Tag Archives: battery-electric equipment

Barminco acquires two battery-electric Integrated Tool Carriers from BME

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As part of its commitment to investigate opportunities to accelerate decarbonisation, Barminco has invested in two battery-electric Volvo L120H Integrated Tool Carriers from Batt Mobile Equipment (BME), with the mining services provider set to deploy the machines later this month at IGO Ltd’s Nova and Cosmos mine sites in Western Australia.

The machines were provided by New South Wales-based BME, which has developed this battery-electric retrofit platform on the back of the TRITEV project, an initiative developed under Project EVmine with the help of METS Ignited.

The BME220 is a 20 t Integrated Tool Carrier battery-electric retrofit system that replaces diesel components in favour of an electric motor and battery pack. The resulting machine eliminates emissions, handles well, and maintains the same weight and capacity, according to Barminco. New South Wales-based 3ME provides BME with the Electric Vehicle Engine packages for these vehicles.

BME estimates its generation 3 machines will save over 81 t of carbon dioxide equivalent per year, when compared with the diesel equivalent.

The BME220s form part of Barminco’s electric vehicle trials that are taking place in partnership with IGO over the following six months.

Vale, Epiroc planning for automation shift with battery-electric loaders at Creighton

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The industry has been told continuously that there are plenty of synergies between automation and electrification when it comes to loading and haulage, yet the hard evidence of this complementary nature has not yet surfaced. That could be about to change if a trial at Vale’s Creighton mine in Sudbury, Ontario, proves successful.

Vale has been a key electrification partner for mining OEMs and service providers, testing out a whole host of battery-electric equipment from light utility vehicles to 42-t-payload trucks at its deep mines in Sudbury. This builds on its experience of running diesel-electric Kiruna trucks since the mid-1990s at the Coleman mine (also in Sudbury).

The miner has also commenced trials on surface with battery-electric trucks and is set to commence trolley assist operations at its massive Carajas iron ore mining complex in Minas Gerais, Brazil, later this year.

The variety of testing the company has carried out – in terms of the types of mining operations, vehicle setups, charging methods and electrical infrastructure – means it can be considered an electrification pioneer.

Now, it is looking to combine this experience with its knowledge of autonomous loading operations – again an area of the technology space it is considered a leader in.

In partnership with Epiroc, a battery-electric and automation project is in the planning stages at Vale’s Creighton underground mine.

The two companies commissioned four Epiroc ST14 Battery Scooptram and two MT42 Battery trucks at the operation in preparation for the deepening of the mine in the December quarter of 2022. Full-scale operation is ramping up with a first charging bay already commissioned and new ones coming in the next months, a Vale spokesperson told IM.

“The next steps will be to leverage the autonomous capability of those battery-electric scoops to enable operations between shifts depending on the application at the mine,” the spokesperson said.

Vale has previously said it will transition to an all-electric fleet at Creighton as part of its plans to develop the orebody down to circa-3km below surface.

Sandvik to establish new production unit in Malaysia on underground LHD, truck demand

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Sandvik is establishing a new production unit in Malaysia for manufacturing underground loaders and trucks in an effort to answer growing demand for its battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), the company says.

Equipment production is planned to begin in the December quarter of 2023 following factory upgrades and other site improvements.

While the new production unit within Sandvik Mining and Rock Solution’s primary focus will be BEVs, it will also manufacture conventional loaders and trucks as well as battery cages. Annual manufacturing capacity is planned to increase gradually to 300 loaders and trucks and 500 battery cages by 2030.

The new facility in the 445-ha Sendayan TechValley business park, 70 kilometers south of Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur and 15 km west of state capital Seremban. The factory is 90 km southeast of Port Klang, Malaysia’s largest seaport and one of the busiest container terminals in the world.

Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solution, said: “Malaysia is among the most technologically developed countries in Southeast Asia and has abundant skilled labour, strong local industrial suppliers and reliable infrastructure. Our mining customers in Asia Pacific will enjoy shorter lead times for equipment manufactured to the same Sandvik standards for quality and safety.”

The new factory will span more than 8,000 m and include 15 versatile assembly bays. It will support the manufacture of all Sandvik load and haul equipment models and is independent of existing supplier chains, the company explained. Production ramp-up will begin later this year with Toro™ LH517i loaders followed by Toro™ LH518iB, Sandvik’s newly-announced automation-ready battery-electric loader, in the June quarter of 2024.

