#2 2016

SOLIDGROUND A MAGAZINE FROM Canada: SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY Profound productivity

Sandvik DR481i: Bigger is better

Intelligence: TRUST THE Higher BUCKET: learning an integrated solution

Battery-driven equipment heralds the future of emissions-free underground mining. CHARGED UP WELCOME

SANDVIK NEWS Riding high in Finland...... 5 Dear reader, PROFILE Salt of the earth...... 6 THE MAIN HEADLINE on the front cover, “Charged up” (referring to our battery-trammed equipment and exhaust-free TRADE NEWS mining), can also mean “to be excited and full of energy” – and The search for Pharaohs’ gold...... 8 that’s very much how Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology is feeling about the future of our industry, with the innovative KGHM RUDNA COPPER MINE products and services that we are bringing to the market. A total-bucket approach...... 10 Today’s challenging market calls for ever-greater productivity BATTERY-DRIVEN EQUIPMENT and efficiency, and our focus is on supporting our customers in this drive. Just one example is the total bucket concept delivered The mission to eliminate emissions...16 to Europe’s largest copper mine, enabling a significant reduction GLENCORE KIDD BASE-METAL MINE in loader maintenance costs, optimized productivity and reduced downtime. Automation to the core...... 20 SANDVIK DR481i ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY will always be a top Productivity through power...... 26 priority for us, and we know that it will only continue to grow in importance across our industry. That’s why we are launching SUSTAINING SAFETY the aforementioned battery-driven mining equipment to Rod rack redesign...... 30 address the potential health impacts of diesel particulate matter and other underground engine INTELLIGENCE emissions – thereby also potentially helping to Education roundtable...... 33 reduce high mine ventilation costs. THE BIG PICTURE In the same way, we will continue to invest The world’s smallest explorationists...36 resources in intelligent solutions that make your mining safer and more productive. A number of PRODUCT RANGE customers who have a long history of using Sandvik equipment are now seeing the Tough tools, smart solutions...... 38 benefits of moving in this direction – see page 20 to learn how one customer is now using four Sandvik LH514 loaders (equipped with Sandvik SOLID GROUND is a business and technology magazine from AutoMine Lite) to muck in some of Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, Kungsbron 1, 111 22 Stockholm, Sweden. Phone: +46 (0)845 61100. Solid Ground is published twice a year in English, their mine’s lowest blocks. Not only Chinese, French, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and US adaptation. The are they benefitting from the magazine is free to Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology customers. Published by Spoon Publishing in Stockholm, Sweden. ISSN 2000-2874. improved safety provided, but also Editor-in-chief and responsible under Swedish publishing law: Jeanette from the increased production Svensson. Project leader: Eric Gourley Editor: Jean-Paul Small. Sub editor: hours (up to 30 percent more Michael Miller. Creative director: Niklas Thulin. Art director: Louise Bååth Language coordination: Louise Holpp. Prepress: Markus Dahlstedt. Cover compared with the mine’s photo: Måns Berg. Editorial board: Marie Brodin, Eric Gourley, Conny Rask. conventional loaders). Please note that unsolicited manuscripts are not accepted. Material in the publication may only be reproduced with permission. Requests for permission Sandvik Mining and Rock should be sent to the editorial manager, Solid Ground. Editorial material and opinions expressed in Solid Ground do not necessarily reflect the views of Sandvik Technology is fully charged up to Mining and Rock Technology or the publisher. Correspondence and enquiries regarding the magazine are welcome. Contact: meet our customers’ challenges – those Solid Ground, Spoon Publishing AB, Rosenlundsgatan 40, SE-118 53 Stockholm, of today, and of the future. Sweden. Phone: +46 (0)8 442 96 20. Email: [email protected]. Distribution enquiries email : [email protected] Internet: www.minestories.com.

Solid Ground is issued for informational purposes. The information provided is of a general nature and should not be treated as advice or be relied upon for making LARS ENGSTRÖM decisions or for use in a specific matter. Any use of the information provided is at the user’s sole risk, and Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology shall not be liable for PRESIDENT, SANDVIK MINING any direct, incidental, consequential or indirect damage arising out of the use of AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY the information made available in Solid Ground.

2 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY CONTENTS 2.16 Battery 16 included.

10 Top-tier bucket assist.

20 Automated solutions go deep.

36 Termites find the gold in Australia.

26 Power and productivity in one big package. 33 Sharing the wealth of knowledge.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 3 SANDVIK NEWS

Sandvik DT922i includes the iSURE tunnel manage- Deadline defeated ment tool.

▲ California State Route 91 is one of the enormous freeways that run through Southern California. When the Route 91 corridor in the city of Corona was widened, a key part of the project was to demolish a sizeable highway overpass. The challenge was to do it without ever completely shutting down the highway, meaning there was no room for unplanned downtime. The contractor, Environmental Remediation Services Inc (ERSI), selected Sandvik hydraulic hammer Rammer 4099 for the project. The power-to-weight ratio and reputable performance in combination with the operator-friendly environment were important parameters in the selection. “We were working Rammer 4099 in high-elevation scenarios for a solid 22 hours,” says Glenn Beam, on-site ERSI superintendent. “It performed extremely well.” ERSI managed to simultaneously build back the structure and open new lanes during the demolition process. The project beat the anticipated completion date and opened up the freeway 11 hours ahead of schedule. Easier excavation with new jumbo

▲ The latest Sandvik tunnelling jumbo makes drilling accuracy. It also comes with an ergonomic excavation easier than ever with improved cabin that provides 25 percent greater visibility automation technology and intelligent features. and guarantees reduced noise levels. Sandvik DT922i tunnelling jumbo has been Sandvik DT922i is capable of excavating cross designed to maximize precision and performance sections up to 125 square metres. Furthermore, while automating much of the drilling and planning it includes the iSURE tunnel management tool process. The jumbo includes an intelligent control for creating accurate plans for drilling, charging system that lets the operator choose between and blasting, as well as data collection and several different modes that substantially improve analysis functions.

On top of the world One-stop shopping

▲ A new global partnership agreement between ▲ Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology 3 Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology and

1175Ebrochure_LB3.indd 3 recently received an order to supply7/29/2013 10:45:33 AM Schenck Process Minerals & Metals ensures five Sandvik 1175E rotary surface drills to increased crushing-circuit productivity for customers. Julong Copper Industry Company Ltd in The partnership enables a single service provider for Tibet. The Julong mine possesses proven customers throughout the entire plant life cycle. copper reserves of almost 10 billion “Mid-tier miners are often looking for a system tonnes, making it the biggest copper mine solution across the crushing circuit, and with this in Asia. At an altitude of more than 5,000 partnership they will benefit from the best solutions metres, it is among the highest mines in from Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology and the world and it is also regarded as a model Schenck Process product lines in a single offering,” project to drive and develop the other says Mary Verschuer, president of Minerals & Metals, mines in Tibet. Schenck Process Group.

