Tag Archives: Pucobre

Epiroc brings COPROD drilling system to the Simba underground mining family

Explosives and blasting, Mining equipment, , ,

Epiroc says it is bringing the successful COPROD system to the Simba underground production drill rig family.

Compared with traditional drilling methods, COPROD for Simba offers up to three times higher penetration rate with excellent precision, Epiroc says. Chile-based copper miner Pucobre has already seen the benefits of the system and recently ordered three new Simba E70 S COPROD.

Sebastián Rios, CEO of Pucobre, said: “The underground mining that Pucobre carries out in our mines in the Atacama region, Chile, is becoming more challenging every day due to variable rock quality as well as smaller and irregularly shaped ore bodies that are located further away. COPROD for Simba has allowed excellent precision levels while drilling at rates and distances that ensure efficient production. Last quarter, we decided to change our entire production drilling fleet to this equipment.”

COPROD is, according to Epiroc, a unique rock drilling system combining the greater penetration rate and significantly lower energy consumption of tophammer equipment with the hole quality and straightness of DTH drilling. Historically only available for surface drilling, COPROD now makes its way to the Simba production drill rig family – taking precision and speed to a whole new level underground.

Mathias Edhammer, Global Portfolio Manager Rock Reinforcement and Production Drilling at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “With drilling being the first step in the process flow, COPROD for Simba creates huge opportunities for optimisation and downstream benefits. The system will help improve fragmentation and ore recovery, while decreasing hole dilution significantly.”

Pucobre has used COPROD for Simba since 2022 and quickly saw strong results such as better fragmentation after blasting, dilution reduction to 5% and increased burden to 2.4 m.

Lars Bergkvist, Head of Accounts and Applications at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “Pucobre is an excellent example of how COPROD for Simba can unlock new opportunities in mine design with the potential to lower cost per tonne, for example by enabling double benches and higher draw bells.”

COPROD for Simba combines the rock drill with the smart series of Simba production drill rigs, as well as digital tools and Epiroc’s 6th Sense optimisation approach – creating a complete package for improved quality and performance of long hole drilling.

Pucobre to employ Epiroc 6th Sense solution at UG copper mines

Automation, Base metals, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

Epiroc says it has signed a collaboration agreement with Sociedad Punta del Cobre SA (Pucobre) in Chile to digitalise the company’s mining operations, in turn, boosting productivity and safety.

The mining OEM is helping Pucobre to enhance its mining operations in the Atacama region of northern Chile, with the collaboration including defining new ways of working and new roles as well as development of an integrated information management system, it said.

Epiroc’s new 6th Sense Mine Management Solution will be included in this solution, combining Pucobre’s existing systems with, for instance, scheduler and other task management and reporting features, Epiroc said.

The new solution is already visible in Pucobre’s newly established Control Tower (pictured).

Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s Senior Executive Vice President Mining and Infrastructure, said the 6th Sense collaboration with Pucobre would help modernise its mine operations and make it safer and more productive. “This represents the future of mining,” she added.

Sebastián Ríos, Pucobre’s CEO, said the company had high expectations for 6th Sense to continue improving the safety and productivity of its underground copper mining operations.

“We have strengthened our relationship with Epiroc, as we both target excellence in mining operations,” he said. “We rely on Epiroc’s strategic approach, its collaborative work and its professional team, which is regularly present at our mine site.”

The 6th Sense system can be connected to the customer’s existing machine fleet regardless of make or model, according to Epiroc.

“6th Sense is Epiroc’s new way to optimise customers’ processes through automation, system integration and information management – enabling a smart, safe and seamless operation,” the company said.

The collaboration extends the partnership between the companies. Pucobre’s Epiroc equipment includes Simba production drill rigs, Boomer face drilling rigs, and Scooptram and Minetruck underground loading and haulage vehicles, Epiroc said. The company also provides Pucobre with consumables and service.