SURFACE DRILLING
underground and surface . But also the fact that all these machines have the same Sandvik Integrated Control Architecture ( SICA ) commandcontrol platform . This allows us to carry underground capabilities to surface applications more easily and also means an easier transition for customers that already are familiar with how SICA operates underground as they move to apply automation in their open pit operations .” The Sandvik rotary drills division based in the US is also working much more closely with the boom drills teams in Finland that develop and manufacture the Pantera , Leopard , Ranger crawler DTH and top hammer models .
Revathi continues portfolio growth & regional expansion
India ’ s Revathi Equipment Ltd ( REL ) has already quickly moved from being seen as an Indiancentric supplier to one with a rapidly growing global network , particularly in Africa . The delivery of the company ’ s first autonomous ready C650S blasthole drill rig which can supplied as both a rotary ( 159 to 200 mm diameter holes ) or DTH drill ( 152-171 mm ) and allowing holes of up to 53 m depth , is still set for contractor Basil Read for use in Debswana ’ s Jwaneng diamond operation in Botswana was delayed due to COVID-19 . However , the first unit was due to be shipped in late March 2021 as IM went to press – it is the first machine which
Network Cameras
Built for the Toughest Mining Applications
• Designed for High Vibration
• 3.21MP SONY Starvis Sensor
• H . 265 Triple Streaming
• IP67 Water / Dust Resistant
www . opticomintl . com
FLANDERS is the leading non-drill OEM supplier of autonomous drilling technology to the global mining market with users from Roy Hill in Australia to Kolomela in South Africa . Paul Moore caught up with Manager of Product Development , Josh Goodwin and General Manager , Mike Lane
Q What factor does age play in terms of drills being retrofitted in terms of making the cost and delivered performance worldwide ? ML The conversion of drills to the ARDVARC autonomous control system is a straightforward task and will provide many years of reliable service provided the machine is in good initial and ongoing well-maintained condition . Therefore , the age of the drill is irrelevant provided it is fully functional , operating correctly with consistent repeatability of variables for given functions . We often encounter used drills during the initial drill condition assessment , where parts worn beyond their ability to provide efficient performance need to be replaced prior to the introduction of the autonomous conversion . Another consideration for the conversion of older drills is the business case and particularly the ROI for the investment or the driver for the initiative . The motivation is not always as narrow as that single asset , but for a greater good . It is usual for an older lower performing drill on site that is in less demand by production , to be handed over for conversion . This is typically used for initial trials of the technology to provide the definition and project documentation and hence the justification of the large-scale rollout , including the essential pillars for the introduction of autonomy of People , Process & Technology .
Q Can you give some idea of how the FLANDERS system today differs from previous incarnations in terms of capability ? JG The Flanders system today compared to previous incarnations is mainly around the ease and use of the system making the machine smarter and taking away the onus on the controller . We have done this through collaboration with our partners / clients to standardise and improve our system design , rewiring and changing the location of components on the drill making it easier for system techs and maintainers to fault find and troubleshoot , plus utilising OEM sensors that are less intrusive . At the ARDVARC Drill Innovation Hub located in Perth , Western Australia we are continually redefining the
boundaries of blast hole drill automation . We draw upon the knowledge , ideas , and requests from our 15 regional service centres around the world , regularly reaching out to end users , some 350 specialists in supporting technologies both up and downstream of drilling , actively contributing to enhancing existing features and implementing new ones .
The collaborative development model has provided progressive improvements towards true Level 5 autonomy , reduction in cost and duration for autonomous conversion , advanced functionality that provides reduced running costs & increased machine life , pen rates and overall availability of the drill . Features such as rod handling for multi-pass , auto bit changers and data for measure while drilling are now common expectations within a system . We are experiencing greater interest for the software interfacing API so that end users can acquire drill data for asset health , blast technologies and performance metrics .
Q Are a lot of customers wanting autonomous capability on existing machines versus new machines ? What is the value proposition for a miner to go with Flanders versus the OEM on a new drill ? JG I would say it is still even between customers wanting autonomous capability on existing machines verses new machines , though I would say more new machine purchases are made with autonomy in mind . The benefits to replacing the OEM system on a new drill with the FLANDERS system is our interoperability with other systems , our capabilities and how agile we are in adapting the system to meeting the customer ’ s specific needs . We offer an open platform , if you like the Android of surface drilling automation . Drill and blast software packages can easily use our drilling data plus we integrate to FMS systems , such as on GPS location and time usage modelling . It is an agnostic solution for operators with mixed fleets , old and new . It standardises a drill fleet onto one system which is good for operators and for data collection
Many of the early adopters of the technology have completed the conversion of existing drills on their mine sites and we are now experiencing a trend change for them to the conversion of new drills released from the OEMs yards into ours for fit out and commissioning prior to mine site delivery . This provides a huge benefit for end users to access the drills away from the mine site in a controlled and safer environment . Their personnel receive the detailed and easy to follow theory training in class , then out to the
30 International Mining | APRIL 2021