Surface Drilling

in Open Pit Mining

First edition 2006

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Contents
Foreword   69 Replacing Rotary in Iron Ore
  70 Multiple Tasking in Western Australia
    2 Foreword by Markku Terasvasara,
Vice President Marketing Surface Drilling   73 ROC L8 Outperforms in Assmang Iron Ore
Equipment at Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB   74 Greater Geita
  78 DTH Choice Cuts Costs at Navachab
  80 Iron Ore From Erzberg Mountain
 Talking Technically   82 More Than a Match for Scotland’s Coal
  84 Apatite for Extraction
    3 Open Pit Mining – Coprod Solution for Siilinjärvi
    7 Principles of Rock Drilling
  10 Principles of Rock Blasting
  12 Putting Rotary Drilling Into Perspective   Product Specifications
  15 SmartRig Takes Control
  17 Correct Selection of   88 Drilling Method Guide
Tophammer Rock Drilling Tools   90 Tophammer Drill Rigs
  20 COPROD Combines the Best of DTH   97 Tophammer Rock Drills
and Tophammer Drilling   99 Tophammer Drilling Tools
  25 Increased Productivity with DTH Drilling 110 COPROD System
  28 Selecting the Right DTH Drilling Tools 111 COPROD Crawlers
  34 Economic Case for Routine Bit Grinding 114 COPROD Drill Rigs
  38 Ergonomics & Safety 115 COPROD Drilling Tools
  41 Rotary Club Expands With Thiessen 118 DTH Drill Rigs
  42 In Search of the Right Balance 124 DTH Hammers
  45 Protection by ROC Care 126 Rotation Units
127 Rotary Drill Rigs
131 Secoroc Tricone Bits
  Case Studies 133 Secoroc Grinding
138 Drill Rig Options
  47 A Viper for the Copper King
147 Service Workshops
  49 Best Practice at Bingham Canyon
148 Conversion Table
  51 Rotary and DTH Work Side by Side
  54 The Golden Twins of Southern Mexico
  58 Minera Maria’s Pre-Split Pioneer Front cover: Blasting time at Aitik Copper Mine in Sweden.
  61 ROC L8 Gains Favour in Brazil
SmartRig, COPROD, ROC and COP are Atlas Copco trademarks.
  65 Hydraulic Tophammers Exceed Soquimich Atlas Copco reserves the right to alter its product specifications
Expectations at any time. For latest updates contact your local Atlas Copco
  67 Winning Iodine from the Atacama Desert Customer Center or refer to www.surfacedrilling.com

Produced by tunnelbuilder ltd for Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB, SE-701 91 Orebro, Sweden, tel +46 19 670-7000, fax –7393.
Publisher Ulf Linder ulf.linder@se.atlascopco.com Editor Mike Smith mike@tunnelbuilder.com Senior Adviser Hans Fernberg
hans.fernberg@se.atlascopco.com Picture and Specifications Editor Lisa Boyero info@boyerolindstrom.com
Contributors Alf Stenquist, Bo Persson, Brian Fox, Göran Nilsson, Gunnar Nord, Hans Fernberg, Jan Jönsson, Jean Lindroos,
Jessis Ng, Joanna Jester, Leif Larsson, Lennart Lundin, Lennart Söderström, Lorne Herron, Mathias Lewen, Therese Blomster,
all name.surname@atlascopco.com, Adriana Potts adriana.potts@ntlworld.com, Maurice Jones maurice@tunnelbuilder.com

Designed and typeset by ahrt, Örebro, Sweden. Copies of all Atlas Copco reference editions can be ordered in CD-ROM format
Printed by Welins Tryckeri AB, Örebro, Sweden. from the publisher, address above, or online at www.atlascopco.com/rock.
© 2006 Atlas Copco Rock Drills AB Reproduction of individual articles only by agreement with the publisher.

Drilling in open pit mining 

Foreword
T
 o be perceived as the global market leader in providing rock drilling products, it is important that our product
and service offering has the competitive edge: that we can assist our customers to generate high profit leading to
business expansion. Our growth is a consequence of our customers’ success.
We have also grown by making strategic acquisitions such as the drill rig division from Ingersoll Rand, and by launching new,
efficient products and aftermarket programmes during the past five years. Today, our range of drill rigs comprises more than 40
models suited for various surface drilling applications.
Our modern products are equipped not only with key components such as powerful rock drills, engines, pumps and compressors,
but also with the latest computer based technology.
We have never before been committed to such a dynamic and intensive product development, giving a whole new dimension
to quality and productivity in terms of directing and guiding the equipment to perform drill holes as close as possible to plan, to
planned depth and hole bottom locations. This is a prerequisite for optimum fragmentation of blasted rock, even benches and
rock wall contours.
High productivity, as a result of outstanding equipment availability and drilling capacity, leads to better utilization of the
investment. Our long-standing relationship with Secoroc has allowed us to develop drill string components, bits, and high pres-
sure DTH hammers to match the potential of our rock drills and rigs, together with bit grinding to maintain high performance
with economy. The second generation of Coprod for straighter small-diameter holes is a prime example of how successful this
partnership has been.
Our new computer based rigs are known as the SmartRig concept, emphasizing that they have incorporated state-of-the-art
functionality, making them easy to use and maintain. Additionally, we have spent a lot of effort in providing a good working
environment inside the operator’s cabin.
We trust that this book, presenting not only our current product offering, but also some examples of best practice at selected
operations, will stimulate technical interchange between people having an interest in surface drilling in open pit mining. Those
engaged in mining projects, technical consultancy, universities and our own sales and marketing efforts should, hopefully, find a
lot of valuable reading material.

Markku Terasvasara
Vice President Marketing
Surface Drilling Equipment
markku.terasvasara@se.atlascopco.com

 Drilling in open pit mining

 Talking Technically

Open Pit Mining

Finding the Best
Combination
Large quantities of raw material
are produced in various types of
surface operations. Where the pro-
duct is rock, the operations are
known as quarries. Where metallic
ore or non-metallic minerals are in-
volved, they are called open pit
mines. There are many common
parameters in design and choice
of equipment, and in the process
of finding the best combination
of drilling and blasting methods.
Atlas Copco has the advantage of
long experience in all types of sur-
face drilling operations, with a pro-
duct range to match. With its his- Figure 1 General principles of open pit mining.
tory of innovative engineering, the
company tends to think forward,
and is able to advise the user on
improving design elements of the economic reasons, the open pit will Open Pit Mining
operation that will result in overall be abandoned, or underground mining
cost savings. will take over. A typical work cycle in an open pit
  As the ore, compared with under- mine consists of a number of work ele-
ground mining, is more diluted and in- ments. Exploration drilling is conduct-
ed to define ore boundaries for future
Surface or Underground termixed with waste and lower grade
planning. This is commonly combined
ore, crushing, screening, milling, flota-
Mining tion etc need high capacity. As min- with in-pit reverse circulation drill-
ing progresses at depth large quanti- ing to confirm the mineral contents,
Mining carried out underground can
ties of side rock have to be excavated which is important for optimizing the
follow and be tailor-made to suit the
in stages, so called pushbacks. See fig. blasting and the mineral processing.
mineralization zones on a selective
2 Aitik. Drilling of blastholes is undertaken in
higher metal content basis, thereby mi-
nimizing the amount of waste rock,
which has to be extracted. The amount Figure 2 Aitik open pit mine. Hangingwall extractions in stages..
of ore to be left behind varies depend-
ing on mining method between 10-35
percent. Waste to ore ratio is typically
1 to 4.
  As no orebodies have the perfect co-
nical shape, vast quantities of waste
have to be removed from both the hang-
ingwall and the footwall to get access
to the ore as it progresses in depth.
Waste to ore ratio varies extensi-
vely depending largely on the geomet-
ry of the orebody. Many open pit ope-
rations excavate more than 5 times the
amount of waste compared to ore. Figu- orebody
re 1 shows a sectional layout of a typi-
cal pit. The waste to ore ratio increases
as the pit gets deeper. Eventually, for

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 

 Talking Technically
Decking 6 m
Pipe charge 6,5 m
Bottom charge 4 m
Figure 3 Charging the blast holes at Aitik.
a predetermined pattern, followed by
plugging the drill holes with wooden
or plastic plugs to prevent debris from
falling down into the holes.
  When an adequate number of holes
have been drilled, preparations for blas-
ting will start. The holes are blown
clean with compressed air to remove
water and rock fragments, and are then
charged with booster bottom charges,
detonators and explosives. Stemming
(decking) is inserted into the top of
each hole, and the detonator leads are
connected. Where electric detonators
Quantity
are used, the circuit resistance is
checked with an ohmmeter. See fig. 3
charging the blast holes at Aitik
  The area is ­ evacuated, equipment
is moved away, and the round is fired.
The size of blasts in an open pit is nor-
mally much larger (up to a couple of
million tonnes) compared to a quarry
 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
is cleaned of fly rock with a wheel
loader. Blasted rock is then loaded and
removed with huge sized equipment
such as drag line bucket loaders into
trucks, and transported to the crusher
station. Large boulders are pushed
aside, and stockpiled for subsequent se-
condary breaking. Rock is discharged
directly, or via a grizzley for size con-
trol, into the primary crusher. There-
after, it is transported by conveyor
belts for secondary, and possibly tertia-
ry crushing.
  The different products, comprising
rock fragments of certain size ranges,
are recovered from the process by vib-
rating screens, and transported to stor-
age silos or bunker piles on the ground.
  A major difference between open pit
mining and quarries is the geological
conditions and the demand characteris-
tics on the blasted material. Whereas
quarries deliver the majority of rock
via the crushing and screening plant
Production holes in various size fractions, the open pit
Ø 315 mm mine attempts to deliver the ore as pure
as possible via crushers to the dressing
1 tonnes plant, consisting of mills, separators,
explosives/hole
and/or flotation, and/or biochemical sys-
Two Boosters
tems, and finally to smelters, in order
to convert minerals to metals.
Optimum Fragmentation
and Pit Geometry
Without jeopardizing slope stability, it
where blasts are restricted to a couple is of prime importance to keep the
of ten thousand tonnes. The individu- pit slope angle as steep as possible,
al holes and the rows are delayed with maintaining excavated waste at a ­mini-
short intervals to get good swell for mum.
efficient loading.   The demands on fragmentation of the
  Before loading, the lower pit floor waste, as it will not pass through the
Figure 4 Charging the blast holes at Aitik. Metso Minerals.
Boulders
Fragment
elongation
% fines in blast
Micro cracks in
fragments
Drillhole diameter

Figure 5 Drilling pattern for presplit in open pit mining.
crushing/dressing system, are simple.
It should merely suit the loading and
trucking equipment used for subse-
quent removal to the waste dump. On
the other hand, good fragmentation of
the blasted ore will make great savings
in the total costs of the mineral dress-
ing process. By contrast to quarries,
where the fines fraction are regarded
as reject (especially at aggregates),
open pits delivering ore to the dressing
plant get savings in the disintegration
process in case high amount of fines
are present. Large holes generate a
higher spread of size distribution from
more boulders to higher amount of
fines-see fig. 4
  Blasting will not only break the rock
that is planned to be excavated, but
Drilling in Open Pit Mining 
will also cause damage to the slopes
that form the boundaries of the pit.
The extent of this overbreak is mainly
dependent on the size of the individual
charge and its proximity. A common
means of minimizing overbreak is to
use smaller diameter holes, making
provision for restricted blasting in the
zone next to the planned bench slope.
Figure 6 shows two different blast
designs.
  Figure 5 shows a typical drilling pat-
tern to be applied in connection with
pre-split blasting, to achieve increased
slope stability with reduced back break.
The huge Chuquicamata open pit (pro-
duction rate 650,000 tonnes per day)
in Chile being 8 km long and 2.5 km
wide and progressing towards a final
Talking Technically
depth of 1,000 metres saves a stagger-
ing 150 million metres of rock excava-
tion by just making the pit slopes one
degree steeper. Consequently there are
large savings to be made if drilling and
blasting is carried out in an optimum
way.
Drilling Patterns and Type
of Drill Rigs
Traditionally, focusing on the drill-
ing cost parameter and productivity
only, the predominant method in open
pit mining is large hole rotary drill-
ing using hole sizes in the 250 to 400
mm (10-15.75 in) range. No doubt this
implies lower cost for drilling, ignor-
ing the expense of excess waste, more
explosives and less controllable frag-
mentation. A survey of 36 open pit
operations in Chile using hole sizes
between 75 and 345 mm (3.0-13.75 in)
reveals that hole sizes above 200 mm
(8 in) do not generate any substan-
tial savings in total drilled metres per
tonne. This indicates that burden and
spacing cannot be increased indefinite-
ly. One important reason for replacing
rotary with other methods is the inflex-
ibility of the heavy rotary rigs, which
are restricted to vertical benches and
single pass drilling only.
  Figure 6 shows the advantages relat-
ed to using an Atlas Copco ROC L8
rig, having the ability to drill inclined
holes close to the bench wall, compa-
red to a traditional rotary rig. The best
combination of drill rigs might well
Figure 6 Savings in
waste extraction by
increasing the pit
slope.
 Talking Technically
Production holes
315 mm
8-9 m drillpattern
15+2 hole depth
Figure 8 Soufflé blasting at Björkdal gold mine.
prove to be large rotary rigs for waste
rock and high productivity in the pit
centre coupled with flexible DTH rigs
for selective mining, pre split of slopes
as well as for in-pit grade control drill-
ing. See fig 7 Aitik.
Soufflé Blasting
Mining of rich, narrow and irregularly
stratified ore zones, such as gold mine-
ralizations, requires extra attention,
in order not to introduce unnecessary
 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
2 rows
140–165 mm
quantities of waste into the ore stream.
Con­sequently, this type of mining has
to be progressed on a selective basis,
in close liaison with surveyors and
geologists, by taking frequent samples
before and after each individual blast.
Short benches and small holes are used
to cope with ore zone irregularities. A
recently-developed method to ensure
maximum recovery from each blast is
called soufflé blasting. Figures 8 and
9 illustrate this ­ principle of cautious
blasting with a ­minimum of dilution as
Figure 7 Drill pattern at
Aitik open pit, Sweden.
Figure 9 Charging for soufflé blasting.
practised at the Björkdal gold mine in
Sweden. To a depth of merely 5 m, 100
vertical holes are blasted in one round,
without free surface for ex­pansion.
The firing sequence starts in the centre
and, thanks to 2.5 m of stemming, the
blasted ore material just swells on site
like baking a soufflé. Selective extrac-
tion by backhoe ­ loaders facilitates
maximum recovery of the rich, narrow
gold-bearing zones.
by Hans Fernberg

Principles of Rock Drilling
Drilling for
Excavation by
Blasting
This reference edition deals with
surface rock drilling used for the
purpose of excavating rock in qu-
arries and construction projects by
means of blasting. Other types of
drilling, such as for oil and water,
mineral exploration and exploita-
tion, and grouting, are excluded.
The reader is given a brief ex-
planation of prevailing drilling me-
thods, together with an introduc-
tion to blasting techniques and
the interrelation of drilling and bla-
sting. Also discussed are the main
parameters involved when plan-
ning and executing blasthole dril-
ling at quarries and civil engine-
ering projects.
The range of Atlas Copco pro-
ducts, with references to the Atlas
Copco websites, are presented and
discussed by comparing their suit-
ability and expected productivity
related to a selection of applica-
tions. Case studies from worksites
around the world should prove in-
teresting and beneficial, especially
when planning and selecting me-
thods and equipment for blasthole
drilling applications.
Blastholes have certain unique
and important characteristics.
These are: hole diameter, depth,
direction, and straightness. Drilling
produces a circular hole in the rock,
the strength of which must be
overcome by the drilling tool.
Depending upon rock properties,
there are several ways to accom-
plish this, as shown in the follow-
ing article.
Rotary Drilling
Rotary drilling can be subdivided into
rotary cutting and rotary crushing.
Rotary cutting creates the hole by
shear forces, breaking the rock’s ten-
sile strength. The drillbit is furnished
with cutter inserts of hard metal alloys,
and the energy for breaking rock is
provided by rotation torque in the drill-
rod. This technique is limited to rock
Drilling in open pit mining 
Figure 1 Principle of tophammer drilling.
with low tensile strength, such as salt,
silt, and soft limestone not ­ containing
abrasive quartz minerals.
Rotary crushing breaks the rock
by high point load, accomplished by
a toothed drillbit, which is pushed
downwards with high force. The bit,
being of tricone roller type fitted with
tungsten carbide buttons, is simul-
taneously rotated, and drill cuttings
are removed from the hole bottom by
blowing compressed air through the
bit.
Drillrigs used for rotary drilling are
large and heavy. The downwards thrust
is achieved by utilizing the weight of
the drillrig itself, and the rotation, via
a hydraulic or electric motor, applied
at the end of the drill pipe. Common
hole dia­meters range from 8 to 17.5
in (200-440 mm) and, because adding
the heavy drill pipes is cumbersome,
most blasthole drillrigs use long masts
and pipes to accommodate single-pass
drilling of maximum 20 m (65 ft).
Electric power is usually chosen for
the large rigs, whereas smaller rigs are
often powered by diesel engines.
Rotation rates vary from 50 to
120 rev/min, and the weight applied
to the bit varies from 0.5 t/in of bit
­diameter in soft rock, to as much as
4 t/in of bit diameter in hard rock.
Recent technical advances include:
improved operator cab comfort;
­automatic control and adjustment
of optimum feed force and rotation
Talking Technically
speed to prevailing geology and bit
type and diameter; and incorporation
of the latest technology in electric and
hydraulic drive systems.
Rotary drilling, which is still the
dominant method in large open pits,
has limitations in that the rigs are not
suited to drilling holes off the vertical
line. As ­ blasting theories and practice
have proved, it is generally beneficial
to design, drill and blast the bench
slopes at an angle of approximately 18
degrees off vertical.
Many rotary rig masts have pin-
ning capabilities permitting drilling
at angles as much as 30 degrees out
of the vertical. However, the inclined
hole drilling capabilities in rotary
drilling are limited by the heavy feed
force required, since part of this force
is directed backwards. This causes rig
stability problems, reduced penetra-
tion, and shorter life of drilling con-
sumables. Consequently, most blast
hole drilling using rotary drillrigs is
for vertical holes.
Percussive Drilling
Percussive drilling breaks the rock by
hammering impacts transferred from
the rock drill to the drillbit at the hole
bottom. The energy required to break
the rock is generated by a pneumatic
or hydraulic rock drill. A pressure
is built up, which, when released,
drives the piston forwards. Figure 1
 Talking Technically
illustrates the principle of top hammer
percussive drilling.
The piston strikes on the shank
adapter, and the kinetic energy of the
piston is converted into a stress wave
travelling through the drillstring to
the hole bottom. In order to obtain
the best drilling economy, the entire
system, rock drill to drillsteel to rock,
must harmonize.
Stress Wave
Theoretically, the stress wave has a
rectangular shape, the length of which
is twice that of the piston, while the
height depends on the speed of the
piston at the moment of impact, and
on the relationship between the cross-
sectional area of the piston and that of
the drillsteel.
s piston.
5200 m/s
+
–
2 x piston length
Figure 2 Stress wave energy.
The total energy that the wave
c­ ontains is indicated diagramatically
in Figure 2. To calculate the output
power obtained from a rock drill,
the wave energy is multiplied by the
impact frequency of the piston, and
is usually stated in kW. Rock drill
designers seek to find the best com­
binations of various parameters, such
as the piston geometry, the impact
rate and the frequency. Two rock drills
having the same nominal power rating
Figure 3 Shock wave generated by
hydraulic rock drill.
s per blow can be utilized. In soft rock,
+
–
 Drilling in open pit mining
s Efficiency and Losses
+
–
Figure 4 Shock wave generated by
pneumatic rock drill.
might therefore have quite different
properties.
The shock waves that are generated
by hydraulic (Figure 3) and pneumatic
(Figure 4) rock drills are significantly
different in shape. Drillrods used with
hydraulic rock drills will normally
show substantially longer service life,
compared with pneumatic rock drills,
because of the higher stress level
obtained with the pneumatic driven
The reason is the larger cross-
­section needed when operating at
­substantially lower pressure, which
is 6-8 bars, com­pared to the 150-250
bars used with hydraulic systems. The
slimmer the piston shape, the lower the
stress level.
Figure 5 compares the stress level
generated by three different pistons
having the same weight, but with dif-
ferent shapes and working different
pressures. The lowest stress, or shock
wave amplitude, is obtained with the
long slender piston working at high
pressure.
Figure 5 Stress level generated by
different pistons of same weight.
Piston
Piston11
– 0,8 MPa
– 8 bar
Piston2 2– –12120
Piston MPabar
Piston
Piston3 3– –20200
MPabar
3 will have to be ­lowered (Figure 7).
2 For any given percussion pressure,
1 the amplitude, and hence the stress
Shock-wave amplitude
The shock wave loses some 6-10% of
its energy for every additional cou-
pling, as it travels along the drillstring.
This loss is partly due to the differ-
ence in cross-sectional area between
the rod and the sleeve, and partly due
to imperfect contact between the rod
faces. The poorer the contact, the
greater the energy loss.
When the shock wave reaches the
bit, it is forced against the rock, there-
by crushing it. The efficiency at the
bit never reaches 100%, because some
of the energy is reflected as a tensile
pulse. The poorer the contact between
the bit and the rock, the poorer the
efficiency (Figure 6).
s
Reflecting wave
+
–
Primary wave
Figure 6 Poor contact between bit and
rock results in poor efficiency.
To optimize drilling economy, the
drilling parameters for percussion
­pressure, feed force, and rotation must
harmonize.
Percussion Pressure
The higher the percussion pressure, the
higher will be the speed of the piston,
and consequently, the energy. Where
the bit is in good contact with hard
and competent rock, the shock wave
energy can be utilized to its maximum.
Conversely, when the bit has poor con-
tact, the energy cannot leave the drill-
string, and reverses up the drillstring
as a tensile wave.
It is only when drilling in sufficient-
ly hard rock that the maximum energy
to reduce the reflected energy, the per-
cussion pressure, and thus the energy,
in the drillsteel, will be higher with
reduced cross-section of the drillrods.
 Talking Technically

Percussion
Percussionpressure
pressure
Hydraulic
Drilling method Tophammer DTH COPROD

hole diameter, mm 76-127 85-165 105-165

penetration rate 2 1 3
hole straightness 1 3 3
Soft rock Hard rock hole depth 1 3 3
production capacity (tons rock/shift) 2 1 3
Figure 7 To reduce reflected energy, fuel consumption/drill metre 2 1 2
percussion pressure is lowered.
service life of drillstring 1 2 3

To get the longest possible service investment in drillstring 2 2 1

life from shank adapters and rods, it is
important to ensure that the working
pressure is matched to the drillstring at
all times.
suitability for good drilling conditions 3 2 2
suitability for difficult drilling conditions 1 3 3
simplicity for operator 2 3 1
adjustability of flushing capacity 1 2 3

Feed Force
The purpose of the feed is to maintain
the drillbit in close contact against
the rock. However, the bit must still
be able to rotate. The feed force must
always be matched to the percus-
sion pressure. Figure 8 illustrates this
­relationship.
Rotation
The purpose of rotation is to turn
the drillbit to a suitable new posi-
tion for the next blow. Using button
bits, the periphery is turned about 10
mm between blows. Consequently,
the rotation rate is increased using
higher impact frequency and reduced
bit diameter. Using insert bits, the
­recom­mended rotation rate is 25%
higher.
Setting Parameters
In practice, the driller sets the percus-
sion pressure that the rock can cope
Figure 8 Feed force must be matched to
percussion pressure.
Figure 9: Comparison for 20 m bench drilling in a limestone quarry. Ratings: fair = 1,
good = 2, very good = 3.
with, and then sets the rev/min with
regard to the percussive frequency and
the bit diameter.
When drilling starts, the feed is
adjusted to get even and smooth rota-
tion. In case this is not achieved, which
will show up in low shank adapter
life, the percussion pressure can be
progressively reduced, until even and
smooth rotation is reached.
The temperature of the adapter
sleeve can be checked to ensure that
the drilling parameters are correctly
set. Immediately after drilling, the
temperature should be 60-70 degrees
for dry drilling, and approximately 40
degrees for wet drilling.
Drilling problems, mainly related
to loose couplings, may arise what-
ever parameters are used. In order
to tighten the couplings during drill-
ing, the ­ friction of the bit against the
hole bottom has to be increased. This
can be done by increasing the feed,
increasing the rotation rate, or chang-
ing the bit.
surface drilling, and water for under-
ground drilling. The required flushing
speed will depend on:
   specific gravity– material having a
density of 2 t/cu m requires at least
10 m/sec, whereas iron ore, for example,
having a density of 4 t/cu m, requires
an air speed of 25-30 m/sec;
   particle size – the larger the particles,
the higher flushing speed required;
   particle shape – spherical particles
require more speed than flaky, leaf
shaped particles.
Productivity and
Methodology
During the past century there has
been a rapid and impressive increase
in efficiency and productivity related
to tophammer drilling. Starting from
hitting a steel manually by a sledge
hammer 100 years ago, today’s hydrau-
lically powered rock drills ­ utilize the
latest state-of-the-art ­technology.
Every drilling method has its pros

Feeding
Flushing
Drill cuttings are removed from the
hole bottom to the surface by air blow-
ing or water flushing. As the power
output from rock drills in­creases,
accompanied by increased penetra-
tion rate, efficient flushing becomes
Low percussion High percussion
pressure pressure
gradually more important. The flush-
ing medium is normally air for
and cons, making an objective com-
parison quite cumbersome. In view of
this, the table in Figure 9 can serve as a
guideline when comparing the ­various
percussion drilling alternatives which
Atlas Copco can offer. The choice of
best drilling method to apply depends
on hole size and type of application.
by Hans Fernberg

Drilling in open pit mining 

 Talking Technically

Principles of Rock Blasting

Combination of
Factors
Blasting by design results from a
large number of factors, all of
which need to be brought under
control in order to achieve the
right result. These include the
choice of drillrig and tools, the
layout of the holes, the explo-
sive, and the skill of the opera- Compression Reflection Gas Pressure
tors. Geology is the governing
factor, and experience is a major Figures 1-3 Rock breaking sequence in a normal blast.
ingredient. Atlas Copco produces
drillrigs and systems to suit all
rock types, and has the experi-
ence to recommend the correct
the free face has been correctly calcu- hole and the free face is the burden,
approach to all ground condi- lated, the rock mass will yield and be and the parallel distance between ho-
tions in order to achieve the thrown forward. les in a row is the spacing. The ratio
­optimum result. The following between spacing and burden will have
outline of the principles involved
in rock blasting is a logical start
Benching great impact on the blasting result, and
point in the quest for the ­perfect
1.25 can be considered as an average
round. Bench blasting is normally carried out ratio. The optimum burden depends
by blasting a large number of paral- upon a number of parameters, such as
lel holes in each round. Considering rock type, required fragmentation, type
Blasting the blasting mechanics, with a com- of explosives, hole deviation, and hole
pression-reflection-gas pressure stage inclination. Nevertheless, as large drill-
To understand the principles of rock
in consecutive order for each charge, it holes can accommodate more explosi-
blasting, it is necessary to start with the
is of vital importance to have a proper ves, there is a distinct relationship bet-
rock fragmentation process that follows
delay between each row, and even ween burden and hole dia­meter (figure 6).
the detonation of the explosives in a
between individual holes in each row. As the bottom part of the blast is the
drillhole.
A proper delay will reduce rock throw, constricted and critical part for suc-
The explosion is a very rapid
improve fragmentation, and limit cessful blasting, it is used as a basis
­combustion, in which the energy con-
ground vibrations. The blast should for deciding all other parameters. The
tained in the explosives is released in
be planned so that the rock from the bottom charge, normally 1.5 x burden,
the form of heat and gas pressure. The
first row of holes has moved about one from where the initiation should start,
transformation acts on the rock in three
third of the burden, when the next row requires well-packed explosives of
consecutive stages (figures 1-3).
is blasted (figures 4 and 5). higher blasting power than is needed in
Compression: a pressure wave prop-
The horizontal distance between the the column charge (figure 7).
agates through the rock at a velocity of
2,500-6,000 m/sec, depending on rock
type and type of explosives. This pres- Figure 4 Delay detonation of a typical bench blast.
sure wave creates microfractures which
promote rock fracturing.
Reflection: during the next stage, the
pressure wave bounces back from the
free surface, which is normally the bench
wall or natural fissures in the rock. The
compression wave is now transformed
into tension and shear waves, increasing
the fracturing process.
Gas Pressure: large volumes of gas
are released, entering and expanding
the cracks under high pressure. Where
the distance between the blasthole and

10 Drilling in open pit mining

 Talking Technically

base type detonation velocity m/s features

nitro-glycerine dynamite 5500-4500 highly adaptable cartridged
gelatin excellent in smaller holes
ammonium- ANFO 2500 low cost, high safety, easy
nitrate to pour or blow
no water resistance,
contains 5-6% fuel oil
Firing pattern water slurry 4000-3000 watergel basically ANFO made water
This firing pattern provides separate delay resistant gel
time for practically all blastholes and 5000 emulsion stable oil/water emulsion –
gives good fragmentation as well as good heavy ANFO
breakage in the bottom part of the round. range depends on packaged or pumpable
storage time
Figure 5 Firing sequence in delay blasting.
Table 1 Features of common types of explosives.

Stemming of the top part of the hole
is used to ensure that the energy of
explosives is properly utilized. It will
also reduce and control the fly rock
ejected from the blast. This tends to
travel long distances, and is the main
cause of on-site fatalities and damage to
equipment. Dry sand or gravel having a
particle size of 4 to 9 mm constitutes
the ideal stemming material.
Inclined holes give less back break,
safer benches and less boulders, when
compared to vertical holes.
Types of Explosives
The geology frequently has more effect
on the fragmentation than does the ex-
plosive used in the blast. The properties
that influence the result of the blast are
compressive strength, tensile strength,
density, propagation velocity, hardness
and structureIn general, rock has a ten-
sile strength which is 8 to 10 times
lower than the compressive strength.
The tensile strength has to be exceeded
during the blast, otherwise the rock will
not break. High rock density requires
more explosives to achieve the ­displace-
ment.
The propagation velocity varies with
different kinds of rock, and is reduced
by cracks and fault zones. Hard, homo-
geneous rocks, with high propagation
velocity, are best fragmented by an ex-
plosive having high velocity of detona-
tion (VOD).
An extensive range of different types
and grades of explosives is available
to suit various blasting applications.
A breakdown is presented in Table 1.
In dry conditions, ANFO has become
the most used blasting agent, due to its
availability and economy.
The blasthole diameter, together with
the type of explosive used, will deter-
mine burden and hole depth. Practical
Figure 7 Charging for optimum fragmentation.
hole diameters for bench drilling
range from 30 to 400 mm. Generally,
the cost of large diameter drilling and
blasting is cheaper per cubic metre
than using small holes. However, rock
fragmentation is better controlled by
higher specific drilling.
The explosives are initiated with
­detonators which can be electric or
non-electric. Electric systems have the
advantage that the complete circuit can
easily be checked with an ohmmeter
to ensure that all connections and
detonators are correct before blasting.
To eliminate the risk for spontaneous
ignition from lightning, non-electric
systems, including ­ detonating cord,
are used.
by Hans Fernberg

Figure 6 Burden as a function of drill hole diameter. Boulders and flyrock

come from this zone
Burden as a function of
Drill Hole Diameter
Back break
Practical Values Stemming
(length ~ burden) Burden

Column charge
only light charge
needed for good
fragmentation

Bottom charge
requires well packed Subdrilling
Hole Diameter, mm = 0.3 x burden
Spacing Equal to 1.25 x Burden high blasting power

Drilling in open pit mining 11

 Talking Technically

Putting Rotary Drilling into

Perspective
Rotary or DTH Fig 1. Drilling meth-
ods (1) Down-the-Hole TONS
Atlas Copco now offers a complete
(DTH); (2) Tophammer;
range of rotary as well as DTH
(3) COPROD; (4) Rotary
and tophammer drill rigs for most
tricone.
types of open pit mining and quar-
rying applications. But how do the-
se technologies complement each
other and how do drillers know
which method to choose, and
when? As readers of M&C are well
acquainted with DTH drilling, this
article puts rotary drilling into per-
spective.

Complete Range
With the acquisition of the Ingersoll-
Rand’s Drilling Solutions and Baker
Hughes Mining Tools (BHMT) busi-
nesses, there is now another way to
break rock within the Atlas Copco fa-
mily of products. Much of the world’s
mining output begins through drilling
of holes with rotary drills. Ingersoll-
Rand built air-powered rotary drills for
many years prior to the introduction of
their first fully hydraulic unit, the T4,
in 1968.
About Rotary Drills
It is important to note that rotary drills
are capable of two methods of drill-
ing. The majority of the units operate
By Brian Fox, Vice President Marketing, Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions, USA.
as pure rotary drills, driving tricone
or fixed-type bits. The fixed-type bits,
such as claw or drag bits, have no
moving parts and cut through rock by
shearing it. Thus, these bits are limit-
ed to the softest material. The other
method utilized by rotary drill rigs is
down-the-hole (DTH) drilling. High
pressure air compressors are used to
provide compressed air through the
drill string to drive the DTH hammer.
  The main blasthole drilling methods
are shown in Fig 1. The primary differ-
ence between rotary drilling and other
methods is the absence of percussion.
In most rotary applications, the pre-
ferred bit is the tricone bit. Tricone bits
rely on crushing and spalling the rock.
This is accomplished through transfer-
ring down-force, known as pulldown,
to the bit while rotating in order to
drive the carbides into the rock as the
three cones rotate around their respec-
tive axis. Rotation is provided by a
hydraulic or electric motor-driven gear-
box (called a rotary head) that moves
up and down the tower via a feed
system. Feed systems utilize cables,
chains or rack-and-pinion mechanisms
driven by hydraulic cylinders, hydrau-
lic motors or electric motors. Pulldown
is the force generated by the feed
system. The actual weight on bit, or
bit load, is the pulldown plus any dead
weight such as the rotary head, drill
rods and cables.
More Weight with Rotary
It only takes one look to see that the
biggest DTH and tophammer drill rigs
are very different to the biggest rotary
blasthole rigs. In fact, the Pit Viper
351 rotary drill rig weighs in excess
of nine times that of our largest DTH
hammer drill rig, the ROC L8. Yet it
is drilling a hole that is generally only
twice the diameter. Take a typical medi-
um formation tricone bit with a recom-
mended maximum loading of 900 kg/
cm of bit diameter (5000 lbs per inch
of diameter). With a 200 mm (7-7/8”)
bit, you could run about 18,000 kg
(40,000 lbs) of weight on the bit. The
laws of physics dictate that for every
action, there is an equal and opposite

12 Drilling in Open Pit Mining


Construction
Aggregate
Industrial Minerals
Gold
2" 3" 4"
51mm 76mm 102mm
30,000 LB
DM25SP
25,000 LB
ROC L8
CM780D
CM760D
ROC L6
ROC L7/L7CR
ECM720
ROC F9
ROC F6
ECM660III
ROC F7
ROC D3/D5/D7
ECM585MC
ECM470
Complete Range
With the acquisition of the Ingersoll-
Rand’s Drilling Solutions and Baker
Hughes Mining Tools (BHMT) busi-
nesses, there is now another way to
break rock within the Atlas Copco fa-
mily of products. Much of the world’s
mining output begins through drilling
of holes with rotary drills. Ingersoll-
Rand built air-powered rotary drills for
many years prior to the introduction of
their first fully hydraulic unit, the T4,
in 1968.
About Rotary Drills
It is important to note that rotary drills
are capable of two methods of drill-
ing. The majority of the units operate
as pure rotary drills, driving tricone
or fixed-type bits. The fixed-type bits,
such as claw or drag bits, have no
moving parts and cut through rock by
shearing it. Thus, these bits are limit-
ed to the softest material. The other
method utilized by rotary drill rigs is
down-the-hole (DTH) drilling. High
pressure air compressors are used to
provide compressed air through the
drill string to drive the DTH hammer.
  The main blasthole drilling methods
are shown in Fig 1. The primary differ-
ence between rotary drilling and other
Drilling in Open Pit Mining 13
Surface Drilling Applications
Coal
Copper
Iron
Hole Diameter
5" 6" 7" 8" 9" 10"
127mm 152mm 178mm 203mm 229mm 254mm
PV-351
125,000 LB Bit Load
110,000 LB DM-H2
90,000 LB DM-M3
75,000 LB PV-271/PV-275
75,000 LB DM-M2
50,000 LB DMLSP
60,000 LB DML
45,000LB DM45
30,000 LB T4BH
DM30
methods is the absence of percussion.
In most rotary applications, the pre-
ferred bit is the tricone bit. Tricone bits
rely on crushing and spalling the rock.
This is accomplished through transfer-
ring down-force, known as pulldown,
to the bit while rotating in order to
drive the carbides into the rock as the
three cones rotate around their respec-
tive axis. Rotation is provided by a
hydraulic or electric motor-driven gear-
box (called a rotary head) that moves
up and down the tower via a feed
system. Feed systems utilize cables,
chains or rack-and-pinion mechanisms
driven by hydraulic cylinders, hydrau-
lic motors or electric motors. Pulldown
is the force generated by the feed
system. The actual weight on bit, or
bit load, is the pulldown plus any dead
weight such as the rotary head, drill
rods and cables.
More Weight with Rotary
It only takes one look to see that the
biggest DTH and tophammer drill rigs
are very different to the biggest rotary
blasthole rigs. In fact, the Pit Viper
351 rotary drill rig weighs in excess
of nine times that of our largest DTH
hammer drill rig, the ROC L8. Yet it
is drilling a hole that is generally only
twice the diameter. Take a typical medi-
um formation tricone bit with a recom-
mended maximum loading of 900 kg/
cm of bit diameter (5000 lbs per inch
of diameter). With a 200 mm (7-7/8”)
bit, you could run about 18,000 kg
(40,000 lbs) of weight on the bit. The
laws of physics dictate that for every
action, there is an equal and opposite
Talking Technically
Fig 2: The Atlas Copco product range
by application and method.
11" 12" 13" 14" 15" 16"
279mm 305mm 330mm 356mm 381mm 406mm
KEY:
Rotary
Rotary or DTH
DTH
Tophammer/COPROD
reaction, meaning that if you push on
the ground with 18,000 kg (40,000 lbs),
the same force will push back on the
unit. Therefore, the weight of the ma-
chine must be over 18,000 kg (40,000
lbs) at the location of the drill string
to avoid the machine “lifting off” the
jacks. To achieve a stable platform
through proper placement of the tracks
and levelling jacks, the distribution of
weight results in an overall machine
weight that approaches or exceeds
twice the bit load rating. This weight
does add cost to the machine, but the
size of the components also translates
to long life. Even smaller rotary blast-
hole drills are built to run 30,000 hours
of operation.
The Importance of Air
A key parameter of rotary drilling is
flushing the cuttings from the hole. In
most rotary blasthole drills, cuttings
are lifted between the wall of the hole
and the drill rods by compressed air.
Sufficient air volume is required to lift
these cuttings.
  Many types of tricone bits have been
developed to meet various drilling
needs. Softer formation bits are built
with long carbides with wide spac-
ing on the face of the bit. This design
yields large cuttings which increase
drill speed and reduce dust. It is impor-
tant to have sufficient clearance bet-
ween the wall of the hole and the drill
rods in order for such large cuttings to
pass. If this clearance, known as annu-
lar area, is not sufficient, the cuttings
will be ground between the wall of the
hole and the rods or by the bit itself
 Talking Technically
of air is required. Take for example
a Secoroc QL80 203 mm (8”) DTH
hammer that is designed to operate at
25 bar (350 psi). Even with our larg-
est high pressure compressor with 686
litres per second (1,450 ft3/min), the
pressure will only build to 23 bar (325
psi), thus providing less impact energy.
In real terms, each blow of the piston
is about 45 kg (100 lbs) less than it
is designed for. In some cases, this
method will still out-perform rotary
drilling. For most large diameter
blasthole drilling, there is simply not
enough air on-board for a DTH to be
as cost effective as rotary drilling with
a tricone bit.
  Rotary drilling is still the predomi-
nant method of drilling 230 mm (9”)
diameter or greater. This is driven pri-
marily by the current limitations of top-
hammer units and rig air systems. Tri-
cone bits also become more cost effec-
tive as the larger bits are equipped with
larger bearings which in turn can hand-
le higher loads. These higher loads
translate to improved drill rates.
  Another advantage of rotary rigs is
the length of the drill rods that can be
carried on board. Longer rods mean
fewer connections. Further, some rota-
ry rigs are large enough to handle a
long tower that enables drilling of the
entire bench height in a single-pass. At
the largest open pit mines, rotary units
are drilling 20 m (65 ft) deep holes in a
single-pass to match the bench heights
dictated by the large electric shovels
which can dig a 17 m (55 ft) bench.
Productivity versus Cost
Studies have shown that pure penetra-
tion rate will increase linearly with
increased pulldown. The same has also
been said of rotation speed. So why
doesn’t every operation use more of
each? Unfortunately, higher pulldown
and rpm usually results in increased
vibration and lower bit life. The vibra-
tion causes increased wear-and-tear on
the rig, but more importantly, it cre-
ates a very unpleasant environment for
the operator. What invariably happens
is that the operator reduces the weight
or rpm until the vibration returns to a
comfortable level. Some operations
limit bit load and rpm even if there is
14 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Operator Steady Eddie Smart Sam Wild Jack
Production Rate (Feet/Hour) 120 138 180
Bit Life (Feet) 10,000 8,000 4,000
Bit Cost $4,000 $4,000 $4,000
Bit Cost/Foot $0.40 $0.50 $1.00
Rig Cost/Hour $175 $175 $175
Total Drilling Cost/Foot $1.86 $1.77 $1.97
Fig 3. The table compares three operators on the same drill rig – Steady Eddie, Smart Sam and
Wild Jack. The cost chart, using actual data collected at a major copper mine further­ illustrates the
balance required.
no vibration in order to improve bit significantly more technology with
life. This is often the wrong strategy as automated rod handling systems and
the overall drilling cost per unit, also automatic drilling. The components on
known as Total Drilling Cost (TDC), rotary rigs are not enclosed. They are
should be considered. mounted onto the frame in an open
  TDC is calculated using the bit cost layout which makes them extremely
per metre/foot and the total rig cost per easy to service. Looks are not of pri-
hour. The unit cost per hour includes mary concern for a rig that is subjected
labour, maintenance and power, and to the rigors of breaking rock for more
possibly the capital cost. The drilling than 60,000 hours.
speed really doesn’t impact this cost   The general trend for 165 mm (6-1/2”)
per hour figure. What it does impact or less is towards the smaller, more
though is the cost per unit produced flexible units. However, many large
(cost/metre/foot, cost/ton, etc…). You scale quarries and small mines still
generally want to push the rig harder favour the durability, life and simplici-
to reduce the cost/foot, but there will ty of the larger rotary rigs for these
be a point where the rig overloads the small diameters. For the large scale
bits (see fig's 3 and 4). open pit operations that yield a high
percentage of the total worldwide mi-
Large versus Small neral production, it is anticipated that
rotary drilling will remain the primary
There are some drawbacks to rotary method for years to come.
rigs. Smaller crawler rigs are more
flexible with many advantages such as Acknowledgements
articulating and extendable booms and
guides that allow drilling at many dif- This article first appeared in Mining
ferent angles. Some models also offer & Construction No 2, 2005. ■
Fig 4. The impact of bit life and productivity on overall cost/foot (1 ft = 0.305 metres).
14000 $6,00
Footage/24 Hours
Bit Life (ft)
Overall Cost/Ft
12000
$5,00
Footage/24 Hours & Average Bit Life
10000
$4,00
Overall Cost/Foot
8000
$3,00
6000
299 ft/hour,
1500' bit life
$2,00
High Production
4000
218 ft/hour,
5300' bit life
Lowest Cost $1,00
2000 74 ft/hour,
12,000' bit life
Great Bit Life
0 $-

