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Epiroc drilling, bolting, electrification innovations set for MINExpo 2021

Automation, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Epiroc’s MINExpo 2021 line-up is set to include a variety of innovative and productive offerings including its latest Pit Viper blasthole drill rig, its recently launched Boomer underground drill, new rock bolters and a host of aftermarket products geared to mine electrification.

Making its MINExpo debut in Las Vegas, September 13-15, will be the Epiroc Pit Viper 291 (pictured above). This rig is designed to tackle larger diameter drilling in soft-to-medium ground conditions in both rotary and DTH drilling. The new addition to the Pit Viper range is capable of 171-311 mm diameter holes with a 16.76 m clean hole single pass with the drill bit above the table. It is also available with an 18 m option.

The Pit Viper 291 offers more than 100 different options to configure the rig to a client’s specifications. With Epiroc’s Rig Control System (RCS), the Pit Viper 291 can be configured with scalable automation features, including fully-autonomous drilling, the company said.

The new generation SmartROC D65 XLF will also be highlighted. This rig is packed with smart features such as automated drilling and rod handling, and is equipped with an intelligent fuel-saving system that reduces fuel consumption by 20% compared with the FlexiROC D65 drill rig, according to the company. It is available in three feed beam sizes to carry 5-, 6- or 8-m pipes, and has the capacity to drill down to a depth of 56 m.

The smaller SmartROC T45 will also be discussed. This tophammer surface drill rig for quarrying boosts productivity, reduces fuel costs and offers smart options and features such as Hole Navigation System, AutoPos and ROC Manager.

Epiroc’s Boomer M20 with battery option, launched earlier this year, will also receive the MINExpo 2021 treatment.

With protected hydraulics, sensors and cables, the new Boomer M20 is the next generation in underground mining, the company says. The world’s first face drill rig with internal hydraulics, the Boomer M20 is designed to minimise unplanned stops and maximise uptime and performance even in the toughest conditions.

High precision and performance are ensured with on-board automation features, tele-remote capabilities and digital drill plans to provide higher reliability and quality of the full drill cycle. The Boomer M20 comes with a battery-electric driveline option where, with the on-board charger, charging automatically happens while connected to the grid for drilling.

The Boltec M10 and E10 bolting rigs also come with a battery driveline option.

This next-generation rock reinforcement rig is available in two versions – the Boltec M10 and E10 – with the Boltec E10 showcased at MINExpo 2021. Designed for increased productivity and quality bolt installation, the rigs feature a new operator control panel, reduced noise levels, better visibility and improved operator ergonomics, according to the company.

The Boltec M10 and E10 can handle different types of bolts, mesh and installation methods, as well as optional battery-electric driveline or diesel hydraulic, radial and face bolting capabilities and extension drilling capability. Optional tele-remote operation is available, as well as single bolt auto installation with self-drilling anchor bolts in combination with pumpable resin.

Epiroc will be exhibiting several products from its tools range including the COP 57P, a versatile DTH hammer range. It is based on a modular design platform unique in today’s market, according to the company. The customisable hammer is available in 19 variants specific to mining, quarrying, water well drilling and geotechnical drilling.

To highlight Epiroc’s commitment to continued customer support, it will showcase several aftermarket products at MINExpo 2021.

Electrification solutions from Epiroc support mining customers in their transition to battery-electric vehicles, with several products and services in the battery field:

  • The Epiroc battery system is designed with modularity and safety in mind, ensuring each individual part of the battery can be monitored and controlled separately;
  • Batteries as a Service eliminates the risks of owning batteries and the solution provides all the benefits of electrical power;
  • Battery conversion kits from Epiroc will speed up the switch from diesel-powered equipment to battery-electric vehicles;
  • The electrification offering from Epiroc also includes a wide range of charging products; and
  • With the recent acquisition of Meglab, Epiroc has strengthened its capacity to provide customers with the infrastructure required as mines transition to BEV.

Apart from the electrification offering, Epiroc will display service products, upgrades and programs, including the COP MD20 hydraulic rock drill and programs in the areas of “Remanufacturing and Live Work Elimination”.

During MINExpo 2021, Epiroc will showcase automation and information management solutions as part of its 6th Sense capabilities. 6th Sense is Epiroc’s answer to the mining and construction industries need for digitalisation as an enabler for safety and productivity gains.

IMDEX exercises Flexidrill option, adds COREVIBE and MAGHAMMER to offering

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral exploration, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

IMDEX has exercised its option to acquire Flexidrill and its patent-protected drilling productivity technologies, COREVIBE™ and MAGHAMMER™, it said.

