Tag Archives: MINExpo 2021

Epiroc combines large diameter drilling with small platform on Pit Viper 291

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Epiroc has introduced the Pit Viper 291 blasthole drilling rig at MINExpo 2021, in Las Vegas, today.

The large diameter, single-pass drill delivers productivity, application flexibility and enhanced operator safety with autonomous drilling options, according to the company.

Epiroc’s Pit Viper 291 is designed to tackle larger diameter drilling in soft- to medium-ground conditions. Capable of 279-311 mm diameter holes with 38 t bit load capacity, the new rig brings, Epiroc says, unsurpassed performance to any drilling operation and further extends the Epiroc Pit Viper range.

With Epiroc’s Rig Control System (RCS), the Pit Viper 291 can be configured with scalable automation features. Options like AutoDrill and AutoLevel or the optional BenchREMOTE package allow an off-drill operator to run one or multiple units. The Pit Viper 291 is also capable of fully autonomous drilling with almost no human interaction with the drill for improved mine safety and productivity.

The Pit Viper 291 takes the Pit Viper series to another level with maximised force and torque for greater drilling efficiency and decreased downtime, the company says. The drill rig offers 356 kN of pulldown capacity, 156 kN of pulldown force and 11,000 ft-lb of torque.

Adrian Speer, Product Line Manager, Blasthole drilling, says: “The Pit Viper 291 is the perfect combination of large diameter drilling on a small platform. With proven performance throughout different regions and conditions, plus advanced autonomous features, the Pit Viper 291 will further exceed any drilling production requirements.”

For ease of maintenance, the deck layout on the Pit Viper series offers convenient access to all major service components. Ground level, fast fuel fill connections are standard, and optional ground level live sampling is available. Spool valves are also centrally located above the deck for accessibility.

Along with the larger diameter capacity, the Pit Viper 291 offers more than 100 different options to configure the perfect drill rig for the specific application.

Skycatch maps out autonomous mining future with DJI M300 mapping, analytics solution

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San Francisco-based Skycatch has been making waves in the drone space with a range of mapping solutions tailored for mining applications but, according to Chief Technology Officer, David Chen, it thinks of itself as a “software-first company”.

He explained to IM: “We are really a computer vision company, and we focus on building not only the drone solution, but the software that enables it.”

This sees the company provide data capture automation, processing, visualisation and analysis tools to the industry for efficient decision making.

Chen added: “We work with a number of the top mining companies across the globe, providing them with unique solutions that they are using every day to complement their existing survey processes.”

The company, which has become a leader in highwall mapping through these solutions, is expanding beyond surveys into other areas.

This will be facilitated through software like its Flight1X, a cloud-based solution designed specifically for the recently launched DJI M300 drone that, Skycatch says, delivers unprecedented drone mapping accuracy and inspection automation for operations like mines. The proprietary software offers the most complete end-to-end high precision industrial drone capabilities available today, according to the company.

Flight1X, launched at MINExpo 2021 today, comes with proven data and network security via Skycatch servers in the USA, with the Android-based flight planning application running on the M300 Smart Controller. When combined with Datahub, Skycatch’s cloud-based solution, the pair offer mission planning and data visualisation.

Chen expanded on some of these capabilities.

“The majority of drone software out there has been focused on 2D mapping, whereas we have seen that mining, which comes with dynamic and undulating terrain, requires something different.

“What we are building is an automated mission planner where the primary view is of 3D terrain. This planner allows you to bring in existing terrain data from elsewhere or capture and process data from our own platform. The user can then rotate around this map and see the exact mission profile in 3D for improved visualisation and decision making.”

This data integration piece, which hinges on the cloud-based Flight1X platform, could provide Skycatch with an ‘in’ to the tailings dam monitoring market.

“While we’re already providing some survey solutions for tailings dams, the combination of high precision survey (with cm-level precision) for dam movements, fully automated section missions based on RGB and thermal imaging, and machine learning could provide data on dam seepage, for instance,” Chen said.