SmartRig Takes Control
hcS to Plc to Pc
Acronyms are plentiful when it co-
mes to automation, but PC-based
will be the most important acro-
nym in the years to come. Ever
since Atlas Copco developed Hyd-
raulic Control System (HCS) in the
1970s, the search has been on for
its successor. Programmable Logic
Control (PLC) saw us through the
1990s along with the VME-system,
but in 2002 the first SmartRigs
started to take over. SmartRig is
a PC-based control system inten-
ded for all kinds of automation in
simple and advanced drill rigs. The
hardware is designed to operate
in every possible weather condi-
tion, and the software can be up-
graded at site. SmartRig has built-
in logging and monitoring func-
tions, together with support for
diagnostics and faultfinding. The
control system is used in all Atlas
Copco product families, in both un-
derground and surface crawlers,
making it easy to move functions
and improvements between diffe-
rent products. That’s smart!
control System
Via PC software, the SmartRig control
system generates electrical signals to
control the hydraulic valves. This intro-
duces the concept of a “dry cab”, with
no hydraulic pipework and gauges, con-
siderably reducing noise for the ope-
rator. The number of hydraulic com-
ponents has been reduced by 30%,
compared with Hydraulic Control Sy-
stem, HCS, resulting in higher effici-
ency. The need for electrical cables is
also reduced.
Control gauges and instruments are
replaced by a display unit. This releases
space in the cab, increasing visibility,
and improving operator ergonomics.
The fundamentals of the rock drill
control system are RPCF control and
anti-jamming functions. RPCF, or Ro-
tation Pressure Control of Feed pres-
sure, adjusts the feed pressure according
to the measured feed pressure. This
keeps the joints correctly tightened and
Drilling in open pit mining
Atlas Copco´s Silenced ROC D7C is a sound investment with a noise level of approximately 10 dB(A) below
that of other rigs on the market.
saves drill steel. Anti-jamming uses the
rotation pressure to detect a jamming
situation, and will reverse the feed of
the rock drill and initiate a replacement
hole collaring.
Together, this advanced system of
drilling control will give maximum life
to the entire drill string, while ensuring
high penetration rates and easy rod ex-
traction.
automation in Surface
Drilling
Using the laser plane as a reference
level, all holes are drilled to the same
depth, reducing drilling, blasting and
crushing costs by way of better frag-
mentation, and cancelling the need for
secondary blasting. A flatter, more uni-
form bench surface results, making loa-
ding and transportation easier. Automatic
feed positioning reduces set-up time
and cancels out operator error. More
parallel holes result in better blasting and
smoother bench bottoms. The longer
the hole, the bigger will be the impact
of even a small deviation on blasting.
For instance, a one degree error will
Talking Technically
• Hole Navigation System (HNS)
• Measure While Drilling (MWD)
• Automatic rod adding (AutoRAS)
• Automatic feed inclination setup (AutoPOS)
• Laser Plane
• Advanced Drilling System
• Silenced
• ROC Manager
produce a deviation of 36 cm at the
bottom of a 20 m hole. Hence the im-
portance of automatic feed positioning,
which sets the feed to pre-defined angles
at the touch of a button.
The automatic rod adding system,
AutoRAS, enables the operator to drill
a hole automatically to a given depth,
allowing him to leave the cab to carry
out other duties, such as maintenance
checks or grinding bits, while keeping
the drill rig in sight. The drilling is su-
pervised by the drillsteel break detec-
tion system, which shuts down the dril-
ling operation if a breakage is detected.
The result is better rig utilization, evi-
denced by a couple of extra holes/shift.
MWD and ROc Manager
Measure While Drilling, or MWD, is an
optional instrumentation and software
package for recording and interpreta-
tion of drilling data, and enhanced pres-
entation of geomechanical variation of
rock properties. A number of parame-
ters, such as hole depth, penetration rate,
and damper, feed, percussion and rota-
tion pressures are logged at requested
15
 Talking Technically
400
200
800
600
1000
1200
1400 m
55dB (A) area
The noise carpet shows the difference with and without a Silencing Kit.
intervals while drilling, and this pro-
vides input to analysis of the rock pro-
perties.
Date, time, hole length, feed angle,
and rig identity are logged once for each
hole. MWD data can be recorded for
every second centimetre up to a maxi-
mum penetration rate of 3 m/min. In
this way, data is extracted from every
production hole to provide very high-
resolution rock mass characterization.
Typical parameters being reported are
rock hardness and fracturing. Detailed
information on rock mass properties is
available immediately after drilling is
completed, without disturbing produc-
tion, since logging is carried out auto-
matically during the normal drilling
process.
ROC Manager is a stand-alone PC-
based tool for making drill plans, mea-
suring hole deviation, and logging,
presenting and reporting drilling data
graphically. This information can be
presented individually or in combination
with other parameters, and used both
during drilling operations, and by trans-
ferring logged data from the rig. Advan-
ced MWD analysis is also possible as
an option. Both the SmartRig and ROC
Manager 2.0 support the IREDES for-
mat for data exchange on performance,
16 Drilling in open pit mining
1400 m
1000
1200
800
600
400
200
With Silencing Kit Without Silencing Kit
quality and MWD logs, and on drill
plans.
In ROC Manager, the MWD data can
be illustrated in slices through the bench,
with the rock properties identified by
contrasting colours, providing a map of
the mineral qualities and types. This
facility differentiates between good rock
and poor rock, for instance, allowing
the quarry or mine operator to select
rock for excavation, and to prepare for
loading and hauling before blasting takes
place.
Hole Navigation System
Real-time satellite-based Global Posi-
tioning System, HNS, has been chosen
for the highest possible drillrig navi-
gation accuracy, within 10 cm in most
situations. With HNS there is no need
to mark out holes, and the accuracy is
such that all holes will be parallel, if
required, resulting in a controllable pro-
duct with better fragmentation and less
boulders.
The focus is on road construction
applications, but the system can be used
in any type of drilling.
Using information on his display, the
operator can navigate the rig to the co-
verage position for a given hole, and
the computer will provide the informa-
tion to place and align the feed exactly
over the collaring position.
The drillplan can be provided by
ROC Manager, transferred to the rig
via a PC card. The time saved by not
having to aim visually to set angles, and
by being able to drill more than one
hole from a single set-up, results in bet-
ter rig utilization.
Silenced for Noise
Sensitive Areas
The sources and characteristics of noise
are complicated, and have to be identi-
fied and analysed in order to analyze
their spectrum. Atlas Copco designed
a concept rig in 2000, and a second
prototype rig in 2004, both of which
were used as testbeds for various sim-
ulations.
These confirmed that noise was not
just created by the drilling cycle, but
also by elements of the carrier, such as
cooling fans, hydraulic system compo-
nents, and engine.
The recently introduced Silenced
SmartRig is for use in areas where noise
levels have to be controlled. Substantial
efforts have been put into redesigning
components, systems and soundproofing
enclosures, resulting in a 10dB(A) ex-
ternal noise reduction.
The most visible difference between
the Silenced SmartRig and other Smart
Rig rigs is its patented feed enclosure.
The frame and panels of the enclosure
are formed from lightweight aluminium.
There are four access doors, which are
hydraulically operated from the cab. A
rubber sliding skirt at its base encloses
the hole, and this can be hydraulically
raised for collaring. The whole enclo-
sure is designed for demounting when
not needed.
The SmartRig system, because it de-
livers the right amount of power for each
phase of the drilling operation, can re-
duce fuel consumption by up to 30%.
Add this to the productivity increase
from automatic rod adding and auto
feed alignment, and the Silenced Smart
Rig is a really sound investment!
by Jean Lindroos
 Talking Technically

Correct Selection of
Tophammer Rock Drilling Tools
front; Retrac button bit with spherical Duty bits, Model –20 or –21, where the
Optimizing button and drop centre front; Retrac gauge buttons are larger than the front

Penetration Rates button bit with spherical buttons and

flat front; Insert bit, only used when
buttons.

In order to achieve best possible very straight holes are required and Extra Heavy Duty
penetration rate, a bit should be nothing else works. Model –21 has better
chosen where the total contact
area between the cemented car- flushing characteris-
bide and the rock creates the best Bit Designs tics, due to different
possible penetration per blow. clearance angle and
As a rule of thumb, the ­following Flat Front, Standard shorter head.
penetration rate index can be
The standard bit is Recommended in
used: button bit with ballistic
buttons, 130; button bit with most suitable for me- extremely hard and
spherical buttons, 115; insert dium-hard to hard abrasive rock.
bit, 100. However, when bits are rock, where it gives
compared for hole straightness, a good ­ performance
different order emerges, with the
and long service life Drop Centre
insert bit on top, followed by the
button bit with ballistic buttons, in normal condi- Excellent results
and lastly, the button bit with tions. Standard bits are obtained with
spherical ­buttons. are easy to regrind, the Drop Centre bit
This article is intended to guide as the front and gau-
the driller through the range of in soft to medium
ge buttons usually are the same size. hard rock, with
bits, rods and shank adapters
to assist with the best choice of high penetration
rock tools for the particular job. Flat Front, Heavy Duty potential. The Drop
Hard rock, con- Centre bit has out-
taining quartz and standing flushing
Criteria of Choice pyrites, often causes characteristics, and
considerable wear the cuttings are dis-
Since button bits are used for 99%
to the gauge buttons. tributed evenly around the steel body,
of surface drilling applications, a bit
When drilling in rock so minimizing steel wash. The drop
with guiding wings on the bit skirt, the
with this characteri- centre part of the bit front produces a
Retrac-type bit, should be chosen to
stic, it is common rock elevation or bump during drilling,
give the straightest possible hole.
practice to use Heavy which gives good guidance to the bit.
The bit front should not be allowed
to take on a convex shape during serv- Bit designs and rock types
ice life, since this convex front has
been shown to give more deflection
than a flat or drop centre front.
When a button bit is worn, it is the
gauge buttons that always show the most
wear. This means that the gauge but-
tons lose more height during regrind-
ing, leading to the tendency for the bit
front to become convex. A drop centre
bit, thanks to its lowered centre, will not
become convex during the bit life, and is
thus the best choice, wherever possible.
If the above criteria are taken into
account, the choice of bit, in descend-
ing order, should be: Retrac button bit
with ballistic buttons and drop centre DC = Drop Centre; FF = Flat Front; HD = Heavy Duty; XHD = Extra Heavy Duty.

Drilling in open pit mining 17

 Talking Technically
Drop Centre Extra Heavy Duty
Gauge buttons are larger than the front
buttons, there are no side ­flushing holes,
and the head is shorter. Re­commended
in extremely hard and abrasive rock,
but can also be used in medium hard
rock.
Retrac Skirt
The Retrac bit has cutting edges at the
rear of the bit, allowing it to “drill” in re-
verse. This is an important feature when
drilling in loose, broken or fissured rock,
where it can be difficult to retract the
drillstring due to hole collapse. In addi-
tion, the Retrac bit has deep grooves mil-
led along the bit body for efficient cut-
ting removal. The good guidance of this
bit gives straighter holes.
Insert Bits
These are very seldom used, except
when very straight holes are required.
Cross bits normally have cemented car-
bide inserts with a carbide grade for high
wear resistance. X-bits normally have
a carbide grade for im­proved toughness,
18 Drilling in open pit mining
and are preferred where there is a ten-
dency for squaring of the hole.
Drillrod Selection
For bench drilling, three types of drill-
rods can be chosen: surface hardened
rods, in which only the thread parts are
hardened; carburized rods, where all sur-
faces, including the inside of the flush-
ing hole, are hardened; and carburized
Speedrods, having integrated couplings
with male and female threads at oppo-
site ends.
Surface Hardened Rods
Surface hardened rods are the toughest,
and can take more abuse than the car-
burized rods, but they have the lowest
fatigue strength. They are a good choice
when drilling in faulted or folded for-
mations, when driller abuse, or lack of
care and maintenance, are factors.
Tiger Rods
The new M-F Tiger Rods from Atlas
Copco Secoroc are specially developed
for surface drilling applications. They
are composed of selected steels to give
increased service life and better per-
formance. The female thread is fully car-
burized, while the rest of the rod is sur-
face hardened. The new Tiger Rods are
friction-welded, so that the best steel
grade can be selected for each section.
This improved production techno-
logy reduces the risks of pitting on the
threads, and rod and thread end break-
age, while tighter thread tolerance im-
proves the total service life of the whole
drill string.
Rigorous tests in various locations
have shown that Tiger Rod is a drill
string without any weak parts.
Carburized Rods
A carburized rod has better wear resist-
ance and a higher fatigue life compared
to surface hardened rods. Demands good
treatment, and hole deflection should be
limited by putting guiding equipment in
the string, at least when drilling holes
deeper than 10 m. Their life will be
20%-30% longer if they are handled
correctly, and guiding equipment is used
when necessary. When lighter drillrods
are required for manual rod handling,
the carburized hexagonal rod is ­recom-
mended.
When drilling with a number of rods
in a string, using standard rods and coup-
lings, the loss of energy in every joint
is about 6%, if the connection is tight.
If drilling with open threads, the energy
loss at each joint can easily climb to
10%. Therefore, it is advantageous to
use the maximum rod length possible.
Speedrods
If Speedrod carburized rods with inte-
grated coupling are used, the energy loss
per joint is less, since the mass (weight)
of the joint is less than that of standard
coupling joints. The energy loss is about
3.5%, which is 60% of that of standard
joints.
In practice, the energy advantage of
Speedrod joints compared to standard
couplings is even greater, since it is
easier to keep the Speedrod joint tight
during drilling.
Field tests have shown that, when
drilling 20 m holes with 4 m rods, the
penetration increase is about 15% when
using Speedrods.
The faster penetration and easier hand-
ling increase productivity, and due to
better energy transmission, the joints are
easily ­loosened.
From the point of view of drilling
straight holes, rods that are as rigid as
possible for the drilled hole diameter
are best. For straight hole drilling, a
Guide Rod or Guide Tube should be
used as the first rod after the bit, to
give the drillstring guidance.
Further information about rods is av-
ailable in the yellow technical specifi-
cation pages in this reference edition.
Shank Adapters
The task of the shank adapter is to tran-
smit rotation torque, feed force, impact
energy, and flushing medium. It is made
from specially selected material to with-
stand the transmission of impact energy
and rotation from the rock drill to the
drillstring, and is hardened through car-
burizing. Around 400 different shank ad-
apters are currently available from Atlas
Copco Secoroc. Shank adapters can be
divided into three main types, based on
the technique used to transfer the rota-
tion motor torque to the drillrod.
by Alf Stenqvist

Full-ballistic button bits for soft rock
Atlas Copco Secoroc has extended
the range of button bits for surface
drilling with two new models for
drilling in soft rock formations.
The new models are designated
–21­–66 and –47–66. The designation
–66 means that all the buttons are
­full-ballistic in shape and protrude
20–25% more than standard ballistic
buttons. Model –21 has larger gauge
buttons whereas all the buttons are
the same size on model –47 .
The longer button protrusion
helps the bit to penetrate deeper into
the rock with each hammer stroke.
Both model –21 and model –47
have excellent flushing capacity for
the removal of the cuttings from the
front of the bit head. The flushing
is concentrated to four large flush-
ing holes in the bit front plus equally
deep and wide flushing grooves in
Secoroc full-ballistic button bit (dia 76 mm.)
model –21–66. Drop centre front with larger
gauge buttons.
The full-ballistic buttons protrude more from the bit body, resulting in faster penetration in soft rock.
Drilling in open pit mining 19
Secoroc full-ballistic button bit (dia 127 mm.)
model –47–66. Flat front with same size front
and gauge buttons.
the front and sides of the bit head. A
shorter bit head and larger clearing
angle also allow for better flushing
of cuttings on models –21 and –47.
Increased penetration rate
During tests in soft rock in Korea,
Malaysia and Australia, these new
bits showed much higher penetration
rates than standard ballistic button
bits, while their service life remained
the same.
Model –21–66 bits with drop centre
front are available with T38 thread in
sizes 76 mm (3 in) and 89 mm (3.5 in).
Model –47–66 bits with flat front
design can be supplied with T45
thread in size 89 mm (3.5 in) and with
T51 thread in sizes 102 mm (4 in)
and 127 mm (5 in).
More sizes and thread combina-
tions will follow.
Talking Technically
ThunderRod T60
– for the most powerful
tophammer drill rigs
Atlas Copco Secoroc has launched
ThunderRod T60, a heavy-duty top-
hammer drill string designed for
greater productivity. Specially de-
signed with a bigger rod cross-
section for 102-152 mm holes,
ThunderRod T60 is built to handle
the most powerful hydraulic rock
drills, delivering higher power output
for optimization of the drilling pat-
tern. The entire drillstring is more
rigid, offering increased hole straight-
ness, higher penetration rate and a
welcome boost to drilling producti-
vity and economy. Fewer, but larger,
drill holes per blast means higher pro-
ductivity. Straighter holes result in
improved fragmentation and far less
secondary drilling and blasting.
The threads on ThunderRod T60
are designed to make the coupling
sequence as easy as possible, while
at the same time keeping energy los-
ses to an absolute minimum. Fea-
turing a cross-section 40% bigger
than standard T51 rods, the new
ThunderRod is designed to reduce
hole deviation in all rock formations.
The flushing hole is also bigger, en-
suring a 10% increase in flushing ca-
pacity for up to 30 m-deep holes.
The new shank adapters for Thun-
derRod T60 are optimally hardened,
with a balance of core and surface
properties designed to withstand the
high impact power of modern rock
drills such as Atlas Copco COP 2560,
COP 2560EX and COP 4050. This
leads to unparalleled fatigue and wear
resistance.
 Talking Technically

COPROD Combines the Best

of DTH and Tophammer Drilling
The Rock Driller’s Rock
drill
COPROD
section
COPROD
head

Dream 20 – 40 kW Guide
Rotation chuck
Drillers always dreamed of a sy- Anvil Drill rod
stem that would combine the stra-
ightness and accuracy of down- Guide
the-hole drilling with the enor- Tube
mous capacity of hydraulic top- driver Bit tube
hammer drilling. Efforts to com-
bine the advantages of the two
techniques were unsuccessful, un- Drill tube Bit chuck
til the development of COPROD
by Atlas Copco.
  COPROD is not only a combina-
tion of positive features, it also in- Drill bit
tegrates two types of drillstring Guide
for percussive drilling by means
of a tophammer. Inner drillrods
transmit power and thrust to the
COPROD drilling head arrangement.
drillbit and outer tubes transfer
rotation, adding stiffness to the
string and improved flushing effi- equipment works well for smaller hole bit in contact with the bottom of the
ciency. These assets achieve high
tophammer drilling rates and large diameters in solid rock, but it is not so hole. This can cause the relatively slen-
hole diameters. effective in larger hole diameters, or in der drillstring to bend, steering the bit
   The rods in the COPROD sy- deteriorating ground conditions. There off its intended alignment.
stem have no threads and are are problems in transmitting sufficient Increasingly powerful hydraulic rock
simply stacked one on top of the energy to the bit, especially in deeper drills send more percussive energy down
other. Laterally, they are centred
by the guide bushes in the tubes holes, and in obtaining satisfactory flu- the drillstring, allowing larger hole dia-
which surround them, and lon- shing. meters in benching. However, due to
gitudinally, contact between rod In tophammer drilling, the thrust has the microscopic movements between
ends is maintained by the thrust to be applied from the top to keep the mating parts in the threaded drillstring,
from the top. Thanks to the uni-
que double recoil damping system
of the COP rock drills, the rod ends COP1838 CR/2150CR/COP 2550CR and COP 4050CR rock drills.
remain in permanent contact, en-
ergy losses are almost nil, and dril-
ling efficiency is maintained from COP 1838CR/2150CR/COP
COP 1838CR 2550CR
start to finish of the hole.

Introduction
CI AA AB

In the simplest of terms, percussive dril-

ling systems go back to manually hit-
ting a steel rod with a bit at one end
and, as recoil makes the rod jump back, COP 4050
COP 4050CR
ME-CR
rotating it at a small angle between
blows to ensure that the hole is round.
Most drilling for benching operations
has been carried out with tophammers,
using extension rods connected by thre-
aded coupling sleeves, and an exchange-
CI AA AB

able drillbit at the bottom end. This

20 Drilling in open pit mining


ROC F9CR retrofitted with second generation COPROD drilling in Belgium.
energy is lost and heat develops. The
energy loss may be considerable by the
time the shock wave reaches the bit,
and there will be thread wear and re-
duced life of the drillstring components.
The down-the-hole (DTH) system
was developed to overcome some of
the problems associated with hole strai-
ghtness suffered by tophammer drills.
Rigid guide tubes, with a large outer
diameter, were developed to keep the
drillstring on a straight course, and im-
prove flushing. With a DTH hammer,
a series of tubes offers far greater stiff-
ness, and runs closer to the hole walls,
The new COPROD drillstring provide longer life and higher penetration rate.
New bit tube and bit rod
design for improved guidance
CO
PR
OD
se
cti CO
on PR
CR OD
76
a nd
CR
Stronger tube,
8.8 mm wall thickness
New rod guide design
Drilling in open pit mining 21
Talking Technically
splines in the bit chuck, the hammer
senses it, and percussion is interrupted.
Rotation is maintained, however, and
percussion restarts automatically when
the bit meets resistance again.
Flushing air enters the bit via a cen-
tre channel, which connects to the cy-
lindrical surface in the bit rod. A small
amount of air, containing a little oil, es-
capes via the splines in the chuck and
the bit, and lubricates them. On its way
up, the flushing air travels between the
smooth outside of the tubes and the
hole wall, providing a constant cross
section, and ideal conditions for flush-
ing the drilling fines.
COPROD offers unique features for
drilling holes fast and straight. And the
more troublesome the ground becomes,
the more the incomparable drilling sy-
resulting in considerably less deviation stem comes into its own.
than with a tophammer drillstring. Thanks to the unique double recoil
damping system of the rock drills de-
Power with Rigidity veloped for use with COPROD, the rod
ends remain in permanent contact with
The COPROD system combines the each other. Thus, there are near-zero en-
power of the tophammer with the ri- ergy losses at rod joints, and drilling
gidity of the DTH drillstring. COP- efficiency is maintained at virtually the
ROD rods move longitudinally within same level from the start to the final
each tube, transmitting the rock drill depth of the hole.
energy to the bit. Lugs on the rods pre-
vent them from sliding out during han- Latest on COPROD
dling.
During drilling operations, if the bit The new COPROD drill string features
enters a cavity and drops down in its a wide range of improvements. The
thickness of the drill tube has been in-
creased to 8.8 mm with a new, strong-
er female thread connection to the end
piece. This results in increased service
life, virtually eliminating tube break-
age, and helping to limit in-hole devia-
tion.
The end piece of the COPROD sec-
New design for improved
he guidance and air flushing
ad tion has been made shorter and rede-
CR
89 76
-C signed with a new male T-thread con-
(le R1
ng
ht
40 nection to the drill tube, eliminating
3.6 New steel grade
6m increases
thread breakage. The diameter of the
/1
2f
t) bit service life CR 76 inner rod has been increased
and the end diameter of the CR 89 inner
rod matches the anvil to optimize serv-
ice life and penetration rate.
In the COPROD head, the bit rod
has been redesigned to eliminate the
rod guide. Closer tolerances reduce air
passage in the bit spline area to a mi-
New strong T-thread connection nimum, preventing shank breakage,
between tube and end-piece
while improved airflow reduces plug-
ging of the bit. The drill bit itself is now
 Talking Technically

made of a new grade of steel with high

impact and fatigue strength.
The diameter of the 89 mm COP-
ROD tube can be worn down to 80 mm
before replacement, and, with low air
pressure of only 12 bar, less airflow in
the annulus results in up to 50% longer
life.

Fractured Rock in Austria

Asphalt & Beton GmbH, the quarrying
division of Austria-based Strabag, pro-
duces 18 million t/y at 57 quarries in 11
countries. An Atlas Copco ROC F7CR
forms the backbone of the operation
at the company’s 650,000 t/y Jakomini
quarry located on an Alpine slope in
the Bleiberg region of southern Au-
stria. The operation, which is mainly
quarrying fractured metamorphic dia-
base of 140-150 Mpa hardness, features
seven benches, each around 20 m-high.
Blasthole depths range from 20 m to
26 m, angled at 80 degrees. Presplit dril-
ling is carried out to maintain slope sta-
bility of the benches.
The ROC F7CR drills 92 mm-dia-
meter holes, using an impact pressure
of 120 bar during collaring, and work-
ing pressure of 200 bar. Nett penetra-
tion is 1 m/min, and each hole takes
around 20-30 minutes to drill. After
10,000 drill metres, the wear on the
drill tube was 0.5 mm, and five bits
had been consumed.
The benches are reached by steep
gradients, with inclines of up to 30%,
a real test of tractability and stability
for any drillrig, but one in which the
ROC F7CR excels.
The COPROD system of straight hole
drilling is ideal in the fractured rock,
which is subject to water influx while
drilling. It is also very fuel-efficient at
0.7 litre/drillmetre, just half of that ex-
pected from DTH rigs. Within a month
of delivery in 2005, the ROC F7CR
was averaging 25 m/h, and has since
achieved consistent monthly perform-
ances of over 31 m/h.
Abrasive Rock in Belgium
Belgian company DGO M3 is a mem-
ber of the French EPC Group, and
one of the largest drilling contractors
in Europe. With an annual production
ROC F7CR in the Jakomini quarry.
of up to 115,000 drillmetres from 24
quarry sites around the country, the com-
pany is heavily reliant on continuous
drill rig availability and production. It
has a fleet of Atlas Copco rigs, com-
prising a new ROC F9CR, a second
ROC F9CR retrofitted with the new
COPROD system and COP 2150 rock
drill, a ROC F7CR, and a ROC L6H
DTH rig.
The COPROD rigs equipped with
127 mm-diameter bits are used for hole
depths up to 30 m, while the ROC L6H
can go down to 45 m-deep. A wide
variety of rock types and formations is
drilled, ranging from medium-to-hard
limestone and sandstone to granite, por-
phyry and grit.
With COPROD, the company can
drill at any of its operations, giving it
the necessary flexibility to obtain very
high efficiencies. Using the lower air
pressure of 12 bar, the flushing air and
cuttings do not destroy the hole collar,
and a 20 % higher productivity is ob-
tained compared to the 25 bar DTH
rig. Rapid bit changeover times also
ensure that regrinding and frequent bit
changes do not cause undue delays. At
the sites, every drill pattern and blast is
designed with Geolaser profiling of the
bench, and hole alignment is checked
with the Pulsar system.
There are currently ten COPROD
drill rigs operating in Belgium, nearly
all of which are located in the French-
speaking Walloon province. These are
served by Atlas Copco distributor SE-
MAT, based at Spy, near Charleroi.
SEMAT carries out any major re-
pairs and overhaul work for DGO,
whilst the contractor does its own we-
ekly servicing. DGO reports that, over
the last two years using the new COP-
ROD system, it no longer breaks tubes,
and has recorded a 50% improvement
in service life of the drill string. Every
six months, each rig is taken out of
operation for one week for a major ser-
vice, usually coinciding with a period
of slack demand. Nearly all COPROD
rig owners have increased the diameters
of their drill bits due to increased confi-
dence in maintaining correct hole align-
ment, allowing less holes to be drilled
for the same output.

22 Drilling in open pit mining


Ho Ping quarry is located 1,000 m above sea level.
Limestone in Taiwan
Ho Ping limestone quarry, at Hualien
in Taiwan, has a fleet of six Atlas Copco
ROC F9CR crawler drill rigs equipped
with the COPROD system and COP
1838 CR rock drills. In operation since
1981, Ho Ping is owned by Taiwan
Cement, and produces 12 million t/y of
limestone, making it the largest cement
quarry in Taiwan.
Located about 1,000 m above sea
level, the quarry is one of a number
operated by Chien-Kuo Construction Co
on behalf of the country's major cement
Idealized section through Ho Ping quarry.
Drilling in open pit mining 23
companies. The company also operates
in the People's Republic of China, Viet-
nam, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Four Atlas Copco ROC F9CR rigs
joined the production fleet in 2001, and
another two units were delivered in 2002.
They are proving to be highly pro-
ductive at 25 drillmetres/h, and emi-
nently suited to the type of rock being
mined, which is loose and fractured.
They are capable of drilling holes to
depths of up to 30 m, and diameters up
to 127 mm.
Site layout at Ho Ping is designed to
keep noise, vibration and visual impact
Talking Technically
to a minimum, by downward excava-
tion from the hill. To reduce the noise,
dust and danger associated with truck
movements, the rock is fed through gy-
ratory crushers, and transported along
a system of shafts and conveyors to a
stocking area at the bottom of the hill.
There are three 6 m-diameter vertical
shafts, and one 900 m-long tunnel and
two 1,100 m-long tunnels.
The altitude causes the quarry to be
shrouded in mist quite often, and it can
be damp and cold in the winter, affecting
the hours and safety of work. Chien-
Kuo carries out two blasts each day, 28
days a month.
Conclusion
Statistics prove that the COPROD sy-
stem, in spite of its higher initial cost,
offers improved economy, and is some-
times the only solution worth consid-
ering when drilling becomes difficult
due to demanding ground conditions.
COPROD’s superior penetration rate
contributes to a lower cost/m drilled
than for DTH. In comparison with top-
hammer drilling with extension steel,
COPROD’s better gross penetration and
hole quality provide lower cost/t in dif-
ficult rock formations.
Summing up, COPROD offers un-
ique features for drilling holes straight
and fast, and it comes into its own in
troublesome ground. Due to the num-
ber of components involved, a COPROD
 Talking Technically

Immaculate conveyor tunnel at Hualien.

drill string carries a higher price than

comparable extension rod, or DTH,
strings.
However, because the holes are dril-
led fast and without deviation, permit-
ting the drilling pattern to be opened
up, COPROD leads to lower costs per
excavated volume of rock. Time is also
saved in retracting the drill string in
broken ground, or through blasting de-
bris left on top of the bench.
The latest COPROD system improves
on these advantages, offering longer
drill string life and better availability
than ever before.

by Lennart Lundin
tonnes x 1000

Strong points of different bench drilling methods

• Unbeatable under good drilling conditions
Tophammer • Low fuel consumption
• Low investment in drill string

• Straight holes
Down The Hole • Deep holes
• Very simple method for the operator

• Unbeatable under difficult drilling conditions

COPROD • Straight holes and high productivity
• Good penetration rates

24 Drilling in open pit mining

 Talking Technically

Increased Productivity With

DTH Drilling

explosives; deep hole drilling capac- Cutaway section of Secoroc COP 64 Gold.
DTH Growing in ity, with constant penetration and no
energy losses in joints; and efficient gave another boost to the sales of ham-
Popularity energy transmission, with the piston mers. The flexibility, productivity and
The DTH drilling method is grow-­ striking directly on the bit. manoeuvr­a­bility of these rigs, when
ing in popularity, with increas-­ The COP 34-84 series of ham- equipped with a COP hammer, makes
es in all application segments, mers was introduced from 1992, and them the most productive ­combination
including blasthole, water well,
foundation, oil & gas, cooling
immediately became the benchmark on the market today.
systems and drilling for heat for productivity within DTH drilling.
exchange pumps. Over the years, the increase in aver- COP 64 Gold
DTH competes favourably with age drilling pressure, from 17 bar to a
rotary drilling in open pit mines, current market standard of 25 bar, has The increase in drilling pressure also
mainly thanks to increased pro-­
ductivity and flexibility. Open
improved hammer performance, and had some negative impact on the­ inter-
pit mining has adopted smaller productivity has increased proportion- nal components of the DTH hammer,
holes where rotary drilling has ally to air pressure. as the increased stress promoted the
either been replaced by DTH, or The introduction of the Atlas
where DTH has been introduced Copco ROC L8 and L6 series of high- New Secoroc hammer and bit ready for action on
to create a better finish to the pit
wall, as the method is also per-­
performance, high-pressure DTH rigs an Atlas Copco drill rig.
fect for pre-­splitting and smooth
blasting, which avoids back-
cracking.
DTH drilling offers increased
productivity, and is favoured by
contractors for production drill-­
ing. In larger quarries, the opti-­
mum hole size is 110-140 mm.
With today’s demands for strict
hole control for safe blasting in
populated areas, DTH drilling is
a popular choice among quarry
operators.

Quality Holes
In the hole range 100-254 mm, DTH
drilling is the dominant drilling
method today. The main features of
DTH drilling in this hole range are:
excellent hole straightness within 1.5%
deviation without guiding equipment;
good hole cleaning, with plenty of air
for hole cleaning from the hammer;
good hole quality, with smooth and
even hole walls for easy charging of

Drilling in open pit mining 25

 Talking Technically
risk of premature failures. So, in 1998,
Atlas Copco Secoroc decided on a
long-term ­ strategy to improve reli-
ability, while retaining the benchmark
status of the COP 64 DTH hammer.
Stage One of this strategy was the
development of the second generation
six-inch hammer, COP 64.2, intro-
duced in October, 2000, which incor-
porated newly-designed steel disc
spring and lower buffer. Performance
was vastly improved, thanks to a dras-
tic reduction in the number of internal
failures. It was also possible to rebuild
the hammer without diminishing its
performance, making it even more
attractive.
Stage Two was the introduction of
the third generation COP 64 hammer,
COP 64 Gold, which was unveiled in
August, 2001. This version offers sus-
tained performance and improved lon-
gevity of the external parts. The COP
64.2 resolved internal component reli-
ability, while the COP 64 Gold has
experienced a dramatic drop in the
number of cylinder failures.
COP 64 Gold also boasts improved
sustainable efficiency, maintaining an
average of 96% of original perform-
ance throughout its service life, which
is a further improvement on COP 64.2.
Durability improvements, thanks to
the higher tensile strength of the new
steel grade, are especially noticeable
when the cylinder approaches mini-
mum thickness limits. COP 64 Gold
enjoys a greater durability margin than
its predecessor.
With the introduction of COP
64 Gold, hammer life will increase
­substantially. Less internal and
­external wear, together with a reduced
minimum cylinder wear limit, are key
Secoroc COP 64 Gold.
26 Drilling in open pit mining
COP 64.2 steel COP 64 Gold steel Improvement
Yield point ReL(Mpa) 700 1400 100%
Breaking strength Rm(Mpa) 1000 1950 95%
Hardness (HRc) 32 42 31%
Table 1 reveals not only that the yield point for the new steel grade is twice as high, but
also that breaking strength has been almost doubled.
Table 1 Comparison of COP 64.2 and COP 64 Gold steel.
contributing factors. The hammer is for the same types of application as
virtually main­tenance-free, with no COP 64.2, with special focus on high-
need for an econ­omy kit in most appli- pressure applications.
cations. Ultimately, this means cus- In abrasive formations, performance
tomers can look forward to increased will be up to 50% better than COP
drill rig availability. 64.2, in what is an ideal application
The sum total of these improve- for COP 64 Gold.
ments shows COP 64 Gold to have In soft unconsolidated rock drill-
more than 50% greater service life, ing, the 12-spline chuck concept and
in abrasive rock conditions, than its the improved durability make COP 64
­predecessor. Gold the perfect hammer. High pres-
The customer benefits from lower sure yields higher productivity, and
cost/metre drilled, thanks to less down- drilling pressures of 28-30 bar are not
time and greater abrasion ­ resistance, unusual.
and 30-50% longer life of external The COP 64 Gold hammer concept
parts. offers customers a tool to meet the
Higher availability results from less most exacting requirements.
breakage in the threads of top sub and
chuck-ends of the cylinder, and there Hammer Cylinder
are fewer stoppages for service and
maintenance. Improved penetration The new cylinder has been redesigned
rate and higher efficiency are a result in a number of important ways. COP 64
of reduced friction of the piston, and a Gold boasts a cylinder made of low
greater life cycle penetration rate is the alloy wrought and toughened steel, a
overall reward. new grade with a higher combined Mo-
To sum up, the customer can lybdenum and Vanadium content (4.8%)
drill more holes per hammer than than its predecessor. The result is grea-
­previously. ter impact strength and higher wear
and temperature resistance. All in all,
Applications this means greater resistance to brea-
kage, impact, temperature and wear for
COP 64 Gold is a high-pressure the new hammer cylinder.
hammer, where performance is related Thanks to the new steel grade, cyl-
to air pressure. A lower limit of 12 bar inder properties have been greatly
for deep hole applications is a good improved. Wear has been reduced,
rule of thumb. The hammer is designed both internally and externally. Cuttings
 Talking Technically

Total improvement

Due to wear resistance

Due to wear limit change

Due to less cylinder failure

Increase in service life of COP 64 Gold, which has a 50% longer life than its predecesssor.

and moving parts no longer cause the
problems they once did. In effect, the
service life of the cylinder has been
extended con­siderably.
The new steel grade possesses
greater tensile strength, which means
the minimum wear limit can be
decreased from an overall cylinder
diameter of 132 mm, to 130 mm.
The result is a hammer that main-
tains performance far longer than its
predecessor, while being, in effect,
maintenance-free.
Longitudinal milled slots have
replaced the circular undercut found
in COP 64.2. The piston now enjoys
100% guidance throughout its stroke,
as op­posed to the older undercut that
let it partially move freely at the end of
the downward stroke. Thanks to these
slots, wear on the porting edges of the
cylinder undercuts and piston has been
eliminated. That means air leakage is
down to a minimum, and so are noise
levels!
The polygon-shaped piston pro-
vides a ten-point guide system, while
retaining excellent force on the bit. It
is sturdier than its forerunner, fitting
hand-in-glove with the milled slots to
provide superior guidance and airflow
all the way through the hammer.
The QL 60-style chuck, together
with a 12-spline bit, add up to a
stronger bit shank. This is especial-
ly useful in soft and unconsolidated
rock conditions, where bits tend to
move axially in and out in the chuck
during drilling. This may lead to
greater ­ friction between chuck and
splines, causing premature spline
wear. Furthermore, the increase in
the number of splines, from eight to
twelve, leads to greater surface contact
between bit and chuck, lessening stress
on the splines.
The high demand for COP 64 Gold
hammers, particularly in applications
where performance and reliability are
major considerations, has led Atlas
Copco Secoroc to add the COP 54
Gold to this increasingly successful
range.
by Leif Larsson

Results of comparative tests with COP 64.2 and COP 64 Gold. The COP 64 Gold drilled 50% further.

