Tag Archives: DTH

MACA to replace Gruyere open-pit surface drilling fleet with Sandvik rigs

Automation, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Leading Australian mining, civil and minerals processing contracting group, MACA, has selected Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to supply nine new surface drill rigs as a complete replacement for an ageing mixed fleet at the Gruyere open-pit gold mine in the Western Australian Goldfields, where it was recently awarded a five-year contract extension.

The order, which was booked in the June quarter of 2023, includes six Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drills, two Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rigs and a Pantera™ DP1500i top hammer drill rig. Deliveries began in July and will continue through April 2024.

MACA, part of Thiess, has specialised in mining, crushing, civil construction, infrastructure and mineral processing for more than 20 years. It employs more than 3,000 people across operations in Australia and internationally.

MACA has provided various services at Gruyere, a joint venture between Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources, since the contractor initiated bulk earthworks in 2017. Gruyere is expected to produce an annual average of 350,000 oz of gold through a current mine life of at least 2032.

Sandvik DR410i rotary blasthole drill rigs (pictured) are compact, powerful and technologically advanced, the OEM says. They are designed for rotary and DTH holes up to 254 mm, with a mast offering a first pass capability of 14 m and a maximum depth of 32.3 m.

The Leopard DI650i is a self-contained, crawler-mounted, intelligent DTH drill rig designed for demanding high-capacity production drilling applications, Sandvik says, while the Pantera DP1500i is a hydraulic, self-propelled top hammer drill rig, ideal for production or pre-split drilling in large quarries or open-pit mines and construction sites.

Sandvik brings D25KX rotary drill rig to South Africa

Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Sandvik’s new D25KX rotary drill rig, which the OEM says combines reliability and technology, has arrived in Africa ready to be deployed.

The Sandvik D25KX is an improved version of the mining contractor’s drill rig of choice – the D25KS – according to Nelize Nel, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ Acting Business Line Manager for Rotary Drills. The new model includes a redesigned cabin with significant ergonomic and safety enhancements.

Large cabin windows now allow greater visibility from the operator’s swivel seat and control panel. With a focus on operator comfort, the cabin systems include a 7 in (178 mm) mobile grade touch screen and PLC control. Added intelligence of the touch screens and digital gauges gives the operator real-time feedback on machine performance and monitors machine health. There is also a seat in the cabin for a trainer or supervisor to accompany the operator when working.

“These enhancements have been applied to a design which retains the elements that made the previous model such a success,” Nel says. “These include the robust base and frame, the rigid lattice-style mast, and the heavy-duty pulldown chains.”

She points to the large population of the legacy model that developed in southern Africa since they were introduced over two decades ago.

Around 20% of the approximately 500 machines sold globally are active in this region. This demonstrates the popularity of the design and the expected positive reception of the new Sandvik D25KX, Nel said.

The first unit to arrive in the country has already been sold, and will carry out duties in a Northern Cape iron ore mine.

Equipped as a down the hole hammer drill, the new Sandvik D25KX drills hole diameters from 127-203 mm. It can reach a drilling depth of 45 m, with a maximum pulldown force of 184 kN. Its efficient handling of drill pipe ensures shorter cycle times so that more holes can be drilled.

“Ease of maintenance continues to be a central feature of this model, and customers will be able to work on it as easily as they have on the previous model,” Nel says. “This will ensure high levels of confidence about the uptime that these units will deliver.”

Epiroc reinforces down-the-hole drill bits with new productivity tools

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

The launch of Epiroc DTH drill bits, Epiroc says, signals a new era for down-the-hole drilling, with increased productivity and profitability.

Thanks to a new design and the use of the new Epiroc carbide, these drill bits will last up to 20% longer compared with an older version of the company’s drill bits, according to the company.

An all-new face design results in optimised flushing and handling of drill cuttings, while the addition of more buttons on the drill bits increases the overall energy when drilling, Epiroc says.

There are also three different button shapes to choose from to tackle different drilling needs and types of rock: Epiroc Trubbnos, spherical and ballistic buttons.

On top of the new carbide inclusion, these DTH drill bits are produced with improved heat treatment and increased face hardness, resulting in a more durable, sturdier and robust bit, with increased service life, it added.

