Suppliers of underground drilling equipment today have very many things

to consider. There is little doubt that the global mining industry’s future

direction is underground, for both environmental and geological reasons.

The major deep mines of the future will be planned and built on a far grander

scale than those of today. Atlas Copco experts note that “high speed ramp

drivage and mine development will be of importance, and benchmarking and

comparisons with the methods used by contractors in tunnelling can be useful

for speeding up operations. Accuracy and speed in all operations in the drill

and blast cycle has to be improved.” Shorter drilling times are needed and

when possible also, longer rounds (advance). Greater accuracy is required to

avoid overbreak and reduce mucking time and transport, and to reduce time

spent on scaling and rock reinforcement.

Other areas include the growth in block caving and the drilling technologies

required to make this mining method work efficiently and the wider use of low

profile drilling machines, and not just in the platinum mines of South Africa.

Many mines themselves can improve work practices to deliver the drill

machine utilization and overall efficiency levels that are possible today.

Automation is a long researched area, but is becoming more critical in the light

of today's severe skills shortages.

AutomationOf course, the aim of all suppliers and users of underground drilling is faster,

more productive and less supervised drilling. The current series of Atlas Copco

Rocket Boomers is based on the latest, well proven computer and information

technology. These rigs are of modularized design in both hardware and

software, so their functionality is upgradeable step by step. Options such as

ABC Regular, ABC Total, drillplan generator, and communication products are

available to facilitate quality drilling.

Atlas Copco has applied the same new automation technology for other

drilling equipment such as Simba production rigs, Boltec rockbolters and ROC

surface crawler rigs. For the customer, this means commonality of components

and training, leading to a better understanding of both the capability and the

maintenance of Atlas Copco products. For the company, it allows continuous

product development, which can be applied right across the range1.

Also, the Mine Navigation and Drill Plan Generator systems developed for

the Atlas Copco Rocket Boomer series of jumbos provide drillers with better

accuracy and precision than ever before. Together with mine planners, this

enables drillers to better follow sinuous and irregular orebodies, while

producing less waste, and increasing overall mining efficiency2.

During the 1990s Atlas Copco and Sweden’s big iron ore producer, LKAB,

developed a pioneering fully automatic longhole production drilling system

based on the Atlas Copco Simba W469 drill rigs. These drill rigs have since

then drilled about over 8 million drill metres at the Kiruna and Malmberget

mines. In 2005 LKAB ordered three new Atlas Copco Simba W6 Cs, to

complement Simba W469s still in operation. These new Simbas were based on

the latest generation computerized drilling technology and have met the

expectations of LKAB and now form a base for future automation in the two

mines.

Two of these Simba W6 Cs were designed for production drilling at Kiruna

mine, with Wassara water hammers (ITH-W100) for nominal 115-mm

diameter holes. The third rig was specially redesigned to optimize slot drilling in

the Malmberget mine, using 165-mm nominal diameter slot drilling equipment

Drill mastersUNDERGROUND DRILLING

The current series of Atlas Copco Rocket Boomers is

based on the latest, well proven computer

and information technology.

26 International Mining MAY 2007

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 10:50 am Page 1

SANDVIK MAY 07 1/5/07 9:11 am Page 1

and again the Wassara hammer ITH –W120. The

Simba W6 C Slot rig has the ability to drill

production holes around the slot, with the added

benefit of drilling parallel rings from the same set

up with a burden of 500 mm.

LKAB demands high productivity, efficiency and

accuracy from its production rigs. Automation and

the ability to remotely steer the drill rigs is often an

integral part of obtaining the drilling rates required.

Patrik Ericsson of Atlas Copco notes that, “with all

our customers we stress that the first priority when

implementing automation to production drilling is

to obtain a fault free fan automation and to record

and compare the planned and actual result. Full

logging capability is often a demand3.”.

All LKAB’s production rigs have drill rods/tube

magazines that are sufficient to drill the required

production hole lengths – so there is no manual

adding of drill tubes/rods. To assist in changing out

worn drill tubes/rods and hammers a crane is avail-

able either on the rig or in the vicinity of the working area– again the aim is no

heavy lifting.