16 000
14 000
12 000
10 000
Drill metres

New Material
8 000 Old Material
6 000
4 000
2 000
0
146 145 144 143 142 141 140 139 138 137 136 135 134 133 132 131 130 129 128
Cylinder OD (mm)

Drilling in open pit mining 27

 Talking Technically

Selecting the Right DTH

Drilling Tools
Covering Every
Application
Atlas Copco Secoroc now has the
most comprehensive range of DTH
hammers, bits, and related equip-
ment of any supplier in the world,
backed by the strongest support
network in the industry. Whether
the call is for reliable hammers to
keep investment to a minimum,
or for the highest productivity to
ensure maximum rig output, Atlas
Copco Secoroc has the solution.
The company is the only manu-
facturer to offer both first and
second choice solutions in almost
all typical DTH applications on a
price vs performance basis. For
premium performance and advan-
ced technology, Total Depth and
COP Gold hammers are offered.
For an optimum blend of features
and cost, COP and Quantum Leap
can be the solution, and for high
reliability at economical price, no-
thing beats DHD hammers.
   Total Depth, COP Gold, Quan-
tum Leap, and COP and DHD Clas- Quarrying application
sic hammers are also energy effi-
cient, consuming less fuel and with
and are the most reliable and produc- demanding the finest performance, the
lower energy cost per drilled metre
than other DTH hammers. tive hammers on the market. For cus- choice will be between Total Depth and
  This enormous choice of DTH tomers who are happy with rebuilds, Secoroc COP Gold hammers. At the
drilling tools is backed by a reli- Total Depth is recommended, while for other end of the scale, rental companies
able network of distributors and those who typically run hammers until will appreciate the Secoroc DHD as a
customer centres that offer a com-
they wear out, Secoroc COP Gold has tried and tested hammer that is rugged,
plete range of parts, service and
support. unbeatable wear resistance and will be reliable, and easy to repair or replace.
the first choice.
Dimensional stone quarrying dem- Mineral Exploration
Relevant Applications ands consistent hole straightness, and Mineral exploration generally occurs in
such operations typically use smaller very remote locations, requiring robust
Quarrying size holes of 85-90 mm in limestone, hammers capable of running high pres-
Companies producing in non-abrasive granite and marble. Here the TD 35 and sures, in sometimes dirty environments.
rock formations should consider ham- COP 32 hammers are the best choice For true reverse circulation drilling
mers such as Secoroc Quantum Leap with face collection in mineral explo-
or Secoroc COP. Both are time-tested Construction ration and in-pit grade control, the Se-
and field-proven designs offering good Civil engineering drilling subcontrac- coroc RC50 Reverse Circulation Ham-
productivity and ease of service. tors and drilled foundation contractors mer, incorporating the Quantum Leap
Producers demanding the highest pro- will be attracted to the improved per- cycle, performs particularly well.
ductivity and/or drilling in abrasive for- formance of both Secoroc Quantum Geotechnical Environmental moni-
mations should consider either the Total Leap and Secoroc COP hammers. Both toring applications will appreciate the
Depth or Secoroc COP Gold hammers. of these balance good productivity Secoroc DHD, or possibly the Secoroc
These incorporate the latest technology with ease of service. For applications Quantum Leap or COP hammers.

28 Drilling in open pit mining


Changing a Secoroc bit.
Drilling of holes for foundation, an-
choring or drainage demands reliable,
inexpensive hammers like the Secoroc
DHD range.
Open Pit Mining
Mining operations typically have high
equipment utilization, drilling up to
80% of the working day with DTH.
The typical applications are normal
130-203 mm-diameter blast holes, 140-
165 mm buffer holes, or 115-140 mm
Clusterdrill for construction work
Drilling in open pit mining 29
pre-split holes. Companies should con-
sider either the Total Depth or Secoroc
COP Gold hammers. These incorporate
the latest technology, and are the most
reliable and productive hammers on the
market. For customers who are happy
with rebuilds, Total Depth is recom-
mended, while for those who typically
run hammers until they wear out, Se-
coroc COP Gold will be the first choice.
Well and Geothermal
Water wells generally use a larger dia-
meter, cased and sealed surface section,
followed by a 70-250 m-deep and 4.5-
6.5 in-diameter drilled well bore. For
smaller, family-run companies, the ideal
hammer will last as long as possible,
with minimum maintenance. For larger
companies with more rigs, performance,
reliability, and availability of service
and support become more important.
Geothermal drilling is similar, but
may be carried out in remote locations,
so the emphasis may be on the need to
keep the hammer working as much as
possible.
Once again, Total Depth, with its
Air-Select System, is the fastest and
most reliable, while Quantum Leap and
Secoroc COP offer excellent perfor-
mance with minimum maintenance.
Shallow Oil and Gas (CBM)
In this application, the customer uses a
larger diameter 12.25 in - 17.5 in
cased and sealed surface section, fol-
lowed by a 500-2,500 m-deep drilled
Talking Technically
well bore with final diameter of 6.5 in.
For these projects, performance, reli-
ability and availability of service and
support become most important.
Once again, Total Depth, with its
Air-Select System, is the fastest and
most reliable, with a minimum of main-
tenance.
Selecting the Right
Hammer
The optimum range of hole size for
DTH drilling is 90 mm to 254 mm.
Smaller holes are generally drilled using
tophammer, and larger holes generally
use rotary machines. However, DTH
has an expanding position in the larger
hole sizes up to 750 mm. As a rule of
thumb, the smallest hole diameter a
DTH hammer can drill is its nominal
size. A 4 inch hammer will drill a 4 inch
(102 mm) hole. The limiting factor is
the outside diameter of the hammer,
because, as hole diameter reduces, air-
flow is restricted. Maximum hole size
for production drilling is the nominal
hammer size plus 1 inch, so for a 4
inch hammer the maximum hole size
is 5 inch (127-130 mm).
Choosing the right hammer is largely
determined by hole size and type of
rock formation. Ideally, the size of the
hammer should match the required hole
dimension as closely as possible, leaving
just enough space for cuttings to evac-
uate the hole.
Secoroc hammers are purpose-
matched for all rock types and applica-
tions. Where high performance is the
main criterion, Secoroc COP Gold and
Secoroc Total Depth hammers are rec-
ommended.
In deep hole drilling applications,
the Total Depth hammer has proven
superior performance and adaptability
to different air requirements, thanks to
the Air-Select System.
Where proven technology is required,
the Secoroc COP and Quantum Leap
hammers are known for their reliability
and longevity, and for a reliable work-
horse, the Secoroc DHD is practically
bullet proof, with a 30 year history of
continuous improvement.
The Standard design for COP 54 and
COP 64 Gold hammers can be used
down to a depth of 330 ft (100 m)
 Talking Technically

using a Standard bit size, making it

useful for production drilling in quar-
ries, shallow waterwell drilling, and un-
derground blasthole drilling. HD is si-
milar to Standard, but with heavy duty
chuck and wear sleeve, and a top sub
fitted with tungsten carbide buttons for
wear protection in harsh and abrasive
conditions. These also protect the top
sub from excessive wear when rotating
out of the hole through broken rock.

Selecting the Right Bit

Atlas Copco Secoroc has a compre-
hensive range of DTH drill bits to match
all conceivable applications. Each bit
is made from quality alloy steel, and
has been precision machined to pro-
duce a perfect body, heat treated to the
required hardness, given surface com-
pression for fatigue resistance, and fitted
with precision buttons manufactured in-
house.
Five basic designs are available:
CV Bit, FF Bit, SpeedBit, CC Bit, and
Rocket Bit. These are designed for
specific applications for all rock types,
hardnesses and conditions.
Bit life and rate of penetration are
the most important criteria in selecting
the right bit for a particular application.
In most cases, the focus is on produc-
tivity, so the fast cuttings removal
Waterwell drilling.
features of the SpeedBit and Convex/
Ballistic designs are preferable, to en-
sure the buttons are cutting clean, with
the minimum of re-crushing.
In hard and abrasive formations,
however, the flat front (FF) HD design
offers best bit life, having strong gauge
rows with large spherical buttons which
are easy to regrind and maintain. The
SpeedBit offers improved productivity
with the same gauge as the FF HD, but
with ballistic buttons in the front for
faster penetration. An alternative is the
Concave design with spherical buttons.
The Rocket Bit can be dressed with
ballistic buttons for use in soft to me-
dium hard formations where fractured
rock can be expected, or can be sup-
plied with spherical buttons for hard
and abrasive formations. Bits are manu-
factured to match all diameters of Atlas
Copco Secoroc hammers.
Secoroc hammers
highest performance
The Secoroc COP Gold and Total Depth
hammers are designed for the most

Bit designs and rock types.

Soft rock Medium hard rock (220 Mpa/32000 psi) Hard rock

Flat front HD

SpeedBit

Convex/Ballistic

Concave

Concave DGR

Rocket bit ballistic

Rocket bit spherical

30 Drilling in open pit mining


Bit designs Facts
Convex/Ballistic front design
Convex front with large cutting grooves and ballistic gauge
and centre buttons. For soft to medium hard non-abrasive
formations. The bit is designed for maximum penetration
rate. Also, an alternative in hard abrasive formations, if
high penetration rate is called for.
SpeedBit
Flat front design/ballistic centre buttons. Flat front with
spherical gauge buttons and ballistic centre buttons. For
high penetration in medium hard to hard abrasive formations.
Flat front design – HD
Flat front with large spherical gauge buttons for hard and
abrasive formations. Also, front flushing grooves for effi-
cient cuttings removal.
Concave front design
Concave front with spherical buttons Perfect choice for
medium hard to hard, less abrasive, fractured formations.
Minimizes effect of hole ­deviation.
Concave front design – HD
Concave front with spherical buttons, with larger gauge
buttons. Ideal for medium hard to hard, abrasive and frac-
tured formations.
Concave DGR front design
Concave front with double rows of spherical gauge but-
tons. Only available for 8 in bits and larger. The rein-
forced gauge gives superior protection in medium hard to
hard, abrasive and fractured formations.
Rocket bit
Super high penetration in soft to medium hard formations
with low silica content. The Rocket bit also handles diffi-
cult formations with clay intrusions where other bit designs
will not work.
The Secoroc range of DTH bits ensures that every driller
can demand a solution for every application.
Drilling in open pit mining 31
Talking Technically
demanding drilling conditions and for
those applications requiring premium
performance. These hammers feature
state-of-the-art technology and deliver
both maximum productivity and profit.
Secoroc COP Gold
• Superior longevity and reliability.
• Easy to service and rebuild.
• Best suited for production drilling
because of its excellent external
wear resistance and longevity.
• Internal components coated for wear
and corrosion protection. Permits
multiple rebuilds.
• Three start chuck thread for easy bit
changes.
• Bit replacement possible without
using drill rig break-out chains and
wrenches.
• Unique air cushion reduces wear and
tear on drill string and rig.
Secoroc Total Depth
• Provides the industry’s highest
power output.
• Best suited for deep hole applications.
• Industry-leading simplicity and
serviceability, resulting in very low
operating costs.
• Features modular components,
snap-in cylinders, a reversible
casing, backhead saver sleeves, and
many options.
• The hybrid valved/valveless design
maximizes air compressor
productivity.
Proven Technology
Secoroc COP and Quantum Leap®
hammers combine strong performance
with years of field proven technology.
These hammers are known for reliability
and longevity.
Secoroc COP
• Mainly used in mining, including
underground, quarrying, and
geothermal well drilling.
• High reliability.
• Internal components coated for wear
and corrosion protection.
• Can be rebuilt frequently for longer
service life.
• Three start chuck thread for easy bit
changes.
• Unique air cushion reduces wear and
tear on drill string and rig.
 Talking Technically

Secoroc Quantum Leap®

• The industry’s first hybrid-
combination of valve and valve-less
air cycle.
• Mainly used in water well deep hole,
production drilling and large diameter
construction projects.
• Wide range of available diameters.
• Many options, including
Hydrocyclone® and bit retrieval
systems for application flexibility.

Reliable Workhorse
Secoroc DHD hammers are practically
bullet proof, having been proven by
continuous, successful operation in the
industry for over thirty years.

Secoroc Classic DHD

• Many parts are common to those
used in the Secoroc Quantum Leap®.
• High reliability.
• Cost-effective.
• Time-tested performance

Selecting the Right Tube

Key features of a high quality DTH
tube are durability, accuracy and man-
ageability. Atlas Copco Secoroc tubes
are made from cold drawn tubing, pro- Secoroc COP 54 Gold Express - the production driller´s best friend.
viding a superior surface finish and tole-
rance compared to conventional tubes
made from hot rolled tubing. Quality Standard End pieces
API grade N-80 tubes and adapters
This drastically reduces the risk of
scaling from the tubes entering the ham- Lower yield limit N/mm2 min 550 min 550
mer, a major cause of premature ham-
mer failure. Tensile strength N/mm2 min 650 min 700
The joints are friction welded to Elongation A5 min % 18 21
achieve maximum strength, and the Core hardness HB 190–230 210–250
threads of the end-pieces are heat
treated for optimum durability and Surface hardness HRC 58–62
strength of the thread profile. This not
only ensures long thread life, but also
makes coupling and uncoupling quick Drill tube Wall 23/8" 23/8" 27/8" 27/8" 31/2"
OD (mm) (mm) RD 50 API Reg API IF API Reg API IF API Reg
and simple, reducing drilling time.
Tube diameter should be close to
the hammer diameter to provide opti- 70 3.6 ■ ■
mum flushing, reducing the chances of 76 3.6 ■
getting stuck. 76 5.6 ■
In most applications, Atlas Copco 89 3.7 ■
Secoroc standard API threads will be 89 5.7 ■ ■ ■
the best choice.
102 5.7 ■
Atlas Copco Secoroc also offers a
wide range of subs and crossover subs 114 4.3 ■ ■
to meet an array of demands, all man- 114 5.7 ■
ufactured to the same standards as the 114 7.9 ■
tubes.

32 Drilling in open pit mining

 Talking Technically

COP Backhammer
The COP Backhammer is a tool that
can save and recover a drillstring stuck
in a hole. It can be easily fitted in a
suitable tube joint between the drill
support and the rotation head to pro-
vide an effective combination of back-
ward hammering and vibration to lo-
osen stuck drill strings.

Service and Support

Atlas Copco Secoroc service, support
and training follows every purchase,
to ensure that customers extract maxi-
mum productivity from their drill-
ing operations. Having a knowledge-
able and available Secoroc drilling
engineer on site or on-line makes the
difference between going it alone and
tapping the experience and know-
how of a world-class partner. For
example, Secoroc knows that using
higher productivity bits reduces the
cost of each drilled hole, and the
With on site support, the choice of DTH equipment is even easier to make.
simplest way to cut costs is to drill
holes faster. This has been a focus of
product development, and is at the
core of Secoroc technology, ensur-
ing that every generation of products
drills faster and more efficiently.
  It takes a support team to apply this
knowledge, so that customers can be as-
sured they run a profitable and efficient
drilling operation in an increasingly
competitive business climate.
  The bottom line is that the customer
can count on Secoroc service and sup-
port, supplied by the largest, most de-
dicated manufacturer of DTH drilling
tools in the world.
by Leif Larsson

Premium Plus DTH

Bits - tough bits
for a tough life
The latest Atlas Copco Premium Plus DTH bits address the
age-old problems of shanking and chunking, making them
so uncommon as to be considered rarities.

Since their introduction, a 10-30% increase in life has

been reported for Premium Plus DTH bits over their
predecessors, with up to 50% in some formations!
Add a 5% increase in penetration rate, and this range
represents the best DTH-bit concept on the market.

The design uses a tougher steel grade for improved fatigue

properties. Furthermore, the buttons have been positioned
for faster penetration, and protrude more, for improved
cuttings removal, less secondary crushing and easier bit
grinding. To reduce the risk of jamming in the hole, the
taper on the bit head is shorter, with a larger clearing.

The Premium Plus range offers bits for 4/5/6 inch hammers,
available in the following configurations:
Flat front HD, SpeedBit, Convex front with ballistic
buttons and Concave front.

Drilling in open pit mining 33

 Talking Technically
The Economic Case for
Routine Bit Grinding
Cutting Hole Costs
The button bit was originally
developed to do the job of an
insert bit, without the necessity
for frequent grinding. However, it
was soon found that the service
life of a button bit increased con-
siderably if the cemented carbide
buttons were ground.
Nowadays, it has become
extremely important to grind
button bits at proper intervals,
in order to extend the service life
of the rock drilling tool, maintain
penetration rates, and drill straight
holes.
In all rock excavation opera-
tions, the cost is usually ex­pressed
in cost per drilled metre (cost/dm),
in cost per cubic metre (cost/cu
m), or in cost per tonne.
The cost to produce a hole
depends on how fast it can be
drilled, and how many tools will
be consumed. The cost to produce
a cubic metre of rock is dependent
upon the cost of the hole, and the
cost of blasting. If the blasthole is
of poor quality, then more explo-
sives will be consumed in blasting
the rock. Unsharpened bits very
often give a poor quality hole with
deviation.
Grinding constitutes around
2% of the costs of the entire drill-
ing operation. To run the busi-
ness without grinding could
multiply this cost, with up to
100% added when production
losses are taken into account.
Labour and material are the high-
est costs, while the machine
investment cost is low when
­utilization is high, with a large
number of bits to be ground.
Grinding Methods
There are two different methods of
bit grinding to restore the buttons.
The preferred method uses a diamond
coated profiled wheel, and the other, a
grinding cup.
The profiled wheel provides a
smooth and efficient grinding oper­ation,
34 Drilling in open pit mining
which, throughout its life, maintains
the correct button shape and pro­trusion.
It features correct centring on all but­
tons, producing a high quality cement­
ed carbide surface, with no risk of
cemented carbide nipple. Long bit life,
and higher penetration rates, will result
from good grinding quality.
Disadvantages of using the grinding
cup are that it may produce an incorrect
button shape and protrusion. It is diffi­
cult to centre the grinding cup over the
gauge button, and there is also a risk
of producing a sharp cemented carbide
nipple on the button, and a possibility
of scratches due to the larger diamond
grain used. Reduced bit life will result
from poor grinding quality.
Several tests have been carried out
to find which method gives the best
bit performance. The grinding wheel
gives the correct shape to the button,
The Secoroc Grind Matic BQ2 grinding machine
regardless of the amount of wear on
can handle drill bits up to 127 mm in diameter.
the wheel, ensuring that the bit will
Diagram 1: Typical bit life grinding at different intervals.
Total bit life
drill metres
700
600
10 regrindings
per drill bit
500
400
300
200
Grinding interval
100 drill metres
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
 Talking Technically

break away and circulate in the hole,

causing secondary damage to the but­
tons.
When a bit doesn’t show any vis­
ible wear flat, it may be suffering from
micro cracks on the cemented carbide
surface. This is known colloquially
as snakeskin, and can be clearly seen
when using a magnifier. In this case,
the surface has to be ground away,
otherwise the micro cracks lead to
more severe damage on the buttons.
Likewise, buttons which protrude too
much must be ground down to avoid
damage (diagram 2).

Diagram 2: Risk of total loss when a bit is overdrilled.
achieve standard penetration rate
throughout its entire life. It has also
been shown that bit life is increased
considerably when grinding wheels
are used, rather than grinding cups.
Wheels also excavate steel around the
button, simplifying the grinding task,
and giving the bit a more exact profile.
There is always a sharp edge cre­
ated on the button, and this becomes
sharper the more the bit is overdrilled.
This sharp edge, especi­ally on ballistic
buttons, is very brittle. Once the edge
cracks, pieces of cemented carbide
Diagram 3: Penetration rate drops as the button profiles flatten.
Penetration Rate
When the right bit has been chosen
for the rock condition, it will provide
maximum penetration rate, along
with acceptable hole straightness. In
rock conditions like Swedish granite,
with a compressive strength of around
2,200 bar, the bit gets a wear flat after
just 10-20 drill metres, accompanied
by a small drop in penetration rate.
When it has a wear flat equivalent to
one-third of the button diameter, the
penetration will have dropped by 5%.
If the bit is used further until it has a
two-thirds wear flat, the penetration

Bit Life
With so many parameters involved, it
is difficult to estimate bit service life.
First, a proper grinding interval must
be established, preferably at the stage
when the button has a wear flat of one
third of the button diameter. When
the number of drilled metres to reach
this stage has been established, then
a calculation of bit life can be made,
by multiplying by the number of times
it can be reground. As a general rule,
a bit can be reground 10 times, but
smaller bits may achieve slightly less
than this figure, while larger bits may
achieve more. So, if the grinding inter­
val has been established as 60 drill
metres, then the average bit life will be
660 drill metres (diagram 1). If a bit is
overdrilled, and the wear flat is more
than half of the button diameter, there
is a tendency towards cracked buttons.

Drilling in open pit mining 35

 Talking Technically

9
Grind Matic HG is a water or air-
cooled handheld machine for grinding
8
cups. Both spherical and ballistic cups
7 are available. The machine is driven by
Labour cost
6 up to 7 bar compressed air, and is suit­
Grinding material cost able for a small grinding operation.
5
Machine cost Grind Matic Manual B is an air-
4 driven portable grinder using dia­
3 mond-coated grinding wheels for
2 spherical and ballistic buttons. The
Annual grinding volume – buttons. Figures machine is mounted in a box fitted
1
on the left side of the diagram show cost per with wheels and handles for easy set
0 button in SEK. up. It is mainly for threaded button
5 000

10 000

25 000

50 000

75 000

100 000

bits, but small down-the-hole bits can

Cost of grinding reduces dramatically with volume.
will have dropped more than 30%
(diagram 3).
When a bit has a heavy wear flat
it tends to deviate, and, by the time it
reaches the bottom of the hole, it will
have deviated far more than planned.
As a result, the blast will produce
coarse fragmentation, and much sec­
ondary blasting may be required.
In slope hole drilling, it is of utmost
importance that the holes are straight.
If the holes deviate, the slope walls will
be uneven, making rock reinforcement
more difficult than expected.
Rock formations with different
layers and joints are often character­
ized by heavy hole deviation, putting
extra stress on the remaining rock tools
in the drillstring. A sharp bit always
cuts better, and will prevent both devi­
ation, and its disadvantages.
Grinding Machines
Two parameters guide the selection of
the right grinding machine: the number
of bits to be ground; and whether the
machine should be portable or sta­
tionary. Several kinds of grinding
machines are available to satisfy these
parameters. In most cases, a simple
machine will suffice for a small opera­
tion, grinding only a few bits. The
semi-automatic machines are more
suitable for larger operations, such as
mines and construction sites, where
the machine can be stationary, and the
rocktools can be brought to it.
be ground in this machine. A steel
spring is mounted in the profile of the
grinding wheel, where it functions as
a centring device, allowing for easy
grinding.
Grind Matic Manual B-DTH is sim­
ilar to the Grind Matic Manual B. It is
mainly intended for down-the-hole
bits, but can also be used for threaded
bits with a special bit holder. As an
optional accessory, the machine can be
equipped with a belt grinder for gauge
grinding.
Grind Matic BQ2 is the latest semi-
automatic machine, with many fea­
tures such as auto-indexing device,
timer control, automatic feed, and
an automatic centring arm. These
features, coupled to an ergonomic
design, ensure high productivity, and
the machine is designed to handle
large volumes of threaded button bits.
Cooling water is recycled after the

Diamond grinding wheels. Grind Matic Manual B.

36 Drilling in open pit mining


Grind Matic Manual B-DTH.
waste product has been separated in
a container.
Grind Matic BQ2-DTH is the
latest grinding machine for mainly
Comparison of grinding wheel with grinding cup.
Drilling in open pit mining 37
Grind Matic BQ2-DTH.
down-the-hole and Coprod bits. It
can also be used for threaded bits
with a special bit holder. The machine
has the same features as Grind
Talking Technically
Matic BQ2, and can grind bits up to
7 in-diameter.
Grinding Advice
The Grind Matic machine’s secret
of success is that both the grinding
table and the diamond grinding wheel
rotate. The result is perfectly ground
button surfaces, regardless of whether
the buttons are spherical or ballistic.
In addition, the machine’s unique
diamond grinding wheel is designed to
ensure even wear on its grinding sur­
face, while still retaining its profile.
This, in turn, guarantees the button
shape throughout the life of the wheel.
Secoroc’s advice is to use Grind
Matic grinding machines, with profiled
diamond grinding wheels, for grinding
button bits. It is the only solution able
to consistently deliver perfectly shaped
buttons on customers’ bits.
Correct grinding is important for
every drilling operation, particularly
in these days of cost consciousness
and fierce competition. It can make a
world of difference to the bottom line.
by Bo Persson
 Talking Technically

Ergonomics and Safety

Drilling Efficiency
Efficient drilling is a function of
many individual aspects, both me-
chanical and human. While it is ne-
cessary to have a powerful and
easily-manoeuvrable drill rig, it is
also important to take good care
of the operator’s needs, and those
of the external environment. What
value is a machine that is too no-
isy, or cannot be operated in harsh
weather? Operator comfort and
safety has to be planned into the
modern drill rig at the drawing bo-
ard stage of design. To get maxi-
mum return on investment, the
owner needs to be sure that the
drill rig is designed to work in all
conditions, without the operator
getting unduly tired, and with mi-
nimum disturbance of the envi-
ronment in the neighbourhood of
the site. All Atlas Copco drill rigs
are designed with these parame-
ters in mind. In addition, a whole
array of options is available to con-
trol the inclination, alignment and
depth of drillholes, in order to get
the maximum rock breaking effect
from the minimum drilling effort,
reducing noise and dust, and sa-
ving time, money, and materials.

Operator’s Cabin
The interplay between man and ma-
chine starts in the operator’s cab, and
Atlas Copco has spent a great effort in
the development of a well conceived,
purpose-built cab. Even the smallest de-
tails have been considered to produce a
modern workstation, not only in terms
of mechanical function, but also paying
attention to the requirements of ergo-
nomics, safety and the environment.
The cabin offers a superb view of
the drillhole from the operator’s seat, fa-
cilitating accurate collaring and control
of the drilling operation. The angled, la-
minated glass windscreen is equipped
with a large wiper, as are the right hand
side and roof windows, and improved
air ventilation effectively clears conden-
sation mist from all of these windows.
A jumbo-sized rearview mirror gives
good visibility and safer rig moving. For
Perfect view from the operator’s cabin on ROC series drill rigs.
additional safety a back camera may be
installed. In addition, the spacious cab
gives good moveability and comfort
for the operator, with easy-to-read instru-
mentation that is simple to learn and
to use. A mechanized tube-permutation
system enables any damaged drill rods
to be identified from the operator’s cab.
The service hatches are easily accessed,
but are also lockable, as a good se-
curity precaution at isolated worksites.
The cabins are even equipped with a
12-volt outlet for mobile telephone.
Ergonomics and
Environment
The cabin is laid out so that the opera-
tor can monitor and control the entire
drilling process without changing body
position. This relieves neck, shoulders
and back from strain. The ergonomi-
cally-designed seat is vertically and late-
rally adjustable, with control levers and
control panel located in, or in close
proximity to, the collapsible arm rests.
The seat is slewable for easy entry into
the cab, and the door is fitted with a
safety stop that prevents crushed fin-
gers.
Good insulation affords a noise level
below 80 dB, and rubber-damping of
the cab mounting reduces vibration and
gives greater comfort during tramming.
The cabin has an efficient CFC-free air
conditioning system for both cooling and
heating, and many surfaces are textile
covered for greater comfort. The cab

38 Drilling in open pit mining


The HQS system uses a rotating laser beam to provide a reference plane for hole depth.
complies with the European and inter-
national safety demands for Roll-Over
Protective Structure (ROPS) and Falling
Object Protective Structure (FOPS).
With regards to the environment, ex-
haust emission values of all new Atlas
Copco drill rigs are in compliance with
latest international standard, as are the
noise values. There is efficient dust col-
lection and coarse separation, the feeds
are fitted with collectors for lubricating
oil, and biologically degradable hydra-
ulic oils are available as options.
Hole Alignment
Regulations governing rock blasting in
open-air excavations are found in co-
untries all over the world. Rock exca-
vation by drilling and blasting is a par-
ticular menace in quiet, urban areas, and
it is strictly governed with respect to
allowable levels of pressure shocks and
ground vibrations.
Productivity, and the need to control
ground vibrations, means that capable
and precise instruments are required to
guide the driller. Faults in blasthole di-
rection, hole deviations, and variations
in hole depths must be minimized, if
efficient production is to be obtained.
Instruments for angle setting and hole
depth control increase drilling accu-
racy and reduce human error.
There are various ways for a con-
tractor to comply with the blasting rules,
without increasing costs for rock exca-
vation. Several benefits can be obtained
from improved blasthole alignment and
Drilling in open pit mining 39
drill depth control. Improved accuracy
in the application of the drilling pat-
tern saves time, drillmetres, and explo-
sives. At the same time, less boulders
need to be broken, and less crushing of
oversize is required. All this means re-
duced operating cost, and money saved.
A modern hole alignment instrument
offers: more precise drilling with a re-
duction in cost/hole; automatic depth
control; better fragmentation; automatic
drill feed stop; flat benches after blast-
ing; and less overdrilling. By guaran-
teeing a perfect blast result, there is no
need for the contractor to return and
clean up rough surfaces, or condition
overbreak.
Much blasting inconvenience can be
reduced by special drilling patterns,
which distribute the explosive charges
evenly, and limit the level of ground
vibrations, so as not to harm property
Angle and hole depth screen display.
Talking Technically
in the vicinity. To achieve this, it is cru-
cial to collar the hole on the right spot,
maintain the correct alignment, and drill
to a pre-determined level.
Depth Control
The alignment instrument confirms the
hole angle, while a laser sensor moni-
tors drilling to the proper depth, regar-
dless of the surface conditions. All this
comes together for a successful blast,
breaking rock to a level floor, with mini-
mum ground vibration, and even frag-
mentation.
The angle setting instruments, used
with the aiming device, help set the
correct angle of inclined holes.
The angle and hole depth reader fun-
ction controls the length of a blast hole,
from the start of the hole on surface, to
the preset bottom elevation.
The instrument does not require any
assistance from the operator, and comes
with an automatic drill feed stop func-
tion for optimum drilling accuracy. The
instruments feature automatic compen-
sation, regardless of the drilling surface
ground conditions.
A beacon, mounted on a tripod, gene-
rates a horizontal reference plane across
the worksite by a rotating laser beam.
A sensor, fitted to the rock drill cradle,
reacts to the signal generated by the ro-
tating laser beam. The HQS 12 instru-
ment provides a reference plane for all
holes, automatically adjusting hole depth
to match the plan, with an accuracy
within 5 cm.
Blasting creates a bottom elevation
with an optimum flat surface.
 Talking Technically
Dust collection arrangement on ROC F7.
Easier Drilling
Atlas Copco ROC crawlers are desig-
ned for stable and accurate positioning
of the drill holes, featuring a rugged car-
rier, with a flexible boom system moun-
ting a rigid feed beam with double drill
steel supports for the drill rod.
Hydraulic drillsteel supports are used
for safe and easy jointing and break-
out of the drillstring. Fitting a double
drillsteel support allows the operator to
raise the sliding support for better vis-
ibility of the collaring surface, and for
simplified evacuation of water from the
drillholes. This also results in easier
disconnection of the drillbit where the
surface rock is broken up. The double
drillsteel support also contributes signi-
ficantly to the straightness of the drill-
hole, by guiding the drillsteel at the
critical collaring stage, and throughout
the drilling of the hole.
Inclination instruments provide the
opportunity of achieving rapid and ac-
curate alignment in the drilling direc-
tion and hole inclination. The devices
are mounted on the feed beam of the
drilling unit, and can be read from
the driller’s position next to the feed
beam, or from the rig cabin. The least
deviation from the desired hole incli-
nation is clearly illustrated on the dials
40 Drilling in open pit mining
of the instrument. Hole depth and dril-
ling angle are also easy to set and adjust.
Atlas Copco has a very fast and well
proven rod handling system that saves
on operator time. The system also re-
lieves the operator of heavy lifting work,
helping maintain high productivity. It
is well-proven, and is standard on craw-
ler rigs fitted with an operator’s cab.
A winch set simplifies driving, and
secures the set up, in steep terrain where
wet clay, snow or ice may create a risk
of slipping. The winch set includes a
swing arm with winch and traction con-
trols.
Improved cabin layout.
Dust Control
The DCT range of dust collectors cre-
ates a dust-free working environment,
for the benefit of both personnel and
equipment on site. Some 80% of all
the drilling dust is initially separated
in a coarse strainer, and the remainder,
including highly injurious particles less
than 5 micron in size, is effectively se-
parated in the filter unit.
DCT dust collectors operate contin-
uously and automatically. Most versions
commence dust separation as soon as
the flushing air control for the rock drill
is opened, and filter cleansing occurs
automatically when the control is clo-
sed.
The drill dust and cuttings empty
straight into a plastic sack, or alterna-
tively through a rubber dust collector.
Dust collectors ensure dust-free work-
sites, are efficient and reliable, and boost
flushing capacity. They can be air-
powered or hydraulic operated, and re-
sult in improved productivity.
When drilling with larger bits, or
when drilling in formations carrying
water, the cyclone-type precleaner ex-
tends the use of the dust collector, and
the service life of its filter system.
A water mist system is available to
provide a better working environment.
Water is injected into the airflow to sta-
bilize the hole and bind the dust on the
ground.
by Lennart Lundin
 TALKING TECHNICALLY

Rotary Club Expands with

Thiessen
Part of Secoroc
Atlas Copco recently finaliezed the
aquuisition of Canadian drilling
consumables manufactures Thies-
sen Team. The company has be-
come part of the Secoroc division
and will operate under the Atlas
Copco brand.

High Quality Products

Drill string components, including the
drill string itself, are manufactured
by Thiessen. The acquisition means
that Atlas Copco is now able to offer
a complete range of surface rotary
drilling equipment from drill rig to
Tricone bit.
For more than 50 years, Thiessen Team
Rotary Drilling Products has success-
fully serviced its global customer base
with innovative, high quality products
and dedicated service. Their prod-
uct range includes sub-adaptors, drill
strings, breakout wrenches, roller sta-
bilizers and deck bushings.
The acquisition of Thiessen includes
the company’s global manufacturing
and refurbishment facilities with cen-
tres in Canada, Australia, South Africa
and Chile.
Perfect partners: a Thiessen EZ-Drill Roller
Stabilizer and a Secoroc Tri-cone bit.
“We are delighted to welcome Thiessen.” Graeme
McKenzie, Product Line Manager – Secoroc
Rotary Drilling Products. “We are very happy to include the
well-known Thiessen products in
our range,” says Graeme McKenzie,
Product Line Manager of Secoroc
Rotary Drilling Products. “The prod- Rugged, repairable and with a replaceable inner
ucts fit very well with our own Tricone sleeve: Thiessen’s Centeroll rotary deck bushing.
bits and have the same high quality.”
On the significance of the acquisi- consumables. It will also help us to
tion to Atlas Copco’s Construction increase our customer share with key
and Mining Technique division, Bjorn customers.”
Rosengren, Business Area President
commented: “It will allow us to further Acknowledgements
develop our rotary drilling consuma-
bles market for surface mining and This article first appeared in Mining &
strengthen our position in raise boring Construction No 2, 2006. ■

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 41

 Talking Technically
In Search of the Right Balance
Exploration Drilling
Chips or cores? That’s the question
often faced by geologists and con-
tractors in deciding which method
of exploration drilling will get the
most effective and economical re-
sults. These days, the answer is
quite likely to be: “a combination
of the two”.
Selecting Method
Since man first started searching for
minerals and precious metals, three
key factors have consistently proved
decisive for success: time, cost and
confidence. In other words, the time
required, the cost of getting the job
done, and confidence in the quality of
the samples brought to the surface for
analysis.
  This is more a question of basic tech-
nology and logic than one of science.
But it is interesting to see these three
factors expressed as a mathematical
formula: confidence over time multip-
lied by cost, equals profit. With profit,
as always, as the driving force.
  Conventional core drilling – the tech-
nique which produces cores of sub-
surface material – is the most com-
monly used method of obtaining infor-
mation about the presence of minerals
or precious metals as well as rock for-
By Jan Jönsson, Product Manager, Atlas Copco
Craelius.
42 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Chips from RC drilling can be an alternative to conventional cores.
confidence
= profit
time x cost
mations. However, reverse circulation
drilling (RC) – which produces sam-
ples as chips – is gaining ground.
  The reason is easy to see. RC drill-
ing is a faster and more economical
way of “pre-collaring” in order to get
down to where the orebody is located.
Once there, the driller can then decide
whether to continue with RC drill-
ing to extract chips for evaluation or
whether to switch to a diamond core
drilling rig to extract cores. In this
way, RC drilling becomes the perfect
complement to conventional core drill-
ing (see fig 1).
  Selecting which method to use for
actual sampling work depends largely
on the preference of the geologist.
But it also depends on the confidence
that he or she places in the quality of
the samples. Today, RC drilling has
become so advanced that more and
more geologists believe that chips
are perfectly sufficient as a means of
determining ore content. The commer-
cialization of RC drilling started in the
1980s but the technique has certainly
been around for much longer.
Early birds
As early as in 1887, Atlas Copco Crae-
lius had developed a rig that could
“take” cores at depths of 125 metres.
Confidence in these samples among
geologists was also at its highest pos-
sible level. They were able to evalu-
ate a piece of solid rock. Time was not
necessarily of any great importance
and consequently neither was cost.
Manpower was inexpensive and readi-
ly available.
  However, the demand for such prod-
ucts quickly increased and availability
had to keep pace. This is very much
the case today with sharp market fluc-
tuations and so technology innovators
have to find ways to optimize profit in
all situations.
The time factor
Hammer drilling with down-the-hole
hammers was invented in 1936. It be-
came popular during the 1970s main-
ly for water well drilling applications.
But it was soon clear that the method
was also very useful for prospecting.
The cuttings were already there at the
top of the borehole and therefore it
was possible to make an initial evalu-
ation on the spot.