“We also want to integrate IoT sensors around dam movement and other areas into this cloud-based platform to provide an overall view of the tailings management facility.”

Skycatch is currently working on integrating the DJI M300 and L1 & P1 sensors – purpose built for mapping and surveying – into its offering, with Chen seeing the process as just the next stage in facilitating the autonomous mine of the future.

“The one thing that fully autonomous mines need is a map of the mine for these autonomous machines to operate off,” he said. “We have a focus on making data more accurate, accessible and faster; making it faster is the key for fully autonomous mining.

“Right now, with the current photogrammetry process, it’s still: capture, process and wait a few hours for a map. To be fully autonomous, you need that dynamic map in near real time, which is what we can offer the industry.”

Epiroc looks to set underground rock reinforcement standard with Boltec M10, E10

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Epiroc is showcasing the latest additions to its rock reinforcement line at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, with the new Boltec M10 and Boltec E10.

The Boltect M10 (pictured) and the larger Boltec E10 are fully mechanised rock bolting rigs for medium- and large-sized tunnels, designed to increase productivity and bolt installation quality thanks to intelligent options and compatibility with different bolt types, according to the company.

Peter Bray, Global Product Manager, Rock Reinforcement Equipment with Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “As mining operations move ever deeper underground, the difficulty in bolting and securing increasingly fragmented rock is rising. The Boltec M10 and Boltec E10 introduce previously unavailable autonomous functionality: this is the benchmark in underground rock reinforcement.”

With self-drilling anchor bolts (SDA) in combination with pumpable resin, the Boltec M10 and Boltec E10 can perform single bolt and multi-bolt installation automatically, according to Epiroc. These new functions work hand-in-hand with teleremote bolting and offer bolting potential during shift changes or other situations where off-board control during bolting is needed, the company says.

With in-built flexibility, the Boltec M10 and E10 have the ability to handle several different types of bolts, mesh and installation methods as well as radial, face bolting and extension drilling capability, Epiroc says. The boom bolter concept ensures the operator stays at a safe distance from the working area of the machine during the bolting process.

The new Boltec rigs come with an optional battery-electric driveline, which brings additional advancements for operator health, maintenance, ventilation and cooling.

The Boltec M10 and Boltec E10 also come with a completely redesigned operator station. The optional ROPS- and FOPS-certified cabin sets new standards for operator safety and comfort thanks to significantly reduced noise levels down to only (65 dB(A)), HEPA air filtration and better visibility, according to Epiroc. The air-conditioning system also features automatic temperature adjustment, further boosting operator comfort.

Rajant launches global LTE radio, personnel and asset tracking solution at MINExpo

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Rajant Corporation, the provider of Kinetic Mesh® wireless networks, has announced two new products on day one of MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The latest enhancements include the addition of a global LTE radtio to its fourth-generation BreadCrumb® Peregrine product line, and the launch of MeshTracer a software-based personnel and asset tracking solution that, Rajant says, can monitor Rajant BreadCrumbs, AeroScout tags and any Wi-Fi device that uses a static MAC address.

The addition of the global LTE radio means that with one 2.4 GHz radio, two 5 GHz radios and LTE, the enhanced Peregrine can provide up to 2.633 Gb/s of aggregated capacity, the company says.

Geoff Smith, EVP of Sales and Marketing for Rajant, says: “Improving the safety and productivity of mining operations is the by-product of Rajant Kinetic Mesh. It is the only industrial wireless network enabling machine-to-machine connectivity and mobility in markets like open-pit and underground mining”

“Adding an LTE client now allows all mining companies that have invested in LTE to leverage that infrastructure while benefiting from the mine-wide mission-critical coverage Kinetic Mesh provides.