The Simba W6 C rigs are equipped with a rig control system especially

designed for in the hole hammer (ITH) applications. All units are equipped with

Rig Remote Access via standard WLAN systems, which enable a number of

functions such as remote supervision when drilling unmanned in full fan

automation, as well as data transfer of drill plans and log files.

Some special features/benefits on the Simba W6 C are:

● A reserve hammer rack for four hammers and a place for reserve drill bits

● Fan automation and automatic redesign of the fan to planned hole ends

(autospreading)

● Tube magazine for 35 drill tubes (1.8 m in length = 63 m)

● Drill cuttings collector

● Set-up accuracy and ease of set up.

Further needsAlthough we have come a long way with the accuracy of drill rigs Patrik

Ericsson and his colleagues3 know that further improvements are needed in

producing a drilling plan and setting up the rig and in completing a hole to a

known location. LKAB is aware of current limitations, such as drill planning

programmes, human errors and locating the drill rig in real space. “Although

these variables are often marginal at the rig the magnification of the error 60 m

from the rig can be significant and that is without including deviation of the

hole caused by uncontrollable influences such as rock characteristics.

“To achieve demands for drilling accuracy with a hole deviation of less than

1% it is important to select the best possible tools for the task. In LKAB’s case

the selection has been ITH. ITH produces very straight holes with an even

penetration rate throughout the complete hole depth. To further improve

drilling accuracy it is common to use a guide tube to complement the guiding

of the hammer. Both hammer and the guide tubes are equipped with a guide

skirt to improve the guiding capability.”

It is not only the mechanical tool that has to be optimized to achieve quality

holes. Other important factors that influence accuracy and deviation of the

drilled hole, and that are taken into account in the design of these W6C rigs,

include rotation pressure, feed pressure, feed speed and the impact pressure.

The LKAB Simba W6 C rigs operate with the highest level of automation

ABC Total, a package from Atlas Copco that provides a full fan automatics

system. Thus the rig can drill a full fan in automatic mode with only some

initial steps needed from the operator. Within the ABC Total package there is

also the possibility to drill manually or with one-hole automatics if preferred.

“The automatic functions give LKAB the opportunity to use the machines

unmanned during shift change, lunch break and night shift. In gains of drill

metres this is a valuable possibility.”

With increased automation and reduced manning there is a growing need

for remote surveillance. Atlas Copco has developed an interface called Rig

Remote Access (RRA). With RRA the user can connect the drill rig to an existing

network system via LAN or WLAN. LKAB uses RRA to transfer drill plans, log files

and to handle messages coming from the rigs’ control system. Drill plans are

created in customized software, GIRON, a 3D program able to map the whole

co-ordinate system of the mine. Drill plans are stored in an RRA-server which is

connected to the whole network, both on surface and underground. From the

access points underground all data is received and uploaded to the rigs. The

UNDERGROUND DRILLING

The LKAB Simba W6 C rigs

operate with the highest

level of automation ABC

Total, a package from Atlas

Copco that provides a full fan

automatics system.

28 International Mining MAY 2007

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 11:53 am Page 2

Operations in: • Australia • Czech Republic• Germany• India

• UK• Ukraine • USA• Poland• Russia

• Slovakia• Spain• South Africa• Switzerland• People’s Republic of China

Solutions from Materials Technology

Minova International Ltd.26 Fleetwood House

Cromwell Business ParkChipping Norton

Oxon OX7 5SREngland

Contact +44 1608 649 355 or visit our websitewww.minovainternational.com

Unearthing the right solutionFluent in the international language of mining

Our engineers have one overriding aim: to develop, refine and implement

the innovative systems that improve safety at the same time as increasing pro-

ductivity and cost efficiency. Day in and day out, they delve deeper to discover

more about the problems Minova customers face and the products needed to

overcome them.