  Hammer drilling offers a consider-
ably higher drilling speed compared to
core drilling. To use this method and
further develop it to increase the per-
formance became an obvious task for
R&D people. The higher air pressure
and high availability of the hammer
are two factors that make it possible
for technicians to speed up the “jour-
ney” down the hole.
  Another factor is the durability of
the bit inserts. The more metres drilled
with the same bit without having to
take up the drillstring, the more effec-
tive the time on the hammer.
  Another factor, and perhaps the
most important of all, is the logistics
surrounding the drilling programme.
The availability of parts, fuel, casing,
water, consumables etc., has a direct
influence on the number of metres
drilled per shift.
  Significant time savings can be
achieved by using RC and core drill-
ing in a balanced combination (see fig
2). Here we can see that one RC rig
can be used to drill enough pre-collars
to keep three core drilling rigs running
24-hours a day. The time factors show
obvious time benefits using a combi-
nation of the two methods. In this sce-
nario, a minimum of 25 per cent of the
total metres drilled were specified as
core drilling.
The cost factor
The cost perspective does not have any
negative surprises in store as the costs
are mostly related to the time factor.
The investment in RC rigs and equip-
ment is higher compared to those of
core drilling. But as we can see from
the table in fig 3, the costs are reduced
when a combination of the two meth-
ods is used.
  In this example, we can see that
time as well as costs are in favour of
RC drilling. The figures are obvious
and easy to evaluate and vary depend-
ing on the location and the local con-
ditions. But the relativity remains the
same and is strongly reflected in the
development of the exploration drill-
ing process.
  So, how can we further shorten
time and cost in the future? Immediate
results from on-site evaluation is one
Drilling in Open Pit Mining 43
Talking Technically
IV II III I
Fast and
econo-
mical RC
drilling
without
taking
samples.
Pre-
collaring
Mineralized zone: Chip
samples from RC and / or
cores for evaluation.
Figure 1. Based on geological data from the boreholes I and II, substantial savings can
be obtained when drilling boreholes III and IV.
Total drilling programme 80 holes, 400 m deep. Total 32,000 m of drilling (fig 2).
Scenario 1
100% core drilling 70m core / 24 hours with 1 core drilling rig
457 days
Scenario 2
50% RC (pre-collars only), 50% core drilling 70m core / 24 hours with 1 core drilling rig
301 days
Scenario 3
75% RC (pre-collars & full holes), 25% core drilling 70m core / 24 hours with 1 core drilling rig
223 days
In case three core drilling rigs would have been available in scenario 1, expected time is
152 days compared with 457 days.
In case three core drilling rigs would have been available in scenario 2, expected time is
149 days compared with 301 days.
A rough conclusion gives that the RC rig is somewhat faster than 3 core drilling rigs together.
way and a scanning process is already Cost ratios (fig 3).
available although probably not yet
adaptable to local site conditions. But 457 days 2,580,000 USD
301 days 1,740,000 USD
do we need to drill at all in order to
223 days 1,320,000 USD
get sufficient information about the
orebodies beneath us? It is the manu- Approx. cost of RC drilling – 30 USD / meter
facturer’s challenge to develop equip- Approx. cost of core drilling – 80 USD / meter
ment and technologies with no limits,
but with the least amount of environ-
mental impact. vestors as well as geologists place strict
demands on contractors to deliver high
The confidence factor quality information about the geologi-
cal formation to be explored.
Meanwhile, we have a third variable in   Investors want the highest possib-
our equation – the confidence factor. In- le return on their investments in the
 Talking Technically
% Figure 4. Ratios between core
100
80
60
40
20
0
canada latin Russia
america china
shortest possible time. For example,
whenever a gold nugget has been
found, others may take over to conduct
the drilling and blasting operations. As
these are not the same people, the reli-
ability of information plays a critical
role.
  Below, a few reasons why geolo-
gists should choose their drilling
method carefully:
●  If there is no need for continuous
information about the geological for-
mation on the way down, there is no
need for samples. It is just a matter of
minimizing the drilling time. The geo-
metry of the orebody is already known
and just a reconfirmation of the bound-
aries is necessary. In this case, RC
drilling is an efficient method to use.
●  A first scanning of virgin territory
is being done where the goal is just to
obtain a preliminary indication of pos-
sible content. In this case, the geolo-
gist is not relying on any mineralized
structure or geometry. With an evalua-
tion giving positive results, a program-
me of core drilling is the logical way
to continue in order to bring the pro-
ject to a resource / reserve status.
●  If the mineralized structure is identi-
fied but the geometry and rate of con-
tent varies, RC drilling is used as an
indicator for ensuring continued grade
control.
●  The geologist wants dry and rep-
resentative samples in order to make
optimal evaluations. RC drilling below
the groundwater table was previously
believed to undermine sample quality.
Core drilling therefore remained the
only viable method for these depths.
Today, the availability of high pressure
compressors and hammer tools makes
it possible for RC drilling to reduce
costs even for these depths.
  These days, professional contractors
44 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Rc drilling
core drilling
australia Se asia USa
deliver dry sampling down to depths
of 500 m. By sealing off the bit from
the rest of the hole it can be kept dry.
A correct selection of shroud vs bit
tolerance maintains a pressurized zone
around the bit. Boosted air pressure is
needed to meet the higher water pres-
sure on its way down the hole. In addi-
tion, a dry bit drills faster.
●  It must be remembered that infor-
mation from a core is crucial in esti-
mating the period of mineralized
structures. The core helps the geologist
to calculate the cost of extracting the
mineral from the ore. Large volumes
of rock have to be excavated to obtain
just a few grammes of a valuable min-
eral.
●  Cores also yield geotechnical data.
Data about slope stability can be of the
highest importance.
●  Ground conditions are naturally also
of great importance and may produce
Principles for RC drilling showing flow of
compressed air and chips. The sampling
collection box is integrated into the cyclone.
and RC drilling. The figures reflect
total exploration expenditures
from national statistics for
surface and underground.
africa
questionable samples if some of the
information from fissured zones is left
behind in the hole and not collected. In
such circumstances, core drilling could
be the only alternative.
RC on the increase
RC drilling is increasing. Judging by
its growth rate in recent years it may
well account for 55 per cent of all the
metres drilled in 2008.
  Figure 4 above shows some estimat-
ed ratios between core and RC drilling
in different parts of the world in 2002.
In total, RC accounts for 50 per cent
and core drilling for 50 per cent of
metres drilled.
  Tradition and the environmental
impact play a large role. RC rigs are
heavy, assembled on trucks or track
carriers. This fact tends to favour core
drilling rigs which are lighter and even
adaptable in order to be flown into
remote and sensitive environments.
  In areas with extremely cold clima-
tes and where permafrost is present,
RC drilling may have its limitations.
Antifreeze rock drill oil help to keep
the hammer and bottom of the hole
free from ice. Other, purely practical
issues determine the choice of one or
the other drilling method.
  An intelligent, balanced choice bet-
ween the two methods is the key to
optimal results.
  Here, the geologist plays an extre-
mely important role in finding this
balance and so do manufacturers such
as Atlas Copco which will continue to
provide the right tools for the job.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction No 3, 2005. ■
 Talking Technically

Protection by ROC CARE

Scheduled Service
Nowadays, drill rigs are considered
to be a major capital investment,
and their owners, whether one-
man contracting businesses or lar-
ge corporations, have to be satis-
fied that their investment is be-
ing correctly serviced. In this way,
they can get the best possible re-
turn on investment by maximizing
availability, while preserving long-
term value. This is where ROC
CARE, the new value-for-money
service package for Atlas Copco
surface drillrigs, comes into play.

Key Ingredients
ROC CARE scheduled service ensures
consistent drill rig performance, hour
after hour, day in, day out. Supported
by inspection protocols with recom-
mended actions, and extended warran-
ty to protect against the risk of extra
costs if a major component fails, the
customer is given the required service
at the recommended intervals over the
full duration of the agreement, for which
he is invoiced at the agreed low month-
ly amount.
This translates into scheduled serv-
ice without financial penalty, encour-
aging both parties to concentrate on
preventive maintenance rather than risk
costly breakdown.
ROC CARE is tailor-made for the qu-
arry and construction business, protec-
ting all that is essential to the drilling
operation. It guarantees regular inspec-
tions and service, giving security and
peace-of-mind for at least 5,000 en-
gine hours of drilling. By focusing on
Replacing air filters at the scheduled interval improves efficiency.
breakdown prevention, rather than un-
planned repair, it helps keep operating
costs to a minimum. maintenance schedule. ROC CARE co- future problems. Indeed, at each serv-
vers all parts needed for scheduled main- ice occasion, the engineer hands the
Scheduled Service tenance, including oil filters, air filters customer a detailed rig inspection pro-
and fuel filters. The service is carried tocol, reporting the rig condition and
Scheduled inspection and maintenance out by fully-trained and professional identifying any corrective measures.
is a key element of ROC CARE, with Atlas Copco engineers, who know every These can then be carried out at the
the drill rig being serviced according to part of the equipment, and can submit next scheduled service, or at a time
each original equipment manufacturer’s recommendations to prevent potential chosen for least disruption to production.

Drilling in open pit mining 45

 Talking Technically
ProCom knows when drill rigs next need service, allowing efficient forward planning.
Such measures minimize breakdowns
and contribute to savings in overall cost
of ownership.
The general extended warranty that
accompanies every ROC CARE agree-
ment provides protection against the
breakdown of key components, such as
the diesel motor, compressor, hydraulic
pumps, feed motor, traction motor and
ProCom monitors rig status around the world.
46 Drilling in open pit mining
traction gears. In addition, all fabrica-
ted major mechanical components such
as the wagon frame, track frames, boom
support, booms, boom head and feed
holder are included.
ProCom
ProCom, included in ROC CARE, knows
when each drill rig next needs service.
It is a global, satellite-based system that
monitors rig status, facilitating remote
viewing of engine hours, impact hours,
and time-to-service. On certain models
such as ROC RRC, HEC 3, and Smart-
Rigs ROC D7, ROC D9 and ROC F9,
ProCom also transmits details of dril-
led metres. The system works world-
wide, monitoring rigs wherever they are
located. By knowing exactly when each
rig next needs attention, Atlas Copco
can schedule service with minimum dis-
ruption to drilling.
Because every effort is made to plan
ProCom inspection and service visits
to cause as little drilling downtime as
possible, Atlas Copco service engineers
are conscious of a happier reception
at site. In turn, they no longer have to
plan their working lives around emer-
gency breakdown callouts, resulting in
a decrease in stress for both customer
and engineer, and more satisfaction all
round.
by Göran Nilsson
 morenci copper mine, USA

A Viper for the Copper King

Drilling 50-ft Benches
The vast Phelps Dodge Morenci cop-
per mine in Arizona, USA, is the larg-
est of its kind in North America, pro-
ducing more than 240 million tons of
blasted material per year including 31
million tons of ore. Contributing to
the mine’s productivity is a Pit Viper
rotary blasthole drill rig which has
drilled more than 2.2 million feet in
the past four years.

Ten Thousand Holes per Year

The Morenci mine in the south eastern part
of Arizona started its life in the late 1800s
underground. Today, it is a major open pit
operation and the largest copper mine in
North America.
  It is a massive operation covering an
area of 3,055 acres, which will increase to
4,683 acres in 2006. A total of 4.37 mil-
lion feet of blast hole drilling is carried
out annually including 570,000 feet in ore
– the ideal proving ground for the rotary
rig Pit Viper 351.
  Weighing 375,000 pounds, measuring 53
feet long and equipped with seven on-
board computers, the Pit Viper 351 was the
largest and most advanced rig of its kind
on the market when it was introduced at
the MINExpo show in Las Vegas in 2000.
  After the fair, Morenci took the pro-
totype and put it to work in a fleet of 16
rigs from a variety of other manufacturers. electric, which, due to their power cables,
Today, four years down the line, it is still makes them difficult to move from bench The tri-cone, tungsten carbide bit:
performing to expectation. to bench. The PV 351, however, with its Supplied to the Morenci worksite by
  Since April 2001, the rig has been in Cummins 45-litre diesel engine (1500 hp Baker Hughes Mining Tools, now Atlas
production full time and operates on a cost- at 1800 rpm) moves easily and frequently Copco Secoroc.
per-foot basis. By August 2004, it had drill- between the benches. Also contributing
ed 2.2 million feet and is currently averag- to the rig’s productivity is the hydraulic
ing about 60,000 feet per month, although design that uses one gearbox and five
in some months it has drilled more than pumps for the complete unit as well as the
80,000 feet. cable-feed system and positive lubrication
  In fact, the rig has been so productive oil pump for the air compressor.
that the unit number “20R” has had to be
changed towards the end of each year Dependability Essential
because the rig drills more than 10,000
holes per year and the mine’s automated,   The mine operates 12-hour shifts, 24
annual hole-numbering system stops at hours per day, seven days per week so rig
9,999. dependability is essential. Not only is the
  Most of the production rigs at the site are PV 351 powerful and dependable, it is also

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 47

 A VIPER FOR THE COPPeR KING
“We are thrilled with what we have
accomplished for Morenci.” Brian Fox,
VP Marketing, Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions.
Conversion factors
1 acre = 4047 m2
1 ft = 0.305 m
1 hp = 735.5 W
1 pound (lb) = 0.4536 kg
1 US gallon = 3.785 litres
48 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
sophisticated. The seven on-board comput-
ers operate via a controller-area network
(CAN) to handle all of the inputs and out-
puts. It features production monitoring, rock
recognition and GPS systems, which are
designed to allow for easy technology up-
grades.
  A GPS navigation system enables the
drill pattern to be transmitted to the rig via
a radio network. The hole location is shown
on a touch-screen display and guides the
operator in positioning the drill to within
three centimetres of its target. This also
eliminates the need to manually stake holes
and survey the “as drilled” location. But
more importantly, it ensures that the hole
is drilled where it was designed to be, in
order to optimize fragmentation.
  When drilling on Morenci’s 50-ft bench-
es, typical holes are 12 inches in diame-
ter and 57 feet deep. They are drilled in a
28-ft square pattern. Although the rock is
igneous, it only takes 17 minutes to drill
a hole, of which 13 minutes is actual drill-
ing. Generally, 90,000 pounds of weight
is placed on the bit. Thanks to the 350 hp
rotary head, rotation does not stall, even
with the heavy load. Fuel consumption is
0.174 gal/ft.
  Baker Hughes Mining Tools, one of Mo-
renci’s drill bit suppliers, has developed a
tungsten-carbide tri-cone bit to handle the
power of the PV 351. This HD53CA bit has
an average life of 9,500 feet and this con-
Total control in the pit : A GPS navigation system
tributes to the Pit Viper’s low total drilling
enables the drill pattern to be transmitted to the rig via
cost – the lowest in the Morenci fleet.
a radio network.
  Brian Fox, Vice President, Marketing for
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions (formerly
Ingersoll Rand Drilling Solutions) says:
“We are thrilled with what we’ve accom- FACTFILE
plished at Morenci with the Pit Viper 351.
To go from being an outsider at a major The Morenci mining district, located in
mine to being a valuable part of their pro- southeastern Arizona, is part of a forma-
duction speaks well of the product design tion that extends from western Arizona
and of the capabilities of our Arizona-based to south western New Mexico and south
support team, which keeps the rig available to Mexico. Mineralisation is hosted
90 per cent of the time.” primarily in igneous rocks. It is 85%
owned by Phelps Dodge, whose share
of the output accounts for one-third of
Acknowledgements its annual copper production of 1 mil-
This article first appeared in Mining & lion tons.
Construction, No 3, 2004. ■   The operation consists of three pits:
Metcalf (43 benches down, 230,000 tpd)
Coronado (21 benches down, 370,000
tpd) and Western Copper (6 benches
down, 50,000 tpd). At more than 2,100
feet, Metcalf is the deepest.

Best Practice at Bingham Canyon
Copper Giant Shine
By focusing on the total effect on
productivity, rather than on the tech-
nical performance of individual prod-
ucts, the world’s second largest open
pit copper mine is getting impressive
results.
Total Approach
All mining companies in the Rio Tinto
group met in Australia last year to discuss
“Improving Performance Together.” The
aim was to identify the areas of mining ex-
cellence and best practice at individual
sites that could be adopted globally.
  Among several shining examples was
the Bingham Canyon Mine near Salt Lake
City in Utah, USA.
  Bingham Canyon, owned by Kennecott
Utah Copper, knows a thing or two about
rock excavation. Over the years, it has mo-
ved more than 6 billion tons of rock and
earth to produce 17 million tons of copper –
more than any other mine in history. It has
also grown to become the second largest
open pit on earth, after Chuquicamata in
Chile.
  But it is not size that has kept the mine
on top. It is its management approach
– a continuous focus on total productivity
improvement characterized by close co-
operation with sub-suppliers.
  Mine Superintendent Ted Himebaugh
explains: “The key element in evaluating
something is ‘greatest value in use.’ We
look at feet drilled per dollar spent. How
much did we get out of what we bought?
At this site, performance goes before bit
life, and service goes beyond making the
customer happy to making the most out of
the product.”
  Himebaugh adds that the concept of de-
manding continuous improvement from a
supplier also goes beyond price.
  One of the suppliers that consistently
meets these standards is Atlas Copco, now
into its second three-year contract supply-
ing blasthole tricone drill bits and services.
  The mine uses eight drill rigs equipped
with any one of six different Secoroc tri-
cone bits. Two sizes are used, 10 5/8” (trim
Drilling in Open Pit Mining 49
BINGHAM CANYON MINE, USA
blast, wall control) and 12 1/4” (produc-
tion), each in three different formation ty-
pes, 50s, 60s, and 70s. The 50-60-70 series
denotes different hardness of the bits to suit
different formations.
  And continuous improvement is the
yardstick against which nearly everything
is measured.
  Bruce Jones, Pit Superintendent says:
“Every contract we do these days, from a
major piece of equipment to consumables,
has a continuous improvement compo-
nent. We provide technical specifications
that have to be met, but we also have high
expectations of what service and quality
should be.”
  There are 17 different rock types at the
site. Dan Benfield, Operations Engineer
explains: “Our geological scope is so
varied. It used to be the old Bonneville sea-
bed and, if you look at it, it’s all curved and The new medium formation tricone
bent and twisted. So you could be going bit: Designed to stay sharp longer.
through great material for the first 20 feet
of the hole, hit harder-than-heck material
the next 20 feet, and then be back in really
nice material again.
  “Usually you get a couple of holes of
good, and a couple holes of tougher mate-
rial, and the white limestone is obviously
the worst. You can literally punch a hole
and get a penetration rate of 200 feet per
hour.
 BEST PRACTICE AT BINGHAM CANYON
Highly personal service: Jim Wheeler,
Atlas Copco Area Manager.
Ted Himebaugh, Mine Superintendent:
“Greatest value in use.”
Keeping the dull bits for future
improvement: Altas Copco inspects and
evaluates them prior to disposal.
50 Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Valuable Resource
Personal service is highly regarded at the
mine and Jim Wheeler, Senior Area Mana-
ger of Atlas Copco, has been closely asso-
ciated with the mine for more than 12
years. “Jim has great historical knowledge
of our mining,” says Benfield. “He remem-
bers being in this white limestone before
and can pull up the data and show what we
did last time. That is just invaluable, as he
has data that helps us decide which type of
bit we should be using.”
  This high service level includes both
recommending suitable bits from the exten-
sive Atlas Copco Secoroc range as well as
the development of new bits for specific
tasks.
  Atlas Copco also keeps the mine supp-
lied with bits when the need unexpectedly
surges. “When we hit this commercial lime-
stone it was much harder than we anticipat-
ed,” Benfield recalls. “We went through a
lot of bits, and Jim did everything to ensure
procurement and non-stoppage of work up
here – including getting bits from the Atlas
Copco warehouse, through the factory and
flying in bits from overseas.”
Inspecting the bits: Bob Endter, Sales Manager for
Tricone Bits, Atlas Copco USA.
  And production is substantial: Approxi-
mately 250,000 feet (76,200 m) are drilled
every month, generating 14 million tons of
material that’s loaded and hauled. This is
a combination of overburden and ore, the
latter a low grade copper with significant
quantities of gold, molydemum and silver
gained as byproducts.
  Improvements to date include the intro-
duction of the MAG53C bit which has re-
sulted in 25 per cent improvement in bit
life, increased penetration rate and much
lower total cost-per-foot drilled.
  The mine is also testing a new Secoroc
design concept – a medium formation bit
with technically advanced carbide grades.
This bit is designed to improve penetration
rate by keeping the cutting structure sharp
longer to maintain its original profile and
reduce the rounding of gauge inserts.
  “Bit performance tests are a good examp-
le of customer support,” says Mike Wickers-
ham, Superintendent, Production Support.
“We recently did pull down tests to see
what the design of the bit could handle
and Atlas Copco was involved in that.
We’ve tested many different bits and the
relationship has endured all those trials.
Jim always works hard giving us what we
want, when we want it.”
  Concludes Dan Benfield: “All manufac-
turers should be trying to improve their
product’s productivity. What I care most
about is that Atlas Copco is putting time
into developing new bits to increase our
productivity. That’s real continuous impro-
vement.”
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction, No 2, 2005. ■
 BETZE-POST GOLD MINE, USA

Rotary and DTH Work

Side by Side
Steeper Slopes
Reducing the amount of waste in
open pit mining is the key to good pit
economy. The combination of high-
performance rotary drilling rigs and
Atlas Copco smallhole rigs has led to
new cost savings and production effi-
ciency. The Betze-Post gold mine in
Nevada is a typical case.
output to some 20 million ounces. Mineral
reserves at year-end were reported to be
15.7 million ounces.
  On average, the mine moves up to
430,000 tons (390,000 tonnes) of waste
and ore daily, making the strip ratio – the
tonnage of waste in relation to the tonnage
of ore – 10:1.
The 270SP, the prototype of PV-271
Pit Viper, launched at MINExpo 2004
in Las Vegas. Fitted with onboard drill
monitoring and GPS locator system, it
was up and running within minutes at
the Betze-Post pit.

Precise Drilling and Blasting

A critical factor in a mine’s economic feasi-
bility is the grade of the ore. For hard rock
open pit mines, the amount of waste that
has to be removed by drilling and blasting,
loading and truck haulage in relation to the
extracted ore is also a major factor in opera-
ting costs.
  For gold mine operators, hauling a large
tonnage of waste is a necessary evil as the
low grade of the ore means that the cost
per ounce of gold for haulage to the con-
centrator is high to start off with. To max-
imise profitability, it is essential to keep the
amount of waste to be blasted and removed
to a minimum.
  Keeping the high wall as steep as pos-
sible reduces the amount of waste to be
removed, thus reducing operating costs
(see diagram, next page). However, keep-
ing the rock face stable as well as steep
requires precise and careful drilling and
blasting.
  For this reason, the Betze-Post gold mine
in Nevada has recently added an Atlas
Copco down-the-hole drill rig to its fleet
of Ingersoll-Rand rotary DTH production
units. Here, the combined fleet must work
through about 4.6 million feet (1.4 million
drillmetres) per year.

Steep and Stable

The pit is Barrick Gold Corporation’s first
operation on the Goldstrike property and mi-
nes various ore types. In 2003, Betze-Post
produced 1.6 million ounces of gold at a
cost of USD 232/ounce, taking cumulative

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 51

 rotary and dth work side by side

  The ROC L6H has been brought in to
drill smaller hole sizes than the previously
assembled fleet, and these smaller holes are
for pre-split drilling to keep the high wall
as steep as possible with a clean break.
  A four-row trim is used for the high
wall: three parallel lines of buffers accom-
pany the one row of pre-splits. And the
ROC L6H is drilling 4-inch holes on a 5-ft
spacing using a Secoroc COP 44 hammer
and Secoroc concave Speedbits. Moving
from a completed hole through set-up to
the start of drilling at the next hole takes
22 seconds.
  Mine Superintendent Roy McKinstry
says that the majority of drillers who are
experienced with the Ingersoll-Rand rigs
learned to use the ROC L6H quickly, most
of them taking about an hour to familiarise
themselves with the controls.
A New Addition
Another recent addition at the Betze-Post
open pit is a single-pass drill rig – the
270SP, the prototype of IR’s PV-271 Pit
Viper also exhibited at MINExpo 2004 in
Las Vegas.
  In 1994, the mine already wanted to
switch to light-weight and single-pass
capable rigs that would be more powerful
and up-to-date. But at that time, neither
Ingersoll-Rand nor any other supplier was
able to offer such a rig. With the intro-
duction of the Pit Viper in 2000 and sub-
sequent rises in gold prices, the mine and
manufacturers were able to work together
on a suitable solution.
  In April this year, the 270SP went to
work in the open pit, adding to the existing
fleet of five IR DM-M2 double-pass units
and two DM45/HP drill rigs.
  McKinstry explains that the DM-M2
rigs normally work on 40-ft high benches,
drilling 9-inch holes in patterns of 24 x 24
ft or 32 x 32 ft, and the DM 45 units on 20-
ft high benches, drilling 8-inch holes in 16
x 16 ft or 18 x 18 ft patterns.
  The rigs typically operate in rotary mode
but occasionally with Ingersoll-Rand DTH
drills, bits and pipes. The penetration rate
is 86–140 feet/hour, says McKinstry, but
can be as high as 500 feet/hour or as low
as 20 feet/hour, depending on rock hard-
ness, which is highly variable.
  According to Drill Foreman Jim Owen,
when the 270SP was delivered to the mine
in three sections, it was reassembled and
then taken down into the pit where it was
driven off the trailer and started drilling
within minutes. The 270SP has been rap-
idly and thoroughly evaluated by the mine
and by Drilling Solutions ahead of series
production.
  The mine’s goal is to improve precision
and reduce costs by drilling longer holes.
Where the standard 40-foot high benches
are being mined, the rig will drill 44-foot
holes. For this application, the 270SP is
set up for high bailing velocity rather than
high pressure and equipped with a GPS/
VDU positioning system.
  Says McKinstry: “The 270SP has per-
formed excellently, consistently drilling up
to sixty 44-foot holes, almost 2,700 feet in
a single shift – and that’s without pushing
it anywhere near its limits.”
Impressive Performance
The first IR rotary blasthole drill went into
service at Goldstrike in 1988. Since then,
a total of 17 IR rigs have been in service,
accumulating more than 800,000 hours of

Benches using pre- Benches STEEPER SLOPES MEAN BETTER ECONOMY

splitting and DTH using tra- Pre-split DTH drilling using ROC L6/L8 creates higher
drilling ditional
method and narrower benches. This contributes to steeper pit
Waste excess slope and less waste rock to be extracted. The advantage
of this is a low waste-to-ore ratio, which means higher pro-
ductivity and better overall pit economy. The method has been
ROC L6/L8
successfully used at the Chuquicamata mine in Chile and is now
being adopted in the gold mines of Nevada, USA.

For more information, see M&C 1/2002, Technically Speaking.

This article is also available on the Internet at:
www.miningandconstruction.com

52 Drilling in Open Pit Mining

 rotary and dth work side by side

operation. Excluding the new 270SP, the

other 16 rigs have operated over 50,000
hours on average. Several of the DM-M2s
still in operation are at more than 65,000
hours each.
  Hours pile up quickly at Goldstrike as
evidenced by the new 270SP, which
clocked more than 1,200 hours in just over
two months of operation. The mechani-
cal availability of this unit, less preventive
maintenance, is 99.3 per cent.
  Brian Fox, VP Marketing for Rotary
Blasthole Drills at Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions, says: “We are fortunate to have
a great relationship with Goldstrike. We
are happy they patiently waited for the pro-
totype to be developed, especially since
they had so much input to its design. It is
a world-class operation as evidenced by
what they get out of their rigs.”
  All of the IR rigs at Goldstrike were sup-
plied and are supported by Cate Equipment
Company, one of Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions’ largest dealers covering Nevada,
Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. ■

Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining & Best in test: The ROC L6H proved to be the most effective rig for pre-split drilling to keep the wall as
Construction, No 2, 2004. ■ steep as possible.

One of five IR DM-M2 double-pass drill rigs at the The 40-foot high benches at the Betze-Post open pit mine in Nevada, USA, where small-hole drill rigs
Betze-Post gold mine. and rotary units now work side by side.

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 53

 LOS FILOS, MEXICO
The Golden Twins of
Southern Mexico
Going for Gold in
Guerrero
Two open-pit gold mines located
200 km south-west of Mexico City
in Guerrero State, Los Filos and Ber-
majal – collectively known as the
Los Filos Gold Project – are set to be-
come the largest gold mining opera-
tions in Southern Mexico. Prepara-
tion work to reach the deposits, an
estimated five million ounces of
gold, is already under way.
“Performance has matched our
plans.”Roberto Díaz Colunga, Large Scale Project
Manager of the Los Filos Project.
This region of Mexico has never had a
large-scale open pit mining operation be-
fore. “We’re setting a precedent here,” says
Roberto Díaz Colunga, Manager of the Los
Filos Project, and explains: “In two years
this will be the largest gold mining opera-
tion in the south of Mexico. The project
already provides more than 1,200 direct
and indirect jobs and once we reach our
steady production rhythm, we’ll be able
United States of America
BERM
Minera Maria BACKBREAK
HOLES
MEXICO
Gulf of Mexico
MEXICO CITY
Los Filos
Pacific Ocean
54
to refine over 300,000 ounces of gold per
year.”
  The Los Filos Project is located 8 km
from the village of Mezcala, approxima-
tely 200 km southwest of Mexico City
in Guerrero State. The project is owned
by Luismin SA. de CV, a Mexican com-
pany fully owned by Goldcorp of Canada.
Goldcorp is investing USD 232 million to
bring the project into production.
  A fleet of Atlas Copco equipment is
already working at the site, with more
units due to arrive. Seven DM45HP blast-
hole drill rigs and two CM760D crawler
drill rigs have been acquired by Luismin.
The project’s main contractors, Materiales
La Gloria and Desarrollos ROD, also use
Atlas Copco equipment in their key pre-
production tasks.
  “Before entering commercial produc-
tion, Los Filos will have had two years of
pre-production development and Bermejal
one. This is a key phase for the project and
it’s important that we have the right type
and quantity of equipment in place,” says
José Caracheo Brunel of Los Filos Mine
Planning Department.
Two Deposits, One Project
The project comprises two separate gold
deposits, Los Filos and Bermejal, which
occur in adjacent hills approximately 1,200
m above Mezcala.
  A feasibility study was originally com-
pleted in 2005. This study was recently
expanded to include the adjacent, and sub-
sequently acquired, Bermejal deposit. The
Los Filos and Bermejal deposits will be
developed as a twin open pit, heap leach
operation, using two different ore proces-
sing methods depending on grade.
  The mine reserves and resources total
over five million ounces, of which four
and a half million ounces are in the pro-
ven and probable reserve categories.
Higher grade ore (1.50 g/t of gold) from the
Los Filos deposit will be crushed to 80 per
cent at –19 mm and agglomerated before
being conveyor stacked and heap leached,
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING

whereas lower grade ore (0.55 g/t of gold)
from the Los Filos and Bermejal deposits
will be hauled from the open pit directly to
the leach pad to be bulk heap leached. The
recovered solution will be treated to obtain
a final gold ore product on site.
  Exploration drilling continues on pit ex-
tensions and, in particular, on identifying
higher grade areas.
200 m Tonnes of Ore
  The mine development plan envisages a
sequence of five mining phases over a 10-
year period for both deposits. Under the
plan, a total of 200 million tonnes of ore
will be mined with an average gold grade
of 0.69 g/tonne and an overburden strip
ratio of 1.5 to 1. The stripping will entail
the removal of 300 million tonnes of over-
burden to access the gold bearing ore.
  The project will process 24 million
tonnes/year of ore. A pre-production of 14
million tonnes/year is required for each
deposit. To develop the orebodies, conven-
tional open-pit mining methods will be
employed using 12–15 m3 capacity loaders
and shovels and 91 to 146-tonne capacity
trucks. The pit design for both deposits
incorporates 12 m-high waste benches
and 6 m-high production benches. Final
average slope angle will be 48–52 degrees
depending on the type of rock.
BERM
5m
BACKBREAK
HOLES
PRODUCTION
HOLES
6m
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
THE GOLDEN TWINS OF SOUTHERN MEXICo
  “We expect almost all the material will
require blasting; the reason for blasting
the ore on 6 m benches is to provide better
ore control and limit dilution,” explains
Caracheo Brunel.
  The operational cycle will start with the
drilling of 175 mm and 114 mm diameter
blast holes in the waste and mineral strata
respectively. To achieve this, Luismin has
ordered a total of seven DM45HP blasthole
drill rigs. The DM45 is a high pressure,
crawler mounted, hydraulic tophead drive,
multi-pass rotary blasthole drilling rig spe- “This is a key phase for the
cifically designed for production blasthole project.”José Caracheo Brunel, Mine
drilling. Operation of the drill is performed Planning Department, Los Filos.
using electric over hydraulic controllers,
ergonomically located so that the operator
faces the drill centralizer while drilling.
  Two of the seven units ordered were
delivered in 2005 and are already hard at
work on the site, equipped with Secoroc
ballistic button bits. A third unit arrived in
May with two further units arriving in June
and then two more in August. “We only
ordered the last five machines once the
Bermejal deposit was acquired. Some of
these units will work in the Los Filos depo-
sit and some at the Bermejal deposit,” says
Caracheo Brunel. “We acquired the DM45
model because it is the ideal size and capa-
city for the production volume we’ll be
managing here.”
ø 11-12 ¼"
ø 6" 15 m
5m
72 º
The drilling and blasting pattern at the Los Filos mine
5m showing the angle of the drill holes.
5m
55
 THE GOLDEN TWINS OF SOUTHERN MEXICo
Specifically designed for production
blasthole drilling: One of seven
DM45HP drill rigs used at Los Filos to
keep the project on schedule.
Demanding Topography
The two CM760D crawler drill rigs with
DTH hammers were delivered in 2005.
“These machines are very useful. They are
currently working on bench development
but later we plan to use them for pre-split-
ting,” says Caracheo Brunel.
  Díaz Colunga, Project Manager, adds:
“We had seen the CM760 working before;
they have the versatility needed to access
this demanding topography, which doesn’t
offer many possibilities of large spaces
during the opening of the benches. Because
of this, they are ideal for preparation tasks.
Also, we required a machine able to con-
duct detailed work such as pre-splitting
and road construction. These units are good
for these jobs.”
56
  Díaz Colunga continues: “We have also
chosen these machines, both the DM45 and
the CM760D, because of Atlas Copco’s
proven experience. This reassures us of
the equipment’s good performance to gua-
rantee the drilling, which is the first, most
important step in the whole production
cycle.”
  About 25 contractors are at work on
the project. Materiales La Gloria – a main
contractor – is a regular Atlas Copco custo-
mer and its fleet of equipment at Los Filos
includes T4BH, ECM 350 and ECM590
drill rigs. Recently, the company ordered
two CM780D crawlers with DTH ham-
mers. Meanwhile, another major contrac-
tor, Desarrollos ROD, has a fleet of 15
ECM350 rigs operating at Los Filos.
  Asked about the performance of the Atlas
Copco equipment, Díaz Colunga says: “So
far we are satisfied as their performance
has matched our plans and expectations.”
He notes that the project hasn’t yet reached
a normal production rhythm: “We believe
we will be more satisfied with the drilling
results if we together look after two very
important factors – the discipline in the
operating habits that we transmit to our
personnel, and the meticulous respect for
the preventive maintenance programme.
Other factors are covered by engineering
design and Atlas Copco’s experience, in
which we have complete faith.”
Specialist Support
Madisa, the local Atlas Copco distribu-
tor is responsible for technical support at
Los Filos and is supported by specialists
from Atlas Copco’s Mexicana’s office.
Juan Carlos Gómez, Atlas Copco Product
Manager, explains that upon delivery of a
new drill rig, an Atlas Copco specialist will
train operators on the use of the rig. “At
the same time, Madisa sends its mechanics
and instructors so they can participate in
the training and become even more fami-
liar with the machine.”
  This training is now even more impor-
tant for Madisa, which has secured a full
Maintenance and Repair Contract (MARC)
at Los Filos. Operators of the recently deli-
vered DM45 and CM760D rigs are trained
in a three-week programme and technical
visits help to reinforce their knowledge.
  Javier García Adame and Rosalino
Carreia Soto are two of the operators of the
DM45HP rotary rigs. García, who has been
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
 THE GOLDEN TWINS OF SOUTHERN MEXICo

operating the DM45 for nearly four months

when M&C visited the site. “It was a com-
prehensive training process but easy to
take on,” he said. “I have no problems with
the machine and feel I know it quite well
now.”
  Carreia, who has been working at the
project for six months, is still going
through the training process: “There are
lots of things to learn but it is not compli-
cated at all. And the specialist giving the
training is good too. I’m looking forward
to finally operating the machine all by
myself!”
  Díaz Colunga reaffirmed the importance
of the training. “We have had the benefit
of the specialist training that Atlas Copco
instructors have given to our operators,” he
said. “I am convinced that in the future this
link will be crucial to strengthening the
success of our operations.”
  The project is at an advanced stage of
development. Construction is well under
way and is expected to be completed by
the end of 2006 with commercial produc-
tion planned to start in the second quarter
of 2007. Commercial production for that
year is expected to be 200,000 ounces of
gold, rising to 350,000 ounces by 2008.

Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction No 2, 2006. ■

Two of the 15 ECM 350 drill rigs belonging to Desarrollos ROD, which is in charge of constructing the
leaching pad at Los Filos.

