock drill.

The rig is designed for underground hard-rock applications that require high capacity and reliability in development blast holes ranging from 3.7 m to 4.3 m in length.

The DS2711, meanwhile, is a one-man operated electro-hydraulic, fully mechanised bolter for rock reinforcement in underground hard-rock mines. The operator works from supported ground while protected under a FOPS-certified canopy structure. “Mechanisation of the bolting process ensures efficient, constant and durable rock bolts integrity,” Sandvik said.

The DS2711 provides “excellent” bolting performance to cost ratio for small and medium size tunnels with minimum cross section of 2.7 m (width) x 3 m (height), according to Sandvik.

“Designed with proven and reliable components, the DS2711 provides high reach, and is able to install all types of mechanised rock bolts ranging in length from 1.5 m to 2.4 m. It is in effect a small premium bolter, compact, mobile and designed for global needs.

The next addition to the range will happen in 2020 with Sandvik DL2711 & DL2721 long hole drills.

Sandvik concluded: “The new 2711 drill family provides, in one modular platform, accurate drilling with high performance, large coverage and drill capacity, with enhanced product safety and excellent mobility, tramming smoothly into small mining drifts and tunnels.

“The selected reliable components and simple electro-hydraulic systems are designed to be used in conjunction with Sandvik’s comprehensive range of underground drills, loaders and trucks, all being supported worldwide by the Sandvik network.”