4 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY GET MORE NEWS AT MINESTORIES.COM

Joint venture for THE QUOTE “Divesting the mid-market equipment Mining Systems

▲ Sandvik is joining forces with Lingong Group Jinan Heavy Machinery Co Ltd in Jinan, China, to produce and sell surface and underground mining equipment. The joint venture will focus on is an important sourcing, assembly, sales and service of surface drills, underground loaders and underground trucks. The products will be designed for the specific needs of mid-market customers and will be sold under step in an independent brand. While the initial focus will be to supply products for the Chinese market, the goal of the joint venture is to become the leading mid-market mining equipment supplier for other consolidating selected parts of the world. Sandvik to its

core operations” Björn Rosengren, president and CEO of Digging (and cycling) Sandvik, on the agreement to divest its Mining Systems operations to equity through ­Finland’s company CoBe Capital. longest tunnel

▲ In June, a Sandvik cycling team took part in revolutionary iDATA control system. the Pirkka Cycling Tour, Finland’s largest Timo Laitinen, vice president of rock drills at cycling event, which started off through the Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, was a Ranta tunnel excavated with Sandvik member of the Sandvik team, riding the full equipment. At 2.3 kilometres, it will be the distance of 217 kilometres. longest highway tunnel in Finland. “I felt very proud to race through the tunnel Because of the large amount of drilling that Sandvik has helped to build,” Laitinen says. required on the project, the contractor “Our team wanted to race for the fun and purchased new drill rigs and equipment supplied challenge, and the Pirkka Cycling event was an Sandvik launches by Sandvik. The new rigs are the latest fully excellent opportunity to promote physical and battery-powered dozer automated Sandvik DT1131i three-boom units, mental well-being, as well as team building in a

which come complete with the supplier’s safe and healthy way.” ▲ The new battery-powered Sandvik LZ101LE dozer for low-seam operations improves underground working environments, eliminating exposure to Vice president of emissions hazardous to miners’ health. rock drills Timo Sandvik LZ101LE has a push capacity of Laitinen leads the Sandvik team up to four tonnes and is remotely during the Pirkka operated, enabling operators to work at a Cycling Tour. safe distance away from hazardous, unsupported areas of the mine. Addition­ ally, the battery power pack is mounted on the machine, reducing the risk of running over cables. Sandvik LZ101LE is an important addition to the supplier’s low-profile portfolio. With improved safety, productiv­ ity and minimized ore dilution, Sandvik low-profile drill rigs are an ideal choice for working in tabular ore bodies, such as platinum and chrome mines. These rigs have been designed for development, rock support and production drilling in sections as low as 1.7 metres with optimum drilling coverage and perfor­mance, offering customers safer productivity and reliability and reduced operating costs.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 5 PROFILE

ABOUT THE COMPANY Founded in 2002, esco – european salt company has 16 locations throughout Europe with around 1,400 employees producing 5 million tonnes of salt per year. Q& SALT OF THE EARTH A FOR THE PAST CENTURY, the Bernburg production rates of rock salt. I must mine has produced salt in the heart of also do the same for all the different Germany. In fact, salt production can characters and qualifications of about be traced back to the Middle Ages here. 70 miners. Today salt producer esco – european salt company mines and processes rock salt Q HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR over a 40-square-kilometre area with the RELATIONSHIP WITH SANDVIK? help of Sandvik LH621 loaders. Mine As we are constantly modernizing our production manager Hans-Martin machinery, we have integrated three Müller, who grew up in Dresden, took Sandvik LH621 loaders over the past two some time out of his busy schedule to years. During the process of planning to talk to Solid Ground. purchase the loaders, we became aware of Sandvik personnel’s outstanding Q WHAT ARE YOUR MAIN DUTIES AS knowledge of the special requirements PRODUCTION MANAGER? for mining machines. Sandvik became a With my team, I have to ensure that the reliable partner in the supply of powerful requested rock salt is produced on and low-emission machinery. schedule and is the right quality, focusing on the existing geology, available Q WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT machinery and personnel. But above all I YOUR JOB? have to continuously ensure the safety of I really enjoy the everyday challenges our colleagues at work. This is essential. and developments within the mine. I like the direct contact with the miners. Q HAVE YOU ALWAYS WORKED IN Although they work separately, they MINING? form a strong team. After my studies in mining engineering at the Bergakademie Freiberg, I started working for K+S in May 2007 at one of HANS-MARTIN

its potash mines. In May 2008, I started ▲ MÜLLER working for esco as assistant underground mine manager. Since December 2014, I’ve been responsible for the under- TITLE: Mine production manager ground production of esco’s salt mine AGE: 34 in Bernburg. LIVES: Nienburg/Saale, Germany HOBBIES: Free climbing Q WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE and sacred music YOU FACE AT YOUR JOB? FAMILY: Wife Johanna and two Definitely this is the “bringing together” children, Emilia (4) and Frederick (1) of all the diverse aspects regarding deposit, machinery and seasonal

6 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY TRADE NEWS

Luxembourg is offering a + 200 million euro line of credit to space mining Can copper help companies that you lose weight? headquarter there.

▲ According to research from the University of California, Berkeley, copper is believed to be useful for burning fat, thus negating weight gain. Research- ers found that copper “helps move fat out of cells – called adipocytes – and into the bloodstream for use as energy.” Trace amounts of copper are found in foods such as oysters, liver, beans and nuts. However, the study cautions against ingesting too much copper, saying it could lead to imbalances in other essential minerals, including zinc. PHOTO: RTIMAGES PHOTO: Luxembourg aims to be Top 10 mining jurisdictions in Europe’s space mining capital the world ▲ Luxembourg has agreed to buy a major a small and experimental spacecraft. stake in Planetary Resources, an emerging Luxembourg is also offering a 200 million euro asteroid mining company. The country and the line of credit for entrepreneurial space mining ▲ Canada’s Fraser Institute think tank recently published its Annual Survey company said in a statement that the agreement companies that set up their European headquar- of Mining Companies. It ranks jurisdictions seeks to speed the development of technologies ters there. around the world based on geologic to explore and utilize resources from asteroids. Asteroids are packed with iron ore, nickel and attractiveness and the extent to which Earlier this year, the government reached an precious metals at denser concentrations than government policies encourage or deter agreement with another space mining company, those found on Earth, with estimated yields in the exploration and investment. Deep Space Industries, to develop Prospector-X, trillions of dollars. While only two European jurisdictions made it to the top 10 list this year – Ireland (4) and Finland (5) – the region’s median investment attractiveness score experienced a notable increase. US reviewing exhaust Africa continued to improve its performance, a trend that began in 2012, buoyed by Burkina Faso (29). As a region, data for links to cancer Africa now ranks ahead of Oceania, Asia and Latin America for its investment attractiveness. Battery-driven ▲ Studies by the National controls to reduce exposure to diesel + equipment Institute for Occupational exhaust. These controls include Here are the world’s top mining eliminates Safety and Health and the National ventilation, diesel equipment investment destinations: diesel exhaust altogether. Cancer Institute in the United States maintenance, ultra-low-sulphur fuel, 1. Western Australia (See page 16 have found a strong link between diesel oxidation catalysts, new 2. Saskatchewan for more.) diesel exhaust and lung cancer. This Environmental Protection Agency- 3. Nevada has sparked a review by the US Mine approved engines and administrative 4. Ireland Safety and Health Administration controls, such as limiting the number 5. Finland 6. Alaska (MSHA) of its current standards and of engines in a ventilation course and 7. Northern Territory (Aus) policy guidance on controlling limiting idling time of diesel-powered 8. Quebec exposure to diesel exhaust for equipment. 9. Utah miners. MSHA now aims to evaluate the 10. South Australia Many underground metal and effectiveness of the protections in non-metal mines use a variety of place to preserve miners’ health.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 7 TRADE NEWS

The South Crofty tin mine in + Cornwall, UK, could restart within two years. 136.24 Weight, in carats, of the huge diamond recently unearthed at Alrosa’s Nyurbinskaya pipe in Russia. PHOTO: CHRIS ALLEN CC PHOTO: Bronze Age tin mine set to reopen in 2018

▲ Canadian-owned Strongbow Exploration for decades,” says Richard Williams, president acquired the South Crofty tin mine in and CEO of Strongbow, saying the company Cornwall, UK, and local media reports “needs to demonstrate to the market that operations could restart within two years. there is potential for long-term mining at the Mining in the area dates back to the Bronze site. At the moment, it is estimated that there Pharaohs’ Age (between 2500-800 BC) and reached a is eight to nine years’ mine life, but we think peak in the latter half of the 1800s when that really we will be down there for decades.” Cornwall accounted ­for almost half the global Early estimates suggest that there are gold still tin trade. millions of tonnes of ore ready to be extracted “We think that really we will be down there at 600 to 800 metres below the surface. buried

