Mining contractor Macmahon, also a renowned Australian specialist in ground support installation methods, has partnered with Sandvik to improve safety and productivity in their cable bolting process. In an international industry first, the newly designed Sandvik DS422i cable bolter debuted at the Fosterville Gold Mine, 20 km from the city of Bendigo in Victoria.
The Sandvik DS422i is a rock support drill specialised for cement grouted cable bolt installation in underground mines and tunnels. Sandvik currently offers the DS422i with Silver Automation level which provides one hole automation, boom manipulator mode, hole angle measurement, automatic cement mixing and basic remote monitoring.
Macmahon Manager for Underground Services, Craig Norris, says that they value innovation and have welcomed the opportunity to work with Sandvik to develop this new technology. The new drill is currently delivering similar productivity results as the Sandvik DS421, during the test period, and it has greatly increased operator safety by removing the labour intensive elements of its predecessor.
“Previously we had to manually handle two tons of cement, three times a shift. The new Sandvik DS422i provides a safer and more efficient bulk cement storage. With the reduction in manual handling of the cement bags, operating is now much safer.”
Sandvik Technical Sales Representative, Rajah Ramachandran, paid credit to Macmahon’s commitment to adopting automated technologies to improve safety and efficiency in their operations.
The collaborative design with maintenance and operations teams has helped the Sandvik DS422i address concerns around safety and process control. The improved visibility and cabin ergonomics, along with the reduced noise and vibration levels, make the bolter a safer environment for operators. Craig Norris adds that the Sandvik DS422i truly is the future of cable bolting.
The Sandvik DS422i is built on the same platform as the award-winning Sandvik DD422i development drill and DL432i long hole drill, providing lower total cost of ownership through parts commonality, easy serviceability and high productivity.
As a testament to the new design, Macmahon has added a second DS422i drill to the Fosterville fleet.
