SURFACE DRILLING
Pushing surface coring boundaries
Boart Longyear LF™160 surface
coring drill rig with loading crew
Boart Longyear in 2018 introduced its LF™160
surface coring drill rig and FL262 Freedom™ Loader
into the African market. After being launched in late
2016, this rig and loader combination was already
being successfully used in North and South America,
Australia, and Turkey. The African continent got to see
its first LF160 rig and FL262 Freedom Loader at an
official presentation held at the company’s Robertville
site in Johannesburg, South Africa on 29 November
2018. Around 60 people were in attendance at the
event including drilling contractors, mine house
representatives, geologists, safety officers,
consultants, distributors, and members of the press.
“It was exciting to see so many of our customers participate in this event and witness up close a demonstration of our equipment’s hands-free rod
handling capabilities,” said Andre van Heerden, General Manager Sales – Africa Region. “They were genuinely impressed with Boart Longyear’s
ongoing investment and progress on innovation.”
The FL262 Freedom Loader is an innovative rod loading system that requires no intervention from the driller’s assistant to trip and align rods or
connect to the top drive head. When combined with a surface coring drill rig like Boart Longyear’s LF160, even more productivity and safety advantages
are gained from the mechanized systems. The operator can monitor the wireline spooling from a control panel, avoiding tangling of wire rope typically
experienced while lowering the overshot.
The LF160 rig and Freedom Loader combination offers more control and oversight which means less interruption and a more efficient operation. The
loader’s hands-free rod handling and remote controls allow the driller’s assistant to work outside the area of moving equipment. This greatly reduces
the risk of hand and back injuries from handling rods. The loader can cycle 6-meter rods in the same amount of time as a manual cycle, meaning
enhanced safety is achieved without compromising productivity.
Ideal for contractors who want to target sophisticated surface drilling exploration contracts, the LF160 rig is CE certified according to the latest
EN16228 safety standards. Contractors can be assured of the freedom to bid on contracts that stipulate these exacting requirements. Customers
attending the event commented on the rod handling technology as “a move to the future of drilling,” and “10 steps in the right direction with regards
to safety.” This first unit arriving in Africa had already been sold to the company Remote Drilling Services and is being deployed to a mine site in
Botswana.
Brunner & Lay
Mining
g & Construction Tools
American made and Family owned since 1882
PAVING BREAKERS
DEMOLITION TOOLS
ROCK DRILLING
American Made! Quality, Performance,
Value and Reliability, since 1882.
1510 N Old Missouri Rd, Springdale AR 72764
ph 479 756-0880 fx 479 756-5366
Call (800) 872-6899 or visit BrunnerLay.com