Tag Archives: Boomer

Epiroc to deliver automation-ready drill rigs and LHDs to Hummingbird’s Komana mine

Epiroc says it has won a large equipment order for a new underground mine at the Hummingbird Resources-owned Komana mine in southern Mali.

Hummingbird, through its subsidiary Société des Mines de Komana, has selected Epiroc drill rigs and loaders with advanced automation features for the development of a new underground mine at Komana, which is part of Hummingbird’s wider Yanfolila operation. Epiroc is to also provide drilling consumables as part of the agreement.

The equipment is made up of Boomer M2 face drilling rigs; Simba M6 production drilling rigs; and Scooptram ST18 loaders. The loaders will come equipped with Scooptram Automation, which lets an operator control the vehicles tele-remotely from a safe distance.

Additional automation features for the machines include Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time, and Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which makes them ready for automation and remote control.

Sarah Hoffman, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “We look forward to contributing to Hummingbird Resources’ success at their new underground mine, where our machines and first-rate automation solutions will help achieve optimal productivity and safety, and we thank them for placing their trust in Epiroc as their partner of choice.”

Dan Betts, CEO of Hummingbird Resource, added: “With Epiroc’s specialty and experience in underground mining equipment supply, Hummingbird has a partner of choice in the industry. As Epiroc’s equipment arrives on site, we are increasingly progressing our underground mine development at our Yanfolila, Mali operation to underpin the future production pipeline at that asset for the company.”

ARM selects Epiroc equipment to help restart Bokoni platinum mine

Epiroc says it has won a large order for low-profiling mining equipment from African Rainbow Minerals for use at its Bokoni platinum mine in Limpopo Province, South Africa.

African Rainbow Minerals has ordered drill rigs, loaders and mine trucks for use at the mine, which is restarting after operations were paused for care and maintenance in the past few years.

The machines ordered are built with a low profile well suited for the mine’s low tunnel heights. The equipment includes Boomer face drilling rigs, Boltec and Cabletec rock reinforcement rigs (an Epiroc Cabletec SL, pictured), Scooptram LHDs and Minetruck haul trucks. All machines come with Epiroc’s Certiq telematics solution for automated monitoring of productivity and machine performance. Other advanced features include, for example, the Boomer machines being equipped with a pilot hydraulic control system that further improves drilling accuracy.

The order is valued at more than ZAR200 million ($11.6 million) and was booked in the March quarter of 2023, with deliveries set to beging this quarter and continue into 2024.

“We are excited to once again provide equipment to the Bokoni platinum mine,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, said. “We look forward to supporting African Rainbow Minerals as they restart and operate the mine in the most productive and safe way possible.”

Back at the end of 2021, ARM agreed to buy Bokoni from Anglo American Platinum and Atlatsa Resources, stating plans to restart mining operations in 2023.

Epiroc to supply loaders, drills and bolters to Luannan’s Macheng iron ore mine

Epiroc says it has won a large order for underground mining equipment from Luannan Macheng Mining, with several dozen machines with automation features set to head to the new Macheng iron ore mine in Hebei Province, northern China.

Luannan Macheng Mining, part of Shougang Group, has ordered a fleet including Scooptram loaders, Simba production drilling rigs, Boomer face drilling rigs and Boltec rock reinforcement rigs. Some of the loaders are the electrically-powered Scooptram EST1030s (powered by cable), and all the machines have market-leading energy efficiency, Epiroc says.

Automation features for many of the machines include Epiroc’s Rig Control System, making them ready for automation and remote control, and ABC (Advanced Boom Control) Total, which enables drilling a sequence of holes (full round) automatically, the company explained.

Epiroc says it will also provide rock drills and other consumables as well as on-site services.

The equipment order was booked in the September quarter of 2022 and is valued at more than SEK300 million ($26 million).

“Epiroc and Shougang Group have a productive partnership going back many years,” Epiroc’s President and CEO, Helena Hedblom, said. “We look forward to supporting them with highly productive and sustainable solutions at their new Macheng mine.”