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 57

 MINERA MARIA, MEXICO
Minera Maria’s Pre-Split
Pioneer
“We can’t imagine working without
the ROC L8.”Humberto Garibay, Mine
Manager.
The Atlas Copco ROC L8 at work in the
open pit at Minera Maria.
58
Modern Methods
Open-pit mining at the revived Mine-
ra Maria mine is forging ahead. Mo-
dern surface drilling methods and
efficient recovery of the copper ore
are breathing new life into this once
abandoned mine.
Small Diameter Holes
Minera Maria S.A. De C.V. is located in
the Cananea District of the north-western
state of Sonora, one of the most important
copper producing states in Mexico. The
operation is owned by the Frisco group of
companies.
  Acquisition of a ROC L8 rig by this
group marks the first time that Grupo
Frisco has employed drilling equipment
specifically to drill small diameter holes at
one of its surface operations.
  “Maybe the fact that we have less com-
petent rock at this site made us feel that
there was a need for such equipment here,”
says Humberto Garibay, Mine Manager.
“Now that we have this machine, we can’t
imagine working without it. In pre-splitting
it has performed much better than we had
expected, it has helped us in production
blast drilling in areas where we can’t use
the rotary rigs and we have planned to use
it in exploration drilling to confirm proven
ore reserves.”
  Ricardo Ornelas, of Atlas Copco Mexi-
cana, says: “More advanced and larger
equipment such as hydraulic DTH rigs
have steadily been introduced into the
country. The ROC L8 is a good example of
this. This is the first machine of its type in
Mexico for pre-splitting applications and
Minera Maria is making the most of it.”
Reviving Maria
Minera Maria was previously an under-
ground, high-grade copper and molybde-
num mine, which was in production for
most of the 1990s. After depletion of reser-
ves, the mine was closed in 1998. Grupo
Frisco re-started operations in July 2003;
this time as an open-pit operation achieving
copper recovery through a solvent extrac-
tion electro-winning (SX/EW) process.
  The final product is copper cathodes.
Currently, Minera Maria produces around
88 tonnes/day of copper cathodes with a
purity of 99.99 per cent.
  Mining takes place in three different
areas: Maria pit, the main production area,
which is being exploited in four phases; La
Verde pit, located northwest of the Maria
pit, adjacent to what will be the fourth
phase of the main pit and which currently
contributes about ten per cent of the daily
production; and Lucy pit, located about 9.5
km from Maria and which will be in pro-
duction in the near future.
Drilling in Open Pit Mining

  Having completed Phase I, the Maria
pit is presently producing from its second
and third phases. “Our production plan
was designed in this manner in order to
exploit the highest grade areas first and
obtain the best cash flow possible from the
mine during the first few years,” explains
Garibay.
  Given the relatively shallow depth of
the pits and the great volume of low grade
material that has to be moved, mining is
carried out using conventional truck and
shovel methods. Minera Maria moves
75,000 t/day of material, of which approx-
imately 35,000 t/day is ore and 40,000
t/day is waste. The average ore grade is
0.42% of Cu. “So far, we have extracted
about 17 million tonnes of ore from 57 mil-
lion tonnes of reserves,” says Garibay.
  Among the mine’s equipment fleet are
12 trucks of 150 tonne capacity and two
electric shovels of 25 tonne capacity. For
blast hole drilling, Minera Maria employs
two rotary drill rigs with the capacity to
drill 11–12 11/4 inch hole diameters.
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
MINERA MARIA'S PRE-SPLIT PIONEER
Pre-Split Process Minera Maria’s ROC L8 is averaging
38 m/h, sometimes reaching 48 m/h.
In October 2005, an Atlas Copco ROC L8
rig was added to the fleet. This machine
was specifically acquired for pre-splitting
work, which was previously done with the
rotary rigs. Today, all the pre-splitting work
is done with the ROC L8 unit.
  Pre-splitting is carried out by establis-
hing a free surface in order to preserve the
stability of the pit face. A series of closely
spaced holes along an agreed cut line are
drilled, charged and detonated prior to the
bulk charges in the production area. This
pre-split forms a fracture plane along the
agreed extraction line and ensures that any
disturbance to the rock beyond the agreed
line of extraction is minimal.
  At Minera Maria, the pre-split takes
place between the final wall and the buffer
blast line. The ROC L8 drills 6” diame-
ter holes every two metres at an angle of
72 degrees. Miguel Miramontes, Head
of Blasting, explains that the charge for
pre-splitting is done in a ‘sausage string’
59
 MINERA MARIA'S PRE-SPLIT PIONEER
“We use the ROC L8 specifically in
areas that are too small for the rotary
rigs.” Miguel Miramontes, Head of
Blasting.
60
fashion, with emulsion of 2” x 16” and
with a spacing between each charge of
one metre. “In each drill hole we use eight
pieces, which weigh 0.96 kg each. We use
detonator cord for connecting the charges
and an instant fire sequence.”
  Minera Maria is particularly pleased
with the symmetry of the drilled hole line
and the shape of the slopes after blas-
ting with the ROC L8 as this has a good
effect on the blast waves as these expand.
“Those waves die then and there – they
don’t go beyond the established line,” says
Miramontes.
Big Advantage
  Garibay adds: “With diameters of 11–12
inches, the holes drilled by our rotary rigs
are far too big for pre-splitting. The smal-
ler the diameter, the better the pre-splitting.
Also, it’s very difficult for the rotary rigs
to drill at an angle. So having a rig with the
capacity to drill such hole diameter, and at
that inclination, is a big advantage for us.”
  Although currently drilling 6” diame-
ter holes, the ROC L8 has the capacity to
drill holes of 41/2-7”, which will also be
useful to the mine in the near future as the
management is now planning to reduce the
diameter to 41/2”. Explains Garibay: “This
will allow us to use lower density explo-
sives and by doing so, there will be less
damage to the final wall.”
  With an average utilization of 24 per
cent (which will increase once the machine
is employed in the Lucy pit), and produc-
tivity of 38 m/h, the ROC L8 has had no
problems at Minera Maria.
  Says Garibay: “To be completely honest
we didn’t expect it to get such good results.
We did a cost/benefit analysis before the
purchase and we estimated that it would
give us a productivity of 34 m/hour. The
machine is currently achieving an average
of 38 m/h but sometimes we get 48 m/
hour.”
  Because of the success attained with the
machine, the management at Minera Maria
is now keen to experiment with what they
call ‘double height bench drilling’. Instead
of 15 m benches, 30 m benches would be
used.
Versatile Rig
  The ROC L8 has impressed the mine with
its versatility. In addition to pre-splitting,
the rig is sometimes used for production
blast drilling, using a vertical drilling pat-
tern of 5.0 m x 6.0 m at a depth of 16.5 m.
“In this application we use the ROC L8
specifically in areas that are too small for
the rotary rigs,” says Miramontes.
  The drill rig will be increasingly used for
production drilling once the exploitation of
the Lucy pit starts. “Because there are no
electric services in the Lucy pit, we have
now planned for all the production and pre-
splitting work in this area to be done with
the ROC L8 machine,” says Garibay.
  The ROC L8 can also be used for sample
drilling and there are plans to use the mach-
ine in exploration drilling to confirm block
models. “This is to be even more certain of
our proven ore reserves,” says Miramontes.
Atlas Copco’s Ricardo Ornelas explains:
“The ROC L8 can perform sampling work
through reverse circulation drilling, giving
the machine great flexibility in surface
operations.”
  The management is keen to look after
the ROC L8. Says Garibay: “It is an excel-
lent machine and very useful for us.”
  The ROC L8 is equipped with a COP
54QHD hammer using Secoroc 6” spheri-
cal button bits. Ernesto Romo Villarreal of
Atlas Copco Mexicana Technical Services,
explains that the first hammer was changed
after 22,000 m and the bits are lasting an
average of 4,100 m.
  Romo assisted with the training of the
operators as well as the mine’s mechanics
and electrics technicians. Says Garibay:
“We thought that the operators were going
to find the machine too complicated. It has
been the complete opposite.”
  This was confirmed by operator Jesus
Gavino Rivera, who has been working
at Minera Maria for over three years.
Interestingly, he has also been an operator
of the rotary blast drill rigs. “It was very
easy to learn how to operate the ROC L8,”
he says. “I’ve had no problems.” Rivera is
also very pleased with the machine itself.
“By the time I started operating it, it was
nearly the end of the year and after wor-
king with it I said it was a Christmas pre-
sent for the mine. The ROC L8 is a great
machine, it drills very fast and I’m very
happy with it!”
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction No 2, 2006. ■
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
 chile and brazil

ROC L8 Gains Favour in

South America
Flexibility with
Manoeuvrability
The ROC L8 drillrig from Atlas Copco
is up to 7 t lighter than the rigs it is
replacing in the world’s open pit
mines, yet its drilling capacity is up
to 35% greater. However, perhaps the
most important attribute of the ROC
L8 is its ability to drill with side incli-
nation, enabling this high efficiency to
be applied to both pre-splitting and
production work. The lighter weight
and better manoeuvrability of this
top-of-the-range DTH rig facilitates
multitasking, so that a single machine
may handle the entire drilling needs
of quite large operations. Hence,
at the 7 million t/y Saiva quarry in
Brazil, one ROC L8 replaced two large
rotary rigs, and now drills the whole
7,000 m/month required to subtend
full output. A similar story attends
the changeover to DTH for pre-split-
ting at Chuquicamata in Chile, one
of the largest open pits in the world.
Pre-splitting operations in the open pit One of the three Atlas Copco ROC L8
Wherever DTH replaces rotary, the
have previously been carried out by large DTH drillrigs at Chuquicamata.
customer benefits from higher pro-
ductivity and lower costs, with less and heavy drillrigs. However, big hole
drillrigs required to do the job. blasting and heavy explosive loads result
in irregular and unstable benches, which
tend to reduce efficiency. In addition, the
Pre-Splitting at Chuquicamata mine management was aware that, just by
increasing the pit slope by one degree, the
Located some 200 km north of Antofa- production of waste rock over the life of
gasta, and 2,800 m above sea level in the the mine could be reduced by a staggering
desert of northern Chile, the Chuquicamata 150 million cu m.
copper mine is the most important of the In an attempt to relieve this problem,
five divisions in the state-owned Codelco three smaller, more manoeuvrable Atlas
company, the world’s largest copper produ- Copco ROC L8 rigs have been introduced
cer. It is a huge open pit, some 8 km-long, by drilling contractor Jaime Navarette SA.
2.5 km-wide and 750 m-deep, requiring a This specialist in pre-splitting technology
half-hour drive to get to the bottom. is applying the new rigs for 6 in DTH drill-
Chuquicamata contributes 180,000 t of ing of 18 to 24 m-long holes inclined at
the 640,000 t of ore mined by Codelco 20 degrees. The outstanding drilling accu-
every day. During 2001, the pit is expected racy of the rigs, when applied to properly-
to yield 620,000 t of refined copper and formulated pre-split patterns, reduces the
13,500 t of molybdenum. amount of explosives required to form the
Mining started at the site 85 years ago, pit slope. This minimizes the shock waves
and it is estimated that there are still suffi­ reflected into the rock wall, reducing crack-
cient reserves for another 25 years of ing and potential spalling, and resulting in
­production at today’s rate. There are also safer benches and more stable slopes.
plans to go underground by 2008. The ROC L8 rigs are also giving the

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 61

 ROC L8 gains favour in south america
View of the benches at 750 m-deep
Chuquicamata open pit.
Atlas Copco ROC L8 crawlers drilling
250 mm presplit holes at El Morro
open pit at El Soldado.
62
mine improved rock fragmentation and
better drilling flexibility. They are operat-
ing 24 h/day in three shifts, each drilling
12,000 m/month at penetration rates of 35
m/hour, and giving 85% availability. Tests
have also been carried out using the 8 in-
­diameter Secoroc COP 84L DTH hammer.
Maintenance of the rigs is the respon-
sibility of Atlas Copco, under a contract
involving a 10-person team. A second
­contract covers supply and maintenance of
the Secoroc rock tools used in the ­operation.
The rig operators were impressed at
the rigs’ drilling capacity compared to
their larger predecessors. In one month,
before delivery of the mine’s third ROC
L6, two of the rigs drilled 31,000 m, with
a best day of 1,200 m, and an average of
450-500 m per 12 h shift. The mini-
mum drilling output for the two rigs was
22,500 m/month.
The characteristics of the ROC L8, com-
pared to the conventional drillrigs used at
the site are: weight, 18 t compared to over
25 t; length, 7 m compared to 11-14 m;
fuel consumption, 50-55 lit/h compared
to 70-75 lit/h; tramming speed, 3.6 km/h
compared to 2.5 km/h; and drilling capac-
ity, 100 drill m/h compared to 75-80 drill
m/h. An additional bonus is that, unlike the
larger rigs, the ROC L8 can also drill with
side inclination.
Flexible Production at El
Soldado
El Soldado, run by Anglo American Chile,
is a tightly integrated operation consisting
of an underground and an open pit copper
mine, a concentrator and an oxide plant.
The El Morro open pit section of the mine
was started in 1989. The property is ­located
132 km north-west of Santiago, Chile, on
the western slopes of the Coastal range, at
about 830 m asl. In 2002, El Soldado pro-
duced 62,800 t of copper in concentrate,
and 5,500 t of copper cathode at an aver-
age cash cost of 43 US cents per pound.
Reserves at El Soldado are esti­mated to be
115 million t grading around 1% copper.
Production of 18,000 t/day is split 49%
from surface and 51% from underground,
where the grade is slightly higher. The cur-
rent capacity of the ­ sulphide plant is 6.5
million t/y.
The El Soldado deposit is located in the
Lower Cretaceous Lo Prado formation, and
is thought to be of epigenetic origin. The
main host rocks are trachytes, followed in
importance by andesites and tuffs. Copper
mineralization occurs as numerous isolated
orebodies, with a strong structural control,
located throughout an area 1,800 m-long
by 800 m-wide. The main gangue miner-
als are calcite, quartz, chlorite, epidote and
albite. Rock hardness is 150 Mpa.
Production from El Morro open pit
is 3.5 million t/y of ore, using a bench
height of 24 m. Two Atlas Copco ROC L8
rigs are the mainstays of the drilling fleet,
­handling pre-split drilling of 162.5 mm
(6.5 in) holes at 1.5 m spacing. Their net
penetration rate is 1.2 m/min at 22 bar
pressure, and they drill each hole in 35
minutes. It then takes one minute for the
ROC L8s to move between set-ups.
Because the ROC L8 can drill at an
angle, the mine can maintain ideal slope
inclinations of 85 degrees in ore and 65
degrees in waste. Pre-splitting produces
smaller amounts of large boulders, offers
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING

better stability, minimizes slope damage,
and reduces global mine cost.
The rock drilling tools (RDT) supply
contract at El Morro is based on a fixed
cost/m, including DTH hammers. Average
bit life is 1,500 m; hammer life 8,000 m;
and tube life, 6,500 m. The bit grinding
service uses a Secoroc Grind Matic BQ2.
The differences between the ROC L8
and conventional rigs are: weight 18 t vs 25
t; length 7 m vs 10 m, or more; fuel saving
25% to 30%; and higher drilling capac-
ity 20% to 25%. In addition, at El Morro,
the ROC L8 offers easier tramming across
rough terrain; needs no hydraulic jacks for
stability; and features greater production
flexibility. The conventional rotary rigs at
El Morro consume 72 lit/h of fuel, whereas
the ROC L8s need only 52 lit/h, a saving
of 28%. Higher productivity results in the
ROC L8s drilling 2,400 m/month more
than the conventional rigs.
As the El Morro open pit is situated
immediately above the underground mine,
an integrated mine plan is required, in
which the sequence of extraction, both in
the open pit and underground, needs to sat-
isfy safety and efficiency criteria. In partic-
ular, the design and extraction sequence of
underground stopes have to be managed in
such a way that they do not affect the open
pit operations, and minimize disturbance to
unmined areas, enabling maximum resour-
ce recovery. It is also essential that the sur-
face rigs have mobility and dependability,
in order to switch quickly between drilling
areas, as dictated by the mine plan.
Limestone for Rio Branco
The Saivá quarry in Brazil is another oper-
ation to benefit from the introduction of
the ROC L8. It is one of several open pits
which supply the Cimento Rio Branco
cement factory with limestone from sites
in the southern part of the country, near
the small city of Rio Branco do Sul in the
state of Paraná. The mine belongs to the
Votorantim Group, the largest cement pro-
ducer in the region.
Saivá recently replaced two large rotary
drillrigs with a new ROC L8 drillrig from
Atlas Copco, and found that it was able
to cut costs while sustaining productivity.
The comparison between the performances
of the two rotary rigs and the new DTH
drillrig demonstrates that the Atlas Copco
equipment has a huge advantage.
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 63
ROC L8 gains favour in south americA
Initially, it was not believed that a com- Atlas Copco ROC L8 doubled
paratively light machine like the ROC L8 productivity at Saivá quarry.
could produce such high performance.
However, its drilling capability has been
proved in practice, and the machine now
supplies the whole Saivá quarry output of
7 million t/year.
The Saivá quarry formerly drilled 6.5 in-
diameter (165 mm) holes, but now, with the
new ROC L8, 5.5 in-diameter (140 mm)
holes are sufficient, yielding a 6% reduc-
tion in the consumption of ­explosives.
The rig is equipped with a COP 54
QHD down-the-hole hammer, having an
average life of 12,000 drill metres. The 5.5
in-diameter ballistic bits, which last for
some 5,000 m, are supplied by Secoroc.
The ROC L8 works two 8 h shifts/day, 300
days/year, drilling a 4.8 m x 8.0 m ­pattern.
The benches are 15 m-high, and the drill
holes are 15.5 m-deep. Hole inclination is
15 degrees. Some 7,000 m are drilled each
month.
Quarry data shows that the original drill-
ing cost/m has been reduced by 46% for
the ROC L8. Productivity has increased by
100%, accompanied by a large annual cost
reduction.
Atlas Copco is providing labour, spare
parts and drilling consumables, which
include the DTH hammer, under the terms
of a cost/metre contract. The customer is
extremely pleased with the continuous
after-sales service, and plans to extend the
system to other quarries in the group.
Atlas Copco’s positive attitude in help-
ing to solve problems has created an inno-
vative partnership. Votorantim has since
purchased a second ROC L8 unit to use in
 ROC L8 gains favour in south america
another quarry in the state of Sao Paulo,
and a ROC L6 for limestone production at
Cimento Tocantins, Sobradinho, in Goias
State.
Powerful Specification
Atlas Copco’s ROC L8 is a high produc-
tion down-the-hole crawler with ample
power to deliver high penetration rates and
deep holes. It has a rod handling capacity
for hole depths of 54 m (176 ft). The great
advantage of the ROC L8 is that it can be
used for both pre-splitting and production,
making it a total solution for drilling in
quarries and open pit mines.
The ergonomically designed ROC L8
cab, with its superb all-round visibility
and user-friendly layout, reduces operator
fatigue to a minimum, and increases safety
to the maximum. The seat is fully adjust-
able, and the cab meets all international
safety requirements.
The ROC L8 is equipped with a high
performance down-the-hole hammer for
fast and straight drilling. As an option, a
back hammer system can be added to take
care of stuck drill tubes. The ROC L8 also
features a hydraulic break-out table and
double drilltube support, which helps the
operator thread and unthread drilltubes,
saves on drilltubes consumption, and helps
drill straighter holes.
The feed and the rotation unit are
mounted on a flexible, single-section boom
with a ±30 degrees wide feed swing to
Straight holes give better slope right and left, and forwards.
stability. The drillrig is powered by a 317 kW
64
(431 hp) Caterpillar diesel engine, with
sufficient power for normal drilling and
tramming. It therefore lasts longer, is low
on fuel consumption, and has more than
enough power for fast drilling in the most
demanding rock.
Straight Holes
An onboard Atlas Copco 405 l/s (858 cfm)
screw compressor delivers up to 25 bar of
air pressure for extra-high penetration and
strong flushing, giving straight clean holes
that are easy to charge. This unit is well
up to the task of delivering top perform-
ance, even when drilling holes as large as
165 mm (6.5 in) down to depths of 54
m (176 ft), and flushing them clean for
­charging.
An electronic system for hole inclina-
tion and depth control ensures that blast-
holes are perfectly aligned.
The machine is mounted on heavy-duty
tracks with 18 degrees (–8 degrees/+10
degrees) of oscillation, for excellent tram-
ming and site manoeuvrability.
The ROC L8 can be fitted with a range
of Atlas Copco down-the-hole hammers
such as COP 44, 54 and 64 (4 in, 5 in and
6 in). These are among the fastest on the
market.
Their high performance, together with
great functional reliability and outstanding
service life, gives first-class drilling econ­
omy. The superior penetration rate of these
DTH hammers is due to a more efficient
impact mechanism, and better use of com-
pressed air energy. Flexible suspension of
the central control tube enables the piston
to be manufactured with much closer toler-
ances. This minimizes internal air leakage,
and optimizes the transmission of energy.
Two important benefits result: a higher
penetration rate, and lower fuel consump-
tion per metre drilled.
Acknowledgements
Atlas Copco is grateful to its clients in
Chile and Brazil for their contributions to
this article, which first appeared in Atlas
Copco Surface Drilling, First Edition, pub-
lished in 2002. ■
DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
 Atacama, Chile

Hydraulic Tophammers Exceed

Soquimich Expectations
Long Service Contract
for Drillrigs
As the world’s sole producer of nat­
ural nitrates, and one of the largest
producers of mineral salts, Sociedad
Quimica y Minera de Chile (Soquimich)
has to be competitive in order to
maintain its position. Somich, the
company’s operating subsidiary, has
four mines and seven processing
plants in the Atacama Desert region
of northern Chile, located between
the coastal cities of Iquique and Anto-
fagasta. The first mine, El Toco, com­
menced production in 1927, and the
latest, Nueva Victoria, came on stream
in 1996. Despite consistently high out-
put over the years, reserves are esti-
mated as sufficient for another 50
years. Some 58 wagon drills were re-
quired to satisfy production demands assets of the Chilean state-owned develop- One of seven Atlas Copco ROC F7 rigs
in the early years of operation. By ment organi­zation Corfo and the ­ private working in the Atacama desert.
1981, for an output of 15.5 million t/y, company Anglo Lautaro. Soquimich was
Somich had reduced this number subsequently floated on the Santiago stock
to 23 units, of which five were Atlas
Copco ROC 302 pneumatics. Nowa- exchange, and, by 1988, the company was
days, just seven Atlas Copco ROC F7 entirely in pri­vate hands.
crawlers are employed to produce
18 million t/y. The switch from pneu­
matic to hydraulic pro­duction drilling
equipment has brought other bene-
fits, not least of which is more com­
fort for the operators. Soquimich has nueva victoria
signed a five-year service and main­
tenance contract with Atlas Copco,
which allows the company to main­
tain a constant level of drilling costs
over long periods. el toco

Natural Nitrates
Sodium and potassium nitrate are used as
basic ingredients for fer­tilizer manufacture
and as preservatives. The nitrate deposits
occur within a 700 km-long belt located Pampa blanca
some 15 to 60 km from the Pacific coast of
northern Chile, in the Atacama Desert. For
the last 15 million years, this has been one
of the driest regions in the world.
In the 1830s, Chile began supplying much
of the world’s commercial nitrate require-
ments from these deposits. Soquimich was Location map showing Somich
established in 1968, and took over the nitrate installations in Chile.

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 65

 Hydraulic Tophammers Exceed Soquimich Expectations
Two graphs show the progressive
increase in Somich drilling capacity
with the introduction of new
technology over the past 22 years.
66 DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
Since then, the Chilean nitrate industry
has been modernized by the addition of bet-
ter processing facilities and improved min-
ing equipment.
Mine Production
Soquimich employs 800 direct workers and
300 contract operatives on its four mines.
The mines are: Pedro de Valdivia,
which started operations in 1931 and pro-
duces 12 million t/y of crude nitrate; El
Toco, start­ed in 1927 and producing 6 mil-
lion t/y; Pampa Blanca, started in 1995
and alternately producing 5.0 million t/y;
and Nueva Victoria started in 1996 and
producing 5 million t/y.
The crude nitrate ore is conventionally
mined in open pits by drilling and blast­
ing, and is hauled by trucks to the crush-
ing plants, where it is reduced to 12 mm
­no minal sizing. Some 70% of the product
is then leached in shallow pans to recov­er
nitra tes, iodine, sulphates and other salts.
The remainder is transferred to leaching
stacks.
Each mine has its own production plant,
and Soquimich has a further two plant
­facilities at Coya Sur and Salar de Ataca-
ma. The collective output of the plants is
980,000 t saltpetre; 6,500 t iodine; 60,000 t
sodium sulphate; 600,000 t potassium ­chlo-
ride; 250,000 t potassium sulphate; 16,000 t
boric acid; and 20,000 t lithium carbonate.
Drilling Capacity
In 1983, the remaining 18 wagon drills
at the mines were replaced by another
five Atlas Copco ROC 302 rigs. With the
demise of pneumatic machines for main-
stream production, the 302s were replaced
in 1992 by seven hydraulic Zoomtrack
600 crawler drills, and these, in turn, were
replaced with the seven current generation
high capacity Atlas Copco ROC F7 rigs.
Atlas Copco offers a choice of Cater-
pillar or Mercedes diesel engines to power
its ROC F7s. Those at Somich are equipped
with Mercedes engines delivering 170 kW.
They also feature the powerful COP 1838
rock drill, which returns an average 65 drill
m per diesel engine hour, or over 100 drill
m/h, using 76 and 89 mm ballistic bits and
T45 rods.
The mine management confirms an
increased mineral production performance,
compared with the previous generation
crawler rigs. Performance is 20% better,
and the number of effective operational
hours has increased by 5%. With a drilling
rate of production now running at 450‑m/
shift, three shifts/day, Somich is able to
keep one rig on standby, and still meet the
demanding targets. In order to stabilize the
holes for charging, water mist flushing has
been introduced to replace the previous air
flushing system on the ­drillrigs.
Atlas Copco provided training for the
drillrig operators on the advanced ROC F7,
and taught Somich fitters how to maintain
the Mercedes engine.
Drillrig availability is over 90%, a level
which the mine accepts as very satisfac­
tory. The ROC F7 drillrigs were accom­
panied by a five-year mainten ance and
repair ­contract, under which Atlas Copco is
responsible for all ­maintenance.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Atlas Copco
Surface Drilling, First Edition, published
in 2002. ■
 iquique, chile

Winning Iodine from the

Atacama Desert
World’s Largest
Located in the Atacama Desert region
of Northern Chile, near the city of
Iquique, DSM Minera S.C.M (Sociedad
Contractual Minera) oper­ates what
is claimed to be the world’s largest
iodine production facility, processing
over 400,000 t/month of ore. Here,
two Atlas Copco ROC D7 hydraulic
drillrigs, some of the first units of
this type in South America, are being
employed by contractor HIT as the
main ­production drilling equipment.

Key Industry
DSM Minera S.C.M. is one of the busi-
ness units of DSM Fine Chemicals, which
in turn is owned by DSM, the Dutch pro- industry, and vast fortunes were made. The HIT has two ROC D7 drillrigs.
ducer of special­ity chemicals. Ironically, remains of many of these old mines are still
the name DSM origi­nally stood for Dutch to be found, preserved in the dry desert air.
State Mines, a coal mining company
founded by the Dutch gov­ernment in Effective Process
1902. DSM first became involved in DSM
Minera in 1991, when it acquired a 30% The production process at DSM Minera
interest. The remaining 70% of the oper- is simple, consisting basically of drilling,
ating company was acquired in 1997, and blast­ing and leaching operations. The first
in 1999 DSM installed its own manage- part of this process, drilling and blasting,
ment team. Present reserves stand at 7-10 is carried out by Chilean contractor HIT,
years, although this figure is expected to under a five-year contract signed with
increase, as the company owns mining DSM Minera.
rights in nearby areas, which still have to Blasting, mainly with ANFO, is carried Blowing out holes ready for charging.
be ­developed.
DSM Minera’s main activity is the pro-
duc­tion of iodine, which is used as a feed-
stock in the manufacture of iodine deriva-
tives for a diverse range of applications,
including disinfectants, agrochemicals, food
and feed additives, heat stabilizers, and for
X-ray diagnostic ­purposes.
The global market for iodine is around
19,000 t/y. Chile is by far the largest pro-
ducer, where it is normally extracted as a
by-product or co-product associated with
nat­ural nitrates. These days, the Chilean nit-
rate mining industry is relatively small,
though in its heyday, more than a century
ago, it com­pletely dominated the fertilizer

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 67

 Winning Iodine from the Atacama Desert
The ROC D7s drill out a “mancha”
ready for blasting.
68 DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
out to prepare the material located in each
‘mancha’, the Chilean name for the desig-
nated area to be drilled and blasted. Once
HIT has drilled and blasted, the material
is leached in-situ, draining to lower areas
through pipes to specially-made canals lead-
ing to the recovery plants. This has been
a very cost-effective method, in which the
ore is irrigated with water for 6-8 months to
produce Iodate solution. Within the plants,
which are ISO 9002-certified facilities, a
series of chemical processes are applied to
the solution to obtain high purity iodine.
DSM uses 40% of this iodine to make deri-
vatives, and the rest is sold into interna-
tional markets.
DSM Minera operates several process
plants, with a combined output of over 2,000
t/y of iodine. An additional new plant, with
an output of 600 to 1,000 t/y, was recently
com­missioned, facilitating an increased ore
throughput from the current 400,000 to
700,000 t/month.
Tough Drilling
The contract between DSM Minera and
HIT specified 400,000 t/month of ore, for
which the contractor had to drill 50,000 m/
month of rock. In order to satisfy this objec-
tive, HIT acquired two Atlas Copco ROC
D7 tophammer hydraulic drillrigs. HIT,
which is a family company run by father
and son, Hernán Iribarren Torres, general
manager and Alejandro Iribarren, operations
manager, respectively, has been operat-ing
for five years, and has a workforce of 22
people. The com­pany already had two
ROC 203 pneumatic rigs, which it used
for secondary drilling on other contracts.
This equipment was not powerful enough
for primary drilling work, so the company
decided to invest in new hydraulic rigs.
The ROC D7 machine is one of the
newest models in the Atlas Copco series of
tophammer rigs, and the units employed at
DSM Minera are some of the first of this
type working in South America. Apart
from Chile, the ROC D7 is also working in
Mexico and Brazil.
With a hole diameter range of 35-102
mm, the ROC D7 rig features a powerful
engine, good flushing capacity and flexible
booms with extra long reach. The machine
comes with a COP 1800-series rock drill
with a maximum impact power of 20 kW,
a fuel-efficient Caterpillar engine deliv-
ering 149 kW, and an Atlas Copco screw
type compres­sor with a working pressure
of 10.5 bar (152 psi).
In addition to the HIT ROC D7, Atlas
Copco ROC L8DTH and F7 tophammer
crawler drillrigs are operating in north Chile.
The hydraulic winch on the ROC D7
makes drilling a lot easier in the rough ter-
rain of the Atacama Desert, as it has more
power and strength. One-man operation is
also a major bonus on these new generation
machines, which offer many advantages in
capability and mobility.
By increas­ing the drilling diameter from
63 mm to 76 mm, HIT has been able to
eliminate 168 holes, or 437 m of drilling,
to obtain the same ton­nage/month. Also,
by changing the grid pattern, the explosive
was found to perform more efficiently.
The ROC D7 rigs are drilling between
60 and 70 m/h on each shift, with an avail-
ability of around 85%, while the operators
familiarize themselves with the rigs. Atlas
Copco Chilena has been instrumental in
training the rig operators, using a full time
technician. The company also has a main-
tenance contract with HIT, and supplies the
Secoroc drill steel. HIT has taken delivery
of a third ROC D7 unit to support DSM
Minera’s plans to increase ore throughput
to 700,000 t/month.
Acknowledgements
Atlas Copco is grateful to DSM Minera and
contractor HIT for their help and assist-
ance in the production of this article which
first appeared in Atlas Copco Surface Drill-
ing, Second Edition, published in 2004. ■
 shuichang, china

Replacing Rotary in Iron Ore

Small is Beautiful
The large Shuichang open pit iron ore
mine is located near the Luan River,
about 200 km east of the Chinese
capital, Beijing. It is one of the major
sources of raw materials for the Ca-
pital Iron & Steel Company, and was
once the largest open iron mine in
Asia, with an annual output around
15 million t of ore, and 45 million t
waste stripped.
Shuichang is a subsidiary of the
Mining Company of Shougang Corpo-
ration, and is a state-owned enter-
prise.
For some 30 years, large rotary rigs
had formed the main drillrig fleet,
when two Atlas Copco ROC F9 crawl-
ers were introduced. To the great sur-
prise of the local operators, they out- Two ROC F9-11 folding boom crawler Atlas Copco ROC F9 crawler rig, one
performed the rotary rigs, resolving
rigs were delivered to the jobsite in No- of four working at Shuichang iron ore
presplitting problems in the very
vember, 2002. These were equipped for mine.
weathered rock, while creating a much
safer loading and hauling ­environment. drilling 115 mm holes to nearly 30 m depth.
  At first sight, the mine staff had great
difficulty in accepting that the ROC F9-11,
Geology and Operations which is physically a much smaller rig than
the equivalent rotary machine, would be a
Shuichang started operation in the early
suitable replacement.
1970s, mining magnetite as the primary
However, the new rigs soon proved their
mineral in the ore, with martite as a secon-
worth and, after six months operation,
dary product. The natural ore deposit is
the customer was very satisfied with their
composed of four constituents: magneti-tic
flexibility and performance. The opera-
quartzite, pyroxene-magnetitic quartzite,
tors are very happy with the ergonomic
magnetitic pyroxenolite and hematitic quart-
layout of the cab, finding it comfortable,
zite. Mineral size in the ore is usually 0.062-
and making it easy for them to operate the
0.5 mm, with a moisture content general-
rig. The management has expressed sat-
ly between 0.10% and 0.20%, averaging
isfaction with the high penetration rate,
0.143%. The average porosity of the ore is
and the output of almost 400 m/day. They
4.08%, and its average weight/unit volume
have also found the rigs to be very flexible,
is about 3.24 t/cu m.
drilling at all angles to meet their presplit
Shuichang Iron Mine is rated as a lowgra-
requirements.
de iron deposit. The average geologic grade
The dieseline consumption is also much
is 26.71%, and the average iron silicate con-
lower than expected, leading to better over-
tent in the ore is 1.73%. From these data, the
all costs.
Fe grade is calculated to be about 28.44%.
As a result, the company has taken
Geologic grade varies greatly with depth.
delivery of a further two Atlas Copco ROC
The main associated gangue minerals are
F9 rigs, and another five iron ore produc-
quartz and mussite, with hypersthene, horn-
ers in the region have expressed interest in
blende, garnet and black mica as ­ secon-
buying this type of rig in the near future.
dary constituents.
More than ten rotary drilling units have
been used from time to time for presplitting Acknowledgements
and production work. The bench height is
about 12 m, and the hole diameter drilled This article first appeared in Mining &
by the rotary rigs is about 310 mm. Construction No 2, 2003. ■

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 69

 kimberley and laverton, australia
Multiple Tasking in Western
Australia
Drilling cablebolt holes at Argyle.
Diamonds and Gold
According to official statistics, the an-
nual export value of minerals and me-
tals accounts for nearly 30% of the
total exports of goods and ­ services
from Australia. The remote Kimberley
region of Western Australia makes a
valuable contribution, with diamonds
and gold high on the list, from open
pit mines that have some of the
toughest working conditions on earth.
  In such difficult locations, the client
places more reliance on manufac-
turers, not just to supply the most
flexible, robust and reliable equip-
ment, but to assist in commission-
ing, training, ongoing maintenance,
and the resolution of any abnormal
parts and service problems that may
occur. Atlas Copco engineers and fit-
ters regularly visit each mine, and
the client can call them for advice at
any time. They have demonstrated a
high degree of product and industry
knowledge, and are proving to be a
valuable source of information, keep-
ing the clients up to date on prod-
uct developments. Access to such
relevant expertise helps keep the
machines working at their very best.
Rock Engineering at Argyle
Australian company Rock Engineering
specializes in the contract supply and
installa tion of ground support products in
70 DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
underground and open pit mines and civil
construction applications, and is one of the
first to offer this service.
Rock Engineering has a large portfolio
of projects, both in Australia and over-
seas. These include the ground support
programme at the Argyle Diamond Mine,
located 130 km south of Kununurra, in
the isolated Kimberley region of Western
Australia. The Rock Engineering fleet
on site was strengthened by the addition
of an Atlas Copco ROC F9 surface drill-
rig in May, 2002. As the first Atlas Copco
machine to be used by the company, there
was great interest in its performance!
The Argyle mine was commissioned in
1985, following a long period of explora-
tion that initially commenced in the Kim-
berley more than a decade earlier, in 1972.
It now produces more diamonds than any
other mine in the world, and is renowned
for being the only source of the rare and
valuable pink diamond.
For what is now a large open pit mine,
Argyle has relied on Rock Engineering to
provide ground support and pre-splitting
of the final walls for nearly four years.
Currently eighteen months into the two-
year second phase of the ground support
fixed-price contract, Rock Engineering has
been on site for around three years in total,
having completed Phase One prior to the
current contract. Mine life for the open pit
is predicted for another four years, with the
potential to commence underground opera-
tions after that time.
To perform its work on site, Rock Engi-
neering owns and operates a fleet of under-
ground and surface equipment.
Rugged and Reliable
The ROC F9, along with all of the ma-
chines in the Atlas Copco Open Pit Series,
has been designed for rugged conditions,
with enough strength and flexibil­ity to
handle the most demanding tasks. Thanks
to its folding boom, the ROC F9 boasts the
longest vertical and horizontal reach of any
similar machine. It is also equipped with
the most powerful top­hammer in its class.
 Multiple Tasking in Western Australia

The rig is powered by a 231 kW engine

and an Atlas Copco screw compressor de-
livering 188 lit/sec.
The design facilitates more holes per rig
set-up, because less time is spent tramming,
making more time available for drilling.
Rock Engineering’s decision to purchase
the ROC F9 was based heavily on its versa-
tility, because the folding boom is suitable
for both drilling cablebolt holes, and for
pre-splitting. At Argyle, cablebolt holes are
drilled at 89 mm-diameter to a depth of 23
m, while pre-splitting is carried out to a
depth of 25 m. As well as these two main
functions, the machine is also occasionally
used for drilling blastholes, and pit holes
for dewatering. The company appreciates
this versatility, but has also found that the
ROC F9 outperforms its predecessor on all
functions. This is partly credited to the ang-
ling capability of the drillrig’s mast, which
allows the operator to insert bolts quickly,
and with minimal manoeuvring of the unit.
The operators are also able to see all of
the rods from the cab, which they report
has led to more efficient drilling.

Good Company
The ROC F9 drillrig is used at Argyle on a
10 h shift basis and, even in the site’s vari-
able rock conditions, is meeting all require-
ments placed upon it. It was recently joined
by a ROC L8, another machine from the
current Atlas Copco series, which arrived
on site during May, 2003.
This latest addition is being used to drill
150 m-long dewatering holes at a 5-degree
upward angle, and 200 m-deep vertical ho-
les, although it is also capable of pre-split
and production drilling. The rig uses a 5 in
hammer, 89 mm drill pipes, and 140 mm
bits, and the carousel has been modified to
allow for re-load of pipes every 48 m.
The Australian drilling contractor mar-
ket has a reputation of being one of the
most demanding in the world, with some of
the toughest working conditions. In sum-
mertime, the operators face ambient temper-
atures above 55 degrees C in the pits. The
rock stores the heat, and radiates it at night.
The Atlas Copco rigs have been custo-
mized to handle these sorts of conditions,
together with the contractors’ specific needs.
  Widened application range, exception­al-
ly low running cost, and enhanced reliabi-
lity are the main reasons for the rapid
acceptance of the ROC L8 in Australia.
Fitted with a Caterpillar C12 317 kW Atlas Copco’s ROC L8 at work at
engine, the ROC L8 provides powerful Sunrise Dam open pit.
down-the-hole drilling with COP 44, 54
and 64 Gold hammers, which are among
the fastest on the market.
Combining manoeuvrability, strength and
precision, the rig can drill accurately
throughout a large range of angles. An op-
tional electronic inclination instrument and
depth controller ensures perfectly aligned
and orientated holes to a preset depth.
Heavy-duty tracks, a fuel-saving device,
and a dust collector and pre-separator are
among the many standard features of the
unit. Many other options are available,
including an electronic refuelling pump,
engine pre-heater, and hydraulic support leg.
The ROC L8 was purchased on its own
merits, but Rock Engineering experience
with the ROC F9 obviously had some
influence on their decision. The ROC F9
has reported very few of the teething prob-
lems normally associated with the commis-
sioning of a new machine, and achieves
90% availability.

DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING 71

 Multiple Tasking in Western Australia
Air conditioned cab is essential at
Sunrise Dam.
Multiple Tasking at Sunrise
Dam
The Sunrise Dam gold mine, located 50 km
south of Laverton, Western Australia, has
been operational since 1997. It has gone
through numerous upgrades and expan-
sions, and the open pit has now reached
a depth of 460 m. Since 2000, conven-
tional open pit mining has been carried
out by Roche Mining, the mining division
of Downer EDI, one of Australia’s major
providers of mining services, and winner
of the inaugural Gold Industry Supplier of
the Year in 2003. Roche Mining introduced
the new Atlas Copco ROC L8 crawler in
November, 2002 to help rescue the steadily
declining output.
In early 2002, approximately 1.4-1.6
million bank cubic metres were mined per
month, an output already declining with
increasing pit depth and decreasing strip
ratio.
To obtain this output, Roche Mining ope-
rates a range of large trucks, excavators
and drillrigs.
Traditionally, separate machines have
been required to perform the various drill-
ing functions, particularly grade control
drilling, where normal production rigs
were unsuitable because of the requirement
to blow air back up the drilltube.
However, the revolutionary Atlas Copco
ROC L8 DTH rig is designed to handle
72 DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING
reverse-circulation grade control, pre-split,
and production drilling.
With this in mind, Roche Mining took
delivery of a new ROC L8 towards the end
of 2002, proposing fast changeover times
to enable their operators to fully utilize the
multiple functions of the rig, without com-
promising on performance.
The ROC L8, powered by a robust Cat
317 kW (430 hp) diesel engine, is compat­
ible with some of the fastest DTH rock
drills on the market, including the COP 44,
54 and 64.
Heavy-duty tracks with 18 degrees of
oscillation, low centre of gravity, good
weight distribution, and good ground clear-
ance all contribute to the impressive terrain
and tramming abilities of the ROC L8.
During 2003, the ROC L8 is easily meet-
ing the target figures, while satisfying ini-
tial expectations, and is achieving drilling
rates equivalent to the outputs of Roche’s
larger machines.
The machine currently performs reverse
circulation, blasthole and pre-split drilling,
a flexibility of operation that is praised by
the owner. A fast changeover time ensures
that the multiple functions of the rig are
used efficiently, and there is no compro-
mise on performance.
Versatile Asset
The ROC L8 at Sunrise Dam has proved
to be a versatile asset that is meeting all
requirements, and is building a reputation
as a well-designed machine that facilitates
multifunctional use in mining. During the
first two months of operation, an Atlas
Copco technician attended site full time, to
ensure that everybody was at ease with the
new arrival, and confident with its func-
tions and use. Roche Mining now receives
a weekly visit, to ensure that everything is
working at its best. Based on the machine’s
merits alone, the company is looking for-
ward to including more units into its fleet
in the near future.
Acknowledgements
Atlas Copco is grateful to the management
and contractors at Argyle and Sunrise
mines for their inputs to this article, which
first appeared in Atlas Copco Surface
Drilling, Second Edition, published in
2004. ■
 POSTMASBURG, SOUTH AFRICA

ROC L8 Outperforms in
Assmang Iron Ore
Testing Conditions
Wherever the Atlas Copco ROC L8
DTH drill rig has been introduced, it
has quickly earned a reputation for
independence and flexibility. Capable
of drilling large-diameter holes to
great depth, the story has been the
same in all applications: more holes
for less money. At Assmang iron ore
mine at Postmasburg in South Africa,
a 250% increase in drilling output
was registered by the ROC L8 under
test conditions, and its new owners
were so delighted with its perform-
ance that they ordered three more.
Built-in reliability, combined with At-
las Copco service and spares support,
is ensuring that this new generation
of drill rigs is recording high levels of
availability, even when drilling around
the clock in remote situations.