He added: “Tracking personnel and assets is mandatory underground, making Rajant’s latest MeshTracer a logical addition to the BreadCrumb portfolio. Adding the ability to track BreadCrumbs both above and below ground allows a mine to observe areas for process improvements. Finally, supporting Wi-Fi devices allows for two-way communication in emergencies.”

Chris Acton, General Manager for Acubis Technologies, the largest Rajant Kinetic Mesh “Premier Partner” in Australasia, said: “We are ecstatic with the performance we have seen in the new Peregrines that we have deployed throughout Australia. Our customers see as much as four times the increase in capacity over the previous generation.

“Rajant provides unique value by maintaining backward compatibility with previous generation BreadCrumbs deployed in the field. This allows sites to upgrade between models knowing that there will be no loss to communications.”

He added: “We also have many customers in Australia who have invested in LTE solutions but are experiencing coverage and data upload issues. These customers are very anxious to deploy the latest LTE-equipped Peregrines. And being able to now track BreadCrumbs as well as personnel above and below ground provides critical new benefits for our customers.’’

RIGID ROBOTICS adds to RIGIDprecision platform with new shovel operator app

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RIGID ROBOTICS is set to officially unveil the PRECISION DIG-2-DESIGN™ on the first day of MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada, today.

PRECISION DIG-2-DESIGN is an open-pit digging assistance and real-time plan compliance application that enables “single path mining” and precision execution of mine plans, according to the company. The application visually guides the shovel operator through a dig block in real time, ensuring the operator stays within grade and dig limits with a 200 mm accuracy.

The PRECISION DIG-2-DESIGN is just one application in the suite of applications available on RIGIDprecision™ platform – a unified hardware/software platform that enables mine sites to achieve precision mining in a piece-wise, scalable and integrated fashion, according to the company.

RIGID ROBOTICS unveiled the RIGIDprecision platform earlier this year after launching the innovation in early 2020 and successfully completing field pilots in western Canada.

“We’re excited to coordinate the introduction of our latest application with MINExpo 2021”, CEO, Mehran Motamed, said.

“The release of PRECISION DIG-2-DESIGN application at this event gives our partners and clients the opportunity to see the application in action and talk to our experts about how RIGIDprecision platform can enable their digital vision.”

MINExpo 2021 runs from September 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Orica helps clients target specific blast outcomes in real time with 4D bulk explosives tech

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Orica has, today, launched 4D™, its latest bulk explosives technology at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, USA.

The 4D bulk system enables the real-time tailoring of explosives energy to geology across a blast, delivering improvements in fragmentation, on bench productivity and an overall reduction in drill and blast costs, according to the ASX-listed company.

The 4D bulk explosives technology will enable Orica’s customers to, the company says, seamlessly match a greater range of explosives energy across a mine’s geology and target specific blast outcomes in real time.

By combining emulsion blended with ammonium nitrate porous prills, 4D supports both pumped and augered loading methods across dry, wet and dewatered hole conditions. An outcome of this unique capability is greater on bench productivity by Orica’s fleet of 4D-enabled Mobile Manufacturing Units (MMU™), without the need to change raw materials in the MMU, Orica says.

Orica Chief Technology Officer, Angus Melbourne, said: “Our 4D capability demonstrates the convergence of our new technologies and solutions, allowing our customers to think differently, mine more efficiently and operate more precisely. By combining our range of advanced digital, formulation chemistry and explosives delivery technologies with our technical expertise, we are able to offer this breakthrough solution that will unlock greater value for our customers across their operations.”

Delivering up to 23% more relative bulk strength for hard-rock applications and up to 43% reduction in soft-rock applications, 4D will enable a broader range of applications, according to Orica.

In hard rock, the extra energy can be used to improve fragmentation in ore blasting, or to expand patterns while maintaining the same energy per bank cubic metre to substantially reduce drill and blast costs, the company claims. In softer geology, the potential of loading significantly lower energy products into wet holes leads to reduced cost and fume risk, as well as better management of blast vibration.