Patricio Apablaza, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ Load and Haul division, added: “Demand for our loaders and trucks is exceeding our current production capacity at our existing factories. The establishment of our new production unit in Malaysia will enable flexible manufacturing of both conventional diesel and battery-electric mining equipment.”

Zinnwald Lithium and Epiroc to collaborate on low-emission mining operation

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Zinnwald Lithium, the Germany-focused lithium development company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Epiroc Rock Drills AB to, it says, collaborate in the development of a state-of-the-art mine at its 100%-owned Zinnwald lithium project.

Under the terms of the non-binding MoU, Zinnwald Lithium and Epiroc will develop plans to implement high-end technology and deliver a low-cost mining operation focused on minimising CO2 emissions, the London-listed company said.

With an approved mining licence, the project is designed to be a long-life underground lithium mine with associated processing facilities, enabling the company to become an important local supplier of battery-grade lithium hydroxide to the European battery sector, it added.

In an interview with IM in September, Zinnwald Lithium CEO, Anton du Plessis, mentioned that electric LHDs could be used to load and haul ore to an ore pass at the mining operation. He said the cost estimates to use such equipment – which are factored into the project’s $336.5 million initial construction capital expenditure bill – had come from Epiroc.

“The base case is battery-operated loaders,” he told IM at the time. “The final selection will be based on an optimisation study where, in particular, partly trolley-fed haulage systems will be investigated.”

du Plessis added in the latest press release on the MoU: “Our vision is to build a world-leading, highly economic mine that adheres to the highest environmental standards; attracting Epiroc as a partner, which shares this ethos and brings with it considerable experience and technology, is a further step towards achieving this goal. By optimising mine design and material flow for electrification and automation, our joint focus is on fossil-free exploration and mining, sustainability and circular economy, including the use of battery-operated underground mining equipment as well as loading and haulage machinery. We look forward to providing updates as our plans advance.”

The Zinnwald project includes an underground mine with a nominal output of approximately 880,000 t/y of ore at an estimated 3,004 ppm Li and 75,000 t/y of barren rock. Processing, including mechanical separation, lithium activation and lithium fabrication, will be carried out at an industrial facility near the village of Bärenstein, near the existing underground mine access and an existing site for tailings deposition with significant remaining capacity.

With a 7-km partly-existing network of underground drives and adits from the ‘Zinnerz Altenberg’ tin mine, which closed in 1991, already mapped out, the bulk of ore haulage is expected to be via either conveyor or rail.

The nominal output capacity of the project is targeted at circa-12,000 t/y LiOH with circa-56,900 t/y of SOP, 16,000 t/y of PCC, circa-75,000 t/y of granite and 100,000 t/y of sand as by-products.

LDO Group’s Rokion battery-electric light vehicle refocus starts to pay off

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LDO Group is making serious headway in deploying Rokion’s ground-up-design electric light vehicles across Australia, with the New South Wales-based distributor hoping to have three machine trials in place before the end of the year.

LDO is focused on the underground mining and tunnelling industries, specialising in systems, processes, mine planning and training. It has been the exclusive distributor of Canada-made Rokion battery-powered vehicles in Australasia since 2018, having deployed vehicles across the soft- and hard-rock space.

The latest Rokion deployment LDO Group is celebrating is at Agnico Eagle Mines’ Fosterville gold operation in Victoria where a Rokion R400 was recently shown off alongside a Sandvik LH518B at a launch ceremony at the gold operation.

Alan Ross, General Manager of LDO Group, said the R400 vehicle – a platform able to accommodate three passengers in a utility vehicle setup or up to 12 in a passenger crew variant – has been deployed as part of a six-month trial at the operation.

“They (the Fosterville team) plan to use this in a people carrier configuration,” Ross told IM. “It will transport people to and from the operation.”

Considering the ramp-supported Fosterville operation goes below 800-m depth, this will present a good test for the R400’s re-generation capacity and uphill performance.

Rokion says the vehicle, which has 100 kWh of battery capacity, was engineered for the demands of underground mining and is its most adaptive platform design, capable of transporting a large crew in mine applications. Like all Rokion vehicles, it incorporates lithium iron phosphate battery chemistry, which, the company says, is the safest battery chemistry currently available.