Winning at Assmang
When drilling contractor Booysen Bore
secured a contract at Assmang, a mine with
an iron content of 65% and a strength of
650 MPa, they purchased an Atlas Copco
ROC L8.
  The penetration rates and production
capabilities of the ROC L8 quickly became
apparent, causing Booysen Bore to order
three more similar machines to replace
their ageing fleet of waterwell rigs.
  At Assmang, 165 mm holes are being
drilled in bench heights varying from 8-13
m, and in different grades of ore. Bits need
to be sharpened every metre when drilling
into the top grade of iron ore, and every 6
m when drilling into waste. The ore:waste
ratio in the pit is 80:20. Nevertheless, the
ROC L8s, which are predominantly used
for production drilling and some minor
secondary drilling, are each achieving a
net penetration of 33.8 m/h, with an overall
average of 19 m/h for the four rigs.
Contractor’s Dream
Booysen Bore drills 43,000 m/month, on
a 24 h/day, 5 day/week cycle. Their ROC
L8 rigs are equipped with 6 m-long tubes,
so that most holes can be drilled with just Three ROC L8s presplit drilling at
two tubes, reducing the number of joints in Assmang, South Africa.
the drill string and keeping tube changing
to the bare minimum. Faster drilling rates
and less tube changing means they require
60% less manpower to get the job done.
The drillers are finding the rigs easier to
operate than the old fleet, and really appre-
ciate the comfortable cabin on cold nights.
  The ROC L8 is versatile, with boom
movements that are able to drill 30 degrees
left and right for pre-splitting, and forward,
if necessary. The onboard depth and incli-
nation meter is a contractor’s dream for
recording metres drilled. The rig is also
equipped with an EMS that measures engi-
ne speed, temperatures, coolant levels, bat-
tery voltage and other useful information.
  The company is very happy with the
after sales service, consignment stock and
training programme, all of which have
assured 85% mechanical availability.
Acknowledgements
Atlas Copco is grateful to Booysen Bore
and the owners of Assmang Mine for assist-
ance in the production of this article, which
first appeared in Atlas Copco Surface Drill-
ing, Second Edition, published in 2004. ■

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 73

 tANZANIA, gEITA GOLD MINE

Greater Geita
Impressive
performance
The largest fleet of ROC L8 drill rigs
anywhere in the world is hard at work
in Tanzania at the Geita Gold Mine, one
of Africa’s largest open pit gold opera-
tions. An astonishing 14 of these ma-
chines are employed in blast hole dril-
ling while two other units, rented by
the exploration contractor, are used in
reverse circulation drilling. Being ex-
tremely flexible and reliable, particu-
larly in adverse weather and rock con-
ditions, this is yet another example of
the ROC L8 Down-The-Hole crawler’s
high success around the world.
   And the Atlas Copco presence at
Geita doesn’t stop there: Four CS1000
rigs complement the exploration drill-
ing fleet and two Drilling Solutions
DML rigs for large blast hole drilling    Today these figures have increased to 8.4 Geita Gold Mine is the largest of
will arrive shortly at the mine. Moz reserve with an average grade of 4.28 AngloGold Ashanti´s 11 open pit gold
g/t, 12.7 Moz resource with a grade of 4.46 mines.
g/t, a 16 year life and a 6.3 Mt/y capacity
Gold Production plant.

Located in north central Tanzania, 1,200 km Mining at Geita

by road from Dar es Salaam, Geita Gold
Mining Limited (GGML) is owned by giant Mining operations at Geita (which has an
miner AngloGold Ashanti. With an impres- ISO 14001 environmental certification and a
sive production of 24 t/y of gold, Geita is NOSA 4 star safety certification), involves
the largest of AngloGold Ashanti’s 11 open the stripping of over 20 million m3 of rock,
pit gold mines, eight of which are located using standard open pit mining methods,
in Africa. with drill and blast followed by hydraulic
   Since its inauguration in August 2000, excavators loading into 100 t trucks.
Geita has shown an impressive performance,
greatly exceeding expectations. The mine’s
The first ROC L8 rig arrived at Geita December 2001. Some of the machines have now clocked up
gold production record so far has been: over 15, 000 hours of drilling but still work an average of 21 hours per 24 hours of work.
• 176,836 oz in 2000
• 545,561 oz in 2001
• 570,043 oz in 2002
• 661,000 oz in 2003
• 692,000 oz in 2004

Geita has a forecast for well over 600,000

oz in 2005. This represents almost half of
Tanzania’s annual gold production. Geita
Gold Mine now contributes about 6% of
the national GDP.
   This growth pattern is also reflected in
the company’s reserve base. When commis-
sioned, Geita had a 4 Moz reserve, a 7 Moz
resource, a 10 year life and a plant capacity
of 4 Mt/y.

74 Drilling in open pit mining


ROC L8´s at some cleaning up work of
boulders from an old ramp.
Mr Gathuru Mburu is Atlas Copco´s
Branch Manager in Tanzania.
Drilling in open pit mining 75
Production comes from several open pits;
the Nyankanga pit (the largest and where
about 30% of the pit production is sourced
from, with an output of over 900,000 BCM’s
(bank cubic metre) a month; Geita Hill (an
interesting challenge as the area being mined
is located above a network of old under-
ground workings), Lone Cone (North, Central
and South), Kukuluma and Matandani. Fu-
ture pits to be mined are Chipaka, Area 3
West, Roberts, Ridge 8 and Star & Comet.
The latter three pits will go into production
in 2008 and will be located about 30 km
from the processing plant.
  The mining operation is vast and complex,
with roads and other infrastructure, inclu-
ding a dam, waste dump, tailings dam, air-
strip and numerous buildings spread over a
large area.
   In a change of strategic direction, from
August 2005, AngloGold Ashanti has taken
over direct responsibility for the mining
operations at Geita, which were previously
supplied by a contracting company.
   Mr Ettiene Smuts is responsible for the
mining department, where a team of mining
engineers, supervisors, surveyors, mine geo-
logists and other assistants work together
to define the gold bearing ore, design and
schedule the pits and waste dumps, and then
mark out this information in the field.
tANZANIA, gEITA GOLD MINE
   The fleet of drilling equipment com-
prises 14 Atlas Copco ROC L8 Down-The-
Hole drill rigs all of which are used for blast
hole drilling. Blasting, using ANFO and em-
ulsion, takes place every day. Most of the
drill rigs are employed in the large Nyan-
kanga pit and moved to the other working
areas as and when needed.
   GGM has ordered two Atlas Copco Dril-
ling Solutions DML rigs which will be de-
livered at the end of 2005. These units will
be used for large blast hole drilling in the
Nyakanga pit as the cuts get back further,
requiring more material to be removed.
   Blasthole diameter is 130 mm but the
drill pattern varies from pit to pit depen-
ding on the ground conditions and hard-
ness. Current drilling patterns used are:
• 4 m x 4.5 m x 10 m bench with
a sub drill of 1 m
• 4 m x 5 m x 10 m bench with
a sub drill of 1 m
• 5 m x 5 m x 6 m bench with
a sub drill of 5 m in the softer areas.
   The first ROC L8 rigs arrived at Geita
in December 2001. As temperatures can
get very high in this part of the country, the
machines’ cooling system was modified with
an extra cooler in order for the rigs to achieve
optimum performance in the severe heat.
 tANZANIA, gEITA GOLD MINE

Some of the machines have now clocked Eastern Africa, a new target has been set Blasting notification at the Geita
up over 15,000 hours of drilling but still to increase the rigs’ average mechanical av- Airstrip.
work an average of 21 hours per 24 hours ailability to well over 80% in the next 18
of work. Thanks to the Down-The-Hole me- months. In order to reach the high monthly
thod, these rigs are particularly good when targets and keep a strong connection with
drilling in the water areas around the pits. the drilling team, Atlas Copco Eastern Africa
This method also helps keep the drill con- is now responsible for training the person-
sumables cost to a minimum. The high air nel in the maintenance and drilling division.
pressure delivered by the ROC L8s improves
air flushing and consequently the penetra- Stanley Mining Services
tion rate. A high emphasis is placed on machine
   This large fleet of equipment needs con- Stanley Mining Services, part of US-based availability and the technical support
stant back-up and technical support, mainly Layne Christensen - one of the largest ex- is being provided directly by Atlas
when considering that the machines are wor- ploration drilling companies in the world Copco Eastern Africa
king in a remote area where one of the ma-
jor problems is logistics. In conjunction with
the engineering manager, Errol Drake, Atlas
Copco Eastern Africa is further optimising
the supply and stocking of parts and consum-
ables. There is also a rebuild programme
planned for the coming months with major
components on the older rigs being rep-
laced. Geita’s Purchasing Managers K. B.
Wilson and Simon Dominic say: Because
of logistics, supply can be a problem. How-
ever, unlike with other manufacturers, we do
not have supply problems with Atlas Copco.
The company’s local support is very good.”
   A high emphasis is placed on machine
availability and now that technical support
is being provided directly by Atlas Copco

76 Drilling in open pit mining


Gold bullion processing.
AngloGold Ashanti continue to invest
in new equipment.
Drilling in open pit mining 77
- is responsible for exploration and grade
control drilling at Geita.
   Stanley has operated in Africa for nearly
10 years and apart from Tanzania, it has
offices in Ghana, Guinea, Mali and Zambia.
Geita mine was the location of the com-
pany’s first drilling programme in Tanzania,
where difficult ground conditions make the
work particularly challenging.
   GGM awarded Stanley a contract starting
in June 2001. One of their largest contracts,
in terms of the work carried out – exploration
and grade control - equipment deployed and
number of people.
   At Geita, Stanley has a workforce of 115
people and has its own facilities, including
a workshop, store, training room and a large
fleet of equipment on site. This fleet includes
four Atlas Copco CS1000, skid mounted rigs
and two Atlas Copco ROC L8 rigs. The ROC
L8s are on rental from Atlas Copco Eastern
Africa.
  Stanley’s fleet in Tanzania comprises 15
Atlas Copco Christensen surface core
drilling rigs (model CS 1500, CS
3000 and CS 4000 using Craelius
diamond bits and Craelius rea-
ming shells), 10 RC drilling rigs
and a number of Atlas Copco
compressors.
   Stanley’s ROC L8 RC
rigs are allocated to grade
control drilling in the pits.
They are fitted with RC drill
rods and face sampling Down-The-Hole
hammers. For grade control (which is under-
taken every 20 m), the machines drill 11 m
holes at 60° angle. The choice of ROC L8
was influenced by the fact that the mine al-
ready had a large fleet of these machines.
Atlas Copco has a team of service engi-
neers on site to provide 24-hour support to
Geita’s and Stanley’s fleet of ROC L8 rigs.
   With a 2005 budget of US$5.6 million,
exploration at Geita is carried out to gene-
rate replacement resources at an equivalent
rate to which they are depleted by mining
operations. The core drilling rigs are used
tANZANIA, gEITA GOLD MINE
Mr Greg Kelly is the Drill & Blast Superintendent at
Geita Gold Mines
for exploration (core samples) in the field
and the RC equipment is used both for ex-
ploration in the field and for grade control
in the pit. Based on the outcome of the ex-
ploration with the RC rigs, the diamond rigs
can be deployed to obtain an exact repli-
cation of the ground conditions with a solid
core sample. This information is given to
the mine for the modelling. Diamond drill
holes are normally between 300 and 500 m.
Atlas Copco Eastern Africa
With a presence in Nairobi, Kenya since
1936, Atlas Copco has its own sales, lo-
gistics and aftermarket support customer cen-
tre in this country. This centre is also the
Group’s Regional Headquarters for East Af-
rica, covering Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia,
Eritrea, Sudan, Mauritius, Madagascar, So-
malia and Djibouti.
These markets are supported via a group of
skilled sales, logistics and service personnel,
trained at factory level to market and service
all of the Atlas Copco products and support
the distribution network.
   In order to extend its service to custo-
mers, a new Atlas Copco branch was esta-
blished in January 2003 in Mwanza, Tan-
zania, with the aim of strengthening the
support to mining, construction and indu-
strial customers in the Lake Victoria region.
Acknowledgement
This article was prepared for the Atlas Copco
press lunch in London, December 2005. ■
 navachab, namibia
DTH Choice Cuts Costs
at Navachab
The extended main pit at Navachab:
Mining is carried out on 5 m-high
benches.
“The full service contract gives us
the availability we need to achieve
our targets” Angula Kalili, Pit
Superintendent.
78
Reducing Operational
Costs
The Navachab gold mine in Namibia
has the potential to reduce its opera-
tional costs with the introduction of
down-the-hole drilling. The mine is
aiming for a higher ore-to-waste ratio
and substantial savings in loading
and haulage.
Substantial Savings
AngloGold Ashanti is proving that sub-
stantial savings can be achieved by moving
from contractor mining to owner mining.
  In 1998–99, AngloGold Ashanti had
planned a pit extension programme at its
Navachab gold mine that would support
production until 2013. At that time, the
plant treatment capacity was 170 tonnes
per hour, with an ore throughput of 1.4 mil-
lion tonnes per year, averaging 1.55 grams
of gold per tonne.
  The low price of gold at that time per-
suaded the company not to proceed. But
after a feasibility study, Navachab approv-
ed the Western Pushback, which made up
half of the original expansion project. This
extension of the main pit from 2000 to
2001 extended the life of the mine (LOM)
from 2003 to 2005. In 2002–3, another fea-
sibility project was launched to mine the
Eastern Pushback. Through reduced costs
and a strong gold price, this project was
approved and it increased the LOM to the
current 2013.
  In 2003, the mine decided not to renew
the mining contractor’s contract and to con-
vert all mining operations to owner mining.
This involved the purchase of new mining
equipment, including three ROC L8 drill
rigs with DTH hammers.
  Pit Superintendent Angula Kalili exp-
lains: “The aim of selecting DTH drilling
was to make the drilling process more accu-
rate, to gain better control of the amount of
ore/waste, and to reduce the costs of loading
and hauling through better fragmentation.”
  Once the Western Pushback (main pit) is
complete, it will be 900 m long (extended
by 85 m), 375 m wide and 220 m deep
(extended by 40 m). Mining of the Eastern
Pushback started at the beginning of 2006
and is expected to continue to 2013. All
mining blocks (ore and waste) in the main
pit are mined out on 5 m high benches. This
interval will be the same for ore blocks
on the Eastern Pushback but here, waste
blocks will be increased to 10 m benches.
  The rock is classified as soft, hard and
very hard, and each mining block amounts
to about 12,000 m3. A dedicated diamond
drilling rig works ahead of mining to define
the mineralization zones and maximize
ore definition. Navachab also operates a
comprehensive geotechnical programme
including in-pit mapping of structural data
to ensure slope stability and provide a safe
working environment in terms of geotec
wall stability.
  Blasting is done with megamite explo-
sives for the pre-split holes and emulsion
(High Energy Fuel HEF) for production
blast holes, using a powder factor of 0.7
kg/bank m3 in hard rock. Non-electric de-
tonators are used but electronic detona-
tors are being tested for slope stability and
vibration control.
Achieving the Objective
As a key factor in the switch to DTH drill-
ing, Navachab selected three Atlas Copco
ROC L8 drilling rigs equipped with COP
44 hammers for ore drilling and COP 54
hammers for the bigger diameter holes in
the waste. These rigs provided exactly the
capability Navachab was looking for – high
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
 DTH choice cuts costs at Navachab

precision drilling, flexibility in feed posi-

tioning and a high degree of mobility on
the pit’s narrow benches. Kalili explains
that the main reason for choosing DTH
was to achieve straighter, parallel pre-split
holes drilled at the angles required (65–80
degrees) to optimize the slopes. Other fac-
tors included good penetration rate and low
cost-per-metre.
  The rigs have not only achieved those
objectives but have also significantly
reduced the proportion of blastholes that
needed re-drilling prior to blasting, from
the 20 per cent previously recorded using
top hammer drilling to only five per cent
with DTH.
  The rigs drill pre-split holes on a 1.2 m Keeping up the good work: During their first year, the ROC L8s were maintained with an Atlas Copco
spacing, using the COP 44 DTH hammer full service contract.
and 115 mm Secoroc ballistic Speedbits. In
waste, the diameter is increased to 140 mm
using COP 54 with a 3.5 m x 3.5 m spac-
ing/burden pattern. The benches are drilled
with 1 m sub-drill. The daily target drilling
rate for all three rigs is set at about 1,000 m
corresponding to 20,000–21,000 m/month.
Penetration rate has averaged 35 m/hr, main-
ly with the COP 44 in soft to hard rock.
Overall, Navachab has found that the bal-
listic cone-shaped button bit (Speedbit)
performs best in the prevailing conditions.
The on-site team regrinds the bits using an
Atlas Copco Grind Matic and the bit service
life is about 600 m. Atlas Copco supplies
the drilling consumables on a contractual
basis and is compensated per drill metre in
three different rock categories. The drilling team: from left, H Nel, Site Foreman, R Rust, Product Support, J Pietersen, Mechanic (all
from Atlas Copco), D Stini and M Beukes, Navachab operators and Mathues Pointer, Navachab.
Focusing on Full Service
The mine emphasizes the importance of full
service and easy maintenance. The rigs
arrived in April–May 2004 and training
was conducted with nine operators. The
Atlas Copco service team maintained the
rigs for the first year on a full service con-
tract. Mechanics check the oil levels at the
start and end of each shift and carry out
scheduled workshop services.
  “As drilling is crucial for the whole
downstream operation, the full service
contract gives us the availability we need
to achieve our targets,” says Angula Kalili.
Experience has shown that it is possible to
deliver the mine’s planned production rate
using only two of the three units for blast- Acknowledgements DTH drilling under way: The ROC L8s
hole drilling, and Kalili would like to see being used for pre-split drilling on a 1.2
this become routine, freeing the third rig This article first appeared in Mining & m spacing.
for pre-split drilling and back-up duties. Construction No 2, 2006. ■

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 79

 Eisenerz, Austria
Iron Ore From Erzberg
Mountain
Atlas Copco ROC L8 drilling at Erzberg.
Sampling device fitted to the dust pre-
cleaner of the ROC L8.
80
Roman Origins
The Erzberg mountain in the Austrian
Alps has a history of iron ore mining
that dates back to Roman times. The
current open pit operation at Eisenerz
was started more than a century ago,
with 40 benches, each 12 m in height.
It survived to become the only iron
ore mine still operating in Austria,
with probable reserves in excess of
100 million t. Today, the benches are
24 m-high, and the mine consistently
produces around 2 million t/year wor-
king three, 8 h shifts/day. For produc-
tion drilling, just a single drillrig is
needed. This is a ROC L8 from Atlas
Copco.
Improved Capacity
The ore at Eisenerz has an iron content of
33.6% and a manganese content of 2%.
Recovery rate is 45%, and the beneficiated
ore is shipped by rail to the nearby Donawitz
and Linz steelworks, where self-fluxing sinter
averaging 50% iron and 3% manganese is
produced.
The operation at the open pit is impres-
sive by any measure, and much of its suc-
cess can be attributed to clever choice of
drilling equipment, perfectly matched to the
job. The ROC L8 is used for just one shift/
day, and performs so well that only occa-
sionally, due to quality variations, is there
need for an extra shift of drilling. The rig
capacity is 40,000 m/year, corresponding to
an annual production of 4.4 million t.
Prior to investing in the ROC L8, mine
owner Voest Alpine Erzberg GmbH used se-
veral other rigs. However, the ROC L8 has
increased nett drilling capacity at the mine
by 100%, up to 50 m/hour.
Fuel consumption during operations, in-
cluding both drilling and tramming up to 2
km/shift, is 40 lit/h.
Rig planned maintenance is carried out
by mine personnel at the regular service
intervals. This is supplemented by an in-
spection and service by the operator at the
start of each shift. This keeps rig availability
at 95%.
Drilling in Open Pit Mining

When the ROC L8 was first put to work
at the site in 2002, it was equipped with a 6
in DTH hammer, 165 mm bits and 140 mm
drill pipes. However, due to the mixed rock
conditions, the drillers ran into difficulties,
both with flushing of the holes and with
the drill string getting stuck.
In co-operation with Atlas Copco, the
miners switched to a Secoroc COP 54 DTH
hammer with 152 mm bit and 127 mm pipes,
and the situation improved due to increased
air velocity. In addition, Atlas Copco modi-
fied the feed of the ROC L8. A more po-
werful rotation unit, the DHR 48H68, was
fitted, giving a maximum torque of 3,600
Nm, together with an upgraded feed motor
with a pullout force of up to 5.5 t.
Computerized Planning
Every drill hole is planned on computer and
the basic drill pattern has a burden and spa-
cing of 6.5 x 6.5 m. Depending on the geo-
logy and ground conditions, this is changed
from a minimum of 6 m, up to a maximum
of 7 m. Hole inclination is 22 degrees off
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Iron Ore From Erzberg Mountain
Erzberg open pit with its 24 m-high
benches.
vertical and the hole depth, when drilling
24 m-high benches, is 28-29 m. No toe
holes are required.
The 152 mm bits with ballistic but¬tons
are used without regrinding, and have an
average life of more than 5,000 m. In homo-
genous rock, drilling at the rate of 1 m/min
is carried out at an air pressure of 25 bar. In
mixed ground, the air pressure is reduced
to 21 bar to obtain a better balance between
penetration rate and flushing capacity.
A sampling device fitted to the dust pre-
cleaner on the ROC L8 collects powdered
iron ore for quality analysis, giving the ma-
nagement an early indication of the expec-
ted grade from each hole.
The modern miners at Erzberg have since
pushed their productivity levels even higher,
with Atlas Copco's latest DTH hammer, the
COP 54 Gold Express.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction, No 3, 2004. ■
81
 glentaggart, scotland
More Than a Match for
Scotland’s Coal
On site at Scottish Coal’s Glentaggart
operation: The versatile ROC L6H. Exceeding
Expectations
In the difficult terrain of Scottish
Coal’s 150-year-old Glentaggart open
cast coal mine, an Atlas Copco ROC
L6H is proving more than a match for
the larger rotary drill rigs the com-
pany operates at its other mines.
Drilling in Sandstone
Formerly a room-and-pillar mine, Glentag-
gart is now recovering remnants of deep
mines along its outcrop at a rate of 500,000
tonnes per year. There are some 20 seams
here, some of which have been extensive-
ly worked, while others are untouched.
Proven reserves stand at seven million
tonnes.
82
  The drilling is carried out by an Atlas Cop-
co ROC L6H crawler rig with a 25 bar com-
pressor producing 24 m3/m. And this unit,
equipped with a COP 54 DTH hammer, a
Secoroc 146 mm ballistic bit and using 5m-
long drill tubes, produces good results.
  The rig is owned by Castlebridge Plant,
Scottish Coal’s sister company, which pur-
chases and maintains all of the equipment
at the mine and hires it to Scottish Coal.
  The rock at Glentaggart consists mostly
of sandstone and mudstone. The sandstone
is coarse-grained, open-jointed and hard to
very hard, making drilling a challenge since
fast penetration is accompanied by high
abrasion.
  But the rig’s large compressed air output,
combined with a reduction in tube diame-
ter from 102 mm to 89 mm, has increased
tube life and dust collection by slowing the
uphole velocity of the drill cuttings caused
by high penetration rates in the different
rock types.
  Depending on whether the rig is drill-
ing in sandstone or mudstone, it achieves
a penetration rate of 0.9m/min and 3.5 m/
min. Holes are generally drilled on a 6 m x
6 m pattern.
  The relatively small size of the ROC L6H,
compared to the rotary rigs at Scottish
Coal’s other mines, is appreciated for its ver-
tical, horizontal and angle drilling flexibili-
ty.
  “It’s a good rig compared to some of the
others I have operated,” says its operator,
Dean Houston. “It will go places the other
rigs simply will not go.”
Good Operational Economy
The boom and the feed arrangement can
be readily positioned to drill in various
directions from vertical to horizontal. The
single-section boom design also permits
the operator to position the feed from
transport mode to drilling in a few minutes
without re-pinning.
  Toe-holes are simply drilled with the stan-
dard boom articulation. Electronic hole in-
clination and depth control instruments
ensure that all blast holes are accurately
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
 More than a match for Scotland's Coal

aligned and drilled to the predetermined

hole depth.
  As a result, the operational economy of
the ROC L6H at the site has been high.
“We get more production out of it,” con-
firms the mine’s Drilling and Blasting
Supervisor, Colin Robb. “That’s the main
factor. We can drill more holes in less ti-
me.” The mine estimates that the rig aver-
ages 40 per cent more production per shift
than Scottish Coal’s rotary drill rigs, mak-
ing it 22 per cent cheaper to run. In addi-
tion, fuel consumption is less than 1 litre
per metre, making it as fuel efficient as a
top hammer rig.
  “I know both Scottish Coal and Cast-
lebridge Plant are very happy with this
rig,” Mr Robb says. “It has been meeting
and exceeding expectations.”
  Furthermore, the ROC L6H rig is equip-
ped with a ROPS/FOPS cabin for rollover
and falling object protection. This suits
the requirements of Scottish Coal which
The remote Glentaggart coal field, about 65 kilometres south of Glasgow.
has earned five gold awards in the past
six years for health and safety from the
UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of
Accidents.
  Castlebridge also acquired a second
L6H in October for Scottish Coal’s Broken
Cross mine on another part of the same
coal field.
  “We place a lot of importance on safety,”
Mr Robb comments. “Besides the cabin,
the manoeuvrability of the rig has also
made a positive difference especially when Discussing the day’s performance of the ROC L6H: From left, Dean Houston and Steve Griffiths of
working on the slopes. Therefore we can Scottish Coal with (right) Atlas Copco’s Mike Wilson.
position the rig more safely.

Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining &
Construction, No 3, 2004. ■

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 83

 Siilinjärvi, finland
Apatite for Extraction
Coprod Solution for Siilinjärvi
The ROC L740CR drilling 15.5 m deep
holes has increased the drilling output
by double figures.
Low Grade high drilling and blasting efficiencies, the
Apatite Ore
When drilling contractor Hartikainen
Oy sought a new drill rig fleet for the
Siilinjärvi mine, Finland, they had very
specific demands. High productivity,
reliability, mobility, efficiency and the
ability to drill larger, more accurate
holes all featured high on the priority
list.
84
High Productivity
The Siilinjärvi open pit mine is the biggest
in Finland, extracting almost eleven million
tons of apatite a year. Excavation began at
the site in 1979 at what is the European
Union’s only apatite mine. Today the mine
has grown to three kilometres in length, is
between 200 and 600 metres wide, and 130
metres deep. According to the owner of the
pit, Kemira GrowHow – a leading produc-
er of agricultural fertilizer, there is enough
apatite ore at the site to last 40 years.
  Siilinjärvi though, has the lowest grade
of mineable apatite ore in the world (ten
percent apatite in a mineral composition),
therefore the need for ultra-efficient extrac-
tion is critical to the viability of the opera-
tion.
Comparing Drill Rigs
One of the most important things for
the contractor was to find a drill rig that
could produce larger diameter holes than
most of the other rigs on the market. The
need for larger holes is due to the blasting
method used at the site: The bench height
is typically 14 metres, and the total blast
hole depth is 15.5 metres. Waste rock is
used to level the uneven surface of the
pit so when the drill rig moves to drill the
next hole, it first has to drill through 1.5
metres of broken rock. This softer, rela-
tively loose rock demands larger holes in
order to remain stable and open for charg-
ing.
  Minimizing in-hole deviation was an-
other important factor for Hartikainen
when se-lecting the drill rigs, for without
extraction could become unprofitable.
There is a tendancy for in-hole deviation
caused by the nature of the rock. The pre-
dominant geology of the mine is carboni-
titic apatite ore and diabase, distributed in
veins.
  After comparing different manufactu-
rer’s drill rigs and then trying a ROC
L740CR onsite for a year, the company
knew they had found the ideal rig.
Drilling in Open Pit Mining
 Apatite for extraction Coprod solution for Siilinjärvi

  The Coprod drilling system used on the

ROC L740CR had increased the drilling
output by double figures when compared to
traditional tophammer and down-the-hole
drilling systems. The improvement record-
ed at the site quickly led to the Siilinjärvi
mine becoming first in the world to take
delivery of the upgraded Atlas Copco ROC
L740CR.
  Tuomo Tuohino, Mining Engineer and
Project Manager of Kemira GrowHow
sums up the performance of the equip-
ment: “The Coprod system, in combination
with the overall effectiveness of the drill
rig, provides us with exactly what we are
looking for.”

Coprod Solution
COPROD can make larger holes than tra-
ditional tophammer drill rigs, and also
produces exceptional hole quality. The up-
graded ROC L740CR is equipped with
stage3/Tier III engine which meets all the
new exhaust emission limits.
  The rigs deliver exactly the power
needed in each phase of the operation,
which considerably reduces fuel consump-
tion. The ROC L740CR also comes with a
large fuel tank, enough to allow 12 hours
of continuous operation and dependable
start-up thanks to the heavy-duty generator
and batteries.
  The new cabin layout increases cockpit
visibility, driver space and comfort, some-
thing that has been much appreciated by
the crew at Siilinjärvi. Tuomo Tuohino
says: “As well as drilling performance, the
new ROC L740CR delivers superb operator
comfort, a factor that is also plays a part in
overall productivity.”
  Expanding the mine is much easier
now with the diesel driven ROC L740CR,
than with the old electric driven non Atlas
Copco rigs used previously; the mobility
of the new rigs making a significant impact
to efficiency of the operation.
  The upgraded version of ROC L740CR
has compared to its forerunner a bigger
engine (328 kW vs 272 kW), more power-
ful rock drill effect (40 kW vs 30 kW),
bigger compressor (254 l/s vs 228 l/s) and
can drill larger holes (180 mm vs 165 mm).
ROC L740CR. is optimized for difficult
rock conditions and therefore ideally suited
to the Siilinjärvi mine.
The Coprod drilling system proved its efficiency when drilling through the 1.5 m deep upper layer of
  Both mine owner and contractor were
broken rock.
very satisfied with the ROC L740CR they

Drilling in Open Pit Mining 85

 Apatite for extraction Coprod solution for Siilinjärvi

From left: Ensio Hartikainen,

Arto Hartikainen, Ilkka Eskola,
General Manager Oy Atlas Copco
Louhintatekniikka AB, and Kari Tiikkaja,
Manager of Mining and Construction,
Hartikainen.

had rented for a year and therefore have

decided to buy two additional units.
  Hartikainen place enormous focus on
Apatite
Apatite is a phosphate mineral and
productivity, and the goal for 2007 is to
the largest apatite deposits are asso-
achieve 260,000 drilled meters and 4.3 ciated with sedimentary deposits. The
million cubic meters of extracted material mineral is an essential ingredient in
using just three drill rigs. The rigs there- phosphate fertilizers, and is also used
fore, have to be very reliable, operating in the chemical and pharmaceutical
industries.
two shifts a day, five days a week.
  In order to ensure the proper mainte-
nance of the drill rigs a service and main-
tenance agreement with Atlas Copco was Acknowledgements
selected. The agreement, according to This article first appeared in Mining &
Tuomo Tuohino helps to ensure that the Construction, No 3, 2006. ■
demanding pace of production is met: “Our
production schedule in drilling and blasting
is very demanding, but so far, availability
of the drill rigs has been excellent.”

The Siilinjärvi open pit mine is the

biggest in Finland.

86 Drilling in Open Pit Mining

How to spend less
on Secoroc products

The way we figure it is this: If you spend your hard-earned

money on drill bits that have to be constantly replaced, then
sooner or later you’ll start wondering if you can’t get better
value elsewhere. In our case, the answer to this problem
was to design a comprehensive range of grinding equip-
ment.

It really doesn’t matter what kind of drilling you’re into. We

have grinding machines for fixed installations and field oper-
ations. We can handle tapered, threaded and DTH button
bits as well as integrals with chisel inserts.

We also have an ace up our sleeve – a patented diamond

grinding wheel. It’s the only one that can give your worn
spherical and ballistic buttons a new perfect finish. To start
saving money, call your local Atlas Copco representatives
today. They may advise you to invest a little first – but hey,
we’ve got to make a living too.

Atlas Copco Secoroc AB

Box 521, SE-737 25 Fagersta, Sweden
Phone: +46 223 461 00
E-mail: secoroc@se.atlascopco.com
www.atlascopco.com
 DRILLING METHOD GUIDE
Drilling method guide
Different applications need different kind of drilling equipment and performance. The choice of drilling method is nor-
mally already made since long. A well proven technique is very seldom considered to be replaced with a new method.
This diagram and table is an attempt to start a discussion around what method and equipment that might be the ulti-
mate solution for an application. This comparison presents our drilling methods and their advantages.
The tophammer method
The classic tophammer method is
renowned for high penetration rates
in good drilling conditions. Atlas
Copco is developing the method
continuously. Exhaustive research
into how impact energy can be
transmitted into the drill bit in the
most efficient way, with the least
possible stress, has resulted in a
new generation of rock drills.
Development has been focused on
the key component in the rock drill –
the piston. The piston length, mass,
and geometry have resulted in even
faster penetration. The effect is that
more rock is crushed with each blow
from the piston. Moreover, a double
damping system reduces the load on
components to give long service life,
at the same time as drillsteel wear is
reduced. In other words, the positive
results of faster drilling are not
counteracted by higher drillsteel
costs. An extractor unit is available
as a useful accessory for poor rock
conditions.
Principle: As the
name ”tophammer”
implies, the rock drill
is situated on the rig
and works on top of
the drillstring. The
impact energy of
the rockdrill piston
is transmitted to the
drill bit in the form
of shock waves. The
method is fast in good
rock conditions.
88 Drilling in open pit mining
The down-the-hole method
The down-the-hole method is a
reliable way to drill both difficult
and easy rock. The rockdrill piston
strikes the drill bit directly, while the
hammer casing gives straight and
stable guidance of the drill bit. This
results in minimal deviation and
greater holewall stability, even in
fissured or otherwise demanding
rock. Since the annulus between the
drill pipes and the hole wall is
comparatively small, a high flushing
velocity is maintained, which
contributes further to hole quality.
Good hole quality enables the
burden and spacing to be increased,
which saves time and money. Straight
holes make charging easier and
enable the amount of explosive to be
reduced. The reliable DTH method is
an easy way to produce deep, straight
holes. From an environmental point
of view, the noise emissions and
vibration from DTH drilling are
comparatively low. This is of parti-
cular advantage when drilling in
densely populated areas.
Principle: The rock
drill is situated down
the hole in direct
contact with the
drill bit. This means
that power losses
are minimal. The
hammer’s closeness
to the drill bit gives
stable guidance and
minimal hole
deviation.
The COPROD® system
The COPROD system combines the
speed of tophammer drilling with the
precision and long service life of the
down-the-hole method. Inside each
rigid, threaded pipe section is an
impact rod. It is furnished with stop
lugs to hold it in place inside the pipe
section. The COPROD sections are
joined together via the drill pipes.
Since the drill pipes transmit rotation
force only, stress to the threads is
minimal and their service life very
long. All negative effects of the
transmission of impact energy
through the threads are eliminated
entirely. The result is high impact
power with minimal wear. Since the
outer pipes are smooth and flush
along the entire length of the drill-
string, it is almost impossible for
jamming to occur. Practical
experience with COPROD has been
exceptionally good. The method
gives good overall economy,
particularly in large scale production
drilling and when drilling in fissured
or otherwise demanding rock
conditions.
Principle: The rock
drill is situated on the
feed beam on the rig
and impact energy is
imparted from above.
Threadless impact
rods are stacked
inside the threaded
drill pipes. The
impact rods are used
solely to transmit
impact energy and
feed force, while the
drill pipes transmit
rotation. COPROD
combines the speed
of tophammer
drilling with the
hole straightness of
the down-the-hole
method.
 DRILLING METHOD GUIDE

Rotary drilling methods

The prime difference from other
drilling methods is the absence of
percussion. Rotary cutting, using
fixed type claw or drag bits, is mainly
used for soft rock which is cut by
shearing. Rotary crushing uses tricone
bits relying on crushing and spalling
the rock. This is accomplished by
transferring downforce, known as
pulldown, to the bit while rotating in Drilling Method Tophammer DTH COPROD
order to drive the teeth (commonly
tungsten carbide type) into the hole Penetration rate
bottom as the three cones rotate
around their respective axis. The softer
Straight holes
the rock the higher the rotation speed.
The drill rigs need to be heavy to
avoid lifting off the jacks, which means Hole depth
that they are less flexible and not
suited for drilling at different angles. Production
Generally, drilling below 152 mm capacity
(6 inches) is best accomplished by (tonnes/shift)
percussive drilling unless prevailing
rock conditions are suited for rotary Low fuel
cutting. Rotary crushing is the prime consumption
choice for large diameter holes, above (lit/drillm.)
254 mm (10 inches) in open pit mining,
overburden stripping at coal mines, Economic drill
and deep well drilling. string life

Low investment
TONS for drill string

Suitability,
difficult drilling
conditions

Suitability,
Principle: good drilling
Rotation is conditions
provided by
a hydraulic or Operator friendly
electric motor
driven gearbox,
Flushing
called a rotary
head that moves flexibility
up and down
the tower via Fair Unbeatable in good drilling conditions
a feed system, Low fuel consumption
generating Low investment in drillstring
the pulldown
required to give Good Straight holes
sufficient weight
on the bit.
Deep holes
Flushing of drill Simplicity for the operator
cuttings between
the wall of the Very good Unbeatable in difficult drilling conditions
hole and the drill High productivity
rods is normally
Good penetration rate
made with
compressed air.
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

Drilling in open pit mining 89

 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

SmartRig™ ROC D7C/D9C

Main specifications
Recommended hole range D7C
T38, T45, T51 64-115 mm 2½"-4½"
Max hole depth, approx 28 m 92'
Recommended hole range D9C
T45, T51 76-115 mm 3" - 4½"
Hole depth 28 m approx. 92'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 1840-series (ROC D7C)
Impact power 18 kW 24.5 HP
COP 2160 (ROC D9C)
Impact power, max. 21 kW 28 HP
Atlas Copco C 106 screw type compressor
ROC D7C
Working pressure, max 10.5 bar 152 psi
FAD 127 l/s 270 cfm
ROC D9C
Working pressure, max 10.5 bar 152 psi
FAD 136 l/s 288 cfm
Engine ROC D7C/D9C Caterpillar water-cooled
diesel engine Stage 3/Tier III CAT C7
Rating at 2200 rpm 168 kW 225 HP
The new ROC D7C/D9C crawler drill combines the power Boom variants
and flexibility of the popular ROC D7 with the intelligence -11, folding boom
of RCS – computerized Rig Control System. RCS adjusts Fuel tank
impact and feed to the rock conditions so as to achieve Capacity 370 l 98 US gal.
smoother drilling and less wear in the drill steel. Designed Feed
both for construction and quarrying work, the ROC D7C/ Feed length, total 7135 mm 23'5"
D9C has a true 102 mm tophammer capability. For bench Travel length 4240 mm 15'
Feed extension 1400 mm 4'3"
heights up to 28 m. Fuel efficient diesel engine delivers Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
the power needed for quick penetration and efficient Feed force, max. 20 kN 4400 lbf
flushing. Coverage area, approx 12 m² 130 sqft
Tramming
Standard equipment Tramming speed, max. 3.1 km/h 2.0 mph
Rig Control System RCS, Operator’s cabin (ROPS and FOPS Traction force 115 kN 25760 lbf
approved), RHS mechanized rod handlling, Aluminium Hill climbing ability, 20° (30° with winch)
Track oscillation ± 12°
feed, Double drill-steel support, Angle and hole depth Ground clearance 455 mm 17½"
instrument, Fuel saving device, Two-speed traction
Transport dimensions
motors, Dust collector and pre-separator, Feed extension, Weight, excl. options
Air flow control switch, Anti-jamming system, Valves -11 Folding boom 13600 kg 30000 lb
for reduced percussion and air pressures for collaring, Width 2370 mm 7'10"
Retractable dust hood, Heavy duty tracks, Work lights, Length 11610 mm 38'1"
Electric refuelling pump Height 3200 mm 10'2"

Optional equipment
Automatic feed alignment, Laser plane receiver, Automatic
rod adding system, Hydraulic winch, ROC Manager – MWD,
Measure While Drilling, Toe-hole drilling kit, Hydraulic
support leg, Silencing kit, Hole Navigation System

25°

3100

25°

4780 2755

5500

90 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ECM 660
This high performing crawler drill is equipped with
a 21 kW reverse percussion hydraulic drifter (HC158)
and auto drilling system that offers the combination
of high penetration rate, straight holes and long life for
consumables. The extendable boom provides for easy
and precise hole positioning, and the air conditioned cab
for operator’s comfort. The ECM can be used for the hole
range 76  -115 mm with T45 or T51 rod in both quarry and
construction applications.
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
T45, T51 76 -115 mm 3"- 4½"
Hole depth, 25 m approx, 82'
Hydraulic rock drills
Montabert/HC158
Impact power, max. 21 kW 28 HP
Compressor
Working pressure, max. 10 bar 140 psi
FAD 167 l/s 350 cfm
Engine
Cummins/QSC 8.3
Rating at 2200 rpm 194 kW 260 HP
Boom variant
Type Extendable
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 106 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 7660 mm 25'
Travel length 4250 mm 14'
Feed extension 1500 mm 4'11"
Feed rate max. 0.7 m/s 132 ft/min
Feed force, max. 19.6 kN 4400 lbf
Pull force max. 19.6 kN 4400 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.4 km/h 2.1 mph
Traction force, max 89.6 kN 20000 lbf
Hill climbing ability 30º
Track oscillation ± 9º
Ground clearance 420 mm 16'5"
Transport dimensions
Weight, excl. o.e 13 tonnes 28660 lb
Width 2.47 m 8'2"
Length 9.98 m 32'9"
Height 2.87 m 9'5"

Standard equipment
50 hour element kit, 90 deg. Indexed drill guide, ARC T51
X 12’ X 6 for 72 mm coupling, Auto drilling system
(montabert), Auto rod thread greaser, Back mirror, Back
up alarm, Drifter hour meter, Dust collector with vertical
sliding hood, Engine auto throttle, Full length track
guard, HC158 reverse percussion hydraulic drifter, JIC
hose fittings, Low level indicator for fuel & hyd. oil, One
lever ARC control, Safety shutdown device on drill guide,
Standard tool set, Three sets manuals and parts books,
Triple grouser shoe pads, Two lever drilling controls,
Two speed traction motor, Warning horn, Working lights
(F:3/R:1), Limited ambient temperature: 52 deg. C.

