SURFACE DRILLING
equipment to continue our evolution , challenging our technical limits and eliminating the exposure of our personnel to health and safety risks . Our team members are in the process of adapting to these new times , acquiring technological competences based on a solid training program . By doing so we will not only have a healthier and safer work environment but also lower production costs due to higher throughputs .” Codelco is a Chilean state-owned copper mining company headquartered in Santiago . It controls nearly 19 % of the world ’ s copper reserves and is the second producer of molybdenum worldwide , with approximately 1.73 Mt produced in 2020 . FLANDERS Regional Director Martin Schäfer said : “ Codelco is a strategically important partner for us . It ’ s fantastic to be able to work together on this project as our visions are perfectly aligned . Our aim is to deliver even smarter , safer , more productive mining through automation , and not only for its Radomiro Tomic mine but to those still to follow this path .”
Over in Brazil , iron ore major Vale continues to make progress with its autonomous mining journey . Looking at blasthole drilling , some are already running fully autonomous while a number of other drills are currently operated in assisted mode , as part of the commissioning phase . Carajas had 10 autonomous drills operational by the end of 2021 . Throughout Vale the company expanded from 11 to 21 autonomous drills in 2021 across Carajas , Brucutu and Itabira . The main focus has so far been on retrofitting existing drills at Carajas and Itabira with FLANDERS ARDVARC automation technology including Epiroc DML and Pit Viper units plus Caterpillar MD6420 machines . Semiautonomous Cat MD6310 drills with OMA ( Operator Mission Assist ) have also been deployed at S11D working with Cat dealer Sotreq .
Champion Iron opts for progressive journey with Cat
Champion Iron Ltd in 2021 signed a Letter of Intent with Caterpillar Inc to implement artificial intelligence based Advanced Drilling Technologies on Cat equipment at its Bloom Lake Mine . The project will progressively implement a remote-controlled , semi – autonomous and fully autonomous Cat electric drilling fleet , utilising the technologies engineered , designed , and / or integrated by Caterpillar .
With Champion contributing its experienced workforce , and Caterpillar ’ s independent dealer , Toromont Cat , its aftermarket support , the collaboration will aim to optimise Bloom Lake ’ s operational productivity and reduce energy consumption , while demonstrating the capabilities of Caterpillar ’ s advanced drilling technologies .
A Drill-to-Mill strategy ( D2M ) is expected to be deployed based on a series of tightly integrated systems , driven by Cat ® MineStar™ solutions , designed to optimise the drilling , loading and hauling processes . D2M is focused on delivering improved milling performance by supplying optimised mill feed , while contending with dynamic operational conditions .
Using real-time data , artificial intelligence and analytics , Caterpillar ’ s integrated technology ” will support Champion ’ s ability to assess the status of machines , technologies , and material to enable more timely and accurate operational decisions and consistent execution across Champion ’ sentire mining value chain .”
The goal of the collaborative effort will be to deliver a fully integrated drill – to – mill technology solution powered by data connectivity and advanced analytics to ultimately improve workflow between the mine and plant , providing a more efficient end-to-end enterprise process that delivers more consistent raw material for final product specification requirements .
Champion ’ s CEO , David Cataford said , “ We are honoured to collaborate with industry leaders like Caterpillar and Toromont Cat , and are confident that our workforce ’ s proven operational expertise and ingenuity will be an asset in deploying these technologies . The aim and vision of improving mining practices and ultimately reducing waste and energy use is the foundation of this collaboration . The entire Bloom Lake team has already demonstrated its ability to operate at a consistently high level , since commissioning the mine in 2018 . In doing so , we have continuously strived to improve operations utilising the best existing and new prospective mining technologies . Drill-to-mill aligns with our core value of respecting the land that we exploit , as it will enable us to responsibly extract non-renewable resources using the best means possible .”
Red Chris gets automation-ready Sandvik drill fleet
Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions recently won an C $ 18.5 million order for surface mining equipment from Newcrest in Canada that will optimise reliability and productivity . Automation ready , the surface and rotary drills will be used at the Red Chris open pit copper and gold mine currently in production .
Newcrest ordered two Sandvik Leopard™ DI650i , and two Sandvik DR412i for use at Red Chris in British Columbia , Canada , an open pit copper and gold mine that recently published the outcomes of a pre-feasibility study demonstrating the potential to become a world class block cave mine . Sandvik will also provide Field Service Support and Vendor Managed Inventory to support the site ’ s training and maintenance processes .
The order , including equipment , aftermarket and rock tools , was booked in the third quarter of 2021 . Delivery of the equipment was scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2021 . “ We are excited to partner with the Red Chris mine in Canada ’ s Golden Triangle and we are proud to contribute to their objectives of safety and productivity with our innovative , automationready drills and service solutions ,” says Sandvik Canada ’ s Vice President Peter Corcoran .
The Leopard™ DI650i is a diesel powered , self-contained crawler mounted intelligent downthe-hole drill rig designed for demanding highcapacity production drilling applications in surface mining , as well as large-scale quarry applications . The Sandvik DR412i blasthole drill is designed to deliver dependable penetration and return on investment for 216-311 mm ( 8.5- 12.25 in ) rotary and DTH holes . The DR412i is AutoMine ® ready providing functionality for both on-board and off-board automated needs .
Elsewhere , a “ leading mining services provider ” will put Sandvik ’ s AutoMine ® Surface Drilling solution to work at a mine in Australia , with the AutoMine ® system to be used with existing Sandvik Leopard DI650i down-the-hole drill rigs on site . The aim is to increase efficiency and to build on the current high levels of safety . The AutoMine system allows a single operator to control up to three rigs simultaneously from the safety of a trailer , van or remote control room .
Sandvik stated : “ Automation is playing an increasingly important role in boosting mine productivity and improving working conditions The AutoMine ® system will ensure operator safety , with reduced noise , dust and vibration by removing the operator from the hazardous environment . Whilst , the consistent output will ensure increased efficiency with accurate drilling for easier blasting and improved fragmentation .”
Andy Garbett , Business Development Manager for Digitalisation for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions , says AutoMine for Surface provides a wide range of features to enhance drill performance at the mine site . “ The contractors willingness to embrace new technologies is one of the reasons they are so successful ,” he says . “ AutoMine ’ s onboard functions will enable the rigs on site to work autonomously , while the operator monitors the fleet . AutoMine has been proven over many years in Sandvik ’ s products for underground mines , where it has operated in extremely harsh environments .” Sandvik provides dedicated AutoMine surface drilling solutions for both boom drills and rotary drills .
Epiroc auto drills set for Côté Gold ; new fleets mobilised at Quellaveco & Spence
Epiroc recently won a large order for surface mining equipment from IAMGOLD Corp in Canada
18 International Mining | APRIL 2022