The vehicle heading underground at Fosterville was previously deployed at a coal mining operation in Queensland, yet Ross says LDO Group is now re-focusing its efforts on the hard-rock mining space.

This has already seen the company partner with Newmont on an R400 deployment at its Tanami underground operation in the Northern Territory of Australia where it was initially used to transport team members up and down the mine.

Newmont said last year that early indicators had shown the vehicle had the capability to complete several trips to and from the bottom of the Tanami mine without requiring recharging.

Ross agreed with the Newmont assessment, explaining that the company was expected to re-deploy the same unit to the Tanami operation with an additional battery cooling module later this year.

“The ambient temperatures can reach 50°C in the Tanami desert, so we have equipped the vehicle with this new module to cope with such extremes,” he explained.

The company also has two R200 units – which include a four-passenger crew truck and a two-passenger utility truck – in Australia awaiting redeployment. One of these vehicles recently completed a successful stint at a tunnelling operation in the country.

LDO is also engaged with another mining company with an operation in New South Wales seeking to trial Rokion’s smallest battery-electric platform, the R100.

The R100 series includes a four-passenger crew truck and a two-passenger utility truck, with both models built on the same frame dimensions and available in ramp-ready configurations.

“We’re currently focused on these three key customers and supporting them in terms of the deployments and on-going operations,” Ross said.

In addition to regular site visits from LDO personnel to support maintenance and operations staff at the underground mines, LDO staff are able to remotely download data logs for these machines on a daily basis, assessing if there is potential for optimising the operation or if maintenance work may need to be conducted.

With many companies in the battery-electric light vehicle conversion space in Australia struggling to get hold of donor diesel vehicles, Ross says mining companies are increasingly appreciating Rokion’s ground-up approach.

“We have a fantastic OEM partner to rely on for these vehicles and we at LDO are able to support them in the best possible way,” he said. “We don’t have to rely on a different vendor to obtain the base machine; the design, engineering, manufacturing and testing are all performed under the Rokion roof, ensuring quality from concept to delivery.”

Ross said Rokion is continually working on design improvements and new machines based on industry feedback, with a newly-designed R200 vehicle set to bridge the gap between the existing R200 and the larger R400.

The latest in Rokion’s R200 Series is an 11-passenger crew truck built on a heavier frame and suspension construction than previous models, Kipp Sakundiak says

Kipp Sakundiak, CEO of Rokion, was happy to provide more details of this to IM: “The latest in our R200 Series is an 11-passenger crew truck built on a heavier frame and suspension construction than our previous models, all the while maintaining the simplicity and performance of dual drive motors.”

Sakundiak said the new model was robust and powerful, at the same time offering a comfortable ride for all crew members.

He added: “There is a lot of adaptability built into the new platform, including configurations for soft- and hard-rock applications. It’s one of our most versatile designs.”

Automation, electrification, alternative haulage weighed for GSR’s Wassa UG expansion

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A preliminary economic assessment (PEA) on the potential expansion of Golden Star Resources’ Wassa gold mine in Ghana has flagged the potential for applying alternative underground haulage methods, and autonomous and battery-electric equipment at the operation.

The PEA provides an assessment of the development of the Southern Extension of Wassa and the increase in mining rates to fully use available process plant capacity. While the study itself represents a conservative plan that excludes exploration opportunities from the scope and adopts the current mining practices and equipment, the “opportunities” section of the technical report outlines some more innovative approaches to expanding mining rates and filling the plant capacity.

Wassa, which Golden Star owns 90% of, produced 168,000 oz of gold in 2020 using the sub-level longhole open stoping method.

The PEA is focused on the development of the large inferred mineral resource (just over 7 Moz) which comprises the Southern Extension zone. Around 50% of the total resource was included in the PEA inventory, which showed off a life of mine of 11 years, with total gold production of 3.5 Moz. Average annual gold production of 294,000 oz represented an approximate 75% increase on the current production rate.

The mine plan considers a production rate targeting the processing capacity, at or close to 2.7 Mt/y run-of-mine material, after a five-year ramp-up period. The plant has previously operated at these rates with feed from both Wassa and the Bogoso-Prestea operation (since sold).

Mining would be by underground trackless decline access (1:7 gradient), with access from duplicate access ramps and independent ventilation infrastructure on each side of the deposit to support the increased mining rate and provide efficient access across the mineralised footprint (circa-850 m along circa-300 m across strike). Truck haulage will utilise the dual access ramps.

