Category: Equipment & Technology

Improving safety is the central concern for mining companies, and the application of wearables in the industry reflects this. A range of wearable tech devices can assist with improving safety, but the principal method is through the addition of sensors. Whether they are incorporated through smart helmets, smart jackets or body suits, or simply through wearable sensors, the ability to measure various internal and external health risks can prove invaluable for mining companies. Impact of Wearable Tech Listed below is the impact of wearable tech on the wearable industry, as… Read More Here

Epiroc has taken what Niklas Berggren, Global Product Manager for Face Drilling Equipment, says is the next logical development step in underground face drilling design by creating a new Boomer with protected hydraulics, sensors and cables. The Epiroc Boomer M20 is designed and built to minimise unplanned stops and maximise uptime and performance in highly demanding operations by removing what is thought to be the biggest downtime drain in underground face drilling – the need to stop production for hose changes. Epiroc explains: “A challenging part of underground work is… Read More Here

Heavy-duty machines and services company Barloworld Equipment (BWE) Mining has extended its mining solutions offering with the introduction of the Caterpillar MD6200 rotary blasthole drill. “The MD6200 is a production rotary blasthole drill capable of drilling vertically as well as out to 30° angle holes. It is the only platform drill produced by a major original equipment manufacturer that is capable of drilling at a negative angle, giving drillers the flexibility to use the machine for specialty projects such as ramp or access development, sink shots as well as limited pre-split drilling,” says BWE Product Manager for Caterpillar drills, Ramon Glaus. He notes that mining has become increasingly challenging over the… Read More Here

Swedish mining equipment marker Sandvik has added a top hammer longhole drill that uses an electric driveline system, the DL422iE, to its battery-powered offerings. Sandvik said the DL422iE, which is the company’s second battery-driven underground drill, aims to achieve enhanced drilling performance while eliminating diesel emissions during tramming. The rig uses electric power to drive a 33 kW HF1560ST longhole rock drill, and is capable of  drilling vertical and inclined fans and single or parallel Ø89-127 mm longholes up to 54 m in depth using ST58 and ST68 tube rods. The DL422iE… Read More Here

Several days ago, Maclean Engineering, a Canadian company that supports and provides underground mobile equipment technologies to regions in Sub-Saharan Africa, had the commercial launch of the latest additions to its EV Series fleet at its research and training centre in Sudbury. The fleet consists of mining vehicles that operate diesel-free. One of the fleet’s new units is the BEV ss5 Shotcrete Sprayer, a battery electric articulated EV sprayer created specifically for use in underground mining and a first for the industry. Maclean’s mobile concrete mixer truck, the TM3 Transmixer,… Read More Here

Inspired by the VISION concept tyre introduced in 2017, an airless, connected, rechargeable and entirely sustainable solution, the Michelin Group is committed to making its tyres 100% sustainable by 2050. Today, nearly 30% of the components used in the manufacture of tyres produced by the Michelin Group are already made from natural, recycled or otherwise sustainable raw materials. A Michelin tyre is a high-tech product comprising more than 200 ingredients. The main one is natural rubber, but the many ingredients also include synthetic rubber, metal, fibres and components that strengthen… Read More Here

The Innovation for Cleaner, Safer Vehicles (ICSV) initiative – a supply chain collaboration comprising the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM), its 27 member companies and some of the world’s leading mine vehicle and OEMs – has made significant progress towards understanding what is needed to transform today’s fleet of mining vehicles into tomorrow’s new generation of cleaner, safer vehicles. CHANTELLE KOTZE speaks to ICMM director SARAH BELL to find out more. The ICSV programme was launched in October 2018, in recognition of the ICMM’s stance on climate change,… Read More Here