GROUND SUPPORT
with resin – there is no misalignment as the bolt stays centred at all times . You also aren ’ t worried about pushing something past fractured rock . It was the use of SDAs with pumpable resin that opened the door for autonomous bolt installation .”
Other features of the machine displayed in Orebro included a mesh handling boom , which picks up sheets of mesh and holds them in place for bolting through them . It is capable of many degrees of movement through multiple rotation units . As an example , LKAB Kiruna has used its machine for a lot of rehab work in an area damaged by a seismic event so they can install mesh with no one having to go in front of the Boltec . At Kiruna an operator has also never had to once come out of the cab to manually load the feed magazine . The next stage will be moving the operator to a remote office for tele-remote operation .
xCell Cyclops convergence system
Sandvik this year also launched xCell Cyclops™ , xCell Cyclops™ Convergence System
a convergence system for ground support in underground mining that , it says , provides wireless , continuous , remote and real-time measurement of ground movements . xCell Cyclops features built-in notifications and alarms to support a safer and more sustainable work environment , the company says .
Underground mining is generally trending deeper , which leads to more difficult and complex ground conditions for mine operators to
manage . Squeezing ground and seismic events can have a major impact on both the safety and productivity of a mining operation . The new xCell Cyclops convergence system enables remote assessment of rock mass behaviour , which leads to safer , more efficient and cost-effective ground support and optimised ground rehabilitation , according to the company .
Peter Young , Product Manager for Bolting at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions ’ Ground Support Division , said : “ The new xCell Cyclops convergence system is a major technological leap forward to achieve a safer , more sustainable way of digitally monitoring convergence in underground mining . Through the wireless and connected devices and a userfriendly online platform , customers can easily adapt their individual setup and track any changes in the mine ’ s ground conditions .”
The retrofittable design of xCell Cyclops sensors makes them very easy to install directly onto existing rock bolts , Sandvik says . They are battery-powered and operate with highly