Modern Quarrying Q4 2024

The Sandvik Leopard™ DI650i is an intelligent down-the-hole (DTH) drill rig built for high-capacity production drilling applications.

ON THE COVER

DRILLING AND BLASTING

On the back of its global debut at the 2018 edition of Electra Mining Africa, the Sandvik Leopard™ DI650i down-the-hole (DTH) drill rig has earned its stripes in the Southern African surface mining sector, particularly in high-capacity production drilling applications. W hen Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions first brought the Leopard™ DI650i to market, the message was clear – the company had ushered in a tool Drills Department at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology. “Over the years, we have had a positive uptake, especially in South Africa, with coal, plati num group metals (PGMs) and iron ore among the key recipient commodity markets to date.” RISING POPULARITY FOR SANDVIK LEOPARD DI650i IN SOUTHERN AFRICA

Scalable automation, ease of maintenance and efficient operation are some of the drill’s value propositions that have made it popular in the market. The Leopard™ DI650i features scalable auto mation packages to fully automate systems and increase overall productivity. iDrill onboard auto matics cover all steps of the automated drilling cycle, ensuring consistent high-quality drilled holes. It is also compatible with AutoMine® Surface

that would constitute a strong challenger for a market leadership position in the larger than 6” segment, which was previously dominated by a competitor. Some six years later, the Leopard™ DI650i has surpassed expectations with a high uptake in markets across southern Africa and the world at large. “In Southern Africa alone, we have over 60 machines operating in the field, which is remark able,” says Trinity Nkosi, Sales Engineer, Surface

MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 4 | 2024 12