Fu Zhen Xue, Mine Manager at Luannan Macheng Mining of Shougang Group, said: “China, in recent years, started the quick move towards consolidation of steel companies and the high-quality development of the steel industry, focusing more on safety and the environment. The equipment will help Shougang Group lead China’s steel industry and the shift towards safety and productivity.”

Epiroc to deliver underground drills, bolters, LHDs and trucks to Fresnillo

Epiroc says it has won a large, $17 million order for a variety of underground mining equipment and automation solutions from Fresnillo plc in Mexico.

Fresnillo, the world’s leading silver producer and Mexico’s largest gold producer, has ordered multiple Epiroc underground mining machines for use at five of its mines.

“Epiroc and Fresnillo go back many years as productive partners, and we look forward to continue supporting their work to optimise productivity and sustainability in their operations,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, says.

The equipment ordered, manufactured in Örebro, Sweden, includes Boomer face drilling rigs, Boltec and Cabletec rock reinforcement rigs, Simba production drilling rigs, Scooptram loaders, and Minetruck haulers.

Automation features include teleremote operations, Epiroc’s Rig Control System and ABC (Advanced Boom Control) Total, which enables drilling a sequence of holes (full round) automatically. The units will also be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real-time.

Epiroc to supply Boliden’s Kristineberg and Renström mines with battery-electric, autonomous solutions

Epiroc says it has won a large order from Boliden for mining equipment, including battery-electric and automation solutions, for use at some of the company’s underground mines in Sweden.

Boliden, one of Europe’s largest mining companies, has ordered battery-electric versions of the Boomer face drilling rig, Boltec rock bolting rig and Epiroc’s largest automated Scooptram loader, the ST18, with Batteries as a Service. The ordered equipment also includes, among other machines, the Easer raiseboring rig and Epiroc’s newest production and face drilling rigs, Simba and Boomer, in the E-series.

The machines will be used at the Rävliden Kristineberg and Renström mine sites in northern Sweden. Boliden is mining zinc, copper, lead, gold, silver and tellurium at the mines.

On the Scooptram ST18 Battery, specifically, Mattias Pettersson, Global Portfolio Manager Underground Loaders, confirmed that the battery-electric machine heading to Boliden’s operations would be upgraded to Scooptram Automation. This will coincide with several other BEV customers receiving automation upgrades around the same timeframe, according to Pettersson, adding that the battery charging process will not be automated in this instance.

At Rävliden Kristineberg, Boliden and Epiroc are also involved in a project to develop and demonstrate an electric trolley truck system on a test track, with ABB being the third project partner.

The order is valued at more than SEK100 million ($9.8 million) and was booked in the June quarter of 2022.

“Boliden is focused on making its operations as safe, sustainable, and productive as possible and to produce metals with a low carbon footprint, and we are proud to support them on this journey,” Epiroc’s President and CEO, Helena Hedblom, said.

The Simba production drilling rig and the battery-electric loader Scooptram ST18 will be equipped with the 6th Sense solutions Simba Automation and Scooptram Automation. This will enable operators to control the machines remotely from the comfort of a control room, according to Epiroc. All units will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time.

Epiroc captures battery-electric, automation order from Odyssey Mine owners

Epiroc has won a major battery-electric and autonomous fleet order from the owners of the Odyssey Mine in Malartic, Québec, Canada.

The order, from the Canadian Malartic Partnership, will be used in the new underground gold mine.

The Canadian Malartic Partnership, a 50:50 JV between Yamana Gold Inc and Agnico Eagle Ltd, is constructing the Odyssey Mine, which will become one of Canada’s largest gold mines when it is fully ramped up later this decade.

The ordered equipment includes a variety of drill rigs, loaders and mine trucks, with some of the machines will be battery powered. Automation features include Minetruck Automation and Scooptram Automation, which are part of Epiroc’s 6th Sense portfolio of digital solutions. By combining these solutions with Epiroc’s Traffic Management System, material handling is optimised within the mine, bringing benefits such as virtually eliminating the risk of collisions, Epiroc said.

Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, said: “The Canadian Malartic Partnership is taking a massive next step with the new underground mine where our battery-electric and other advanced machines with state-of-the-art automation and traffic management solutions will help optimise safety and productivity. Epiroc and the Canadian Malartic Partnership have a history of successful cooperation, and we look forward to continue contributing to their success.”

The equipment order also includes education and training using sophisticated simulators, which was flagged by IM earlier this year.

This is the second equipment order from the Canadian Malartic Partnership. Epiroc also won a large order for drill rigs, loaders, and mine trucks in the September quarter of 2021.

The Odyssey Mine is located just west of the Canadian Malartic Partnership’s open-pit gold mine, which is still in operation, and to which Epiroc in previous years has provided Pit Viper surface drill rigs.

Odyssey is expected to feature an LTE mobile communication network, an automated fleet of 60 t trucks operated from the surface and on-demand ventilation, the Canadian Malartic Partnership has previously stated. All all of the major production fleet, including trucks, drills and LHDs, are also expected to be battery electric.

The Odyssey Mine will be accessed by a ramp and a shaft estimated to be 1,800 m deep. Plans are to extract 19,000 t of ore at an estimated grade of about 2.75 g/t gold and roughly 5,000 t/d of waste rock during peak operations.

Patrick Mercier, General Manager of the Odyssey Mine, said: “Over the years, Epiroc has clearly demonstrated its willingness to be a leader in the technical evolution of mining equipment, whether in electrification or automation. Obviously, this transition will not happen by itself. We are privileged that Epiroc has proposed us a collaborative approach in order to effectively integrate their equipment into the Odyssey Mine and actively participate in this evolution. The benefits from this collaboration will contribute to making mines even safer and jobs more accessible in the field.”

The equipment ordered during the March quarter includes battery-electric versions of the Boltec (an M10 Boltec, pictured) rock reinforcement drill rig, Simba production drill rig and Boomer face drilling rig (jumbo). It also includes an Easer raise boring rig, Scooptram loaders, and Minetruck haulers. The machines will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time. Epiroc will also provide service and spare parts, as well as expertise on electrification solutions.

LKAB to boost remote drilling operations with new Epiroc Boomer, Boltec and Simba rigs

Epiroc says it has won a large order for a variety of underground mining equipment including Boomer face drilling rigs, Boltec rock reinforcement rigs and a Simba production drilling rig from LKAB in Sweden.

LKAB, Europe’s largest iron ore producer, is set to use the rigs at its Malmberget and Kiruna underground iron ore mines in northern Sweden. The order is valued at SEK105 million ($12.2 million) and was booked in the third (September) quarter of 2021.

“Epiroc and LKAB have a long history together as partners around innovative technologies, always aimed at optimising operations in the most productive and sustainable way,” Epiroc’s President and CEO, Helena Hedblom, said.

The machines include many advanced automation features, according to Epiroc.

For example, the Simba production drill rig will be operated remotely from a control room in the Kiruna mine. This rig adds to LKAB’s existing fleet of six Simba production drill rigs that are remotely controlled from the control room and two that are remotely controlled in the mine environment.

One of the Boltec machines (an example pictured) will also be equipped with a new automated pumpable resin system, a key component in Epiroc’s automated bolting development. All the machines come with Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real-time.

Epiroc to supply Turkey’s largest mining company with drills, loaders and trucks

Epiroc says it has won a large order for mining equipment from Eti Bakir in Turkey, which includes a variety of drill rigs, trucks and loaders.

The machines will be used to expand three underground copper mines – Kastamonu Küre, Artvin Murgul and Siirt Madenköywhile – making the operations as productive and safe as possible, the OEM says.

The equipment order is valued at approximately SEK140 million ($16 million) and was booked in the September quarter of 2021. In addition to the equipment, the customer has also ordered service, spare parts and consumables.

Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, said: “Epiroc has a long-standing, strong partnership with Eti Bakir, and we are happy to play a key role as the company expands its operations while focusing on safety and productivity.”

