Modern Quarrying Quarter 1 2021

Sandvik’s Leopard DI650i intelligent down-the-hole surface drill rig is designed for demanding high- capacity production drilling applications in surface mining, as well as large-scale quarry applications.

DRILLING

Drilling as the first unit operation in quarrying has a significant bearing on the cost-effective execution of downstream operations. The development, advancement and utilisation of innovative technologies in the drilling sector are therefore important for the quarrying industry to operate cost-effectively, which is why drilling OEMs are championining technological advancement in all forms. By Munesu Shoko. AT THE DRILLING EDGE

U nit operations such as drilling, blasting, excavation, loading, hauling, crushing and screening are interrelated variables in the total cost equation of a quarry operation. However, drilling is the first unit operation that has a significant impact on the rest of the functions, thus it should be executed accurately. As the initial phase of the quarrying process, says Vanessa Hardy, business line manager surface drills, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, the drilling function sets the scene for the efficient roll-out of blasting, loading, crushing and screening phases. “If the drilling is not done accurately at the start of this process, there is an increased risk to production, including safety issues, delays and higher costs. Failing to deliver on any of these issues can even lead to reputational risk. Getting the basics right is vital, from the correct selection of drill rigs to the bench preparation and levelling of equipment,” explains Hardy. A key enabler to effective drilling in recent years has been the continuous rollout of new technologies that have and are changing the face of this function in the quarrying

and mining sectors. In this changing world where much of the traditional and accepted ways of working are being questioned, Kevin Govender, area sales manager – Surface Division at Epiroc South Africa, believes that automation technology will solve many of the challenges facing quarrying operations. Leading the way One of the areas where automation technologies have matured is in rock drilling. Sandvik is one of the leading OEMs in this area. With its iSeries range of intelligent drill rigs, the company has put tremendous focus on safety, efficiency and productivity while reducing operating costs. There is also plenty of flexibility for the customer to choose the level of automation that suits them, says Hardy. “Where the customer still wants an operator in the cab, there are various one-touch buttons to improve performance and accuracy. For instance, this allows the rig to level itself before operation, to bring the drill up into a drilling position or to collar the drill. The operator can also set, store and recall a number of operating ‘recipes’ for drilling, which the machine will automatically implement at

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 1 - 2021