Orica Vice President – Blasting Technology, Adam Mooney, described the solution and the significant change in the application of explosives, saying: “Traditionally blast designs are often driven by powder factor, which is the overall consumption of explosives for the blast, rather than the energy required for different parts of the blast based on geology, resulting in the same type of explosive being applied across a blast pattern regardless of changes in geology or the required blast outcome.

“4D now enables us to consider another dimension – the application of energy in real time matched to the rock strength of the blast pattern as well as the desired blast outcomes, such as consistent fragmentation, fume risk reduction or better vibration control. This is a really powerful technology that will allow customers to manage their drill and blast operations and achieve improved blast outcomes.”

4D will be delivered through MMU’s equipped with LOADPlus™, Orica’s proprietary in-cab smart explosives delivery control system that, it says, enables the ease of manufacture and accurate and efficient delivery of formulated explosives products to plan.

Integration with Orica’s suite of digital blasting technologies including BlastIQ™ and SHOTPlus™ will further enable customers to leverage seamless digital workflows including blast designs and blast quality assurance and control, as well as BlastIQ digital insights to continually optimise blasting outcomes, Orica says.

4D is currently being developed across Orica’s Fortis™, Fortan™ and Aquacharge™ bulk systems. The technology will eventually be applied across Orica’s suite of bulk systems.

The first release of 4D™ will begin with Australia from the end of the year with other regions to follow from 2022.

MINExpo 2021 runs from September 13-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Rajant, NEVIL ELETRO MECANICA teleremote dozing success to be highlighted at MINExpo

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Rajant Corporation, the provider of Kinetic Mesh® wireless networks, and Brazil-based NEVIL ELETRO MECANICA are, they say, improving safety and efficiency with teleoperation for dozing and heavy equipment.

At MINExpo 2021, September 13-15, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, Rajant and NEVIL will share success stories of deployments in iron ore mines in Brazil and demonstrate the collaborative solution for mining.

“Separating people from the risks and adversities inherent to mine site work areas is paramount,” NEVIL’s CEO, Fabio Neves, says. “Rajant enables reliable and redundant connectivity to NEVIL’s teleoperation software and controls, making possible one operator to control multiple dozers, excavators, loaders, and trucks simultaneously. Mining personnel are conducting heavy equipment operations from remote operation areas with consistency, efficiency, productivity, and safety.”

Rajant VP of Sales, Americas, Sagar Chandra, adds: “Scalability is a shared capability between Rajant and NEVIL. As location landscape, environment and conditions change, Rajant and NEVIL dynamically adapt to flex with customer’s mission-critical teleoperations, autonomy and mobility demands.

“As Rajant’s unique Kinetic Mesh BreadCrumbs with InstaMesh® scale and expand, connectivity strengthens across the mine site. Communication of voice, video, and data is delivered with high bandwidth, low latency and security. One such success story was done by Rajant distributor SiTech Brazil and the simultaneous teleoperation of 17 heavy construction units.”

Deployed in more than 230 of the largest open-pit and underground mines globally, fully mobile V2X/M2M was pioneer by Rajant and has a heritage of maintaining interoperability with existing BreadCrumb wireless nodes with new product releases, the company said.

Battery-electric, teleremote and VR tech to feature on MacLean’s MINExpo booth

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The MacLean focus at MINExpo 2021 will be squarely on the latest outputs from the company’s technology development efforts in the areas of electrification, automation and digitalisation, the company has confirmed.

Show updates on September 13-15 in Las Vegas include the latest on the MacLean battery-electric product line, teleremote technology, as well as telemetry and virtual reality training technology to round out the clean, automated and data-rich design philosophy that is at the core of the company’s ‘Application Intelligence’ technology campaign, it said.