“We are proud that 42 t underground trucks with ejector box in copper mines will be used for the first time in Turkey,” Gokhan Zengin, Eti Bakır Machine Manager, said. “Our cooperation with Epiroc has a long history; we also have a component agreement since six years and we started using Epiroc MD20 rock drills for underground operation development as of last year.”

The machines ordered include Boomer face drilling rigs, Simba production drilling rigs, Boltec rock reinforcement rigs, Scooptram loaders and Minetruck haul trucks. Most of the units will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system Certiq, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time, and some of the machines will have Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, installed, which makes them ready for automation and remote control.

Epiroc drills, bolters to help Dazhong Mining expand Chinese iron ore mines

Epiroc says it has won a large order for mining equipment and service from Dazhong Mining Co Ltd in China as part of a plan to expand two of its underground iron ore mines in the most “safe and productive manner possible”.

Dazhong Mining has ordered a variety of rigs for face drilling, production and rock reinforcement for use at the Zhouyoufang and Zhongxinji mines in the Anhui Province. The order is valued at about SEK200 million ($23 million) and was booked in the September quarter of 2021. In addition to the equipment, the order includes on-site service and training including sophisticated simulators, which provide a safe and realistic environment to enhance the skills of machine operators, Epiroc says.

The machines ordered include Boomer face drilling rigs (including the Boomer S2 Face Drill), Simba production drilling rigs, and Boltec and Cabletec rock reinforcement rigs.

Dazhong Mining is rated as a national Green Mine Enterprise, meaning it is recognised for its sustainable way of mining, according to the OEM. The company also purchased a large number of machines from Epiroc in 2020.

“Epiroc is happy to team up again with Dazhong Mining so it can expand its operations further while strengthening safety, sustainability and productivity,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, says.

The Head of Dazhong Mining said: “Our operations have truly become more safe, environmentally friendly and efficient through Epiroc’s equipment and service. We are happy that this model will continue to be applied to the expansion of two mines. We have a good long-term partnership with Epiroc as this supports us with a high-level technical resource which promotes the sustainable development of the mining industry.”

The machines for Dazhong will be equipped with Epiroc’s telematics system, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time, and most of the units will have Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, installed, which makes them ready for automation and remote control. The equipment will be delivered in 2021 and 2022.

Epiroc to supply drill rigs, bolters, loaders and trucks to Mexico’s CoMinVi

Epiroc says it has won a large order for underground mining equipment from Mexican contractor CoMinVi for use at several mines throughout the country.

CoMinVi SA de CV, headquartered in Guanajuato, Mexico, has ordered a variety of Epiroc machines, including face drilling rigs, production drilling rigs, rock reinforcement rigs, loaders and mine trucks. The equipment will ensure the mines are operated with strengthened productivity, safety and cost efficiency, the OEM said.

The machines will be used at several mines in Mexico where CoMinVi serves as mining contractor. Aftermarket services such as on-site maintenance supervisor and spare parts consignment will be provided by Epiroc.

The total order value of the equipment exceeds $45 million, of which the majority was booked in the June quarter of 2021. The remaining part is expected to be booked in the second half of 2021.

“We are proud to partner with CoMinVi to enhance safety, productivity and sustainability in their operations,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, said. “The equipment and services will support CoMinVi to successfully execute on their mining projects.”

Rafael Villagómez Contreras, CoMinVi’s CEO, said: “The acquisition of this new equipment is a historical part of CoMinVi’s growth in recent years and represents a competitive advantage for us. It will ensure our ability to respond immediately to our potential customers by having the necessary resources that allow us to be one step ahead of our competition. We are very satisfied with the commercial partnership with Epiroc as this is a long-term relationship that will be supported with a high-level technical backup and a reliable supply.”

The equipment includes Boomer face drilling rigs, Simba production drilling rigs, Boltec rock reinforcement rigs, Scooptram loaders and Minetruck haulers. The machines will be equipped with Epiroc’s Certiq system, which allows for intelligent monitoring of machine performance and productivity in real time, and some of the units will have Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, installed. This system makes them ready for automation and remote control.

The equipment is to be delivered in 2021 and 2022.