Our ability to integrate local knowledge with global resources allows us to call

upon the very best people almost anywhere in the world where their expertise

is most needed. Wherever they go, they speak the same language as their cus-

tomers – the international language of mining. It’s this fluency gained over

three decades that allows us to go further by challenging convention and

uncovering the very best solutions.

• Roof bolting• Membranes

• Ventilation seals• Backfill

• Injection resins • Roadway support

Document3 1/5/07 7:37 am Page 1

access points also allow the machines to send out messages on the network.

The messages are picked up from specified IP addresses and can be read from

a lap-top or PC located anywhere in the network.

...and Sandvik and LKABSandvik is also working with LKAB to develop next-generation remote con-

trolled rigs for production drilling. The agreement between Sandvik and LKAB is

for at least ten Sandvik Solo 8s equipped to drill vertical holes, with the water-

powered W100 Wassara hammer.

An initial prototype will be delivered this year for trials at the mines, and once

the concept has been fully developed and accepted, mass production of the

remaining machines will start. These are scheduled for delivery from end-2007

through 2010. The machines will have complete fan automatics, be remote

controlled and be monitored from a control room in the mine. They will only be

manned when being moved in order to drill a new fan.

Fan drilling comprises of between 300 and 600 m of holes in total, with

each hole being up to 60 m in length, all drilled upwards. The maximum hole

length will increase by about 5 m compared with what is drilled today. “Even

more rigorous demands are being made of hole straightness,” says Jan-Olov

Nilsson, LKAB’s project manager who is drawing up the specifications for the

new rigs. “Given the hole straightness requirement, the only drilling method

suitable is water powered DTH-drilling, using the Wassara hammer developed

by LKAB and being sold and marketed by Sandvik in certain markets. LKAB has

owned Wassara AB jointly with Sandvik for about ten years. LKAB recently

acquired Sandvik’s holding (40%) in Wassara, and the company will thereby

become a wholly-owned LKAB subsidiary.”

UNDERGROUND DRILLING

Deilmann-Haniel’s narrow, low height, crawler mounted jumbo BTRL1 was

developed to operate in bad ground conditions and/or at inclinations of up to

25°, for example for drift mine access. It ideally operates together with powerful

side discharge loaders in very narrow roadways. The twin

rotational drive of the BTL boom with 90° offset allows

the fast and precise positioning of the feed for blasthole

drilling and roofbolting.

30 International Mining MAY 2007

DYWIDAG-SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL AUSTRALIA CANADA CHILE MEXICO SOUTH AFRICA USA

www.dsiminingproducts.com

• Bar Bolts DYWIDAG, headed, threaded, self-drilling, glass-fiber, post-grouted, resin bolts, expansion shells

• Friction Bolts Sets

• Cable Bolts galv.0.6/0.7, Hi-Ten; Flexi

• OMEGA®-Bolts

• Resin Cartridges

• Plates domed, butterfly

• Mats & Mesh W-Strap, Mesh-Strap, weldedwire mesh, geogrids

• Trusses & Slings bar and cable trusses

• Installation Tools Cable tensioner, spanners

Local Presence – Global Competence MINING SYSTEMS

The Umbrella of Mine SafetyThe Umbrella

of Mine Safety

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 11:55 am Page 3

“In addition to wanting the Wassara hammer our-

selves, part of the agreement with Sandvik includes

developing the Wassara concept as much as possi-

ble,” says Jan-Olov Nilsson.

The rigs currently being developed by Sandvik,

based on LKAB's specifications will feature a separate

magazine with drilling hammers that are automati-

cally replaced on the basis of a preset value for

metres drilled. The magazine will hold eight drill

hammers.

“We have rocks that are relatively tough on the

drill bits, particularly in Malmberget, where they aver-

age approximately 70-80 m between each regrind-

ing,” says Jan-Olov Nilsson. Today LKAB uses 13 rigs

for production drilling in Kiruna and Malmberget,

three of which are Sandvik Solo rigs with hammers

for top hammer drilling. Sandvik is therefore very

familiar with the conditions prevalent at LKAB.

“The carriers are based on previously known

designs, and the hammer technology is also familiar.

