Tag Archives: Sarah Hoffman

Epiroc and Vale enter into MoU focused on leveraging groundbreaking mining techniques

Epiroc Canada and Vale Base Metals Limited subsidiary Vale Canada Limited have announced a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding to develop, test and utilise groundbreaking mining techniques and equipment to strengthen safety processes and drive innovative mining solutions while enhancing productivity.

Under the agreement, the two organisations will collaborate to apply and adapt Epiroc’s solutions in automation, electrification and digitalisation across the underground mining cycle in areas from long-hole drilling to blasting, face drilling, bolting, mucking and hauling, the OEM says.

Sarah Hoffman, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “We are excited about our shared commitment with Vale Base Metals to accelerate the transformation of the mining industry through innovation that will keep pushing the benchmark of safety for workers, without compromising on productivity.”

Vale Base Metals plans to use Epiroc’s technology and digital advances in underground technology to remove employees from the rock face, production drilling areas and ground support locations in support of safe and efficient mining activities. This includes remote operation of Epiroc and mixed fleet OEM equipment in isolated zones. The companies will evaluate innovative electrification technologies such as charging, equipment usage, operational efficiency, as well as potential partnerships on novel technologies with potential for more widespread application, Epiroc says.

Luke Mahony, Interim Chief Technical Officer at Vale Base Metals, said: “This partnership with Epiroc will be an important step on our journey. Safety is a central pillar of our operations so we’re excited to develop solutions that strengthen our suite of available technologies to keep workers safe and drive overall efficiencies.”

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.”

Epiroc equips 18-t Scooptram ST18 SG with bigger battery capacity, automation capabilities

Epiroc says it has advanced even further on safety, sustainability and productivity goals with the launch of the battery-electric, automation-ready Scooptram ST18 SG.

This 18-t loader is the most powerful loader yet in Epiroc’s growing fleet of battery-electric vehicles.

“By featuring market-leading battery autonomy and a complete battery safety system, Epiroc’s customers can now go the extra mile when it comes to safety, sustainability and productivity in the 18-t loader segment,” the company said.

According to Erik Gert, Global Product Manager – Scooptram at Epiroc’s Underground division, the interest from customers for this new machine has been extensive, with several loader orders already booked.

The very first of these machines will be delivered to Boliden’s developing Rävliden mine in Sweden. This is part of a wider order –  confirmed in June –  which included battery-electric versions of the Boomer face drilling rig and Boltec rock bolting rig to go to the Rävliden, Kristineberg and Renström mine sites in northern Sweden.

“Scooptram ST18 SG is a great fit for their high ambitions regarding sustainability and automation,” Gert said.

Scooptram ST18 SG is the answer to the rising demand for large segment loaders in underground operations as well as the need to reduce greenhouse gases from the mining industry, according to Epiroc. The loader features up to 50% higher installed battery capacity compared with other OEMs, resulting in longer autonomy with fewer stops for charging or battery swapping. The high energy-density battery also comes with both active and passive safety systems.

Gert added: “Compared to using a fossil-fuelled loader with similar capacity, the Scooptram ST18 SG eliminates 365 t of CO2 emissions annually. It also reduced heat, noise, and the need for ventilation – which is crucial as mines become increasingly deeper.”

The Scooptram ST18 SG uses Epiroc’s second-generation battery-electric drivetrain, which, it says, has been proven in field by the Scooptram ST14 SG. This drivetrain, the company says, provides outstanding acceleration, manoeuvrability and responsiveness for the operator.

Sarah Hoffman, VP Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “With the Scooptram ST18 SG, we’re bringing our leading zero-emission technology to large-size underground mines. This is an important step in our ambition to drive the industry forward – to a more sustainable, productive and safer future.”

The Scooptram ST18 SG is part of the Smart and Green series (SG), combining battery-electric driveline with Epiroc’s Rig Control System (RCS). It is prepared for 6th Sense functionality such as automation and remote control.

Epiroc introduces ‘Smart’ and ‘Green’ series to highlight zero-emission and automation benefits

Epiroc has ramped up deliveries of battery-electric vehicles and is now seeing strong results from the field in terms of productivity, CO2 reduction and customer satisfaction, it says.

The “Smart and Green” series is the next step to highlight the benefits of zero-emission technology and automation – together with several strong partnerships and initiatives within the sustainability field, according to Epiroc.

This will see the underground battery-electric range rebranded to the Smart and Green series, broadening the fleet to potentially include other zero-emission technologies in the future, the company said. These battery-powered machines come equipped with Epiroc’s Rig Control System, RCS, which makes them ready for smart functionality such as automation and remote control.