The transaction is expected to be completed in January 2020 by the payment of NZ$3 million ($1.95 million) cash, which will be followed by further payments of cash and IMDEX shares.

Earlier this year, the company entered into a secondary option period to acquire the company from March 2019 – December 2019 to acquire the companies as it conducted further product development and testing, while establishing its supply chain and manufacturing requirements.

IMDEX Managing Director, Bernie Ridgeway, said: “The investment proposition is compelling. COREVIBE (pictured) has consistently delivered substantial drilling productivity benefits in hard ground conditions at our test site in New Zealand and in client trials. We are confident this new technology will be a step-change for the minerals drilling industry globally and deliver significant earnings for IMDEX.”

He said the company’s focus for COREVIBE during the rest of its 2020 financial year was to further introduce the technology to clients.

Ridgeway continued: “Further development of MAGHAMMER at our test site is also progressing well and we are on-track to commence client trials in Q3 2020 (September quarter of 2020).”

“We will provide further updates regarding these technologies with our H1 2020 results announcement in February 2020, however, we anticipate these technologies will provide recurring rental revenue from FY 2021,” he added.

COREVIBE uses high frequency energy pulse assisted drilling for wireline coring and provides a significant advancement in core drilling productivity. This unique technology can deliver significant benefits to clients including: higher penetration rates – up to 90%; reduced hole deviation; fewer inner tube blockages and associated tripping; and longer drill bit life, according to IMDEX.

IMDEX undertook successful trials at the company’s test site in New Zealand, which concluded the COREVIBE generated a productivity gain of 33% over conventional coring. These results were also validated by SGS, a leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, and client trials in diverse locations and conditions, it said.

MAGHAMMER uses a new hybrid drilling technique, which combines rotary diamond drilling with fluid driven percussive drilling to achieve higher penetration rates compared to conventional coring.

The technology enables an entire drill hole to be completed with a coring rig where RC and diamond drilling is required, according to IMDEX.

Benefits for clients include: the ability to drill deeper faster and with lower cost – MAGHAMMER is not affected by water intrusion and is only limited in depth by the pullback capacity of the rig; rapid drill case setting; lower rig mobilisation and demobilisation costs; and a safer operating environment with substantially less dust than compressed air RC drilling, IMDEX says.

The first iteration of MAGHAMMER will be targeting high speed pre-collar drilling through barren rock to the coring zone. This eliminates the need for multiple drill rigs at site and, accordingly, the MAGHAMMER will significantly reduce the cost of drilling these targets, according to IMDEX. Additional development of the MAGHAMMER will provide geological samples.

Sandvik focuses on exploration technology for PDAC crowd

Mineral exploration, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology will show off its exploration technology at the upcoming Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention on March 3-6, with the DE712 Core Drill Rig one of the highlights.

Experts will be on hand to discuss the rig at booth 1031 in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Sandvik said, explaining the DE712 is suitable for both directional drilling and geotechnical drilling

“This rig features a capacity of 1,126 m depth in N size and is available in both, truck- and crawler-based configurations making it easy to transport across the site. Its open and accessible design make service and maintenance tasks fast and simple,” Sandvik said.

The DE712 comes with a heavy-duty frame and a robust design, Sandvik said. It is also a space efficient drill rig featuring a drill mast supported by a strong main hoist with a failsafe brake mechanism designed for angles between vertical and 45°.

“Equipped with a powerful diesel engine, water pump and highly efficient hydraulic system, this drill is easy to learn and simple to operate while its robust and precisely engineered design has proved its durability even in the toughest working environments,” the company said.

The DE712 also features a standard automatic fire suppression system and rod spin guard, which protects the operator from the rotating rod string. The on-board Sandvik Safe-T-Spin tool provides consistent pre-torqued joint in the drill string, increasing drill rod thread life while reducing use of stillsons and other hand tools, Sandvik said.

The Sandvik booth will also feature:

  • “BSU core barrel system featuring interchangeable components and offers standard and pump-in applications in a single system. The BSU system offers greater flexibility, a more cost-efficient solution, greater safety and increased productivity. The system is user-friendly and designed for safer handling. There is no need for different coring tool systems as this multifunctional system is ideal for both surface and underground applications;
  • “A new series of impregnated diamond core bits which simplify the selection for each geological condition and deliver unsurpassed balance between best penetration rates and optimum bit life;
  • “The RE531 RC down the hole hammer (86-102 mm (3 ⅜ -4 in) designed to achieve high penetration rates in all rock conditions while providing large, uncontaminated sample return and offering increased longevity and lower cost per metre.”