▲ Gold mining firm Alexander Nubia believes there are vast amounts of gold buried in the deserts of Egypt, remnants of ancient mines. The Canada- Copper supply thins amid based explorer thinks the value of that gold is in the hundreds of billions. “Using modern mining techniques and imminent deficit technology, we hope to recover a lot of the gold that [the Roman and Egyptian civilizations] missed,” says Mark Campbell, ▲ The USD 149 billion pipeline to expand the for delays, according to researcher CRU Group. CEO of Alexander Nubia. world’s copper supply is running into BHP, the world’s largest mining company, The untapped gold in Egypt has been trouble due to hesitant lenders, technical and says it will be “a little bit late to the party” largely ignored since President Gamal political obstacles, and electricity and water under a plan for a major expansion at Austra- Abdel Nasser nationalized much of the shortages. lia’s largest copper mine from about 2025. country’s industry in 1961 and 1962, Producers are counting on expansions and “The mid-2020s is when we are targeting,” focusing efforts on oil and gas. Today only development of new operations to meet supply Justin Bauer, BHP’s head of resource planning one gold mine, Centamin’s Sukari, operates shortages they forecast will arrive towards the and development for Olympic Dam, said in an in the region, with an output of around end of the decade. interview. “We’d like to find a way to expand it 440,000 ounces per year. Only six major projects to build new copper and find a viable way for quite a large expan- mines or expand existing operations will be sion. A cheaper way of processing ore is a really completed by 2020, with two of those at risk important step for us.”

8 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY GET MORE NEWS AT MINESTORIES.COM

The Expert THE MINING SECTOR is currently in Q: What can countries and regions a down cycle, the effects of which do to assist miners during this have miners the world over down cycle? wondering when commodity prices A: Try to avoid profiteering by those will improve again. Solid Ground directly and indirectly involved in the spoke to Dr Andy Wetherelt from extraction industry and work with the University of Exeter about the OEMs and governmental agencies current climate in mining and what along with trade unions. If one he thinks companies should do to considers the converse, why should stay competitive. OEMs and employees suddenly demand, say, 50 percent price Q: How can mining companies adjustments or salary increases just avoid short-term thinking and because the commodity value goes foster growth during a prolonged up? Once the commodity prices fall down cycle? back, the employees and OEMs are A: Unfortunately, during the boom then left high and dry. period costs escalated, primarily based on elevated salaries. Realistic Q: How can companies change salaries need to be implemented, their mindset on the benefits of and if necessary, pay cuts across implementing innovative ideas and the board need to be implemented. technologies, like petroleum This also has to trickle down to companies for instance? + Dr Andy Wetherelt is a OEMs and the complete “food A: The mining sector is much more senior lecturer and chain.” traditional than the petroleum sector. programme director in Employee age and demographics the mining engineering department at the Q: What can mining companies do play a large role in this. Traditional University of Exeter. to improve productivity during mining equipment is very robust and His research interests these times? How can they reliable in what is a transient and very include blast vibration ensure that investments in aggressive environment. Technology analysis, underground surveying methods and productivity won’t be depriori- and innovation have to be proven pit optimization. tized once commodity prices beyond normal trialling for any improve? implementation to go ahead. A: Readjustment of the sector is Furthermore, there is an expectation necessary. A much more cautious that mining companies extract the approach is needed as commodity valuable commodity while the OEMs prices improve, slowly. The last very do the R&D. While there is still a aggressive boom or feeding frenzy perceived demand to place the was created because the previous person directly at the “cutting face,” mining sector doldrums were very the necessary drivers for innovation long and protracted. Controlling the implementation are very difficult to mining boom or bust is very difficult. bring to the fore. ■

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 9 KGHM RUDNA COPPER MINE

10 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY BUCKET BLISS ■ A total bucket solution from Sandvik has helped Europe’s largest copper mine reduce loader maintenance costs, optimize productivity and reduce downtime, leading to vital savings in today’s volatile

commodity climate. Text: DAVID NIKEL Photo: ADAM LACH

Every day, around 6,000 ROCLAW, THE POLISH people head city that English speakers underground to struggle to pronounce work in the Rudna mine. W (it’s vrots-waf), is currently the European Capital of Culture, and in 2016 it is also hosting the Theatre Olympics and European Film Awards. But the economy of the surrounding Lower Silesia region of Poland is driven not by culture but by the mining activity that takes place 85 kilometres to the north-west, around the small town of Polkowice. A world away from the cultural mines in the European region. attractions of Wroclaw, Polkowice is Construction began in 1969, and the home to around 20,000 people, but it is five-year project took learning and best eerily quiet during the daytime. That’s practices from the previous decades of because 6,000 people disappear mining in the region. underground every day to work in the Driven by continued demand from the Rudna mine a few kilometres north of telecommunications, power and the city, with thousands more involved in construction industries, Rudna’s mine the production process. Together with life figures to extend another 40 years. neighbouring operations Lubin and But the price of copper on global markets Polkowice-Sieroszowice, Rudna mines has fallen by more than half from its one of the world’s biggest deposits of 2011 all-time high, putting increasing copper. pressure on copper producers like POLKOWICE POLAND Producing 12 million tonnes of copper KGHM to uncover cost savings while ore per year, the Rudna mine is the maintaining the safety of the miners as Warsaw largest copper mine in Europe and one of the depths at Rudna plunge ever deeper. the largest deep copper ore mines in the The newest expansion of Rudna to the

▲ Krakow world. It’s also one of the best-designed valuable Deep Głogów copper ore

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 11 Rudna represents one of the largest copper reserves in Poland, estimated at 513 million tonnes of ore grading 1.78 percent.

▲ deposit could reach depths of 1.5 bucket concept for Sandvik LH517 kilometres. loaders. Although they came at a higher Typically made up of 78 percent initial investment than competing sandstone and dolomite, the tough solutions, KGHM chose the integrated material is loosened by drill-and-blast bucket ground engaging tool (GET) before being screened and hauled to the solution from Sandvik for its ability to surface. Each year, the lone concentra- deliver superior cost-efficiency over the tion plant produces around 1.9 million long term. tonnes of concentrate with 23 percent “The total bucket concept focuses on copper content. four key areas,” explains Lukasz Niemasz, GET product line manager at “WITH THE CURRENT price of copper so Sandvik for Europe, North and West low it means we are close to the Africa. “Cast corners add strength and break-even point, so keeping production high wear protection to the exposed costs as low as possible is our biggest corners of loader buckets, often the first challenge,” says Tomasz Kras, one of area to suffer from wearing and cracking. the maintenance superintendents at the The hammerless design of the locking Rudna mine. “As we go deeper, the system allows for quick swap-outs of conditions become more difficult and individual shrouds and easy retensioning unpredictable, and the cost of providing of the shroud against the bucket lip. Heel air conditioning, ventilation and safety shrouds and protector strips minimize FULLY INTEGRATED WEAR systems is higher. It is a challenge for us the exposure of the bottom of the bucket PACKAGE – BY THE NUMBERS every day to keep the cost as low as shell, while our integrated Sandvik CPB possible, but safety can never be system offers additional protection of the l12% lower annual cost per hour compared with barelip compromised, so we look to the primary lip.” l20% bucket maintenance cost savings mechanized equipment for cost Over and above the direct long-term l94% better bucket productivity in reduced lost savings.” savings in extended bucket life, tonnes due to bucket capacity An obvious savings opportunity for productivity improved by maintaining l95% of total Rudna fleet covered in three years KGHM was the lifetime of lip plates on the bucket’s form over a longer period, its underground loaders, which quickly leading to an increased tonnes-per-shift wore out and frequently cracked due to ratio. the hard rock and difficult conditions. As “The GET solution was brought to KGHM looked outwards to its supplier Rudna at a time when the mine had a base and even to local suppliers for help, problem with bucket lifetime,” Niemasz Sandvik answered the call with a total says. “We presented a solution that

12 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY We are constantly striving to improve our product to help customers such as KGHM meet their cost challenges

The Sandvik LH517 total bucket concept delivers superior cost efficiency over the long term.