“Mining is an essential part of modern society, and crucial in the shift to fossil-free energy sources,” Sarah Hoffman, VP Sales and Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said. “We want to provide the equipment to mine the required metals and minerals in the most sustainable way possible.

“Our ambition is to produce the world’s greenest machines, all the way from cell level to recycling of the batteries. And with smart functionality added, we can help improve safety, productivity, and machine availability even further.”

At the same time, Epiroc is also introducing the Smart series for its diesel-powered range outfitted with RCS. Just like the electric range, the machines are prepared for additional functionality from Epiroc’s 6th Sense offering. The included machine models will feature new decal designs as well as updated product naming.

The batteries of the electric range are produced together with Northvolt, who is committed to building the world’s greenest batteries, Epiroc says.

“Sourcing of materials is done ethically to secure a supply chain free from corruption of people and planet,” it said. “The high energy-density batteries are certified with international standards and features a built-in multi-layer safety system.”

Other sustainability initiatives include Epiroc’s recently announced partnership with Swedish steelmaker SSAB to secure fossil-free steel for use in the production of Epiroc’s mining equipment. The partnership with SSAB fits well with Epiroc’s ambitious sustainability goals for 2030, which includes halving its CO2e emissions.

In 2021, Epiroc received validation from the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for its targets to reduce emissions in own operations as well as our customers’ operations where Epiroc equipment is being operated. The SBTi validated Epiroc’s climate targets as being in line with keeping global warming at a maximum 1.5°C, consistent with the latest climate science and the goal of the Paris Climate Agreement.

By 2025, Epiroc aims to offer a complete range of emission-free underground products.

Epiroc brings autonomous drilling to small underground mining segment with the Boomer S10 S

Epiroc has released what it says is the world’s first automated one-boom jumbo for the small segment in the form of its new Boomer S10 S.

This rig pushes the boundaries of what to expect from a face drilling rig, according to the company, providing near surgical precision in drilling and major cost savings throughout the cycle – all thanks to being the world’s first one-boom jumbo featuring Epiroc’s Rig Control System.

The consistent, repeatable and quality-assured results are made possible by advanced automation, operator-assisting features and digital drill plans, Epiroc says.

“With Boomer S10 S as our latest addition, we are proud to offer a sustainable automated operation for the small segment, with a complete range of automated rigs for face drilling, production drilling and rock reinforcement underground,” Sarah Hoffman, VP Sales & Marketing at Epiroc’s Underground division, said.

The new Boomer S10 S comes with quality drilling and cost savings in terms of wear and tear of rock drilling tools, spare parts and other consumables, according to Epiroc. Compared with traditional, non-automated one-boom jumbos, the rig decreases the consumption of consumable parts by 30%, while lowering maintenance costs by 12%.

Thanks to the digital drill plans and Epiroc’s Rig Control System, the drill rig is perfectly aligned in the drift to optimise accuracy, providing less overbreak and underbreak, and longer pull rounds, Epiroc says.

Epiroc’s Rig Control System is used for controlling several vital functions in Epiroc’s machines. It is also an enabler for several productivity-increasing, efficiency-boosting and cost-saving automation features, according to the company.

Niklas Berggren, Global Product Manager, Face Drilling Equipment at Epiroc, said: “The Rig Control System provides drilling accuracy way beyond what human eye measure could ever accomplish. It is high-quality production from start to finish, and a great milestone reached for mine development.”

When applying the High Performance Development method – a way of working during the entire drill cycle – the Boomer S10 S offers up to 25% more development metres compared with traditional one-boom jumbos, according to Epiroc. The total cycle time is reduced thanks to better pull-length, fragmentation and reduced scaling needs.

“It’s a snowball effect on productivity: accurate drilling holes means less explosives, less scaling and better tunnel profiles,” Berggren says. “In turn, a better tunnel profile means less rock reinforcement and less tear on all the machines in the drift. All this leads to significant cost reductions while increasing productivity and safety for everyone involved.”

The machine is designed for great ergonomics with lower vibration and sound levels (<75 dbA), and also offers improved visibility and a multi-functional joystick.

Epiroc to phase out concrete spraying line

Epiroc says it has decided to move away from the concrete spraying business and will phase out its operations later this year.

Epiroc develops and manufactures six products within the concrete spraying line in its Örebro, Nashik and Nanjing facilities. This business was expanded back in 2013 when Epiroc (then Atlas Copco) acquired MEYCO.

Sarah Hoffman, Vice President Marketing for the Underground division at Epiroc, said the company constantly reviews its customer solutions “to ensure we keep Epiroc strong and agile for the future”.

She added: “This work is a natural part of product life cycle management, required to ensure a healthy, profitable and competitive portfolio.

“We will phase out the concrete spraying line within 2020 while evaluating other alternatives for this portfolio.”