IM 2021 June 21 | Page 44

UNDERGROUND DRILLING
on hydraulic hoses . Falling rocks and debris , and the continuous wear against the tunnel floor and walls , means constant hose repairs .”
The Boomer M20 ’ s heavy duty hose-less boom design minimises unplanned stops for hose repairs , keeping the rig up and running even in the toughest conditions , the company said .
Developed in close collaboration with key customers , the Boomer M20 is the result of extensive research and real-world testing , according to Berggren . “ This is the perfect choice for mining houses and contractors that want to out-drill the competition through innovation ,” he said .
High drilling precision and performance are ensured thanks to on-board automation features , tele-remote capabilities and digital drill plans , which give higher reliability and quality of the full drill cycle , Epiroc claims .
By utilising high performance mine development options , such as Epiroc ’ s ABC Regular for longer rounds , higher accuracy , reduced overbreak and better quality tunnels , the Boomer M20 allows the operator to adjust and download drill plans directly at the face , eliminating the need for adjustments on the surface , Epiroc says .
“ With digital drill plan handling , drill rounds will be longer , more precise and give far less overbreak ,” Berggren said . “ We have seen total cost savings of up to 25 % and up to a 40 % productivity increase .”
He added : “ This is a very well-functioning option ; on the Boomer M20 , we have reinforced the technology on the face drilling rig itself so that we can utilise this option better in a harsh mining environment .”
The Boomer M20 is designed with safety at its core . Through tele-remote capabilities , operators can drill from a safe distance away from hazardous areas at the tunnel face , while also keeping production going over shift changes . Multi-functional joysticks mean operators can always keep their eyes on the task . The cabin , reinforced with noise and vibration dampening materials to keep noise levels as low as 65 db , meanwhile , is designed for optimum visibility .
The safe bolting platform is another great safety feature that avoids operation under unsupported rock . Such options set the Boomer M20 up to “ take the lead for face drilling automation features into the future ”, Berggren said .
Epiroc is continuing its charge towards electrification in underground mining with the new Boomer M20 , providing a battery-electric driveline option to allow the machine to tram to the drill location on battery power and carry out drilling while plugged into the mine ’ s electrical infrastructure .
“ A battery-powered Boomer M20 brings additional savings on health , maintenance , ventilation and cooling ,” Epiroc said . Berggren added : “ With the on-board charger , the operator does not need to plan for charging as it automatically takes place while connected to the grid for drilling . Thanks to the high-capacity battery , the Boomer M20 has a fantastic driving range , and there is nothing to disturb the drift cycle .”
Epiroc President and CEO , Helena Hedblom , who stars in a campaign video for the Boomer M20 that sees the face drill balancing on its booms on a mountain top , said : “ The Boomer M20 is another great example of how we make a difference through innovation .”
The Boomer M20 is available for commercial sales in the September quarter of 2021 , and will shortly head to a customer site in Australia for tests , followed by trials at customer sites in Spain and Sweden . Epiroc says it plans to rollout the new internal hydraulics design across the future Boomer range .
Autonomous production drilling on a new scale
Today , Apatit JSC ( PhosAgro Group ) Kirovsk Branch mining complex on Russia ’ s Kola peninsula is the world ’ s largest producer of the high-grade phosphate raw material apatite concentrate . Together , Apatit ’ s mines produce 38-39 Mt of ore per year , and the Kirovsk mine is the largest , producing 22 Mt . The enterprise has progressed through each step of the production automation process , from manual drilling to fully automated Epiroc solutions .
“ In the past , we drilled without remote control using different machines . The quality was good , but we wanted to achieve maximum safety for rig operators working underground ,” says Anton Yarunin , Head of the Kirovsk mine . Chief Engineer at the Kirovsk Branch Vyacheslav Onuprienko elaborates : “ We are working on box holes ,” he says . When he came in 2014 , the mine used manual drilling machines not only to drill vertical boreholes but also in part for deep drilling . Not long thereafter , management decided to switch to mechanised rigs .
“ The first Epiroc Simba rig was tested in 2014 . It was more modern than similar machines from other manufacturers , with glazed cabs , a high level of comfort for remote work , and higher productivity ,” Yarunin says . Initially , the rig was used in semiautomatic mode . The operator set the drilling settings for the well in manual mode and then
let the rig do the work .
Apatit JSC Kirovsk Branch then implemented Epiroc ’ s smart function , which does not require the constant presence of the rig operator . Drilling is automated through the ABC Total function , with teleremote capabilities enabled by the Simba Automation package . A digital drill plan is installed on every rig and can be uploaded remotely through the Rig Remote Access option . This has enabled Apatit JSC to move its rig operators from under the ground to the surface .
Yevgeny Torsogoyev , Deputy Head of the drilling site says that the only people who periodically work underground with the machines are the special workers driving the Simba rigs from one blast-hole ring to another . “ If someone wants to approach the drilling module , they trigger motion sensors and the rig stops . Plus , there are video cameras so we all can watch remotely .”
Each of the two operators in the operator room controls four to six rigs . One of the operators is Igor Kramarenko , who ’ s been with Apatit JSC Kirovsk Branch since 2003 . “ I worked on all the drilling rigs we had in production ,” he says , explaining that the work behind the control panel underground could be physically demanding . “ I was not afraid , but it was dusty and noisy . Sometimes the equipment would break down and it was impossible to change parts underground , so workers had to take the rigs to the surface for repairs .”
The safety level at the mine now compared to then is vastly different . Thanks to the implementation of remote drilling technologies , there is no longer any threat to the health of Kramarenko and his operator colleagues . “ The cabs in the rigs are glazed , and the machine sees everything and helps , if possible ,” he says .
Today , Apatit JSC Kirovsk Branch has one of the largest underground production drilling automated fleets in the world . There are ten Simba M6 and Simba E7 rigs operating in the underground facilities at the Kirovsk mine . Each rig is equipped with Epiroc teleremote solutions . “ This allows us to significantly increase our
There are ten autonomous Simba M6 and Simba E7 rigs operating in the underground facilities at the Kirovsk mine
42 International Mining | JUNE 2021