Over the years, Rudna’s relationship with Sandvik has developed into a partnership.

SANDVIK SOLUTION ✦

l As part of an integrated bucket ground engaging tool (GET) solution, the mechanical lip system allows for quick maintenance, whether replacing or retensioning. The high-strength, high-hardness alloy provides high resistance to wear, resulting in a lower total cost per tonne. KGHM uses Sandvik GET would reduce maintenance costs over the equipment is used in this division,” he 50-millimetre Heavy Duty Series 2 lip shrouds on its fleet long term, but would also benefit says. “We struggle against water and of Sandvik LH517 loaders. In production by offering an overall bucket mud getting into the machines and 94 total, 21 Sandvik LH517 units size of 8.4 cubic metres. Geometry over Percent better causing problems.” and five LH209 units are in use the life of a bucket is key to maximizing bucket Brzezicki explains that the productivity in at Rudna. Sandvik also productivity.” reduced lost introduction of the Sandvik GET system supplies a team of engineers tonnes due to has resulted in identifiable cost savings bucket capacity fully integrated into the KGHM RUDNA’S 11 SHAFTS provide in both the short and long term. maintenance teams. ventilation and transport to the 6,000 “We no longer need welders to repair workers spread over the 78-square- loader buckets,” he says. “It used to be kilometre underground city. A trip common practice to use welding for through a maze of dark tunnels reveals major renovations but also for minor the well-lit C1 maintenance area, one of repairs. Cracks appeared regularly, and several that service the equipment used the buckets used to crack. Every six throughout the Rudna mine. months we had to replace lip plates or The man charged with keeping an weld other lip protections. This made our efficient maintenance operation running work difficult because we needed a is Rafal Brzezicki, the deputy permanent welder and lots of equip- maintenance manager for the C1 ment. The welder used to have lots of maintenance area. As well as doing work, but now we almost forget about regular service and repair work, his team replacing or repairing buckets. The run checks on equipment including repairs take place after 12,000 to 13,000 Sandvik loaders between every shift. hours. In the past, we would have “Our biggest challenges down here replaced the bucket at least three times are caused by the conditions in which the within that same period.”

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 13 Geometry over the life of a bucket is the key to maximizing productivity

14 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY The Sandvik team develops new features based on feedback from the KGHM maintenance staff.

About KGHM

l KGHM controls resources containing 22.7 million tonnes of

▲ pure metal copper in ore across KGHM BEGAN USING Sandvik such as rippers offered by competitors. Europe, North and South equipment nearly 20 years ago. Over the GET removes the need for welding, and America. Its main locations are in years, that relationship has become a there’s no time lost to assembly.” south-western Poland, Canada, partnership, and Brzezicki now has Niemasz explains that new features are the United States and northern several Sandvik employees working on developed by Sandvik product teams Chile. his team on a daily basis. based on feedback from maintenance l The company, which is One of them is Lukasz Rodowski. staff. 31 percent owned by the Polish Among his duties, he maintains the “Because our colleagues spend so government, employs more than 50-millimetre Heavy Duty Series 2 lip much time in the mine cooperating with 30,000 people worldwide, of shrouds on Sandvik LH517 loaders, but KGHM staff, we understand the whom around 18,000 are directly he also passes on best practice to the challenges, such as the need to replace the involved in production. operators. corner shrouds more often than the others l KGHM is celebrating its 55th “We try to help our customer during the lifetime of the set,” Niemasz year of operation. Established in under­stand how to avoid breakdowns,” says. “To make life easier for the 1961, the company was formed Rodowski says. “We stress the need for operators we have wear indicators built by the coming together of mines prevention as a way to reduce costs and into each shroud that notify operators in the copper belt of south-west keep the equipment working as long as when the shroud should be replaced, Poland, where the Rudna mine possible.” reducing the likelihood of costlier damage would eventually open in 1974. Replacing a shroud is a relatively to the lip or the bucket. straightforward task for maintenance “We are constantly striving to improve engineers. Each shroud slides over the our product to help customers such as lip and is held in place with a simple KGHM meet their cost challenges. We locking pin and cap screw. listen to the feedback of our customers not “The Sandvik solution is ideal for only from the cost perspective of senior maintenance,” Rodowski says. management, but also about the best “Replacing the GET wear parts is possible set-up of the shrouds and the straightforward compared to fixed parts bucket from the maintenance engineers.” ■

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 15 BATTERY-DRIVEN EQUIPMENT

Text: TURKKA KULMALA Photo: MÅNS BERG Illustration: MATTIAS BORG THE CLEAN TEAM ■ Awareness continues to grow about the potential health impacts of diesel particulate matter (DPM) and other underground engine emissions that also often dictate high mine ventilation costs. Sandvik is launching battery-driven underground equipment to help mines address present and future emissions challenges.

16 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY ▲ AS REGULATIONS BECOME stricter, Exposure to elevated mines need cleaner-energy solutions that help reduce DPM emissions in their diesel exhaust underground operations. Replacing diesel equipment with battery-driven versions helps concentrations has been eliminate such contaminants and associated respiratory risks while reducing operating costs. linked to negative health Sandvik DD422iE, the mining industry’s first battery-trammed development jumbo, and effects Sandvik LH307B, a 6.7-tonne, battery-pow- ered loader, combine the freedom of operation typical of traditional diesel equipment with the major environmental, health and safety (EHS) SANDVIK DD422iE is the first automated benefits of electric power. mining jumbo that eliminates the need for a “Exposure to elevated diesel exhaust diesel engine for tramming from one tunnel to concentrations has been linked to negative another. health effects such as eye and nose irritation, The rig, designed for underground develop- headaches, nausea and asthma, and studies ment drilling and tunnelling, uses electrical have shown it may even be a carcinogen,” says power to drill, relying on a mine’s power Stuart Evans, vice president EHS at Sandvik supply network. Battery energy is used for Mining and Rock Technology. “This is why it tramming and active network compensation for was of utmost importance for us to introduce higher performance during drilling. It does not products that mitigate those risks.” need separate charging as the rig charges up its battery automatically during the drilling cycle. Furthermore, downhill tramming does not consume power but rather tops up the batteries of Sandvik DD422iE. The transmission system of the carrier converts the kinetic energy from ▲

Downhill tramming does not consume power; rather it tops up the battery of Sandvik DD422iE.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 17 TECH SPECS SANDVIK LH307B ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

l Tramming capacity: 6.7 tonnes l Lower heat emissions: savings l Standard bucket: 3.0 cubic metres potential in ventilation l Approximate weight: 22 tonnes l Less noise: improved working l Battery pack: Lithium titanate oxide environment (LTO) l Clean electrical power with no cable: improved operational flexibility, no Value added limitations­ for vehicles in the same area l No exhaust emissions: better mine air l Advanced LTO battery technology: quality, potential for ventilation cost safer and faster recharging, long lifetime savings

▲ the wheels into stored energy in the The universal electric system of battery. A further benefit, compared Sandvik DD422iE is multi-voltage with a conventional driveline, is compliant, encompassing the range of reduced heat generation. 380–1,000 V and both the 50Hz and The elimination of the diesel engine 60Hz frequencies. This means flexible essentially means zero emissions. In ad- usability in multiple countries. dition to major cost-saving potential in The usable life of the rig’s power fuel consumption and fuel logistics, this pack is designed to cover its entire also yields significant EHS benefits, an lifetime. The molten salt battery area that hardly any mine operator can technology (sodium-nickel-chloride) overlook in view of increasingly reduces fire risk and thus further improves stringent regulation and growing the EHS characteristics of the rig. stakeholder expectations. Lower noise “The advanced battery driveline levels and elimination of exhaust system with multi-voltage compatibility emissions, including DPM, NOx and offers huge possibilities to all under-