Selection of Optional equipment

Accumulator charge kit, Angle indicator 2-d Lim, Angle
indicator 3-d lim, Anti freezing system, Arc lockout
system, Arc T45 X 12’ X 6 for 63 mm coupling, Arc T45 X
12’ X 6 For 66 mm coupling, Cold wether kit, Extra parts
book, Hyd. pressure test kit, Pre skimmer, Single grouser
shoe pads, T51 / 77 mm centralizer, Vaposol (less tank),
Vaposol tank (asme)

Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

Drilling in open pit mining 91

 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC F7
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
T45, T51 76-115 mm 3" - 4½"
Hole depth 28 m approx. 92'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 2160
Impact power 21 kW 28.1 HP
Atlas Copco XAH2 screw compressor
Working pressure 10.5 bar 152 psi
FAD 148 l/s 308 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel CAT 3126B
Rating at 2000 rpm 186 kW 253 HP
Boom variants
-10, single boom
-11, folding boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 100 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8100 mm 26'7"
Travel length 4770 mm 15'8"
Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4500 lbf
Tramming
The ROC F7 is available in two versions: a single boom Travel speed, max. 3.6 km/h 2.2 mph
version ideal for quarries; and a folding boom model Traction force 112 kN 25200 lbf
Hill climbing ability, without winch 20° 20º
versatile enough for all manner of construction sites. Hill climbing ability, with winch 35º 35º
The ROC F7 is equipped with a double drill steel support Track oscillation ± 10º ± 10º
and an ergonomically designed cabin. Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Transport dimensions
Standard equipment Length folding boom version 13000 mm 42'8"
Reduced impact pressure mechanism, Anti-jamming Length single boom version 12300 mm 40'4"
system, Automatic feed-force control (RPC), Fuel Width 2490 mm 8'2"
Height folding boom version 3200 mm 10'6"
saving device, Two-speed traction, Dust collector and Height single boom version 3200 mm 10'6"
pre-separator, Double hydraulic drill steel support, Rod Weight, optional equipment excluded
handling system (7+1 rods), Feed extension, Heavy duty folding boom version 15700 kg 34600 lb
tracks, Operator’s cabin, ROPS and FOPS approved, Air single boom version 15100 kg 33300 lb
flow control switch

Optional equipment
Hydraulic winch, Hydraulic support leg, Electric refuelling
pump, Anti-freeze equipment for compressed air, Air con-
ditioner, heater, Electronic hole depth and inclination in-
strument, Central lubrication system, Water mist system,
TAC tube guides for precision drilling, Thread greasing
device

25°

2610

25°

3490
2440

4815

92 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC F9/F9LF
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
T51 89-127 mm 3½"-5"
Hole depth 30 m 98'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 2560
Impact power, max. 25 kW 33.5 HP
Atlas Copco screw compressor
Working pressure 12 bar 175 psi
FAD 213 l/s 450 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel Stage 3/Tier III CAT C9
Rating at 2000 rpm 224 kW 304 HP
Boom variants
-10, single boom
-11, folding boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 106 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total
-10 and -11 8100 mm 26'7"
-LF 11230 mm 36'10"
Travel length
-10 and -11 4770 mm 15'8"
-LF 7830 mm 25'8"
The ROC F9 crawler drill rig is very powerful in its class, Feed extension 1300 mm 4'3"
with true 127 mm tophammer capability, and is available Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
with single or folding boom for quarrying and construction. Feed force, max. 20 kN 4500 lbf
Features the 25 kW COP 2560 rock drill with T51 drill Tramming
steel for fast penetration and perfect flushing, powered Tramming speed, max. 3.6 km/h 2.2 mph
by a fuel-efficient diesel engine. Traction force 112 kN 25200 lbf
Hill climbing ability, 20° without winch
Track oscillation ± 10º
Standard equipment Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Air conditioner, Reduced impact pressure mechanism,
Transport dimensions
Anti-jamming system, Automatic feed-force control, Fuel Weight, excl. options
saving device, Two-speed traction motors, Dust collector ROC F9-10 approx. 15600 kg 34000 lb
and pre-separator, Double hydraulic drillsteel support, ROC F9-11 approx. 16200 kg 37500 lb
Rod-handling system, Feed extension, Heavy-duty tracks, ROC F9LF 16600 kg 36600 lb
Operator’s cabin, ECM, ROPS and FOPS approved, Width 2490 mm 8'2"
Air-flow control switch, Water mist system excl. tank, Length
-10 and -11 12300 mm 40'4"
Toe-hole drilling kit, Inclination/depth instrument -LF 11300 mm 37'
Height 3200 mm 10'6"
Optional equipment
Hydraulic winch, Hydraulic support leg, Electric refuelling ROC F9LF – For selective mining and single pass drilling
pump, Central lubrication system, TAC tube guides for Maximize drill time. Minimize inproductive rod changing time.
precision drilling, Thread-greasing device, Rock drill The ROC F9 features a drill feed system for 6.1 m (20 foot) drill
extractor, Heater for cabin rods, with a maximum hole depth of 36 m (118 feet).

25°

2610

25°

3490
2440

4815

Drilling in open pit mining 93

 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

SmartRig™ ROC F9C

Main specifications
Recommended hole range
T51 89-127 mm 3½"-5"
Hole depth 28 m 92'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 2560
Impact power, max. 25 kW 33.5 HP
Atlas Copco screw compressor
Working pressure 12 bar 175 psi
FAD 213 l/s 450 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel Stage 3/Tier III CAT C9
Rating at 2000 rpm 224 kW 304 HP
Boom variants
-10, single boom
-11, folding boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 106 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8100 mm 26'7"
Travel length 4770 mm 15'8"
Feed extension 1300 mm 4'3"
Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4500 lbf
The new ROC F9C crawler drill combines the power and Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.6 km/h 2.2 mph
flexibility of the popular ROC F9 with the intelligence of
Traction force 112 kN 25200 lbf
RCS – the computerized Rig Control System. RCS adjusts Hill climbing ability, 20° without winch
impact and feed to the rock conditions so as to achieve Track oscillation ± 10º
smoother drilling and less wear in the drill steel. Designed Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
both for construction and quarrying work. Features the Transport dimensions
25 kW COP 2560 rock drill with T51 drill steel for fast Weight, excl. options
penetration and perfect flushing, powered by a fuel- ROC F9C-10 approx. 15600 kg 34000 lb
efficient diesel engine. ROC F9C-11 approx. 16200 kg 37500 lb
Width 2490 mm 8'2"
Length 12300 mm 40'4"
Standard equipment Height 3200 mm 10'6"
Air conditioner, Reduced impact pressure mechanism,
Anti-jamming system, Automatic feed-force control, Fuel
saving device, Two-speed traction motors, Dust collector
and pre-separator, Double hydraulic drill-steel support,
Rod-handling system, Feed extension, Heavy-duty tracks,
Operator’s cabin, ECM, ROPS and FOPS approved, Air-
flow control switch, Water mist system excl. tank, Toe-
hole drilling kit, Inclination/depth instrument

Selection of optional equipment

Automatic feed alignment, Automatic rod adding system,
Hydraulic winch, Hydraulic support leg, Thread greasing
device, Heater for cabin, Hole Navigation System Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

25°

2610

25°

3490
2440

4815

94 Drilling in open pit mining


ECM 720
ECM 720 provides a perfect balance of high productivity
and cost efficiency. The combination of powerful HC
200A rock drill and the Strata Sense drilling control
system allows you to drill through various rock con-
ditions with high penetration rate and yet drilling
straight holes. The extension boom helps quick and
accurate collaring. Like the rest of the 700 series,
simplicity of the 720 makes it easy to operate and
easy to maintain.
Standard equipment
Mechanized rod handling, Automatic throttle, Anti-
94°
Jamming, Load sense progressive anti jamming system
(Strata Sense), Central hydraulic system test port, Variable
speed cooling fan control, Tier III emission compliance,
2D electronic angle indicator, Boom extension, Feed
extension, Dual pinning for L/R horizontal drilling, Water
mist system preplumbed for tank, Preseparator, Dust
collector, Retractable dust hood, Hydraulic centralizer,
22°
Thread greasing device, FOPS and ROPS operator safety
cab, Cab air-conditioning, Working lights, Back up alarm,
Heavy duty tracks with full length rock guards, Track
-6°
oscillation
Selection of optional equipment
3D angle indicator, 3D angle indicator with speed and
depth, Central lubrication system, 14’ rod changer group,
90°
High capacity dust collector, Hydraulic system test kit,
Conversion kit T51/T60, Pressurized water mist tank 80
gal, Pressurized water mist tank 120 gal instead of DCT,
Cold ambient kits
14°
30°
30°
14°
Drilling in open pit mining 95
TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
Hole range 115 - 140 mm 4½"- 5½"
Hole depth 29.5 m 97'
Hydraulic rock drill
HC200A
Impact power, max. 26 kW 35 HP
Compressor
Working pressure, max 10.3 bar 150 psi
FAD 226 l/s 480 cfm
Engine
CAT C11
Rating at 1800 rpm 287 kW 385 HP
Boom variants
Type Telescopic
Fuel tank
Capacity 587 l ~155 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8788 mm 28'10"
Travel length 5182 mm 17'
Feed extension 1524 mm 5'
Feed rate max. 0.96 m/s 190 ft/min
Feed force, max. 33.8 kN 7600 lbf
Pull force, max. 33.8 kN 7600 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.2 km/h 2.0 mph
Traction force 125.4 kN 28192 lbf
Hill climbing ability, 30°
Track oscillation ± 10°
Ground clearance 432 mm 17"
Transport dimensions
Weight, excl. o.e 20.5 tonnes 45300 lb
Width 2.57 m 8'5"
Reaching shortest length
Length 10.72 m 35'2"
Height 3.94 m 12.11"
Reaching lowest height
Height 12.17m 39'11"
Height lowest 3.33 m 10'11"
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
-6°
22°
94°
90°
 TOPHAMMER DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC L7
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
T51 89-127 mm 4"- 5"
Hole depth 36 m 120'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 4050
Impact power, max. 40 kW 54 HP
Atlas Copco screw compressor
Working pressure 12 bar 171 psi
FAD 254 l/s 540 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel Stage 3/Tier III CAT C13
Rating at 2000 rpm 328 kW 417 HP
Boom variants
Single boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 760 l 201 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 11400 mm 37'
Travel length 7500 mm 25'
Feed extension 1150 mm 59"
Feed rate max. 0.9 m/s 177 ft/min
Feed force, max. 40 kN 8992 lbf
Tramming
The new ROC L7 drill rig offers an economic alternative Tramming speed, max. 1.7/3.5 km/h 1.2/2.2 mph
with an extraordinary performance in its hole range. Traction force 124/49 kN 27876/
Large scale work sites, and quarries with high demand on 11016 lbf
Hill climbing ability, 20°
productivity, are in focus. The standard drill rig is designed Track oscillation + 10º/-8
to operate within the most demanding production Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
environment. We also provide the short feed version Transport dimensions
for the contract drilling and more difficult operating Weight, excl. options 23700 kg 52250 lb
environments. Width 2500 mm 8'2"
Length 11500 mm 39'4"
Standard equipment Height 3500 mm 11'6"
RHS 102 Rod magazine, Stroke length selection in cabin,
Engine monitoring, hole inclination and drill depth
instrument, Dust collector and pre-separator , Automatic
cleaning system, 12 hours fuel capacity, Fuel tank in steel,
Hydraulic oil - Mineral, Manual Hydraulic oil filling system,
Stepless flushing regulation in cabin, Triple track chain
grouser pads, Electrical outlet 12VDC, Feed lightening

Optional equipment
Service winch on feed, Thread greasing device , Diesel
driven cabin heater, Sun shade kit for cab, Reversing
camera, Compressor regulation heating kit, Fire suppression
system Manual / Automatic, Central lubrication system
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

Long feed Short feed

13º
21º

25º

25º
2440

2440
2140

2140

A A
Long feed 582
Short feed 1040

B
Long feed 2277
B
Short feed 2659

96 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER ROCK DRILL SPECIFICATIONS

Hydraulic rock drills

COP 2160/2560 Top hammer rock drills for hole diameter range 89-127 mm
Updated hydraulic rockdrills
COP 2160 and COP 2560 are among the most powerful
rock drills on the market. The main differences from
the earlier COP 2150/2550 series are a 10 mm bigger
adapter, increased bearing surface, larger driver and
an impact piston with a greater diameter at the striking
end. The reason for the changes is to give even better
impact tolerance for really heavy production work.
But there’s another important point: COP 2560 can
be used not only with the T51 drill steel but also with
the ThunderRod T60 for hole diameters of 102 mm
and above. This drill steel has a 40 percent larger
cross sectional area than the T51 and is therefore
considerably more rigid. The resulting reduced hole
deviation allows less dense hole planning and gives
rise to significant savings in drilling time. Both models
can be delivered with inbuilt extractors, identified by
the suffix EX.

COP 2560

COP 2160EX

COP 2560

Technical data
COP 2160 COP 2160EX COP 2560 COP 2560EX
Weight 187 kg 249 kg 187 kg 249 kg
Length 1138 mm 1336 mm 1138 mm 1336 mm
Impact power, max 21 kW 21 kW 25 kW 25 kW
Impact rate 36 Hz 36 Hz 44 Hz 44 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 210 bar 210 bar 230 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range, max 0-110 rpm 0-110 rpm 0-110 rpm 0-110 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 315) -10 -10 -10 -10
Drill steel torque, max 1810 Nm 1810 Nm 1810 Nm 1810 Nm
Flushing air pressure 12 bar 12 bar 12 bar 12 bar
Lubricating air consump. at 2 bar 5 l/s 5 l/s 5 l/s 5 l/s
Shank adapter T45,T51 T45,T51 T51,T60 T51,T60

Drilling in open pit mining 97

 TOPHAMMER ROCK DRILL SPECIFICATIONS
COP 1838HE Top hammer rock drill for hole diameter range 76 – 115 mm
COP 1838HE is specially suitable for medium to large
hole sizes. Adjustable stroke length makes it possible
to adjust impact rate and energy to actual rock conditions
and hole size. Powerful, stepless variable and reversible
rotation motor gives high torque and excellent speed
control. The efficient reflex damping system of the COP
1800 series is called “dual damping” due to its high
COP 1840HE Top hammer rock drill for hole diameter range 76 – 115 mm
COP 1840HE is specially suitable for heavy duty drilling,
e.g. when using TDS-type guide tubes to obtain
straighter holes. Adjustable stroke length makes it
possible to adjust impact rate and energy to actual rock
conditions and hole size. Powerful, stepless variable and
reversible rotation motor gives high torque and excellent
speed control. The efficient reflex damping system of the
COP
COP 4050ME Top hammer rock drill for hole diameter range 89 – 127 mm
A heavy-sized hydraulic top hammer with an impact out-
put of up to 40 kW. It is specially designed for continuous,
heavy duty bench drilling. It is equipped with two power-
ful hydraulic rotation motors which minimizes the risk of
jamming. Impact and power levels are easily adjustable
to prevailing rock conditions for achieving good hole qual-
ity, long drill steel life and an overall high productivity.
98 Drilling in open pit mining
efficiency and double acting function. As the feed and
the boom are not subjected to unnecessary strain, the
entire drill string will give you longer service life. The
automatic tightening system of the drill string results in
straighter holes and optimum penetration. COP 1838HE
can also be supplied with built-in hydraulic extractor.
Technical data
COP 1838HE COP 1838HEX
Weight 174 kg 226 kg
Length 1098 mm 1296 mm
Impact power, max 19 kW 19 kW
Impact rate 42-50 Hz 42-50 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 230 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range, max 0-130 rpm 0-130 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 250) -09 -09
Drill steel torque, max 1500 Nm 1500 Nm
Flushing air pressure 10 bar 10 bar
Lubricating air consump. at 2 bar 6 l/s 6 l/s
Shank adapter        T45, T51
1800 series is called “dual damping” due to its high
efficiency and double acting function. As the feed and
the boom are not subjected to unnecessary strain, the
entire drill string will give you longer service life. The
automatic tightening system of the drill string results in
straighter holes and optimum penetration. COP 1840HE
can also be supplied with built-in hydraulic extractor.
Technical data
COP 1840HE COP 1840HEX
Weight 184 kg 244 kg
Length 1138 mm 1336 mm
Impact power, max 19 kW 19 kW
Impact rate 42-50 Hz 42-50 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 230 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range, max 0-130 rpm 0-130 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 250) -09 -09
Drill steel torque, max 1500 Nm 1500 Nm
Flushing air pressure 10 bar 10 bar
Lubricating air consump. at 2 bar 6 l/s 6 l/s
Shank adapter        T45, T51
COP 4050ME can also be supplied with a built in extractor
device (COP 4050MEX), which further improves drilling
capacity and economy by practically eliminating the risk
of losing the drill string if it gets stuck. It is obvious that
the extractor is an investment which soon pays for itself
in difficult ground conditions through fewer disruptions,
better hole quality and increased steel life.
Technical data
COP 4050ME COP 4050MEX
Weight, (incl.adapter) 390 kg 420 kg
Length, (without adapter) 1293 mm 1546 mm
Impact power, max 40 kW 40 kW
Impact rate 40-60 Hz 40-60 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 230 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range, max 0-110 rpm 0-110 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 250) 2× -09 2× -09
Rotation torque, max 3500 Nm 3500 Nm
Flushing air pressure 8 bar 8 bar
Lubricating air 4 bar 4 bar
Shank adapter, male           T51
 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling

Drilling in open pit mining 99

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling R/  T38 (1 1⁄2")

100 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling R/  T38 (1 1⁄2")

Drilling in open pit mining 101

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling R/  T38 (1 1⁄2")

102 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T45 (1 3⁄4")

Drilling in open pit mining 103

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T45 (1 3⁄4")

104 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T45 (1 3⁄4")

Drilling in open pit mining 105

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T51 (2")

106 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T51 (2 ")

Drilling in open pit mining 107

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T51 (2")

A bit of evolution

108 Drilling in open pit mining

 TOPHAMMER DRILLING TOOLS

Bench and production drilling T60 (2 3⁄8")

Drilling in open pit mining 109

 COPROD DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
COPROD ® System
Straight and fast drilling in deman-
ding rock used to be a ­ production
planner’s dream. However, with the
advent of COPROD, the patented
tophammer drilling system deve-
loped by Atlas Copco, the dream
has been translated into reality. COP-
ROD provides a drill string that com-
bines the hole straight­ness of down-
the-hole drilling with the speed of
the tophammer system. The COP-
ROD drill string is a combination
of impact rods and drill pipes: the
impact rods transmit impact energy
and feed force only, while the drill
pipes transmit ­ rotational torque and
flushing.
Atlas Copco ROC F9CR production drill rig is fitted
with the COPROD system.
Drill Pipes
The COPROD sections are joined
to­gether via the drill pipes. Since
the drill pipes transmit rotation
force only, stress to the threads is
mini­mal, and their service life is
very long. The normal effects of
the transmis­sion of impact energy
Section of COPROD drill string shows the floating impact rod within the drill pipe.
110 Drilling in open pit mining
COP 2000CR series rock drills are designed for the 90 -127 mm hole range.
through the threads are eliminated,
resulting in high impact power with
minimal wear. Since the outer pipes
are smooth and flush along the
entire length of the drillstring, it is
almost impossible for jamming to
occur.
Impact Rods
Inside each COPROD section is a
floating impact rod. These have no
threads, which means that the im-
pact shock waves from the rock drill
are transmitted directly down to the
drill bit, with no energy losses. Each
impact rod is fur­nished with stop
Iugs to hold it in place inside the
pipe section. The rock drill is mount-
ed on the feed beam of the rig, and
impact energy is imparted from
above.
Business end of the ROC F7CR, an engineering
Straight Holes masterpiece.
The benefits of straight holes in-
clude: a more widely spaced drill-
ing pattern with fewer holes, saving Production Economy
time and money; trouble-free charg- For total production economy, the
ing with ­dramatically reduced explo- speed and precision of drilling, com-
sives consumption; more evenly dis- bined with the long service life of its
tributed charges, reducing ground components, makes the COPROD
vibration, blasting noise, and risk system an unbeatable combination.
of flyrock; more regular fragmenta- Practical experience with COPROD
tion, avoiding the costly ­ secondary drilling has confirmed the theore-
blasting needed to pop oversize tical benefits. The method gives good
boulders; smoother bench floors, overall economy, particularly in
requiring less extra work; and fewer large-scale production drilling, and
stuck drill rods, decreasing the time when drill­ing in fissured or other-
required to remove rods from the wise demanding rock conditions.
hole.
 COPROD DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC F7CR
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
CR76, CR89 90-127 mm 3½" - 5"
Hole depth 28 m approx. 92'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 2150CR
Impact power 21 kW 28.1 HP
Atlas Copco XAH2 screw compressor
Working pressure 10.5 bar 152 psi
FAD 148 l/s 314 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel CAT 3126B
Rating at 2000 rpm 186 kW 253 HP
Boom variants
single boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 100 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8100 mm 26'7"
Travel length 4770 mm 15'8"
Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4500 lbf
Tramming
Travel speed, max. 3.6 km/h 2.2 mph
The ROC F7CR is available with a single boom ideal for Traction force 112 kN 25200 lbf
quarrie. The ROC F7CR is equipped with a double drill Hill climbing ability, without winch 20° 20º
Hill climbing ability, with winch 35º 35º
pipe support and an ergonomically designed cabin. Track oscillation ± 10º ± 10º
Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Standard equipment Transport dimensions
Reduced impact pressure mechanism, Antijamming Length 12300 mm 40'4"
system, Automatic feed-force control (RPC-F), Fuel Width 2490 mm 8'2"
saving device, Two-speed traction, Dust collector and Height 3200 mm 10'6"
pre-separator, Double hydraulic drill pipe support, Weight, optional equipment excl. 15800 kg 34800 lb
with break-out table, Rod handling system (7+1 sections),
Feed extension, Heavy duty tracks, Operator’s cabin,
ROPS and FOPS approved, Air flow control switch,
Air conditioner

Optional Equipment
Hydraulic winch, Hydraulic support leg, Electric refuelling
pump, Anti-freeze equipment for compressed air, heater,
Electronic hole depth and inclination in-strument, Central
lubrication system, Water mist system

Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

25°

1 090 mm

25°

2 560 mm A

Drilling in open pit mining 111

 COPROD DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC F9CR
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
CR76, CR89 90-127 mm 3½"-5"
Hole depth 28 m 92'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 2550CR
Impact power, max. 25 kW 33.5 HP
Atlas Copco screw compressor
Working pressure 12 bar 175 psi
FAD 210 l/s 450 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel Stage 3/Tier III CAT C9
Rating at 2000 rpm 224 kW 304 HP
Boom variants
Single boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 400 l 106 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8100 mm 26'7"
Travel length 4770 mm 15'8"
Feed extension 1300 mm 4'3"
Feed rate max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4500 lbf
Tramming
The ROC F9CR crawler drill rig is very powerful in its Tramming speed, max. 3.6 km/h 2.2 mph
Traction force 112 kN 25200 lbf
class, with true 127 mm tophammer capability, and is
Hill climbing ability, 20° without winch
available with single boom for quarrying. Features the Track oscillation ± 10º
25 kW COP 2550 rock drill with COPROD drill steel for Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
fast penetration and perfect flushing, powered by a fuel- Transport dimensions
efficient diesel engine. Weight, excl. options 17300 kg 38100 lb
Width 2490 mm 8'2"
Standard equipment Length 12300 mm 40'4"
Air conditioner, Reduced impact pressure mechanism, Height 3200 mm 10'6"
Anti-jamming system, Automatic feed-force control, Fuel
saving device, Two-speed traction motors, Dust collector
and pre-separator, Double hydraulic drillpipe support,
Rod-handling system, Feed extension, Heavy-duty tracks,
Operator’s cabin, ECM, ROPS and FOPS approved, Air-
flow control switch, Water mist system excl. tank, Toe-
hole drilling kit, Inclination/depth instrument

Optional equipment
Hydraulic winch, Hydraulic support leg, Electric refuelling
pump, Central lubrication system

Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information

25°

1 090 mm

25°

2 560 mm A

112 Drilling in open pit mining

 COPROD DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC L7CR
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
CR89, CR102, CR127, CR140 105 -180 mm 4"- 7"
Hole depth, max. 36 m 120'
Hydraulic rock drill
COP 4050CR
Impact power, max. 40 kW 54 HP
Atlas Copco screw compressor
Working pressure 12 bar 171 psi
FAD 254 l/s 540 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel stage 3/Tier III CAT C13
Rating at 2000 rpm 328 kW 417 HP
Boom variants
single boom
Fuel tank
Capacity 760 l 201 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 12200 mm 40'
Travel length 7500 mm 25'
Feed extension 1150 mm 59"
Feed rate max. 0.9 m/s 177 ft/min
Feed force, max. 40 kN 8992 lbf
Tramming
The ROC L7CR drill rig offers an economic alternative with Tramming speed, max. 1.7/3.5 km/h 1.2/2.2 mph
an extraordinary performance in its hole range. Large scale Traction force 124/49 kN 27876/
work sites, and quarries with high demand on productivity, 11016 lbf
Hill climbing ability 20°
are in focus. The standard drill rig is designed to operate Track oscillation + 10º/-8
within the most demanding production environment. We Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
also provide the short feed version for contract drilling. Transport dimensions
Weight, excl. options 24600 kg 54230 lb
Standard equipment Width 2500 mm 8'2"
RHS 102 Rod magazine, Engine monitoring, Hole inclination Length 12200 mm 40'
and drill depth instrument, Dust collector and pre-separator, Height 3500 mm 11'6"
Automatic cleaning system, 12 hours fuel capacity, Fuel tank
in steel, Hydraulic oil - Mineral, Manual hydraulic oil filling
system, Stepless flushing regulation in cabin, Triple track
chain grouser pads, Electrical outlet 12VDC, Feed lightening

Optional equipment
Gas charging equipment, Extractor, Service winch on feed,
Rock drill stroke length selection in cabin, Diesel driven
cabin heater, Cab windows tinted, Cab windows laminated,
Wind shield dryer for right window, Sun shade kit for cab,
Electrical heated operators seat, Reversing camera, Radio/
CD, Canopy lighting, Safety rails on canopy, Beacon,
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
ProCOM, Engine monitoring, Hole inclination and drill
depth instrument with laser receiver, Compressor
regulation heating kit, Hydraulic oil - Tropical/
Artic/Bio oil, Statoil Hydraway, Bio Pa 46,
Diesel driven engine pre-heater, Ether start
Long feed Short feed
for engine, Fire suppression system Manual/
Automatic, Central lubrication system,
13º

Service lamp inside canopy, Water

21º

25º

25º

mist - Pre-plumed, Water mist - 225l

pressurised tank, Water mist - 400l
non pressurised tank
2440

2440
2140

2140

A A
Long feed 582
Short feed 1040

B
Long feed 2277
B
Short feed 2659

Drilling in open pit mining 113

 COPROD ROCK DRILL SPECIFICATIONS
Hydraulic rock drills
COP 2150CR, COP 2550CR
Top hammer rock drill for hole diameter range 90 – 127 mm
The COP 2150CR and COP 2550CR together with their
respective COPROD® drillstrings provide a fast and reli-
able means of working in demanding rock formations.
These rock drills are equipped with two hydraulic rota-
tion motors with a torque output well suited to their
respective hole diameter ranges. High torque reduces
the risk of jamming and gives smooth rotary action that
COP 4050CR
Top hammer rock drill for hole diameter range 105 – 180 mm
COP 4050ME-CR and COP 4050HE-CR together with their
respective COPROD® drillstrings provide a fast and reli-
able means of working in demanding rock formations.
These rock drills are equipped with two hydraulic rotation
motors with a torque output well suited to their respec-
tive hole diameter ranges. High torque reduces the risk
of jamming and gives smooth rotary action that eases
stress to the equipment. Success of the original COPROD
system has stimulated the development of rock drills and
additional drillstrings. COP 4050ME-CR is used in the hole
range 105-140 mm in combination with the COPROD 89
and 102 drillstrings. In the hole range 140-180 mm COP
4050HE-CR and 127 and 140 is recommended.
114 Drilling in open pit mining
eases stress to the equipment. Success of the original
COPROD system has stimulated the development of rock
drills and additional drillstrings. COP 2150CR is used in
the hole range 90 -115 mm in combination with the
COPROD 76 or 89 drillstrings. In the hole range 90 -127 mm
COP 2550CR rock drill with COPROD 89 is recommended.
Technical data
COP 2150CR COP 2550CR
Weight, (incl. adapter) 242 kg 242 kg
Length, (with adapter) 1661 mm 1661 mm
Impact power, max 21 kW 25 kW
Impact rate 36 Hz 44 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 210 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range, max 0-100 rpm 0-100 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 315) 2• -10 2• -10
Drill steel torque, max 4000 Nm 4000 Nm
Flushing air pressure 12 bar 12 bar
Lubricating air 3 bar 6 bar
Shank adapter      CR 76, CR 89
Technical data
COP 4050ME-CR COP 4050HE-CR
Weight, (incl. adapter) 435 kg 435 kg
Length, (without adapter) 1780 mm 1780 mm
Impact power, max 40 kW 40 kW
Impact rate 40-60 Hz 40-60 Hz
Hydraulic pressure, max 230 bar 230 bar
Rotation speed range 0-95 rpm 0-95 rpm
Rotation pressure, max 200 bar 200 bar
Rotation motor size (OMS 315) 2• -10 2• -10
Drill steel torque, max 4200 Nm 4200 Nm
Flushing air pressure, max 8 bar 8 bar
Lubricating air 4 bar 4 bar
Tube adapter, male CR 89, CR 102, CR 127, CR140
CIAA AB
 COPROD DRILLING TOOLS

COPROD COPROD 76 and 89 for

COP 1838CR, 1850CR, 2150CR, 2550CR

Drilling in open pit mining 115

 COPROD DRILLING TOOLS

COPROD COPROD 89, 102 and 127 for COP 4050CR

116 Drilling in open pit mining

 COPROD DRILLING TOOLS

COPROD Drill bits

Drilling in open pit mining 117

 DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
CM 760D
The CM 760D offers excellent performance and low
operating costs when drilling with 4” DTH hammers. Traction force 125.4 kN 28192 lbf
A single joystick handles the drill tube changer, and
another joystick controls tramming. Operators parti-
cularey like the excellent visibility during drilling and
tramming. Routine service items are located Hydraulic Rotation unit
for ground level service Max speed 0 - 120 rpm
Standard equipment
Mechanized pipe handling, Automatic throttle, Central
hydraulic system test port, Variable speed cooling
fan control, Max engine rpm control, Tier III emission
compliance, 2D electronic angle indicator, Feed extension,
Dual pinning for L/R horizontal drilling, Water mist system Height 3300 mm 10'8"
preplumbed for tank, Preseparator, Dust collector, Retrac-
table dust hood, Tread greasing device, FOPS and ROPS
operator safety cab, Cab air-conditioning, Working lights,
90°
Back up alarm, Heavy duty tracks with full length rock
22°
guards, Track oscillation, Variable air volume control for
collaring , DTH hammer lubricator device (pneumatic)
101.25
98.25
Optional Equipment
3D angle indicator, 3D angle indicator with speed and
8°
depth, Central lubrication system, Auxiliary winch for
90°
loading pipes, High capacity dust collector, Hydraulic
system test kit, Wrenches, Non-pressurized water
mist tank 80 gal, Non-pressurized water mist tank 120
gal instead of DCT, Cold ambient kits, DTH hammer
lubricator device (electric)
14°
30°
30°
14°
118 Drilling in open pit mining
Technical data
Recommended hole range
Recommended 110 -130 mm 45⁄16" - 51⁄8"
Optional 102 -140 mm 4" - 51⁄2"
DTH Hammer 102 -127 mm 4" - 5"
Drill tube diam. 76/89/102 mm 3" - 4"
Drill tube length 4 m 13', 1½"
Hole depth, max. 30 m 98.5 ft
Compressor
Type 2-stage Rotary Screw
Working pressure 24 bar 350 psi
FAD 297 l/s 630 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel CAT C11 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 1800 rpm 287 kW 385 HP
Fuel tank
Total capacity 587 l 155 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 6579 mm 21'7"
Travel length 4293 mm 14'1"
Feed extension 1219 mm 4'
Feed rate, max. 0.76 m/s 149 ft/min
Feed force, max. 43.6 kN 9800 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.2 km/h 2 mph
Hill climbing ability 30°
Track oscillation ± 10º
Ground clearance 432 mm 17"
Torque max, drilling 2820 Nm 2080 ft.lbf
Max torque 4067 Nm 3000 ft.lbf
Transport dimensions
Weight, excl. options 22200 kg 49000 lbs
Width 2570 mm 8'5"
Reaching shortest length
Length 10680 mm 35'½"
Reaching lowest height
Length 10820 mm 35'6"
Height 3070 mm 10'1"
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
8°
90°
90°
22°
98.25
101.25

ROC L6
ROC L6 is a high-capacity down-the-hole crawler for quarry
drilling in soft, medium and hard rock, with a power unit
that delivers compressed air at a full 25 bar. With the
powerful CAT C11 diesel engine the ROC L6 not only
provides power but economy.
Standard equipment
Air conditioning, Tube handling system (capacity of 8
tubes), Fuel saving device, Two-speed traction motors, Hill climbing ability 20°
Dust collector and pre-separator, Feed extension, Operator’s Track oscillation +10º - 8°
cabin (ROPS and FOPS approved), Atlas Copco electronic
hole depth/inclination instrument, Reduced air pressure
for collaring, Break-out table, Retractable suction hood,
Track chains with triple grouser pads, Hydraulic support
leg, Toe hole drilling kit
Optional equipment
Central lubrication system, Electric refuelling pump,
Water mist systems, Track chains with single grouser
pads, Hydraulic support leg, Heavy duty air intake filters
for engine and compressor, Cold weather kits including
engine heater, Heating system for cabin, Cab windows
laminated, Cab windows tinted, Radio and CD player,
Sun shades for cab windows, Electric heated operator’s
seat
35°
8760
ROC L6 3030
2820
3550 1900
5450
Drilling in open pit mining 119
DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
Technical data
Recommended hole range
COP 34/34Q 90 -105 mm 39/16" - 41/8"
COP 44/44Q 110 -130 mm 45/16" - 51/8"
COP 54 134 -152 mm 51/4" - 6"
COP 54HD 140 -152 mm 51/2" - 6"
Drill tube diam. 76/89/102 mm 3"/3½"/4"
Drill tube length 5 m 16'5"
Hole depth, max. 45 m 148'
Compressor
Atlas Copco XRV 9 screw compressor
Working pressure, max. 25 bar 363 psi
FAD 295 l/s 625 cfm
Diesel Engine
Caterpillar CAT C11 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 2000 rpm 287 kW 385 HP
Fuel tank
Capacity 780 l 206 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8760 mm 28'9"
Travel length 5420 mm 17'9"
Feed extension 1300 mm 4'3"
Feed rate, max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4496 lbf
Tractive pull, max. 30 kN 6749 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.4 km/h 2.1 mph
Traction force 120 kN 26980 lbf
Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Hydraulic Rotation unit
DHR 48H45
Max speed (rpm)1 112
Max torque (Nm)2 1800 1330 lbf/ft
Max flow (l/min) 123 260 cfm
1
Not in combination with max torque
2
at max pressure at 125 bar (1812 psi)
Transport dimensions
Weight approx. excl. options 19000 kg 41900 lb
Width 2500 mm 8'2"
Length* 13600 mm 44'7"
Height* 3110 mm 10'2"
Length** 10650 mm 34'11"
Height** 4075 mm 13'37"
*feed in forward position
**feed dumped on canopy
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
14° 25° 25°
36°
95°
2440
2140
 DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
ROC L6H
ROC L6H is a high-capacity down-the-hole crawler for
quarry drilling in soft, medium and hard rock, with a
power unit that delivers compressed air at a full 25
bar. With the powerful CAT C13 diesel engine, the ROC
L6H provides sufficient power for the most demanding
drilling conditions.
Standard equipment
Air conditioning, Tube handling system (capacity of 8
tubes), Fuel saving device, Two-speed traction motors, Max flow (l/min) 123 260 cfm
Dust collector and pre-separator, Feed extension, Operator’s 1
cabin (ROPS and FOPS approved), Atlas Copco electronic
hole depth/inclination instrument, Reduced air pressure
for collaring, Break-out table, Retractable suction hood,
Track chains with triple grouser pads, Hydraulic support
leg, Toe hole drilling kit
Optional equipment
Central lubrication system, Electric refuelling pump,
Water mist systems, Track chains with single grouser
pads, Heavy duty air intake filters for engine and
compressor, Cold weather kits including engine heater,
Heating system for cabin, Cab windows laminated, Cab
windows tinted, Radio and CD player, Sun shades for cab
windows, Electric heated operator’s seat Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
35°
8760
ROC L6 3030
2820
3550 1900
5450
120 Drilling in open pit mining
Technical data
Recommended hole range
COP 44/44Q 110 -130 mm 45/16" - 51/8"
COP 54 134 -152 mm 51/4" - 6"
COP 54HD 140 -152 mm 51/2" - 6"
Drill tube diam. 76/89/102 mm 3"⁄     3½"⁄4"
Drill tube length 5 m 16'5"
Hole depth, max. 45 m 148'
Compressor
Atlas Copco XRV 9 screw compressor
Working pressure, max. 25 bar 363 psi
FAD 405 l/s 858 cfm
Diesel Engine
Caterpillar CAT C13 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 2000 rpm 328 kW 440 HP
Fuel tank
Capacity 780 l 206 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 8760 mm 28'9"
Travel length 5420 mm 17'9"
Feed extension 1300 mm 4'3"
Feed rate, max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
Feed force, max. 20 kN 4496 lbf
Tractive pull, max. 30 kN 6749 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.4 km/h 2.1 mph
Traction force 120 kN 26980 lbf
Hill climbing ability 20°
Track oscillation +10º -8°
Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Hydraulic rotation unit
DHR 48H45
Max speed (rpm)1 112
Max torque (Nm)2 1800 1330 lbf/ft
Not in combination with max torque
2
at max pressure at 125 bar (1812 psi)
Transport dimensions
Weight approx. excl. options 19000 kg 41900 lb
Width 2500 mm 8'2"
Length* 13600 mm 44'7"
Height* 3110 mm 10'2"
Length** 10650 mm 34'11"
Height** 4075 mm 13'37"
*feed in forward position
**feed dumped on canopy
14° 25° 25°
36°
95°
2440
2140