The mining method proposed for the expansion is bottom-up long hole open stoping with 25 m level spacing and nominal stope sizes of 25 m length x 30 m width x 25-100 m height with cemented paste backfill. Stopes will be mined in a primary-secondary sequence down to around 1,000 m depth, transitioning to pillarless retreat below that point to account for increasing in-situ stress, which will need to be further investigated in future work.

The PEA assumes average recovery of 94.8%, which is supported by current plant performance and metallurgical test work on a small number of samples that suggest processing performance for the Southern Extension feed will be similar to material currently treated. This will be evaluated in the next phase of work.

Capital expenditure is expected to total around $790 million over the life of the PEA mine plan. Of this total, 29% is growth capital and 71% is sustaining capital. The PEA mining method relies on paste fill, with Golden Star confirming the paste fill plant was constructed in 2020 and commissioning is expected to be finalised this quarter. Capital has been allowed for an expansion of the paste fill system in the PEA mine plan.

Based on a $1,300/oz gold price, the expansion project is expected to generate a post-tax net present value (5% discount) of $452.2 million.

So far, so conventional…

The company said it planned to complete option and trade-off studies to optimise the project plan ahead of a feasibility study on the expansion, due in early 2023.

Just some of the innovations being considered in these trade-off studies include the use of automation, electrification and alternative haulage.

In terms of increasing machine productivity through technology, the study listed off the potential use of semi- or fully-autonomous vehicles to increase shift operating time and remove operators from hazardous areas. It said the highest likelihood applications were in production drilling and drawpoint loading.

Golden Star confirmed current projects included in its in-development technology roadmap were the introduction of tele-remote loading and digitalisation of production data.

In terms of haulage infrastructure opportunities, Golden Star said it was considering the replacement of truck haulage with an infrastructure system like shaft hoisting, conveyor, or Rail-Veyor. The capital demand for such options would be offset by a large reduction in operating costs with automated systems, reduced diesel consumption and reduced ventilation demand, it noted.

These haulage options were being studied to design different systems, estimate capital and operating costs, then complete a trade-off analysis, the company said.

The current mine design assumes loaders digging from open passes to load trucks, but Golden Star said feeder systems could be installed to automate loading, increasing efficiency and reducing operating costs.

And, of course, the company said it was considering options for clean energy technology applications, particularly battery-electric trucks. As part of this, it was assessing available systems and developing fleet selection criteria. This will have knock-on benefits to the mine’s ventilation requirements.

Kittilä mine leverages SIMS electrification experience as Boltec E Battery units start-up

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Having tested out Epiroc’s battery-electric vehicles over the past two years as part of the SIMS project, Agnico Eagle Finland’s Kittilä gold mine has now started up its own Boltec E Battery bolting units.

The European Union-funded SIMS project and the related field tests of Epiroc’s battery-powered mining machines turned the eyes of the mining world to Kittilä, in northern Finland.

As part of the project, which took place during 2017–2020, Epiroc’s ‘green machines’ – the Boomer E2 Battery, Scooptram ST14 Battery and Minetruck MT42 Battery – were put through their paces.

Andre Van Wageningen, Manager of Technology and Development at the Kittilä mine, said: “The collaboration with Epiroc has been great and Epiroc has taken away all the concerns we had regarding battery-electric equipment. I believe that we also have supplied a very good test site.”

Tommi Kankkunen, General Manager of the Kittilä mine, added that the benefits with battery-electric equipment are obviously the reduction of fossil fuels and the reduction of carbon footprint, but also major advancements made to health and safety for its employees.

After the tests, the mine purchased its first battery-powered rigs, Boltec E rock bolting rigs selected as the first battery-powered units in line with the mine’s investment plan. The important drivers behind the decision were sustainability of the rigs and the opportunity to create a better work environment, according to Epiroc.

The first bolting rig arrived at the Kittilä mine in early November, with another similar bolting unit joining the club a couple of weeks later.

According to Jari Kolehmainen, Production Manager at Kittilä, the first messages were very positive: “The performance of the machines is at least at the same level as that of diesel machines. Productivity has improved with the development of equipment.”

The arrival of this new equipment will also benefit operators’ wellbeing at work as exhaust fumes, heat, vibration and noise have decreased.