CO2, provide a healthier and more ground mine owners and drilling pleasant working environment for contractors,” says Johannes Välivaara, operators and maintenance personnel. product manager, development drills, Optimal conditions may also offer for Sandvik Mining and Rock Technol- potential to scale back mine ventilation. ogy. “This is a truly flexible piece of In addition to the new battery advanced machinery that delivers driveline, innovations of Sandvik immense value for drill operators as DD422iE include a 3D scanning well as mine managers.” navigation option and a new improved boom option. The navigation function SANDVIK LHDS HAVE for many years shortens set-up time at the beginning of thrived in demanding loading applica- each drilling cycle and automatically tions, both diesel-powered and electric scans overbreak and underbreak, versions. providing valuable information to Both conventional alternatives have optimize the drilling operation. Smart their relative strengths and weaknesses: boom positioning and drilling control A diesel engine provides sustainable system increase accuracy and reduce independent operational capability, but cycle times as well as drilling costs. it also inevitably entails cumbersome The 3D navigation option is compatible and costly fuel logistics and exhaust with the iSURE drill plan design and emissions. Electric loaders eliminate data collection software. All this the exhaust emissions altogether and directly translates to more efficient also much of the heat emissions, but mine development in terms of metres the cable prohibits the use of other per month. vehicles in the same area and limits the

18 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY freedom of movement and tramming The advanced distance. The new Sandvik LH307B brings the system with best of both worlds to underground mines: clean, emission-free electrical power, to multi-voltage provide the independence of movement similar to diesel loaders, yet without the compatibility related diesel emissions and costs. The payload of 6.7 tonnes will be offers huge moved using components shared with the diesel version, with much the same possibilities performance characteristics. As with the diesel version, the Vehicle Control and Management system monitors all loader dedicated crane and battery swap area, parameters, expediting troubleshooting which again cuts costs and also avoids and minimizing unscheduled downtime. the risk of damage to the battery and Furthermore, Sandvik LH307B is ready loader frame associated with battery for use with Sandvik mine automation swaps. In addition, operators and and information management systems. maintenance personnel can avoid a Lithium titanate oxide (LTO) battery potentially significant risk of injuries technology enables rapid recharging for caused by manual battery handling. continuous operation with a single “In the future, as mines go deeper, battery pack – in other words, there is no one of the biggest challenges that mining need to swap batteries during or between at depth presents is the need for shifts. LTO batteries also have superior increased ventilation and cooling,” says thermal stability and resistance to Wayne Scrivens, product line manager, internal short circuits, making them one load and haul, Sandvik Mining and Rock of the safest lithium-ion batteries. Liquid Technology. “Sandvik LH307B offers cooling guarantees a long battery lifetime the opportunity to reduce ventilation and across a broad range of ambient tempera- heat as well as the obvious health tures – long enough to cover the useful benefits of no diesel exhaust emissions service life of the loader itself, in fact. being emitted into the underground The single-battery strategy offers environment. These are also the first several tangible benefits. Eliminating the steps towards the goal of an all-battery need for spare batteries effectively cuts electric fleet, completely eliminating the capex costs. There is no need for a use of a diesel engine.” ■

TECH SPECS SANDVIK DD422iE ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

l Feed length: 5.27 metres l Potential for cost savings l Hole diameter: 43–64 millimetres in mine ventilation l Weight: 27.5 tonnes l Recharge during drilling – no interrup- l Drilling coverage: 10.3 metres x 6.6 tion in production metres l Multi-voltage compliant system allows flexible operations in any mine Value added l Improved underground safety thanks

l Reduced DPM, NOx and CO2 emissions to long-lasting molten salt battery l Eliminates costs related to fuel logistics technology

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 19 GLENCORE KIDD BASE-METAL MINE

DEEP DIVE ■ Thousands of metres below surface in the world’s deepest base-metal mine, an automated loading solution is improving safety, increasing utilization and ­reducing stope cycle time.

Text: MICHAEL MILLER Photo: SAMIR SOUDAH

Kidd Operations employs approximately 850 people between the mine and mill.

20 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY Kidd Operations

l Company name: Kidd Operations l Parent company: Glencore Canada Corporation l Location of mine: 28 kilometres north of Timmins, Ontario, the hometown of country pop star Shania Twain l Number of employees: Approximately 850 between the mine and mill; it is the largest private-sector employer in Timmins l Annual output of ore: 2.25 million tonnes in 2016 – equivalent to the volume of 76 Empire State Buildings l Main metals produced: Copper and zinc, silver as a by-product l Annual output of metal: Approximately 40,000 tonnes of copper and 60,000 tonnes of zinc l Operations started: 1966 l Operations scheduled to end: 2022 l Depth of mine: 9,880 feet (3,000 metres) l Distance from surface to bottom on spiral roadway tunnel: 24 kilometres

Sandvik LH514 loaders equipped with Sandvik AutoMine Lite enable mucking in the four-hour period between shifts.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 21 With the automation we get a lot more hours on our units

HE KIDD OPERATIONS stope and quickly re-emerges with a copper and zinc mine in load of muck, an area that is currently Timmins, Ontario, 700 closed due to seismic restrictions. kilometres north of Toronto, T THE MINE HAS is the world’s deepest base-metal mine been using Sandvik at 9,880 feet (3,000 metres) below the equipment for half of the 50 years that surface. To get a sense of how deep the it has been in production. Today, Kidd mine is, consider Toronto’s CN Tower, Operations relies on four Sandvik at 457 metres the tallest free-standing LH514 loaders equipped with Sandvik Loading and dumping are done tele-remotely from the surface with the Sandvik AutoMine Lite system at Kidd structure in the western hemisphere. AutoMine Lite to muck in some of the Operations. You could stack six and a half of them, mine’s lowest blocks. one on top of the other, and not quite The automation system needs an reach the depth of the Kidd mine. isolated area to ensure the safety of the scanners show the operators above Mining at such depth creates many people working in the mine, and a steel ground what is going on all around the challenges, both technical – from mesh gate – as close as anyone is 21 loader and enable them to intervene, if seismicity considerations to the allowed to approach – is a vital first Daily mucking necessary. The loader travels the atmospheric pressure that increases physical barrier. Beyond it is also an hours Kidd pathway between the stope and the temperatures, straining ventilation infrared light barrier that, if broken, Operations has dump site on its own, as it has been achieved with its systems – and logistical – getting automatically and immediately stops automated “taught” where to go. miners and materials from surface to the automated loader. Even when a Sandvik LH514s A critical eye on utilization and some of the deepest production levels barrier is broken intentionally (to move efficiency drove Kidd Operations to can take more than an hour. the machine for planned maintenance, solutions like Sandvik AutoMine. Ryan From the surface, a cage takes groups for example) the mine conducts a Roberts, manager of mine operations, of the mine’s employees down to a level comprehensive sweep of the level acknowledges that the current mining 4,700 feet (1,430 metres) below the before reactivating operation. environment is challenging, but he says surface. Even deeper at level 88 (that’s the goal is the same as always: how to 8,800 feet, or 2,680 metres, below the THE SANDVIK LH514 trams out of safely and efficiently extract the surface) a Sandvik LH514 is working sight to dump the load and then returns maximum tonnage out of the ground. autonomously to maximize production for another. Loading and dumping are “We have to do all that we can to through the mine’s busiest production done tele-remotely from surface with keep our costs as low as possible, but zone. On another level one of the mine’s this Sandvik AutoMine Lite system. that shouldn’t really change whether the four automated loaders trams into a Seven onboard cameras and two metal price is high or low,” he says.