The technology that will now be developed is a control system to meet LKAB's

automation requirements,” says Elias Engman, Sandvik’s Account Manager for

LKAB. He is delighted with the agreement that has been concluded between

the companies. “Long-hole drilling is one of the most important processes for

LKAB and we have been issued with strict requirements by the customer.

Obviously, we’re pleased to have been shown such confidence,” says Elias

Engman.

Thomas Söderqvist, Manager of Sandvik Mining and Construction Region in

Central and Northern Europe explains: “LKAB is a customer that the mining

business worldwide looks to when it comes to engineering; that’s why it is

important for us to be acknowledged as a preferred business partner for LKAB

in the development of these significant production rigs.”

Drill string stressAs underground rigs and rock drills become increasingly powerful and the rounds

longer, drill strings are under far greater stress than ever before. There is greater

risk of drill string breakage, loss of holes and costly downtime. Atlas Copco

UNDERGROUND DRILLING

MAY 2007 International Mining 31

MINE MASTER THE ”NEW” COMPANY WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN SUPPLYINGMINE MASTER THE ”NEW” COMPANY WITH OVER 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN SUPPLYINGDRILLING & BOLTING EQUIPMENT FOR ALL MINING & TUNNELING APPLICATIONSDRILLING & BOLTING EQUIPMENT FOR ALL MINING & TUNNELING APPLICATIONS

ul. Dworcowa 27, Wilków59-500 Złotoryja, PolandTel: +48 76 87 83 511

Fax: +48 76 87 84 101info@minemaster.euwww.minemaster.eu

Boart Longyear’s new Semi-Automated Rod Handler can be fitted to all LM/LMA

underground diamond drills, including retrofitting.

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 12:00 pm Page 4

Secoroc introduced its first solution to this six years ago with the Secoroc Magnum

SR35 drill string system. Today, Secoroc reports the Magnum range has grown

to be a universal tool for all drifting and tunnelling applications.

Sture Stenquist, Product Line Manager – Secoroc Top Hammer Equipment:

“The success came as no surprise after all the testing we had done before the

introductions. The patented conical thread design allowed us to use rods with

larger cross-sections and still supply drill bits for the required small hole sizes.

We have through Magnum SR reinforced the whole drill string design by

adding innovative solutions and more material where it is really needed.”

The result, the company says, is stronger and more reliable drill strings that

deliver higher penetration rates and considerably longer service life. Straighter

holes are another advantage because the stronger/stiffer rods have less tendency

to deviate during collaring. The drill bits are also easy to uncouple thanks to the

conical SR thread design, facilitating rapid bit changes and more holes drilled.

The success has led to increased demand for other dimensions and use of

Magnum SR for other underground applications, and development has

progressed accordingly.

The Secoroc Magnum SR family has been growing with additional sizes

(SR22, SR25 and SR38). So today they cover hole diameters of 32-51 mm for

blastholes and bolting, 51-64 mm for grouting and there are 76-127 mm

dome bits for reaming.

Coring undergroundOne of the great names of underground drilling, and the world’s leading

exploration drilling services provider, Boart Longyear, listed on the Australian

Stock Exchange in April at a 1% premium to its A$1.85 issue price, after

successfully raising A$2.35 billion in what was described as one of Australia’s

largest public share offers. A week previously, the company announced

“a successful bookbuild in which there was strong demand from both

domestic and international institutions.”

As noted in our Bauma

preview article in March,

Boart Longyear sold its

Polish Mining Capital

Equipment division to new

owners, which includes a

30% holding by German

companies Schmidt, Kranz

& Co and GHH Fahrzeuge.

Under the new name Mine

Master the company plans

to grow in both the domes-

tic and international mining

markets. The alliance with

GHH provides the potential

to offer packages including

LHD and mine trucks.

Mine Master’s principal

products are a full range of

jumbos (Face Masters) roof bolters (Roof Masters) and excavator drilling

attachments (Flexi Masters). The company has supplied over 300 drilling and

bolting rigs to one of its major customers KGHM Polish Copper.

