GROUND SUPPORT
The new 975 Omnia
Scaler-Bolter from
MacLean has just
undergone some
eight months of
trialling in a hard
rock mine in Sudbury,
Ontario
The addition of face
bolting to MacLean’s
signature product
adds to a versatile
ground support
installation platform
(capable of installing
many types of bolts),
“and complements
the unit’s safety and
productivity dividends
that come from a
single-operator solution that places the operator always under supported
ground, yet close enough to the drill hole to have the necessary line-of-
sight proximity to ensure quality bolt installation and proper rock mass
structure identification.”
As mines go deeper and ground stresses increase, mining companies are
increasingly focused on protecting operators from pressure bursts and
gravity falls of ground, while at the same time needing to improve
productivity by compressing the mining cycle. Having to remove the
MacLean bolter from the drift to bring in a separate unit to bolt and screen
the face is an extra step that can now be eliminated.
The face bolting function of the 975 Omnia has just undergone some
eight months of trialling in a hard rock mine in Sudbury, Ontario, to fine
tune the technology for commercialisation.
“The introduction of new technology and equipment in the underground
mining environment always requires working with the people involved to
understand the mining culture and practices, and how best to fit a piece of
equipment into each mine’s specific operating conditions, so that safety and
productivity be nefits can be fully and sustainably realised,” notes Steve
Denomme, Bolter Line Product Manager at MacLean Engineering. “This is
exactly what was required with the addition of face bolting capability to the
MacLean bolter, and we are confident that we have developed a product
that will support mine safety and productivity objectives for years to come,
as mining practices and regulatory requirements continue to evolve.”
Mesh installation with MESHA
An automated roll mesh handler for the application of high-tensile chain
link mesh was developed recently by Geobrugg and successfully tested in
Australia and Switzerland for the installation of ground support, in
underground developments. The handler is called MESHA™ and is
compatible with almost all standard multi-boom jumbos and bolting and
drilling equipment, applying mesh from a cassette system. The handler with
the mesh roll is mounted on the one boom and the drill/bolter mounted on
the other boom of the jumbo. The application of the high-tensile mesh and
installation of split-sets or bolts occur simultaneously.
The handler is manipulated from the cabin of the jumbo to pick up a roll
of high-tensile mesh, minimising physical manual handling. The mesh can
then be positioned on the walls and backs for bolting, using the drilling
component of the opposite boom. The system reduces manual handling and
personnel exposure during the installation process, can reduce support
cycle times and enables the mesh to follow the rock surface contours more
closely, reducing unravelling/bagging of material in voids. The chain link
structure of the mesh and the spiral knotted ends allow for a very efficient
EV series
ELECTRIC VEHICLE
WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK.
Innovating for ground support safety
and quality of installation – since 1984
MacLean rock bolting technology was introduced over
30 years ago, and since that time the MacLean Bolter has
gone on to become a staple for primary and secondary
ground support in the Canadian mining industry, and
increasingly in hard rock mining hubs around the world.
The release of the MacLean 975 Omnia Scaler-Bolter
responds to mining companies’ evolving ground support
needs, including the demand for increased versatility
(bolt type and length, deck height), increased productivity
(compressing the mining cycle), improved worker safety
(face bolting, resin injection and single-bolt handling),
and the option of a diesel-free work environment (battery
propulsion).
Multi-discipline engineering capabilities, hard rock mining
expertise, custom manufacturing know-how, and a global
network of service and support branches – this is how
MacLean builds for life underground.
CANADA | MEXICO | PERU | SOUTH AFRICA | AUSTRALIA
GROUND SUPPORT • ORE FLOW • UTILITY VEHICLES
macleanengineering.com
AUGUST 2017 | International Mining 63