22 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY Kidd Operations extracted 2.25 million tonnes of ore in 2016.

USING AUTOMATED LOADERS adds complexity to the operation. Areas where automated loaders are tramming need to be closed off to personnel – in some existing mines, such as Kidd Operations, this can mean securing an entire level – and mechanics need to be trained in automated components. Despite these complexities there are clear benefits, Roberts says. “The utilization of the automated loaders is 12 percent higher than that of manual loaders,” he says. “They’re much higher utilized because we don’t need to stop for blasting, gas conditions or seismic restrictions, and they can keep running while people are going up and down the shaft.” Jeff Sullivan, Kidd Operations’ automation specialist, says the Sandvik AutoMine Lite system was originally brought in to increase productivity by reducing downtime between shifts. “Our usual shifts were about 10 hours, and we were losing about two hours of that first shift,” he says. “It takes so long to travel underground here, based on depth of mine and travel to and from the workplace.” Kidd has benefited from the ability to operate its automated Sandvik LH514s for as many as 21 hours of mucking per day, a 30 percent increase in effective production hours compared with its conventional loaders. The mine was even able to reduce its total loader fleet by three units, in part due to the gains it has obtained implementing Sandvik AutoMine Lite. “With the automation we get a lot more hours on our units,” says Andy ▲

Seven onboard cameras and two scanners show the operators above ground what is going on all around the loader and enable them to intervene, if necessary.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 23 Kidd Operations relies on four Sandvik LH514 loaders equipped with Sandvik AutoMine Lite to muck in some of the mine’s lowest blocks.

▲ Saindon, the mine’s senior engineer challenges presented by mining at such a production coordinator. “We can muck great depth. “We run into huge rock between shifts, and also during seismic pressure in the structure of the mine, activity after a blast and during gas high temperatures, high humidity, checks on levels where no personnel ventilation problems – it’s hard to get air are allowed.” that deep, but we need to make sure our The operators have received the employees and our equipment have automated units favourably, Saindon says. enough air to operate,” he says. “The “They like it because it’s safer, more Sandvik automated loader allows us to comfortable than operating within the operate in areas of the mine where we mine, and they’re away from potential usually can’t send employees, such as hazards, dust and fumes,” he says. areas prone to seismic activity following Kidd Operations started mining blasting activity or where gas restric- in 1966, and the UP ON THE SURFACE, the Sandvik tions may limit human access. mine has extended its automated loaders are monitored by “We have to have that muck off the production life people sitting at separate workstations, ground – we can’t let it sit there,” he to 2022. concentrating on two computer screens says. “We can then take control of the each. The screens can show the position level, because when we operate in robot of each Sandvik automated loader on a mode we own the whole level. All map, the view from the loader as seen by people and other equipment come off an onboard camera, or even the operation the level, and only the robot operates of an underground rock breaker. Multiple there.” levels feed mucked material through ore Now that Kidd Operations has passes down to transfer levels, and the successfully implemented the Sandvik mine can move its automated loaders AutoMine Lite system, the mine is between levels and transfers to maximize working with Sandvik to continuously the efficiency of the production fleet. improve it. “Improved setup and Transfers are the mine’s production relocation of our automated loaders and bottleneck and Kidd Operations have developing isolated areas to ensure worked with Sandvik to reduce cycle auto-only protection of the loaders are The distance from surface to the bottom of the mine on a spiral time in these crucial areas. the next steps forward in maximizing the roadway is 24 kilometres. Sullivan ticks off a few of the loaders’ production,” Sullivan says.■

24 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY They are much higher utilized because we don’t need to stop for blasting

SANDVIK SOLUTION ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ l Kidd Operations has used Sandvik loaders for 25 ­productivity and its workers’ health and safety. years, and Sandvik has delivered four Sandvik LH514 With the automated systems, the operators can loaders equipped with Sandvik AutoMine Lite to Kidd work from an air-conditioned room on the surface. Operations’ Kidd copper and zinc mine in Timmins, Seated in a comfortable chair in front of computer Ontario. The mine received the first system four monitors, an operator can see on a map exactly years ago, in 2012, and it is scheduled to receive a where the loader is at any moment, and onboard fifth system by the end of 2016. The systems have cameras display a continuous picture of what’s made a significant contribution to the mine’s around it.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 25 SANDVIK DR481i

Text: TURKKA KULMALA Photo: GREG PACHKOWSKI TOMORROW MACHINE

26 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY A unique chain feed system with a travelling centralizer minimizes lateral loads and movements of the drill string to improve hole straightness.

■ INTRODUCING a new heavy-duty rig for large-scale operations in open-cast mines. Sandvik DR481i, for up to 406-millimetre holes, is engineered to maximize productivity in terms of sheer volume and tonnage while at the same time delivering a lower total cost of ownership.­

T IS THE MASSIVE SIZE that first increased by adding flywheels to the meets the eye in the forthcoming input pinions to effectively maintain Sandvik DR481i surface drill rig. constant momentum and counteract any I With the mast raised, it stands 32 obstructions causing vibrations. The metres tall, and has a base weight of extreme pulldown capacity of 54 tonnes almost 200 tonnes. The crawler-mount- not only enables high penetration rates ed system expands the hole size range but delivers the bit load to maximize of Sandvik surface drill rigs from the penetration for the rotary bits of today THE POWER GROUP of Sandvik previous maximum of 311 millimetres and tomorrow. DR481i is based on the next-generation up to 406 millimetres. Like all larger 100K 1,118 kilowatt Cummins QSK50 diesel Expected surface drills, it uses a rotary system in THE EXTENSIVE 21-metre single-pass operating lifetime engine to comply with future Tier 4 which the rotating drill bit cuts or capacity is sure to be appreciated by hours of Sandvik emission control requirements. A key crushes the rock with sheer downward large-scale hard-rock mining opera- DR481i component in the power group is also force. Primary applications of this tions. The dual speed system offers a the patented Sandvik CMS, which hard-rock rig include iron and copper fine feed rate for drilling and fast feed substantially decreases the load on both mining. for manoeuvring the drill string. the engine and the compressor. When “We are expecting operating The mast features a unique chain no power is needed, the CMS simply lifetimes exceeding 100,000 hours,” feed system equipped with a travelling eliminates the load. Extensive field says Tab Siegrist, global product line centralizer to effectively minimize testing has shown that the CMS can manager surface drills at Sandvik lateral loads and movements of the drill help to cut fuel consumption by more Mining and Rock Technology. “This rig string and to improve hole straightness. than 30 percent. Furthermore, the has the potential to loyally serve a mine Straighter holes translate to improved reduced load means extended for more than 20 years. Sandvik rock fragmentation as well as less throw maintenance intervals and increases the DR481i will offer a great balance and rock scattering during blasting. The service life of the engine, compressor between maximum productivity and travelling centralizer additionally and other components. cost efficiency. In fact, we are pretty increases the usable life of both the Ease of maintenance in general is a confident that the drill with Compressor rotation head and the mast. The mast key design feature of Sandvik DR481i. Management System (CMS) savings struts are designed for quick automatic The 360-degree walkways and ladders can pay for itself over its lifetime.” raising and lowering. No manual designed according to ISO 2867/AS Sandvik DR481i will feature an handling is required, as with many 1657 provide safe and convenient inertia rotary head with advanced comparable surface drills. In combina- access to the cabin and all key service technology designed to increase drilling tion with safe access to the mast service points. All regularly replaced filters are efficiency. The mass of the rotating points, this improves both productivity centralized in a single stand. The filter components in this system has been and ease of maintenance. stand also includes a centralized ▲

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 27 TECH SPECS SANDVIK DR481i ✦ ✦ ✦

l Hole diameter: 270–406 millimetres l Max. bit load: 72 tonnes l Feed system: chain l Single-pass depth: 21 metres l Total depth: 42.5 metres l Operating weight: 197 tonnes

28 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY Everything in Sandvik DR481i is designed to deliver our customers value

The next-genera- tion 1,118 kilowatt Cummins QSK50 diesel engine complies with future Tier 4 emission control A single operator may use requirements. the tele-remote control to operate several rigs from the control room, away from hazardous locations.