Boart Longyear continues to be a leader in underground coring rigs.

Designed with safety in mind, the new Semi-Automated Rod Handler can be

fitted to all Boart Longyear LM/LMA underground diamond drills, including

retrofitting. The rod handler reduces operator fatigue, occupational health and

safety liabilities and can improve productivity. Ergonomically designed for safe

rod handling, it will reduce back and hand injuries. Featuring automated rod

threading and non-intrusive laser guarding, it handles drill rods and core barrels

up to and including HQ size.

32 International Mining MAY 2007

UNDERGROUND DRILLING

Gemcom’s LogMATE

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 12:00 pm Page 5

To control that underground coring, Gemcom’s LogMATE is a hand held

portable exploration logging software package that is easy to use and is

backed by an effective worldwide support team. Gemcom says it “ensures

integrity and validation of all logging data right from the point of collection.

The data is subsequently available in digital format and can be loaded directly

into a database for further processing.”

This package is designed for use on laptops, desktops and handheld computers

running Windows CE. It allows users to see an advanced spreadsheet-like data

entry screen where borehole data can be viewed and edited as it is logged. Data

can be logged directly into the computer using either a pen to write on the

computer screen, a keyboard or choosing codes directly from your predefined

lookup lists. LogMATE allows users to collect as much or as little information as

wanted. There are no physical limitations on the amount of data that can be

captured. Gemcom says “data processing time is a thing of the past - the data

is ready for loading into your software package as

soon as the hole is logged.

“One of LogMATE’s advantages is the capability

of full real-time data validation. All data is consis-

tent and valid as LogMATE real-time validation will

tell you when you use an invalid code.”

Other advantages Gemcom puts forward include:

● Available on most current hardware systems

● Easy to use with familiar spreadsheet like interface

● Real-time validation

● Errors are eliminated by single data entry

● It is not just a sample logger but enables the user

to collect both detailed logging information as well

as sampling information.

Support drillingFor roof bolting, Minova manufactures a range of

compressed air operated, telescopic leg type

machines, designed to be readily adaptable to differ-

ent types of drilling and bolting applications. These

are all lightweight, high performance machines. The

machines offer flexibility, rapid set-up, ease of use,

low maintenance requirements and low operational

costs. The flagship of the range is the Super Turbo

Bolter, which has been designed for the drilling and

installation of roofbolts and cables and is supplied in

six standard sizes.

The Super Turbo Bolter is a compressed air operated,

telescopic leg machine used for installing resin bolts

in underground roadways. The machine is light-

weight, portable and offers a large degree of

flexibility in terms of the bolting pattern and operating

height.

It consists of an air motor and a drill unit mounted

on a telescopic leg which usually has two or three

extending sections. The operations of the machine,

which include drill rotation, leg thrust and water

feed, are all via a centralized rigid control handle,

which is connected to the head unit by means of a

distribution pin. The handle provides the operator

with full control of the machine away from the

immediate drilling area and under the protection of

previously supported ground.

The Super Turbo Bolter is designed to be moved

and located in position by hand and is fitted with a

lifting handle attached to the base and carrying

handles on either side of the head unit. By the use of these handles one man

can easily lift and move the machine to the next bolting position. The operator

also uses the handles, on either side of the head unit, to support the machine

while preparing to start drilling.

Due to the reduced ‘fixed height’ achieved by side mounting the motor,

rather than a top mounting, the design of the Super Turbo enables it to

achieve greater leg extension on two-leg stages than other machines achieve

on three stages. This is very important since there is almost 50% more thrust

developed, due to the larger cross sectional area of the first stage, when

drilling or installing a bolt with the Super Turbo as compared with other

machine types which require a three-stage leg for similar reach. This design has

the further benefits of faster drilling rates and less drill rod changes.