Fredrik Gransell, Global Product Portfolio Manager at Epiroc Rock Drilling Tools, said: “If we add up the new design features and the improved materials usage, it’s safe to say that Epiroc DTH drill bits will last up to 20% longer compared to an older version of our drill bits.”

Delaney Erickson, Global Product Manager DTH at Epiroc Rock Drilling Tools, added: “You can expect more drilled metres per shift from high-performing Epiroc bits, which is good for both your revenue and profitability.”

Longer service life also means fewer interruptions and more undisturbed drilling, one of the most sought-after improvements, Epiroc says. “Put simply, with less time spent lifting and changing heavy bits, workdays will not just be more productive, they will be more convenient too,” the company added.

Finally, Epiroc DTH drill bits reduce the customers’ footprints as they can drill more and still use fewer bits. As a result, less energy and raw materials are used to produce bits, with less waste and associated transportation.

Sandvik reinforces rock tools offering with Tricon Drilling Solutions acquisition

Mining consumables, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, , , , , ,

Sandvik has signed an agreement to acquire Tricon Drilling Solutions Pty Ltd, a privately-owned supplier of rock tools for the mining industry, based in Perth, Australia.

Tricon will operate as an independent, standalone business unit within the Rock Tools division of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

Tricon’s product offering includes rotary bits, DTH (Down-The-Hole) hammers and bits, as well as full rotary and DTH drill strings. The company has 24 employees.

“I am pleased that we continue to deliver on our active acquisition agenda, and I look forward to welcoming Tricon to Sandvik,” Henrik Ager, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said.

Tricon has design capabilities for rotary bits in-house but outsources manufacturing, with Sandvik being one of its rotary bit suppliers. Drill string products are produced in Tricon’s own facility.

The acquisition is expected to close in the September quarter of 2021, subject to relevant regulatory approvals.

Robit top hammer and DTH consumables to go to Uzbekistan’s NMMC

Energy minerals, Mine operation news, Mining consumables, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , , ,

Robit says it has signed a contract with its partner to supply drilling consumables to several mine sites in Uzbekistan, including those operated by state-owned Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combinat (NMMC).

The Robit Top Hammer and Down the Hole drilling consumables will be delivered during 2020 in several shipments, according to the company. The news follows a recent contract award to supply drilling tools to Norilsk Nickel, in Norilsk, Russia.

The consumables will be used among others by NMMC in its underground and surface mines in the Navoi and Samarkand regions of Uzbekistan.

NMMC’s underground operations include Zarmitan, Gujumsay as well as Karakutan. Its notable open-pit mines include Muruntau (one of the largest open pit gold mines in the world, pictured), Uchkuduk and Amantai. It is a significant gold and uranium miner in Uzbekistan.

Cat DTH hammers and bits up the ante in blasthole drilling

Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, Mining consumables, , , , , ,

Caterpillar has introduced its first Cat® down-the-hole (DTH) hammer and bits for blasthole drilling as it looks to speed up penetration rates and reduce drilling costs in difficult conditions.

The new Cat DTH Hammer is 152 mm (6 in) in diameter and is the first to be introduced in the new DTH line. Its valved design provides reliable operation, low air consumption, easier maintenance and cost effective rebuild, according to the company. The piston design, meanwhile, delivers long life and efficient energy transfer.

The new hammer is rated to run with compressed air systems driving working pressures up to 34.5 bar (500 psi). Cat explained: “This additional back-head pressure, when combined with corresponding airflow demanded, generates more blows-per-minute to generate faster penetration rates in the hardest of materials.”

Caterpillar also is introducing bits for DTH drilling. Several different configurations of 171 mm (6.75 in) bits are now available in both standard and heavy-duty versions to allow matching the bit to the rock characteristics and job requirements. The bit selections include a variety of carbide shapes (spherical, ballistic) and face shapes (concave, flat, convex).

“Cat Bits are optimised for high wear resistance and improved rock chipping,” the company says. “The aggressive, long-lasting cutting structure in conjunction with the efficient Cat DTH Hammer delivers a superior rate of penetration.”

Caterpillar’s advanced materials and heat treatment technology used in the DTH products yield longer life and result in lower overall drilling costs in demanding conditions, it says. In head-to-head tests conducted in iron ore and quarry applications, Cat says its hammers and bits demonstrated significantly lower total cost of drilling.