Value added

l Higher productivity through increased drilling power, faster penetration rates and advanced control and automation ▲ sampling point for all key fluids to SAFETY IS ALWAYS the top priority systems facilitate preventive maintenance, as for Sandvik, and Sandvik DR481i is l Lower total cost of ownership through opposed to potentially unnecessary no exception. A major advantage of efficient maintenance and fuel savings scheduled servicing. The entire power tele-remote control is the ability to keep l Automation minimizes variation group is installed in a separate personnel away from any hazardous between operators sub-frame and can be easily lifted off locations. The new large cabin offers l Comfortable and safer thanks to the for more extensive maintenance. All excellent ergonomics and built-in new cab and improved safety features maintenance tasks are supported by support for efficient dual air-condition- comprehensive health monitoring and ing systems. Tilted windows reduce diagnostics systems for reduced glare and the heat load. Simple access troubleshooting time and improved to service points helps to ensure that availability. the maintenance crew returns home each day safe and sound. SANDVIK DR481i is available with “Everything in Sandvik DR481i scalable automation options, ranging in is designed to deliver our customers four levels from basic auto levelling, value, whether it be maximized 3D navigation and energy management productivity or minimized total cost modules up to remote non-line-of-sight of ownership,” Siegrist says. operation. A mine manager can first ­“Furthermore, the advanced safety select a simple option and later upgrade features and the smaller carbon as required. In the most advanced foot­print, thanks to our CMS, also configurations, a single operator may help mine owners to achieve their use the tele-remote control to operate sustainability goals. This truly is a several drill rigs from a control room, machine for tomorrow and years potentially thousands of miles away. beyond.” ■

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 29 SUSTAINING SAFETY SAFER TRAVELS ■ Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology in Australia has turned a near-miss into a safer transportation solution for drill rods on service vehicles.

Text: DAVID NIKEL Photo: PETER BARNES

30 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY The primary feature is a unique locking mechanism that secures the rod racks to the frame, which is in turn attached to the tray of the service vehicle.

The new design enables personnel to safely transport drill rods without their sliding around or falling off the vehicle.

HE NEW RACKS are quickly ALONG WITH Mark establishing themselves as the Bannister, product sales gold standard across the and support for underground hard rock T competitive Australian mining mining at Sandvik Mining and Rock Byrnecut industry, with Sandvik receiving Technology, Male began to identify Australia inquiries from a diverse range of potential solutions. The team worked customers. with external engineers and manufactur- Founded in 1987 just months before Although the new rod rack design ers to develop the optimum design. the stock market crash, Byrnecut may be a success story, it’s one that “It was one of those projects without weathered the storm to establish began in unfortunate circumstances. an obvious solution, so we had to itself in a challenging market and Deep underground in a South consider many different possibilities become the largest underground Australian gold mine, a drill rod came before we arrived at the final design mining contractor in Australia. loose from the rack on a Sandvik vehicle. through a process of elimination,” Male Current projects include all level and It fell forward before rebounding off the says. “One of our biggest challenges vertical development production rock and back towards the cabin. The underground is weight, so the solution activities at the Prominent Hill mine, drill rod smashed the windscreen but had to be light yet load-bearing.” and decline, lateral and vertical narrowly missed the service technician A product of more than six months of development stope production using who was driving the vehicle. design and engineering work, the new long hole and air leg methods at the design enables service technicians to Jundee mine. ALTHOUGH NO ONE was hurt, the safely and securely transport drill rods In addition to working as lead serious incident demanded instant without their sliding around or falling off contractor at gold, copper and nickel attention from Sandvik. the vehicle to which they are attached. mines, the group also offers “We immediately began a thorough The primary feature is a unique locking specialist shotcreting and shaftlining investigation, and it soon became mechanism that secures the rod racks to services for mining and civil clients, apparent such incidents had happened the frame, which is in turn attached to the raise drilling and box holing services before but gone unreported,” explains tray of the service vehicle. to meet any vertical development Darren Male, rock tools operations The solution is available as a requirements, and a range of manager at Sandvik Mining and Rock flat-packed bolt-on package to existing multidisciplinary engineering Technology. Sandvik vehicles. Unlike any previous ▲ services.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 31 There’s reduced risk that with sudden braking, the rods will move

▲ rack used by Sandvik, the new solution is We try to identify every possible certified for road use throughout outcome and mitigate the risk of The rods are Australia, extending the potential anything happening. This process double-clamped and strapped application. involves many people, but unexpected down to ensure Sandvik is a drilling supplier for occurrences can still happen. What’s secure transport. Byrnecut Australia, the country’s largest important is for the relevant party to take underground mining contractor, at five responsibility for the situation, quickly sites across Australia. The customer was resolve it, and learn from it to prevent pleased with the new rack’s benefits. any recurrence.” “There’s reduced risk that with For Byrnecut, working with contrac- sudden braking, the rods will move or tors who take safety seriously is fall forward off the vehicle,” says Peter paramount. Hallman, Byrnecut Australia Safety, “What we expect of any contractor is Environment, Quality and Training a focus on safety through their own manager. safety management system,” Hallman “The rods are double-clamped in says. “Part of our process of appointing place and strapped down with no chance contractors is to review their systems and of them moving, but also the design of to check that they are compliant with the rod holder helps reduce the potential what we are trying to achieve. This for manual handling injuries,” he says. includes risk-assessing all equipment on Byrnecut Australia is happy that every site and seeing that they have processes Sandvik decided not to patent the new design as the company feels possible outcome has been considered in place for investigations, reporting of all sites, customers and even and that running these vehicles on their hazards and reporting of any issues competitors should have access to identified during the risk-assessment the rod rack solution. sites should help reduce risk of the original incident reoccurring. processes.” Byrnecut takes a pragmatic approach Sandvik has proved its commitment when such incidents occur. When it to safety not just for itself but for the comes to safety, the company seeks to industry as a whole, following its make continuous improvements over decision not to patent the new rod rack time. solution. The benefits of the new rod “Although this type of incident is rare, racks are something Male and Bannister it’s important to understand that they may believe all sites, customers, contractors happen from time to time,” Hallman says. and competitors should have access to, “Risk assessments are not foolproof. improving site safety for everyone. ■

32 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY INTELLIGENCE

Text: JEAN-PAUL SMALL Illustrations: FREDRIK TJERNSTRÖM BRAIN TRUST ■ Changes in mining have traditionally moved slowly, but if the industry is to find ways to reverse its “accumulated deficit of transformational innovation” (Ernst & Young, 2014), it should start with mining graduates. Solid Ground spoke to professors at leading mining educational institutions about their opinions on how new realities are affecting graduates’ education and what everyone can do to positively influence mining’s future.

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 33 DR CATRIN EDELBRO Senior Lecturer, Mining and Geotechnical Engineering. Department of Civil, ­Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering. Luleå University of Technology

SG: TRADITIONALLY, WHAT TYPE OF COMPETENCIES DO MINING COMPA- NIES TYPICALLY SEEK, AND HOW HAS THAT CHANGED OVER TIME?