“We have been doing fit-for-purpose mobile equipment manufacturing for the past 50 years so in one sense, ‘Application Intelligence’ is simply a continuation of the MacLean value proposition to the global mining industry,” MacLean President, Kevin MacLean, says. “The only difference is the ramp up of our technology development capabilities and collaboration with producers and other OEMs, to make the underground environment safer and more productive. Understanding the mining cycle and designing solutions that fit the job is what the ‘engineering’ means in MacLean Engineering.”

Adam Howse, MacLean Business Development Manager for the Western US & Canada, said: “How far we have come already and how far we still intend to go in designing underground mining vehicles that are emissions-free and able to be highly automated in a multi-OEM environment – this is what we will be sharing first-hand with booth guests at the show.

“At the same time, this global story of the evolution of smart mining equipment is complemented by a local story for us in northern Nevada, where we established a branch in 2020 and where we continue to expand our aftermarket support capabilities for customers in the historic Elko mining camp as well as across the western US.”

The launch of the MacLean ‘Application Intelligence’ campaign includes a new corporate website that will be a hub for information about the full and expanding MacLean product line for both battery electric and diesel-powered mining vehicles.

MacLean explained: “Application Intelligence represents the potential contained within the overlap of on-vehicle technology development, mobile equipment manufacturing expertise and deep knowledge of the mining cycle. It is the driving ethos behind the electrification, automation and digitalisation efforts that continue to evolve the MacLean mining vehicle product lines that span the ground support, secondary reduction and utility vehicle categories.

“This includes the next generation of MacLean ground support installation that will include robotics engineered life underground, building on the 30-year and recent 500-production unit production milestone for the 900 Series scissor bolter product line.”

Orica to unveil WebGen 200 wireless blasting initiating system at MINExpo 2021

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Orica says it will unveil its latest through-the-earth, fully wireless initiating system, WebGen™ 200 at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas next week.

A development based on more than 2,300 successful WebGen 100 blasts around the world, specifically in underground mines, Orica’s WebGen 200 technology has been designed with customers’ needs and feedback built-in as they look to further improve safety and productivity across their operations, the company says.

WebGen technology provides for groups of in-hole primers to be wirelessly initiated by a firing command that communicates through hundreds of metres of rock, water and air. This completely removes constraints often imposed by the requirement of a physical connection to each primer in a blast and importantly allows the removal of people from harm’s way, it says.

“Engineered to deliver market-leading safety and reliability, WebGen 200 has been built with enhanced capabilities, security and versatility, ensuring it meets the extreme mining conditions faced by surface and underground customers pushing the boundaries of mining’s next frontier,” Orica says.

MINExpo 2021 will take place on September 13-15 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Orica Chief Technology Officer, Angus Melbourne said: “We know that as our customers go deeper and move into more complex mining, they are requiring more advanced technology to help them mine differently and continue to extract their orebodies safely and efficiently. That’s where WebGen 200 and our broader technology roadmap comes in.”

WebGen 200 harnesses digital technology to allow advanced features including digital inventory management, delay adjustments before blasting, an improved user interface and increased quality assurance, according to the company. Reliability is further improved with the WebGen 200 primers available to endure even greater dynamic pressure.

Orica Vice President – Blasting Technology, Adam Mooney, said: “We’ve co-developed our second-generation wireless initiation technology, WebGen 200, with customers from across all segments and regions around the world.

“We developed WebGen primarily to reduce or remove employees’ exposure to hazardous environments and improve overall operational safety. But we are also seeing the technology delivering unparalleled improvements in productivity and improved recovery for our customers – it is enabling a step-change in blasting and mining like no other.

“We are excited about what the future holds for the industry with WebGen 200 and know the enhancements made to this second-generation product will improve the customer experience, broaden its application and deliver significant value for customers while enabling the first stages of blast automation.”

The hardware, software and the WebGen 200 units come together as a system that, Orica says, is easily integrated into any operation. It will be available in four product variants and include a wider range of booster weights, opening up new segments, applications and opportunities in both surface and underground mining.