Epiroc ups the surface drilling ante with PowerROC D60

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Epiroc says its new PowerROC D60 is able to drill the largest holes in the PowerROC family thanks to a design offering high pressure operation as well as an increased penetration rate.

Wei Wen Xu, Product Company Business Line Manager at Epiroc, said: “PowerROC D60 has been working in the field for some time and has already delivered great results. This rig will definitely bring a lot of value to our customers.”

The PowerROC D60 offers a high level of productivity when it comes to drilling large holes ranging from 110 mm to 178 mm, according to Epiroc. On top of this, the 5+1 Rod Handling System makes it possible to drill holes down to a depth of 30 m. “Well-proven Epiroc technology ensure good quality and straightness of the hole,” the company said.

Features such as a pilot hydraulic system and straightforward electronic system make PowerROC D60 both easy to operate and easy to service, according to the company, with the rotary unit ensuring the rig can operate reliably in all types of rock conditions. In addition, a dust collection system ensures the work environment is kept clean and safe, protecting both machine and personnel.

“The PowerROC D60 hydraulic down-the-hole drill rig is safe, powerful and helps you increase your production capability,” Epiroc said. Matching this with the rig’s ease of maintenance and repair, ensures high availability and productivity, according to the company.

Wei Wen Xu said: “The PowerROC D60 rig performance will show that this is a very strong, competitive product for mining and quarrying. I’m convinced that this this rig will meet our customers high expectations – which is already confirmed with recent success in Russia.”

The Tier 3 version of the PowerROC D60 is available now. The Tier 4 Final version will be available in North America, Japan and Korea from July.

Element Six synthetic diamond will help hard rock cutting achieve true potential

Diamond mining, Explosives and blasting, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Element Six, as a company, was set up to harness the unique properties of synthetic diamond (polycrystalline diamond or PCD) and tungsten carbide to deliver supermaterials that improve the efficiency, performance and reliability of industrial tools and technology, including in mining.

IM recently met with Element Six (E6) Global Sales Director, Mining, Road & WP, Markus Bening, to better understand what this means for the mining industry and what progress has been made.

It is worth remembering that the company while focussing on advanced materials also has a unique position in the industry, with diamond mining major De Beers Group the 100% owner of the technologies part of the business, and De Beers Group, itself, part of global mining company Anglo American. Some of the industry’s leading hard rock cutting technologies are already being used by these operators, at Anglo’s Twickenham platinum mine, for example. E6 also has all the required raw material sourcing and manufacturing capability such as advanced high pressure/high temperature presses in house to allow it to supply PCD solutions in the quality, consistency and quantity that will be needed to the mining global market.

In mining one of the most interesting markets is hard rock cutting, where the potential for Element Six materials is enormous in rock tools. In relevant ASTM tests such as B611-13, PCD performs up to 500 or 650 times better than tungsten carbide. Of course it has a significant price premium but its performance far, far outweighs this price gap. Bening stated: “PCD is a supermaterial so has a higher price but massive advantages in performance that come with it.”

 

 

 

 

 

Due to confidentiality agreements, Bening would not specify which OEMs are trialling PCD in the hard rock cutting space but confirmed that E6 is working on PCD prototype testing and trials with several leading players and has achieved impressive results.

Taking a hard rock cutting unit, E6 can supply the PCD material on its own, the whole component, the pick or the disc cutter, whatever the customer wants, but primarily E6 is a materials expert.

Bening told IM: “Today there is a lot of advanced testing and fine tuning using our PCD in the cutting tools of the latest hard rock cutting mining machines. In the next five to ten years I see continuous hard rock cutting going commercial throughout the mining industry and E6’s PCD technology will undoubtedly form an important part of that.”

As previously published by IM, major developers of continuous hard rock cutting machines for mining include Epiroc (Mobile Miner), Sandvik (MX650), Caterpillar (Rock Header/Rock Straight) and Komatsu (DynaCut).

And hard rock cutting is not the only mining focus. PCD also has potential in down the hole (DTH) drilling where Percussive Diamond Inserts are used on the bits, and again advanced trials are ongoing with the main global manufacturers of drill bits, with a lot of success so far. PCD means a lot of energy savings in bit use, and bits keeping their shape much longer meaning no regrinding is needed.