The machines work at their peak performance with 6 bar dynamic air

pressure and 3.4 m3/min air flow. Even at 4 bar however, the Super Turbo will

MAY 2007 International Mining 33

05/07

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 12:00 pm Page 6

drill and bolt satisfactorily and out perform its rivals due to the efficient four-

piston motor and the longer leg. Super Turbo bolters can be supplied for either

water flushed or air flushed drilling.

Minova’s Remote Cable Bolter is designed for rapid, larger diameter and

longer hole drilling with all the benefits of remote operation. It comprises a

two-stage Super Turbo attached to a Stinger leg by a nylon guide bracket. This

arrangement is also ideal for 1-m extension drill rods with the high thrust first

stage of the telescopic leg being used for the majority of the drilling. The guide

bracket has the useful facility of allowing the drill unit to be swung out of the

way after the hole has been drilled. In low height roadways this significantly

eases the installation of the cable. The drill unit and Stinger sizes can be

adjusted to suit specific job sites but the standard machine’s heaviest part is

only 35 kg and can therefore be easily handled by a single operator.

The Twin-Leg Super Turbo is the latest development from Minova. Designed

primarily for cable bolting in mines with reduced air power, the twin leg design

develops double the thrust of the standard machine, offering maximum drilling

rates and easier operator control.

It is also suitable for the installation of solid anchors and, because of the

extra thrust capability, can be supplied with four stages. This caters for bolting

in very low height conditions with effective thrust even when the pressure of

the supplied air is low. At only 4 bar dynamic air pressure the Twin Leg

machine delivers 1.3 t of thrust from stage 1. That is a 30% improvement over

the standard machine at 6 bar.

And raiseboringAs underground mines get larger, it is likely that raises will become even more

important to production drilling. Redpath says because of its penchant for

challenge and years of experience, the attitude of its raiseboring division is

“Yes, we can do that!”. The innovative minds at Redpath have made it

possible to carry out numerous advanced raiseboring projects. With one of the

most extensive fleets in the world, Redpath has completed well in excess of

205 km of contract raiseboring work. This includes raises up to 677 m in

length and up to 5 m in diameter.

Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Redpath first introduced the Redbore

series of raise drills in 1987 with the popular Redbore 40 (RB40). Dan Kelly,

Manager of Raiseboring Operations: “We saw a need in the industry for a

powerful machine that required less set-up room than was available at the time”.

The RB40 is a small compact drill designed primarily for production slot

programmes. The drill can be configured for downreaming and upreaming.

Nominal capacities range from 724 mm up to 1.52 m diameter with lengths of

raise up to 152 m. The next step in the Redbore series, the RB70, was introduced

in 2000, it offers significantly increased capabilities while maintaining a low

back height. A large capacity drill, the RB70 is able to pilot/ream raises from

1.51 to 3.66 m diameter with lengths of raises up to 300 m.

The most recent addition to the Redbore series, the RB50 fills the

operational capacity gap between the previous two. Designed to be even more

compact and versatile, the RB50, although capable of drilling longer and larger

raises, fits into the exact size excavation required for the RB40.

The future, the RB100, is now in the design stage. It is anticipated that this

will be one of the most powerful raise drills with capabilities of 3.05 to 8.0 m

diameter and up to 914 m in length. IM

References1. Following the Orebody with Accuracy, Underground Mining Equipment,

Atlas Copco

2. Automation for Quality Drilling, Face Drilling, Atlas Copco

3. P. Ericsson, M. Ramström, Atlas Copco Rock Drills and C. Griffiths, LKAB,

Experiences with a new generation automated longhole drilling rigs at LKAB

Kiruna mine in northern Sweden.

34 International Mining MAY 2007

UNDERGROUND DRILLING

REDPATH RAISEBORING

P.O. Box 810, North Bay,

Ontario, Canada P1B 8K1

Tel: 705-474-2461

info@jsrl.com

www.jsredpath.com

C A N A D A / U N I T E D S TAT E S / C H I L E / I N D O N E S I A / M O N G O L I A

REDPATH REDBORE FAMILY OF RAISEDRILLSRB40 / RB50 / RB70

the RAISER’S edge

UNDERGROUND 24/4/07 12:00 pm Page 7