“For example, a rock bolting rig is moved several times during a shift, and, in the past, it has always meant starting diesel engines and blowing up an exhaust cloud,” Epiroc said.

Also, in terms of maintenance, the equipment lacks a large component (diesel engine), and, as a result, oil and filter changes are omitted. Also, for fire safety, the use battery-powered machines mark a step forward in the absence of hot surfaces of the diesel engine and moving oils.

Air quality improves piece by piece when diesel-powered equipment is replaced by battery-powered equipment, according to Epiroc.

Kolehmainen said: “Especially on the loading and haulage side, the change in air quality is clear. In the future, we want to reduce our carbon footprint and move towards zero-emission technology, as well as move forward in wellbeing at work.

“The SIMS project showed that battery technology has made great leaps forward.”

In terms of infrastructure requirements, the mine’s electricity network should accommodate the electrification of the equipment. Battery-powered machines also require a battery replacement location.

Epiroc added: “Agnico Eagle Finland’s Kittilä mine wants to profile itself also towards the introduction of other new technologies in addition to battery-powered equipment. A remote control room has been completed for the mining office, from which several machines are controlled simultaneously.

“Since the beginning of October, it has been a permanent turn for two people to operate mining machines remotely. The mine firmly believes that investing in new technologies will bring long-term benefits.”

Tembo 4×4 e-LV expands battery-electric retrofit range

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Tembo 4×4 e-LV has added a new option to its line-up of battery-powered equipment for the underground mining industry, with an extra-large 10 personnel carrier joining the portfolio, according to one of its distributors.

The new conversion kit is specifically targeted for applications where a maximum number of people are required to be transported at once.

The more spacious supervision vehicle option, which comprises forward-facing six personnel carrier, will also be available as a battery-electric conversion kit.

Last year, Tembo signed an agreement with the GHH Group to include the electric off-road light duty vehicles within its product offering and its worldwide sales and service program. As part of the agreement, GHH offers the vehicles in Germany, Turkey, Greece, Russia, India, the USA, Mexico, Chile, New Zealand, South Africa, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, the CIS states and Latin America.

The conversion kits are for both mechanical and electrical service vehicles, which are based on the enhanced, flatbed platform designed to take any special equipment like a crane or workshop machinery or service equipment for servicing mining machinery, GHH says.

The first Tembo Electric Cruiser came on the market in 2016. The company’s approach to turning the Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux series into fully-fledged electric multi-purpose vehicles, especially for construction and mining industries, has been well received, with Boliden’s Tara mine, in Ireland, the first to trial one of its ‘green’ machine.

The Tembos correspond largely to the series standard of Toyota, but are equipped with an electric motor with 65 kW of power and 250 Nm of torque, a special 1:3 transmission and a powerful battery designed for at least 10 years or 8,000 charging cycles. They can achieve 80 km run time with a 28 kWh battery pack and 200 km with a 72 kWh battery pack.
In two-and-a-half hours the vehicles are charged from 20% to 80% with the single-phase charger. Using a three-phase charger, this charge time decreases to only one hour.

No external infrastructure is required for operation as a 15 kW charger is also on board with the single phase and a 22 kW with the three phase. Battery recuperation is in place and a charging cable wallbox can also be supplied with the vehicle, if required.

The vehicles reach a top speed of 80 km/h and can climb gradients of up to 45°, GHH says.

Automation and battery-electric efforts awarded by Epiroc

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Teams behind automation and battery-electric equipment projects have become the latest recipients of Epiroc’s two annual awards.

The United in Performance Award and Inspired by Innovation Award recognised close collaboration with a mining company that strengthened the customer’s productivity through automation, as well as the development of battery-electric equipment that brings multiple benefits to the mining industry, respectively.

The United in Performance Award, which honours exceptional customer collaboration, was presented to Olav Kvist and Per Holmberg of Epiroc’s Underground division and Johan Broström of the Technology & Digital division, as well as to mining company Boliden.

Epiroc explained: “Their extensive collaboration on automation has increased productivity significantly at two of Boliden’s mines in Sweden. For example, at the Garpenberg mine, the automated and teleremote operation of Epiroc’s Simba ME7 C production drill rig (pictured) has boosted drilling productivity by roughly 30%.”

The work is part of 6th Sense, Epiroc’s package of digital solutions that optimises customers’ processes, thereby strengthening their productivity and safety, the company said.