CARLA BOEHL: Employers expect “job-ready leaders.” We work closely with mining companies, and they constantly give us feedback and OLID GROUND: IS THE updates on their needs in the work- TOTAL NUMBER OF shops we organize with them. STUDENTS ENTERING MINING ­PROGRAMMES CE: The larger companies still want the SINCREASING OR ­DECREASING, AND experts and specialists who can be WHY? taught by our traditional MSc pro- grammes. However, small and medium PETER KNIGHTS: We believe that enterprises (SMEs) need more there are two factors driving the low entrepreneurial skilled graduates in number of enrolments in mining order to have production from the first engineering. The first is concern over day. The younger generation seem to the lack of job security in the mining be, or could be, more innovative and industry. Over the last four years, some entrepreneurial in their way of 20,000 people associated with the thinking, and therefore the universities mining and resources industry in need to have a closer collaboration with Australia have lost their jobs. To be the industry and SMEs. The students fair, some of these job losses are the like and want more of real problems result of large resource projects being that are complex, and less of well- completed, but there is a conspicuous defined and often non-realistic lack of new projects available to problems. Students and faculty need to provide employment opportunities. The work more cross-disciplinarily. second factor is the concern over the future of coal, intimately linked with PK: Mining companies have tradition- climate-change fears. Nevertheless, the ally sought technically competent outlook is positive as most growth graduate mining engineers for planning, predictions conclude that there will be scheduling and operational applications. a rise in mega-cities in Asia within the Over time, these skill requirements have next half century, which require the expanded to include increasing coking coal produced at three-quarters awareness of socio-environmental issues of the coal operations in Queensland. and an ability to work as part of multi-disciplinary teams. As the industry DR CARLA BOEHL CATRIN EDELBRO: Indeed. The increasingly embraces automated Senior Lecturer and Researcher in number of students enrolling varies and equipment and remote operations Engineering Asset Management. is linked to ore prices. High prices on centres, we are seeing a requirement for the market are shown in newspapers, mining engineers to have greater MEA Course Leader Asset on the Web and on TV. In general, this awareness of control fundamentals as ­Management. Western Australia attracts students to our sector. well as data analytics skills. School of Mines, Curtin University

34 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY Collaboration between industry and academia is essential for attracting and developing talent

CE: In other sectors, such as mechani- cal or technical design, it is very common to talk about business models regarding product development. The SG: HOW CAN UNIVERSITIES HELP people in the mines do not yet use that TO CLOSE COMPETENCE GAPS IN language. The “standard offer” from GRADUATES, PARTICULARLY AS business and entrepreneurial schools MINING MOVES MORE “FROM THE needs to be transferred to a content that GROUND” AND “INTO THE CLOUD” – is specific for the mining sector. I.E., BIG DATA USAGE? CB: Public research is a critical area CB: Universities are developing where industry and university need to capabilities, particularly in data and collaborate in facing and embracing PROFESSOR computational thinking, for their disruption. Even a small increase in our PETER KNIGHTS current and future students. At Western efficiency at converting research into Professor and Head of Division of Australia School of Mines, we focus in innovation could produce substantial Mining. School of Mechanical and particular on big data analytics, dividends. The evidence indicates that simulation, modelling and optimization when collaboration works, it leads to Mining Engineering. The University of and visualization. great results and successful innovations. Queensland It is clear that both industry and CE: One of our future visions is “zero universities need to innovate in their entry,” which means no humans in the approach to collaboration and diversity production area. In the long run, this – not just in attributes such as gender PK: I would argue that there is a means that the data collected in the field but in diversity of thought, skills and younger generation of mining engi- today needs to be collected in the future experiences. For universities this neers who were promoted too rapidly by sensors, scanning equipment, means better aligning of research, to management positions throughout photogrammetry, etc. Hence the new being more open with findings and the boom period. This has left a deficit generation of engineers need to be able to more flexible. For industry it means of senior mining engineers with the analyze and evaluate the data in another changing the mindset from depth of experience that is ideally way compared to today. Still, basic philanthropy to commercial required – typically in excess of 10 knowledge needs to be taught by the opportunity, seeking out and investing years of technical experience. These universities, which also need to cooperate in long-term research relationships with engineers need the ageing baby closely with industry in order to teach the universities and immersing those boomers for advice, and so I see no students how to interpret data. researchers in industry. shortage of consulting opportunities for retiring grey-haired baby boomers. PK: The University of Queensland is PK: Collaboration between industry looking at introducing a greater and academia is essential for attracting CB: The positive is obvious because emphasis on systems engineering and developing talent. University can many baby boomers have accumulated within the mining engineering degree. impart theory, but it is not until experience of doing just the same thing The ability to understand and model students see theory put into practice over and over again. So it is better to complex systems is integral to that true understanding results. bring in “fresh air,” new ways of autonomous systems as well as managing and solving problems, and complex multi-disciplinary socio- SG: THERE IS AN AGEING BABY- diversity. Yes, it is sad and emotional to environmental problems. BOOMER GENERATION OF MINERS see some of the great leaders and THAT IS APPROACHING RETIRE- entrepreneurs who still have “rubber on SG: HOW IMPORTANT IS THE MENT, TAKING MANY YEARS OF their boots” saying goodbye to move COLLABORATION OF ACADEMIA ACCUMULATED KNOWLEDGE AND on to retirement, but that’s the ageing AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR FOR EXPERIENCE WITH THEM. IS THIS A cycle, and no one has yet invented the ATTRACTING AND DEVELOPING POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE FACTOR FOR magic pill that will keep us alive and NEW TALENT INTO MINING? THE INDUSTRY? well forever. ■

SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY 35 THE BIG PICTURE

36 SOLID GROUND 2-16 SANDVIK MINING AND ROCK TECHNOLOGY The insects bring up small particles that contain gold from the deposit’s fingerprint, or halo, and effectively stockpile it in their mounds TINY EXPLORERS Can termite mounds lead to hidden treasure?

Text: JEAN-PAUL SMALL Photo: ISTOCK PHOTO

▲ THROUGHOUT HISTORY, gold prospecting Termites and ants burrow into this layer of techniques have varied almost as much as eroded material to build their mounds that are the uses for the glittering, precious metal. made up of an extensive system of tunnels and Labour-intensive methods such as panning, conduits that serve as a ventilation system for dredging, sluicing and hard-rock mining have all the underground nest. It is here that a fingerprint been tried over the centuries as humans of the underlying gold deposit is found as traces attempted to get to the gold at all costs. After are brought to the surface. thousands of years of mining, most major gold “The insects bring up small particles that and other mineral deposits near the surface have contain gold from the deposit’s fingerprint, or been discovered, and miners now need new tools halo, and effectively stockpile it in their mounds,” to explore deeper underground. Stewart says. Research published in the scientific jour- Termites could provide a cost-effective way of nals PLoS ONE and Geochemistry: Exploration, exploring for new mineral deposits with less Environment, Analysis may have discovered a way environmental impact, reducing traditional and for nature to do the “heavy lifting” of this deeper often expensive exploration methods. prospecting work. The study found that at a test Mineral resources make up $86.7 billion of site in the West Australian goldfields termite Australia’s exports, and new systems are required mounds contained high concentrations of gold. to sustain production. Stewart’s work has also This gold indicates that there is a larger deposit found that insects carry metals in their bodies. underneath the surface. “We’ve found that metals accumulate in the “We’re using insects to help find new gold and excretory systems of termites,” he says. other mineral deposits,” says Commonwealth “Although the insects may not concentrate Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation metals in their bodies, they actively rid them- (CSIRO) entomologist Dr Aaron Stewart. selves of excess metals. This process shows up “These resources are becoming increasingly as little stones, much like kidney stones in hard to find because much of the Australian people. This finding is important because these landscape is covered by a layer of eroded material excretions are a driving force in the redistribution that masks what’s going on of metals near the surface.” deeper underground.” 56,700 An ounce of gold weighs as much as approximately 56,700 termites.

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