The complete product range now includes the WebGen 200 Surface, WebGen 200 Surface Pro, WebGen 200 Underground Pro, and WebGen 200 Dev. All four variants will be on show in Las Vegas.

The new WebGen 200 suite of fully wireless initiating systems

WebGen 200 Surface and WebGen 200 Surface Pro are specifically designed for surface mining applications, with the Pro version designed for extreme blasting conditions, including revolutionary blasting techniques like Multi-Stratum Blasting, Mining Schedule Flexibility and Lightning Risk Reduction. The WebGen 200 Underground Pro is suited to production blasting, while the WebGen 200 Underground Dev has been designed for mechanical assembly and will enable the automation of underground development charging with Avatel™.

Orica and Epiroc have been developed Avatel, billed as a first-of-its-kind, industry-driven semi-automated explosives delivery system, with a prototype machine currently undergoing trials ahead of being commercially ready by the end of 2021.

The charging solution, enabled by Orica’s WebGen wireless initiating system technology, addresses the final step in the underground development cycle yet to benefit substantially from mechanisation and automation.

It is expected to bring a step-change in safety by eliminating the need for wired connections and subsequent exposure to crews at the face, according to Orica. Instead, the entire charging cycle can be completed by a single operator from within the safety of an enclosed cabin, several metres from the face.

The WebGen 200 development program is progressing to plan with comprehensive verification and validation product testing completed, according to Orica. Field trials are planned and will be completed across multiple mining segments and regions in Australia, Canada, Latin America and Europe, ahead of being commercially available from December 2021.

Sandvik to unveil new battery-powered bolter, simulator and app at MINExpo

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Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is set to unveil three new underground drilling solutions at MINExpo 2021 in Las Vegas, based around a common theme of electrification, sustainability and digitalisation.

The new products to be unveiled at the show, taking place from September 13-15, include a new battery-powered bolting rig, an accompanying portable training simulator and a new mobile application for enhanced drilling.

The new Sandvik DS412iE (pictured) is a highly automated, productive, battery-electric powered rock bolter for underground mining and tunnelling applications. It is equipped with an electric driveline system and battery package with electric motor for zero emissions while tramming and drilling, thereby reducing thermal load and underground ventilation requirements, Sandvik says.

The rig’s iSeries platform offers various levels of automation for rock support drilling as well as providing component commonality through the 400i drill range. The introduction of Sandvik DS412iE rounds out Sandvik’s first range of battery-electric vehicles for all underground drilling applications, according to the company.

Sandvik Digital Driller™ training simulators provide a compact and flexible solution to safely train underground drill rig operators or maintenance teams, the company says. The latest Digital Driller module is specifically designed to support the new Sandvik DS412iE battery-electric rig, with the new version retaining the key features of being low weight and highly portable, enabling it to be used where it is most needed – on site.

Use of the simulator is estimated to increase annual productivity by 5% due to increased rig availability alone, Sandvik claims. In addition, training costs are reduced by up to 35% through less energy and consumables costs and reduced rig damage.

The new Sandvik DrillConnect mobile application transfers drilling plans – including those created in iSURE® – drilling reports and MySandvik machine data in environments where network coverage is inadequate or not available. Sandvik DrillConnect removes paper-based processes and automates the data transfer between the office and drill rig via a customer’s preferred mobile device. The app also provides easy access to the machine’s troubleshooting and manuals and is designed to be scalable for future development, according to Sandvik. The first version will be compatible with iOS devices, with plans to introduce Android compatibility in future iterations.

Patrick Murphy, President of Underground Drilling at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “Our latest developments are based on the feedback we have received from customers. We have listened to their challenges and are developing solutions that ensure we will continue to lead the industry shift toward a more digitalised and electrified future.”

In addition to the new underground drilling solutions being introduced at MINExpo, a Sandvik DL432i tele-remote operator chair will be on display. Sandvik will also showcase the latest updates to its underground drilling product offering.