The Inspired by Innovation Award, which recognises Epiroc’s most innovative technical development that has become a proven commercial success, was presented to Anders Lindkvist, Patrik Roth, Markus Rantakeisu, Robert Lejonberg, Jan Fransson, Erik Svedlund and Fredrik Martinsson. The seven employees have been instrumental and represent a team of passionate people in developing Epiroc’s world-leading battery-electric mining equipment, the company said.

“The new generation battery-electric mining machines are the result of the team’s hard work and dedication in bringing significant benefits to customers including improved health and safety, lower total cost of operation and higher productivity,” Epiroc said. “The advantages are especially significant for underground operations where mining companies traditionally must invest heavily in ventilation to air out the diesel fumes.”

Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, congratulated the winners, saying they are representative of “Epiroc’s innovative spirit and dedication to improving customers’ operations”.

She added: “We are proud to be on the forefront of automation, digitalisation and electrification as these technological shifts are making mining and infrastructure companies more productive, safe and environmentally friendly.”

MacLean Blockholer to keep ore flowing at all-electric Borden gold project

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The flagship unit of MacLean Engineering’s Ore Flow suite is now ready to join the equipment manufacturer’s battery-electric fleet at Newmont Goldcorp’s Borden project, in northern Ontario, Canada.

The MacLean Blockholer is a “versatile warrior”, according to Viv Bhatt, Product Manager – Ore Flow, Drill & Blast at MacLean Engineering.

“We call it a Blockholer, you may know it as a secondary reduction drill, but either way it comes down to the same thing…a critical tool for making sure the ore flows in underground mining,” Bhatt said, adding that there are more than 125 success stories from across the globe that attest to this.

MacLean’s battery-electric fleet at Borden, billed by its owners as being the world’s first all-electric mine upon start-up (expected later this year), has been steadily growing over the past year or so. The company said back in March that the delivery to Borden of the Blockholer would see its fleet hit 15 units, comprised of six bolters and nine utility vehicles.

On the Blockholer specifically, Bhatt said: “Whether it’s a low hang-up in a drawpoint, or oversize rock on the ground that’s too large for scoops to handle and too disruptive to get rid of with concussion blasting, it’s your secondary reduction rig that solves the problem and ensures that production isn’t held up.

“And when it’s not tasked with this mission, it can be put to use for ancillary drilling for mine services.”

Bhatt listed off five reasons why the self-contained blockholer drill could become the workhorse of hard-rock underground mining fleets:

  • “Improved safety – In dealing with low hang-ups, runs of muck remain a potential risk. Remote-controlled drilling and loading explosives from a safe distance is a much safer option than manual loading of concussion blasts, and this is precisely what Blockholer drills deliver;
  • “Improved production – One mine went from 700 tons per day (635 t/d) off a mucking horizon to 3,000 tons/d after the introduction of a Blockholer. Another had a pillar blast break poorly and they were unable to make 50% of schedule prior to acquiring a Blockholer. (In this instance the unit was paid for entirely with the savings in secondary blasting explosives.) Also, pulling the wrong boxhole because of a hang-up or because it is choked with large muck results in improper draw leading to dilution and/or loss of metal vis-a-vis calculated reserves;
  • “Reduced Scooptram maintenance costs – The safe and efficient treatment of oversize improves scoop availability (ie it increases tonnage) and, at the same time, it reduces parts costs especially for major items in the drive train such as planetary gear boxes, drive shafts, and differentials, and in the mucking action for cylinders, linkages, and buckets;
  • “Reduced blasting powder and rehab costs – Over and above the safety benefits, self-contained blockholer drills deliver substantial cost savings with regard to the use of secondary blasting powder, as well as reduced detonation effects on ventilation air. Elimination of concussion blasting in drawpoint throats (especially with powder packs wedged between a large chunk and the brow) also significantly reduces the need for brow repair and re-bolting, as well as damage to mine services like air lines, water lines, power cables, ventilation doors, vent ducting and fans”, and;
  • “Versatility for mine support – Blockholers can also efficiently and safely perform mine service support functions such as drilling for the installation of ventilation doors, dams, fans, pipelines, power cables, etc. This is particularly beneficial when installing or repairing services in remote or high-traffic areas of a mine.”

And, of course, the Blockholer is equipped with MacLean’s latest EV Powertrain, providing zero emissions, low noise and low heat operations, Bhatt concluded.