CM 780D
The CM 780D is a high capacity down-the-hole crawler
for drilling with 4”and 5” hammers in aggregate and
limestone quarries or in volume mining operations.
The simple direct-drive rotary head delivers plenty
of torque, a benefit when drilling in poor ground
conditions. The rugged CAT C13 Tier III engine delivers
the required horsepower and is easy accessible for
service. Torque max, drilling 4236 Nm 3125 ft.lbf
Standard equipment
Mechanized pipe handling, Automatic throttle, Central
Hydraulic system test port, Variable speed cooling
fan control, Max engine rpm control, Tier III emission
compliance, 2D electronic angle indicator, Feed
extension, Dual pinning for L/R horizontal drilling,
Water mist system preplumbed for tank, Preseparator,
90°
Dust collector, Retractable dust hood Thread greasing
device, FOPS and ROPS operator safety cab, Cab air-
22°
conditioning, Working lights, Back up alarm, Heavy duty
tracks with full length rock guards, Track oscillation,
101.25
98.25
Variable air volume control for collaring, DTH hammer
lubricator device (pneumatic)
8°
Optional Equipment
90°
3D angle indicator, 3D angle indicator with speed and
depth, Central lubrication system, Auxiliary winch for
loading pipes, Hydraulic system test kit, Wrenches,
Non-pressurized water mist tank 80 gal, Non-pressurized
water mist tank 120 gal instead of DCT, Cold ambient kits,
DTH hammer lubricator device (electric)
14°
30°
30°
14°
Drilling in open pit mining 121
DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
Technical data
Recommended hole range
Recommended 115 -152 mm 41⁄ 2" - 6"
Optional 85 -152 mm 33⁄3" - 6"
DTH hammer 102 - 127 mm 4" - 5"
Drill tube diam. 89-102 mm 3½" - 4"
Drill tube length 4 m 13', 1½"
Hole depth, max. 30 m 98.5 ft
Compressor
Type 2-stage Rotary Screw
Working pressure 24 bar 350 psi
FAD 405 l/s 862 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel CAT C13 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 1800 rpm 328 kW 440 HP
Fuel tank
Total capacity 587 l 155 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 6579 mm 21'7"
Travel length 4293 mm 14'1"
Feed extension 1219 mm 4'
Feed rate, max. 0.76 m/s 149 ft/min
Feed force, max. 43.6 kN 9800 lbf
Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.2 km/h 2 mph
Traction force 125.4 kN 28192 lbf
Hill climbing ability 30°
Track oscillation ± 10º
Ground clearance 432 mm 17"
Hydraulic rotation unit
Max speed 0 - 80 rpm
Max torque 6100 Nm 4500 ft.lbf
Transport dimensions
Weight, excl. options 22200 kg 49000 lbs
Width 2570 mm 8'5"
Reaching shortest length
Length 10680 mm 35'½"
Height 3300 mm 10'8"
Reaching lowest height
Length 10820 mm 35'6"
Height 3070 mm 10'1"
Visit www.surfacedrilling.com for more information
8°
90°
90°
22°
98.25
101.25
 DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC L8
Technical data
Recommended hole range
COP 44/44Q 110 -130 mm 45/16" - 51/8"
COP 54 134 -152 mm 51/4" - 6"
COP 54HD 140 -152 mm 51/2" - 6"
COP 64 156 -178 mm 61/8" - 7"
COP 64HD 165 -178 mm 61/2" - 7"
Drill tube diam. 89/102/ 3½"/4"/4½"/
114/140 mm 5½"
Drill tube length 6 m 20'
Hole depth, max. 54 m 177'
Compressor
Atlas Copco XRV 9 screw compressor
Working pressure, max. 25 bar 363 psi
FAD 405 l/s 858 cfm
Diesel Engine
Caterpillar CAT C13 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 2000 rpm 328 kW 440 HP
Fuel tank
Capacity 780 l 206 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, total 11250 mm 3'11"
Travel length 8122 mm 26'8"
Feed extension 1150 mm 3'9"
Feed rate, max. 0.92 m/s 180 ft/min
The total solution for drilling in quarries and open pit Feed force, max. 30 kN 6744 lbf
mines, the ROC L8 DTH crawler drillrig is designed for Tractive pull, max. 40 kN 8992 lbf
pre-splitting and large-scale production work. It has Tramming
Tramming speed, max. 3.4 km/h 2.1 mph
ample power to deliver high penetration rates and a Traction force 120 kN 26980 lbf
rod handling capacity for hole depths up to 54 m. Hill climbing ability 20°
Track oscillation +10º -8°
Standard equipment Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
Air conditioning/heater, Tube handling system (capacity Hydraulic rotation unit
of 8 tubes), Reduced air pressure for collaring, Fuel sav- DHR 48H45
ing device, Two-speed traction motors, Dust collector and Max speed (rpm)1 112
Max torque (Nm)2 1800 1330 lbf/ft
pre-separator, Feed extension, Heavy-duty tracks, Operator’s Max flow (l/min) 123 260 cfm
cabin (ROPS and FOPS approved), Atlas Copco electronic DHR 48H56
hole depth/inclination instrument, Break-out table, Retrac- Max speed (rpm)1 88
table suction hood, Track chains with triple grouser pads, Max torque (Nm)2 2300 1700 lbf/ft
Hydraulic support leg Max flow (l/min) 123 260 cfm
DHR 48H68
Optional equipment Max speed (rpm)1 56
Central lubrication system, Electric refuelling pump, Max torque (Nm)2 3600 2655 lbf/ft
Max flow (l/min) 123 260 cfm
Water mist systems, Track chains with single grouser 1
Not in combination with max torque
pads, Hydraulic support leg, Heavy duty air intake filters 2
at max pressure at 125 bar (1812 psi)
for engine and compressor, Cold weather kits including
Transport dimensions
engine heater, Heating system for cabin, Cab windows Weight approx excl. options 20000 kg 44000 lbs
laminated, Cab windows tinted, Radio and CD player, Width 2500 mm 8'2"
Sun shades for cab windows, Electric heated operator’s Length 11250 mm 36'11"
seat Height 3995 mm 13'1"

30° 30°

14° 25° 25°

36°

11250

2440

2140

ROC L8
3030

2820

1900 3550

5450

7000

122 Drilling in open pit mining

 DTH DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION

ROC L8 30
Technical data
Recommended hole range
COP 44/44Q 110 -130 mm 45/16" - 51/8"
COP 54 134 -152 mm 51/4" - 6"
COP 54HD 140 -152 mm 51/2" - 6"
COP 64 156 -203 mm 61/8" - 8"
COP 64HD 165 -203 mm 61/2" - 8"
Drill tube diam. 89/102/ 3½"/4"/4½"/5½"
114/140 mm
Drill tube length, long mast 6 m 20 ft
Drill tube length, short mast 5 m 16.4 ft
Hole Depth, max. 54 m 177 ft
Hole Depth, optional 45 m 148 ft
Compressor
Atlas Copco XRV 9 screw compressor
Working pressure 30 bar 435 psi
FAD 470 l/s 995 cfm
Engine
Caterpillar Diesel CAT C15 Tier III Compliant
Rating at 2000rpm 402 kW 539 HP
Fuel tank
Total Capacity 760 l 201 US gal.
Feed
Feed length, long mast 11564 mm 38'
This new version of the proven ROC L series of down- Feed length, short mast 9266 mm 30'4"
the-hole crawler drills offers extended performance Travel length, long mast 7540 mm 25'
Travel length, short mast 5400 mm 17'7"
through increased operating pressure and a new genius Feed extension 1150 mm 3'9"
cylinder feed system. Like the well proven ROC L8 it’s Feed rate, max. 0.9 m/s 177 ft/min
well suited for large-scale production work, pre-split Feed force, max. 40 kN 8992 lbf
operations, RC-in pit grade control in surface mining
Tramming
operations and large scale quarry operations. Tramming speed, max. 1.7/3.5 km/h 1.2/2.2 mph
Traction force 124/49 kN 27876/11016 lbf
Standard equipment Hill climbing ability 20°
RHS 102 tube magazine, Engine monitoring and feed Track oscillation +10º - 8º
inclination, Hole depth instrument, Pre-separator Ground clearance 405 mm 16"
and dust collector with automatic cleaning system, Hydraulic rotation unit DHR 48H45
Operator’s ROPS and FOPS cab, Air conditioning, Max speed 0 - 136 rpm
Window wipers, Triple grouser pads, Work lights, Max torque 2070 Nm 1527 lbf/ft
Gas spring operated canopy doors, Emergency stops Hydraulic rotation unit DHR 48H56
Max speed 0 - 107 rpm
Optional equipment Max torque 2630 Nm 1940 lbf/ft
Toe-hole drilling kit for short mast, Service winch, Hydraulic rotation unit DHR 48H68/DHR 48RC
Thread spray lubrication, Cab heating system, Tinted Max speed 0 - 68 rpm
cab windows, Laminated cab windows, Sun shade Max torque 4120 Nm 3039 lbf/ft
kit for cab, Electric heated operator’s seat, Reverse Transport dimensions
camera, Radio/CD, Canopy safety rails, Revolving light Weight, excl. options 24500 kg 54000 lbs
(BEACON), Engine monitoring with hole inclination/ Width 2500 mm 8'2"
Length 12200 mm 40'
depth instrument and laser receiver, Cold weather Height 3500 mm 11'6"
kits including diesel driven engine heater, Water mist
fl ushing systems, Tropical/arctic/ synthetic hydraulic
oils, Manual/automatic fi re suppression systems,
Long feed Short feed
Central lubrication system, Fast fi lling fuel system,
Electric hydraulic oil fi lling system, Hydraulic
13º
21º

25º

25º

support leg, Canopy service lamps,

RC (reverse circulation) kit.

2440

2440
2140

2140

A A
Long feed 582
Short feed 1040

B
Long feed 2277
B
Short feed 2659

Drilling in open pit mining 123

 DTH HAMMER SPECIFICATIONS

Air consumption/Working pressure

(cfm) (l/s)
2000
900

800
Hammer types
1500 700
Air consumption

600
Type Std HD Slim*
COP 34 
500
1000 COP 44 
400 COP 54  
COP 54 GE   
300
COP 64 G   
500 200
* Reduced hammer OD
100

0 0
10 15 20 25 30 (bar)

150 200 250 300 350 400 450 (psi)

Working pressure

COP 34 COP 44 COP 54 COP 54 GOLD EXPRESS COP 64 GOLD

Technical data
Hammer COP 34 COP 44 COP 54 COP 54 Gold Express COP 64 Gold

Length excl. thread 954 mm 37.55 in 958 mm 37.72 in 1069 mm 42.08 in 1119 mm 44.1 in 1163 mm 45.78 in

External diameter 83.5 mm 3.28 in 98 mm 3.86 in 120 mm 4.72 in 120 mm 4.72 in 142 mm 5.59 in

External diameter HD 126 mm 4.96 in 126 mm 4.96 in 146 mm 5.75 in

Hammer weight 27 kg 60 lbs 38 kg 84 lbs 57 kg 126 lbs 66 kg 145 lbs 96 kg 212 lbs

Hammer weight HD 67 kg 148 lbs 76 kg 167 lbs 109 kg 241 lbs

Piston diameter 68 mm 2.67 in 78 mm 3.07 in 100 mm 3.93 in 100 mm 3.93 in 120 mm 4.72 in

Piston weight 4.8 kg 10.7 lbs 7.1 kg 16 lbs 12.5 kg 28 lbs 15 kg 33 lbs 20.5 kg 45 lbs

Recommended bit size 92-105 mm 35/8-41/8 in 110-125 mm 45/16++-5 in 134-152 mm 51/4-6 in 134-152 mm 5.3-6 in 156-178 mm 61/8-7 in

Rec. bit size HD 140-152 mm 51/4-6 in 140-152 mm 5.5-6 in 165-178 61/2-7 in

Rec. bit size Slim 130-152 mm 5.1-6.0 in 152-178 mm 6-7 in

Bit shank COP 34 IR DHD340 IR DHD350 IR QL 50 IR QL 60

Top sub thread 23/8" API Reg 23/8" API Reg 23/8" API Reg 31/2" API Reg 31/2" API Reg

Optional thread
connection 31/2" API Reg 27/8" API Reg 31/2" API IF

Wrench flat
23/8" API Reg 65 mm 2.6 in 65 mm 2.6 in 65 mm 2.6 in
27/8" API Reg 95 mm 3.7 in 65 mm 2.6 in
31/2" API Reg 95 mm 3.7 in 102 mm 4.0 in
31/2" API Reg (HD) 102 mm 4.0 in 102 mm 4.0 in 102 mm 4.0 in

Feed force 3-12 kN 700-2500 lbs 5-15 kN  1100-3300 lbs 6-17 kN  1300-3700 lbs 6-19 kN  1300-4100 lbs 7-20 kN 1600-4400 lbs
Feed force, normal 6 kN 1300 lbs 10 kN 2200 lbs 12 kN 2600 lbs 14 kN 2600 lbs 14 kN 3100 lbs

Working pressure 6-25  bar 87-360 psi 6-25 bar 87-360 psi 6-25  bar 87-360 psi 6-25  bar 87-360 psi 12-30 bar 174-430 psi

Rotation speed 30-90 r/min 25-80 r/min 20-70 r/min 20-70 r/min 25-60 r/min

Standard design – Ideal for water well drilling, blast hole drilling and civil engineering projects.
HD design – Designed for abrasive and demanding applications. The HD hammer features a larger overall diameter, in turn
allowing for thicker walls and, ultimately, a longer service life. It’s also equipped with reversing back-out buttons,
protecting the top sub from wear.
Slim design – The Slim version is designed for non to medium-abrasive formations, using a smaller bit diameter than
recommended for the standard hammer OD. The Slim design allows an oversized hammer to drill the hole,
thereby optimizing performance.

124 Drilling in open pit mining

 DTH HAMMER SPECIFICATIONS

ROC F6

Rotation unit Adapter Drill tubes Crossover DTH Hammer Bit

No wrench flats L = 4 000 mm No wrench flats

API 2 3/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 76 mm API 2 3/8” Reg Not needed COP 34, API 2 3/8” Reg 95-105 mm
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm

1 DHR 45 H-1
API 2 3/8” Reg Box
(*)

API 2 3/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 89 mm API 2 3/8” Reg Not needed COP 44, API 2 3/8” Reg 110-130 mm
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm

NB (*) Floating adapter should be chosen to prevent fast wear out of threads and cradle wear parts
For further info on bit designs and sizes, see our Secoroc Rock Drilling Tools

ROC L6

Rotation unit Adapter Drill tubes Crossover DTH Hammer Bit

No wrench flats L = 5 000 mm No wrench flats

API 2 3/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 76 mm API 2 3/8” Reg Not needed COP 34, API 2 3/8” Reg 95-105 mm
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm

COP 44, API 2 3/8” Reg 110-130 mm

Not needed
API 2 3/8” Reg Pin x Box D = 89 mm API 2 3/8” Reg
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm COP 54, API 2 3/8” Reg 134-140 mm
1 DHR 48 H 45-1
API 2 3/8” Reg Box
COP 54, API 2 3/8” Reg 134-152 mm
API 2 7/8” x 2 3/8” Reg
L = 140 mm
(**) COP 54HD, API 2 3/8” Reg 140-152 mm
API 2 3/8” x 2 7/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 102 mm API 2 7/8” Reg
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm
COP 54, API 3 1/2” Reg 134-152 mm
API 2 7/8” x 3 1/2” Reg
L = 160 mm
COP 54HD, API 3 1/2” Reg 140-152 mm
2 DHR 45 H-1
DHR 45 H-2
API 2 3/8” Reg Box NB (*) Floating adapter should be chosen to prevent fast wear out of threads and cradle wear parts
(*) (***) (**) Hammer thread is potentially a weak point. Highly recommended to change top sub to 3 1/2” API
3 DHR 48 H 45-2 (***) Only for customers who own ROC 830s or ROC F6s to standardize in same rotation unit
(*) For further info on bit designs and sizes, see our Secoroc Rock Drilling Tools Catalogue

ROC L8

Rotation unit Adapter Drill tubes Crossover DTH Hammer Bit

No wrench flats L = 6 000 mm No wrench flats

COP 44, API 2 3/8” Reg 110-130 mm

API 2 3/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 89 mm API 2 3/8” Reg Not needed
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm
1 DHR 48 H 45-1 COP 54, API 2 3/8” Reg 134-140 mm
DHR 48 H 45-2
API 2 3/8” Reg Box COP 54, API 2 3/8” Reg 134-152 mm
(*) API 2 7/8” x 2 3/8” Reg
API 2 3/8” x 2 7/8” Reg Pin x Box OD = 102 mm API 2 7/8” Reg L = 140 mm
L = 305 mm Wall = 6.3 mm (***) COP 54HD, API 2 3/8” Reg 140-152 mm

2 DHR 48 H 56-1 API 2 3/8” x 2 7/8” Reg Pin x Box COP 54, API 3 1/2” Reg 134-152 mm
DHR 48 H 56-2 L = 305 mm API 2 7/8” x 3 1/2” Reg
API 2 3/8” Reg Box (**) L = 160 mm
(*) COP 54HD, API 3 1/2” Reg 140-152 mm
OD = 102 mm API 2 7/8” Reg
Wall = 6.3 mm

API 3 1/2” x 2 7/8” Reg Pin x Box

L = 305 mm
DHR 48 H 56-3
DHR 48 H 56-6
API 3 1/2” Reg Box
(*)
API 3 1/2” Reg Pin x Box COP 64 Gold, API 3 1/2” Reg 156-171 mm
L = 305 mm
OD = 114 mm API 3 1/2” Reg Not needed
Wall = 6.3 mm COP 64 Gold HD, API 3 1/2” Reg 165-171 mm
3 DHR 48 H 68-3 API 3 1/2” Reg Pin x Box
DHR 48 H 68-6 L = 305 mm NB (*) Floating adapter should be chosen to prevent fast wear out of threads and cradle wear parts
API 3 1/2” Reg Box (**) This alternative is NOT highly recommended as the DHR thread is a weak point
(*) (***) Hammer thread is potentially a weak point. Highly recommended to change top sub to 3 1/2” API
For further info on bit designs and sizes, see our Secoroc Rock Drilling Tools Catalogue

Drilling in open pit mining 125

 DTH ROTATION UNITS

Rotation units for DTH drilling

DHR 45A DHR 48H DHR 48RC

DHR series The hydraulically-operated DHR versions are equipped

Hole diameter range 70-254 mm,
drilling torque up to 5100 Nm
The Atlas Copco DHR series of rotation units includes
a total of 7 airpowered and 12 hydraulically-powered
standard motors designed for longer life, superior wear
resistance, and enhanced output. All are equipped with
both fixed and moving adapters for all common types
and dimensions of thread.
Air-powered versions in the DHR series have powerful
vane motors, to ensure top-quality operating reliability
and wear resistance. The torque, delivered at a working
pressure of 6 bar, is sufficient for maximum drill capacity,
and can be easily increased to 8 bar for greater torque
without any risk of overloading. Both rotation speed
and direction can easily be changed. The vane motor is
integrated with a long-life, well-tested planetary gear.
with reliable, longlife motors of a type for which plane-
tary gear is unnecessary. Normal working torque is ob-
tained even at a very modest hydraulic pressure. The
potential working pressure, however, is much greater,
offering a good margin for more demanding work situ-
ations. Engine speed and rotation direction are easy to
set on all motors, and the superior design gives both
quiet operation and minimal maintenance. There are
two well-proven sizes of reduction gear with various
gear combinations to suit all DHR series motor versions.
They are extremely strong, and designed for simple and
easy mounting. The DHR 48RC version is intended for
reverse circulation drilling on ROC L8. It is designed to
fit the drill string components as simple hose connection
and underneath air swivel from Metzke Engineering,
Australia.

Technical data, air powered

Type DHR 45A DHR 56A Torque Air requirement

Nm l/s
Length1 (mm) 870/1026 951/1120
Width cradle (mm) 255 270 4000 400
6 bar 8 bar
Height (mm) 333 365
DHR 56A
Height from base 3000 300
DHR 45A
to centre of spindle (mm) 126 138
Weight1 (kg) 126/144 235/275
Air connection DTH hammer (in) 2 2 2000 200
Drive motors 1 2
Air connection motor (in) 3/4 3/4 1000 100

1
with fixed adapter/floating adapter
0 20 40 60 80 100 rpm

Operative data, hydraulically powered rotation units Adapter type/thread

Type DHR DHR DHR DHR DHR Rotation Units
45H 48H45 48H56 48H68 48RC Hydraulically Adapter Recommended
Length1, (mm) 685/842 528/882 534/888 550/904 696/- Powered type/thread for DTH Hammer
Weights1, (kg) 111/124 163/239 164/240 166/242 178/- DHR 45H-1 Floating API 23/8" Reg Box 3"- 4"- 5"
Drill tube connection DHR 45H-2 Fixed API 23/8" Reg Box 3"- 4"- 5"
API Reg Female 2 /8”
3
2 /8”
3
2 /8”
3
2 /8”
3
4”Metzke DHR 48H45-1 Floating API 23/8" Reg Box 3"- 4"- 5"
3½” 3½” Long pin Male DHR 48H45-2 Fixed API 23/8" Reg Box 3"- 4"- 5"
Drive motors (qty) 1 2 2 2 2 DHR 48H56-1 Floating API 23/8" Reg Box 4"- 5"
Drilling performance DHR 48H56-2 Fixed API 23/8" Reg Box 4"- 5"
Torque, max (Nm)2 2200 3000 3900 5100 5100 DHR 48H56-3 Floating API 31/2" Reg Box 5"- 6"
Press drop, max (bar) 175 210 210 175 175 DHR 48H56-6 Fixed API 31/2" Reg Box 5"- 6"
Speed, max (rpm)3 80 136 107 68 68 DHR 48H68-1 Floating API 22/3" Reg Box 4"- 5"
Flow, max (l/min) 75 150 150 150 150 DHR 48H68-2 Fixed API 23/8" Reg Box 4"- 5"
1
With fixed adapter/floating adapter DHR 48H68-3 Floating API 31/2" Reg Box 6"- 8"
2
With mineral oil. For other oils ask for information DHR 48H68-6 Fixed API 31/2" Reg Box 6"- 8"
3
Not in combination with max torque DHR 48RC Fixed 4" Metzke Long pin Male RC-hammer

126 DRILLING IN OPEN PIT MINING

 ROTARY DRILL RIGS

Large Blasthole Drills

Atlas Copco offers a wide range

of large drills for production blast
hole drilling in open pit mining.
There are a variety of alternatives,
including crawler or custom
mounted carriers, single or multi
pass versions, diesel or electric
prime movers. The range covers
hole diameters from 4½ up to
16¼ inches. (114 – 413 mm).

Technical data

Installed Power Pulldown force Maximum Hole Diameter

Hp (kW) lbf. (kN) inch. (mm)
DM25SP 360 - 460 (270-340) 46,000 (205)   63⁄4 (171)
DM30 425 - 525 (315-390) 30,000 (135)   63⁄4 (171)
DM45 425 - 525 (315-390) 45,000 (200)   77⁄8 (200)
DM50 425 - 525 (315-390) 45,000 (200)   77⁄8 (200)
DML 525 - 765 (390-570) 60,000 (270)   9 (229)
DMLSP 525 - 765 (390-570) 60,000 (270)   9 (229)
T4BH 525 - 760 (390-565) 30,000 (135) 10 (254)
PV271 760 (565) 75,000 (335) 105⁄8 (270)
PV275 760 (565) 75,000 (335) 105⁄8 (270)
DM-M3 630 - 950 (470-705) 90,000 (400) 121⁄4 (311)
DM-H2 600 - 950 (445-705) 110,000 (490) 133⁄8 (340)
PV351 1,650 (1230) 125,000 (560) 161⁄4 (413)

Visit www.cmt.atlascopco.com/ads/ for more information

Drilling in open pit mining 127

 ROTARY DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
DM30
The DM30 represents an ideal combination of versatility,
economy, and power in rotary blasthole drills.
The DM30 is designed for quarrying and small mining
applications. This versatile drill can be easily loaded
onto a trailer and moved from one location to another.
Strong and powerful, the high-strength cable feed
system absorbs drilling shock, improves rotary head
life and minimizes inventory requirements. The 136
HP/101 kW spur gear head provides high torque for
maximum drilling performance, smooth rod handling,
and a powerful impact breakout system. With a precision
controlled, pressure balanced cylinder feed system, the
DM30 has a 30,000 lb/13,608 kg bit weight and a 10,000
lb/4,536 kg pullback capacity.
Standard equipment
Thermal insulated, sound-attenuated cab, Dust collector,
Dust hood w/skirting, Halogen night light pkg, Aux.
hoist, Engine and air compressor intake filters, Remote
tower pinning, Carousel, Remote hydraulic fork chuck
for breakout, Hydraulic aux. chain wrench, 230-gal (870L)
fuel tank, Leveleing jacks, 68,000 lb (30,845 kg) GVW
rated undercarriage, Oscillation yoke, Service walkways
w/railing, Back-up alarm, DHD lube, Central lube
manifold, Centralizer, Hammer split and split bushings,
Lifting bail, Grease gun, Blow gun w/hose, O-ring kit,
windshield wipers/washers
Optional equipment
A variety of options is available to meet your drilling
needs including (but not limited to): floating spindle sub,
water injection w/arctic fox, Automatic and manual lube
systems, central service system, diesel-fired preheater,
battery and engine oil pan heater, Thunderbird DEI depth
and rate of penetration monitor, tramming foot pedal
brake, torque limit control, inclinometer.
128 Drilling in open pit mining
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
Nominal Hole Size 127 - 171 mm 5" - 63/4"
Hole depth, max. STD 27.4 m 90'
Hole depth, max. Optional 47.5 150'
Pipe length 9.14 m 30 ft
Feed system
Hydraulic pulldown force 133 kN 30.000 lbf
Hydraulic pullback force 44.5 kN 10.000 lbf
Fast feed/retract speed 0 - 30.5 m/min 0 - 100 ft/min
0 - 85 m/min 0 - 280 ft/min
Rotary head, two-stage, spur gear
Spindle thread Size 101.5 mm 4" API IF
Rotation motors 101 kW 136 HP
Torque, variable 7.322 Nm 5.400 lbf/ft
Tower
Rod changing (2 or 4 pipe) 9.1 m/each pipe 30 ft/each
Auxiliary hoist, (Hyd. motor) 1.134 kg 2.500 lb
Tower raising & lowering 2 hydraulic cylinders
Mainframe
Leveleing jacks 18.598 kg 41.000 lb
Jack Pad diameter 457 mm 18"
Jack Pad Area 1.642 sq. cm 254.5" sq.
Undercarriage
Model CAT 320, AC GT 2000
Track length 4.44 m 14 ft 7 in
Track width 2.9 m   9 ft 5 in
Powerpack
High pressure configuration
at 350 psi 900 cfm
at 2413 kPa 25.5 m3/min
Diesel engine options EPA Tier 3
Caterpillar C-15
Rating at 1800 rpm 403 kW 540 HP
Cummins QSX15
Rating at 1800 rpm 418 kW 560 HP
Low pressure configuration
at 110 psi 900 cfm
at 758 kPa 25.5 m3/min
Diesel engine options EPA Tier 3
Caterpillar C-15
Rating at 1800 rpm 354 kW 475 HP
Cummins QSX15
Rating at 1800 rpm 336 kW 425 HP
Cooling system
Cooling capacity 52 ºC 125 ºF ambient
Fuel capacity 871 l 230 gal
Hydraulic system
Main pumps, piston pumps 197 l/min 52 gal/min
Vane Pumps stage 1 133 l/min 35 gal/min
Vane Pumps stage 2 64 l/min 17 gal/min
Transport dimensions
Weight (approx. excl. options) 28.121 kg 60,000 lbs
Width shipping 2.9 m 113"
       operational 3.6 m 142"
Length tower up 7.4 m 292"
tower down 12.9 m 506"
Height tower up 13.5 m 532"
tower down 4.4 m 174"
Rock drilling tools
Hole range 127 - 171 mm 5" - 63⁄4"
COP 44 110 - 130 mm 43⁄8" - 5"
COP 54 134 - 152 mm 5¼" - 6"
QL 40 105 - 130 mm 4" - 5"
QL 50 130 - 152 mm 5" - 6"
QL 60 153 - 171 mm 6" - 63⁄4"
Bit connection 89 mm 3½"
Tricone bits 121 - 171 mm 43⁄4" - 63⁄4"
Secoroc Duralloy bit sub
adaptor can be used with:
Pipe thread (pin end) 89 mm 31/2" BECO
200 mm or 27/8" API
Bit thread (box end) 89 mm 31/2" BECO
200 mm or 27/8" AP

DM45
The DM45 is one of a family of drills designed to offer
the ideal combination of efficiency, economy, and power
in rotary blasthole drills.
The standard DM45 utilizes a diesel engine to drive the
air compressor and hydraulic system. Operation of the
drill is performed using electric over hydraulic controllers
ergonomically located so that the operator faces the drill
centralizer while drilling. Both high pressure and low
pressure models are available to fit your drilling needs.
Standard equipment
Insulated, FOPS, Sound-attenuated cab, Dust collector,
Dust hood w/skirting, Halogen night light pkg, Aux. hoist,
Engine and air compressor intake filters, Remote tower
pinning, Carousel, Sliding hydraulic fork, Hydraulic aux.
chain wrench, 1438 l/380-gal fuel tank, Leveleing jacks,
36,287 kg/80,000 lb GVW rated undercarriage, Oscillation
yoke, Service walkways w/railing, No-bump rod changer,
Back-up alarm, Jack up indicator lights, Rod support arm,
Ether injection, Central lube manifold, Centralizer
bushing, Lifting bail, Spindle sub, Blow gun, Manuals,
Wipers/washers, Battery select master switch.
Optional equipment
A variety of options is available to meet your drilling
needs including (but not limited to): Floating spindle
sub, Language name plates, Water injection, 680 gal
fuel tank, Auto lube system, Wiggins central service and
fast fuel systems, Diesel-fired preheater, 240 V AC cold
weather pkg, Variety of Aquila electronic monitoring
systems, Thunderbird DEI depth and rate of penetration
system monitor, Battery equalizer/converter, Tow hooks,
Inclinometer, Torque limit control, Sunshades, 1070 cfm
HP and 1050 cfm LP
Drilling in open pit mining 129
ROTARY DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
Nominal hole size 114 - 178 mm 4½" - 7"
Hole depth, max. 27 - 53 m 90 - 175'
Pipe length 9.14 m 30 ft
Feed system
Hydraulic pulldown force 200 kN 45.000 lbf
Hydraulic pullback force 98 kN 22.000 lbf
Fast feed/retract speed 0 - 44.5 m/min 0 - 146 ft/min
0 - 62.48 m/min 0 - 205 ft/min
Rotary Head, two-stage, spur gear
Drill pipe size 114.3 mm 4-1/2" OD
Spindle thread size 88.9 mm 3-1/2" API Reg
Rotation motors 82 kW 110 HP
Torque, variable (Nm) 12202 Nm 9.000 lbf/ft
Tower
Rod changing (7 pipe change) 9.1 m/each pipe 30 ft/each
Auxiliary hoist, (hyd. motor) 1.134 kg 2.500 lb
Tower raising & lowering 2 hydraulic cylinders
Mainframe
Leveleing jacks 26.717 kg 58.900 lb
Jack pad diameter 762 mm 30 in
Jack pad area 4560 cm sq 06.8"sq
Undercarriage
Model Atlas Copco branded tracks
Track length 4673 mm 184 in
Track width 600 mm 23.6 in
Powerpack
High pressure configuration
at 350 psi 900 cfm
at 2413 kPa 25.5 m3/min
Diesel engine options EPA Tier 3
Caterpillar C-15
Rating at 1800 rpm 403 kW 540 HP
Cummins QSX15
Rating at 1800 rpm 418 kW 560 HP
Low pressure configuration
at 110 psi 900 cfm
at 758 kPa 25.5 m3/min
Diesel engine options EPA Tier 3
Caterpillar C-15
Rating at 1800 rpm 354 kW 475 LP
Cummins QSX15
Rating at 1800 rpm 336 kW 425 LP
Cooling system
Cooling capacity 51.6 ºC 125 ºF
Fuel capacity 852 l 225 gal
Hydraulic system
Main pumps, piston pumps 268 l/min 71 gal/min
Vane pumps stage 1 158 l/min 42 gal/min
Vane pumps stage 2 83.3 l/min 22 gal/min
Transport dimensions
Weight (approx. excl. options) 28.121 kg 60.000 lbs
Width 3.6 m 142"
Length 13.3 m 43'7"
Height 4.4 m 174"
Rock drilling t ools
Hole range 114 - 200 mm 4½" - 77⁄8"
Bit connection 76 - 140 mm 3 - 51/2"
COP 44 110 - 130 mm 43⁄8" - 5"
COP 54 134 - 152 mm 5¼" - 6"
QL 40 105 - 130 mm 4" - 6"
QL 50 130 - 152 mm 43⁄8" - 6"
QL 60 152 - 171 mm 6" - 63⁄4”
Tricone bits 149 - 200 mm 57⁄8" - 77⁄8"
Secoroc Duralloy bit sub
adaptor can be used with:
Pipe thread (pin end) 89, 101, 114 mm 31/2, 4, 41/2" BECO
89 mm or 31/2" API
Bit thread (box end) 89, 101, 114 mm 31/2, 4, 41/2" BECO
89 mm or 31/2" API
 ROTARY DRILL RIG SPECIFICATION
T4BH
With a multitude of configurations from which to choose,
the T4BH truck-mounted, rotary blasthole drill meets
the tough challenges of the aggregate and construction
industries.
This powerful, mobile drill incorporates a comfortable,
FOPs cab that provides the operator a non-obstructed
view of the drill table and easy access to the drill
controls. Fast, efficient drill pipe handling is accom-
plished with the carousel-type pipe changer. The high
speed/high torque rotary head delivers the fastest drill
rates in this class of drill, while consistently delivering
up to 13607 kg/30,000 lb. of force to depths of
45.7 m/ 150 ft. Angle drilling is optional.
Standard equipment
Remote tower pinning, Gear indexing carousel, Sliding
fork, Aux. chain wrench, 852 l/225 gal fuel tank, Custom
carrier, Ether injection, Back-up larm, Centralizer
bushing, Hoist plug, Spindle sub, Manuals.
Optional equipment
A variety of options is available to meet your drilling
needs including (but not limited to): Angle drilling pkg,
Torque limit control, Central lube manifold, 454 l/120
gallon aux. Fuel tank, Water injection, Remote propel
from cab, Drilling efficiency indicator, Cold weather
starting aid, Floating spindle sub, 1070 cfm HP and
1250 cfm HP
130 Drilling in open pit mining
Main specifications
Recommended hole range
Nominal hole size 190.5 - 254 mm 7½" - 10"
Hole depth, max. 46 m 150'
Pipe length 7.6 or 9.14 m 25 or 30 ft
Feed system
Hydraulic pulldown force 164.6 kN 37.000 lbf
Hydraulic pullback force 73.4 kN 16.500 lbf
Fast feed/retract speed 14.6 m/min 48 ft/min
33.5 m/min 110 ft/min
Rotary head, two-stage, spur gear
Spindle thread size 101.6 or 102 mm 4" API IF
Rotation motors 82 kW 110 HP
Tourque, variable 8.135 Nm 6.000 lbf/ft
Tower
Rod changing (7 pipe change) 7.6 m/each pipe 25 ft/each
Auxiliary hoist, (hyd. motor) 1.134 kg 2.500 lb
Tower raising & lowering 2 hydraulic cylinders
Mainframe
Leveleing jacks 26.717 kg 58.900 lb
Jack pad diameter 457 mm 18"
Truck
Model Crane Carrier
Truck engine CAT C11 227 kW 305 HP
Front axle capacity 10.886 kg 24.000 lg
Rear axle capacity 20.412 kg 45.000 lb
Transmission: Fuller RTO-11908LL 10 speed forward,
3 speed reverse
Powerpack
High pressure configuration
at 350 psi 900 cfm
at 2413 kPa 25.5 m3/min
Diesel Engine Options EPA Tier 3
Cummins QSK15
Rating at 1800 rpm 418 kW 560 HP
Cooling system
Cooling capacity 51.6 ºC 125 ºF
Fuel capacity 852 l 225 gal
Hydraulic system
Main pumps, piston pumps 268 l/min 71 gal/min
Vane Pumps stage 1 158 l/min 42 gal/min
Vane Pumps stage 2 83.3 l/min 22 gal/min
Transport dimensions
Weight (approx. excl. options) 26.308 kg 58.000 lbs
Width⁄ 2.4 m 8 ft
Length 10.7 m 35 ft
Height 4.12 m 13 ft 6 in
Rock drilling tools
Hole range 165 - 228 mm 61⁄2" - 9"
COP 44 110 - 130 mm 43⁄8" - 5"
COP 54 134 - 152 mm 5¼" - 6"
COP 64 156 - 171 mm 6 - 63⁄4"
QL 40 105 - 130 mm 4" - 5"
QL 50 130 - 152 mm 5" - 6"
QL 60 152 - 171 mm 6" - 63⁄4"
QL 80 203 - 228 mm 8" - 9"
Bit connection 127 - 218 mm 5 - 85⁄8"
Tricone bits 149 - 200 mm 57⁄8" - 77⁄8"
Secoroc Duralloy bit sub
adaptor can be used with:
Pipe thread (pin end) 89, 101 mm 31/2, 4" BECO
71, 89 mm or 27/8, 31/2" API
Bit thread (box end) 89 mm 31/2" BECO
71, 89 mm or 27/8, 31/2" API
 SECOROC TRICONE BITS

Secoroc Tricone Bits

Air Water Separator Third Digit – Designates Bit’s Bearing Features:
or Back Flow Valve
1 – Roller Bearing
Lock Ring 2 – Roller Bearing Air-Cooled
3 – Roller Bearing with Gage Bevel Inserts
Pin Connection Air Tube 4 – Sealed Roller Bearing
5 – Sealed Roller Bearing with Gauge Bevel Insets
Nozzle 6 – Sealed Friction Bearing
Pin Shoulder
7 – Sealed Friction Bearing with Gauge Bevel Inserts
Air Passage 8 – Special
to Bearing 9 – Special

Nozzle Nail The underlined types are the main bearing types
Lock Ball Retaining
Pin produced by Atlas Copco BHMT, Inc.
Lug
Ball Retaining
Pin Weld Example: IADC 6-3-2
Shirttail This is a Medium/Hard Air-Cooled Roller Bearing.
Inserts
Shirttail
Gauge Hardfacing
Example: 12¼ MAG53CA
Bevel
Inserts Outer Roller 12¼ Diameter, inches
Bearing MAG Product Line
Gauge 53 First two digits of the IADC code
Inserts Ball Bearing
(Rock Class ‘5’, subclass ‘3’)
Inner Roller C Insert Type (Conical Inserts)
Cutter Cone Bearing A Full Armoured Lug (Nevada Package)
Cone (L) and
Air Exit Slot Journal (R)
Thrust Buttons Product Lines:
Nose Inserts
• MAG – Maximum Active Gauge use in soft/medium
material.
• MAG II – Second generation MAG bits featuring
Nomenclature enhanced erosion resistance features and new bearing
geometries.
• HD – Hard Drilling. Medium hard to hard
Atlas Copco BHMT Inc. uses the IADC code along formation bits.
with the Product Line and added feature in the bit’s • HD+ – New generation Hard Drilling rotary bits used
nomenclature to help describe the bit. in medium hard to hard formations, with new carbide
grades, aggressive cutting structures, and enhanced
International Association, Drilling Contractors Code: bearings.
The IADC Code is a three numbered system to classify • BH – Standard Product.
the hardness and type for all roller cone rock bits.
First Digit – Identifies the Bit Type and Major Hardness Insert Type:
class: • C – Conical
• G – Ogive
1 – Steel Tooth for soft formations • S – Super Scoop
2 – Steel Tooth for medium formations *Chisels and Ovoids are standard inserts and
3 – Steel Tooth for hard formations do not have suffixes
4 – Insert for soft formations
5 – Insert for soft/medium formations
6 – Insert for medium/hard formations
7 – Insert for hard formations
8 – Insert for extremely hard formations

The underlined types are the main rock bit types

produced by Atlas Copco BHMT, Inc. This range of rock
bits will cover EVERY application of a rotary rock bit.

Second Digit – Designates the Hardness Subclass of

Major Hardness class. This ranges from 1 to 4, where 1
is classified as the softest subclass and 4 is the hardest
subclass.

Drilling in open pit mining 131

 SECOROC TRICONE BITS

Tungsten Carbide bit selection and operation

Five basic classifications of Atlas Copco BHMT, Inc. rock 60 Series
bits are available for blast hole drilling. The 60 series bits are
typically characterized
The modifications in cutting structure design from by more densely spaced,
series to series are: shorter projecting chisel,
conical or ogive inserts.
1. The spacing of inserts (or teeth) is greatest for the This configuration
softer or weaker formations and decreases as the promotes maximum
formation hardness increases. penetration rates in
2. The number of rows of inserts and/or the total medium/hard
number of inserts per bit is increased as formation formations.
hardness increases.
3. The groove depth and amount of intermesh is Applications
decreased as formation hardness increases. Medium/ hard formations such as hard limestone, hard
4. The insert projection above the cone shell is shale, basalt and quartzite.
greatest for the softer formations and is decreased
as the formation hardness increases.
Suggested Operating Parameters:
Weight on bit – 4,000 to 7,000 lb/inch of diameter
40 Series
Rotation speed – 50 to 120 rpm
The 40 series bits are
typically characterized
by large diameter widely 70 Series
spaced super scoop, chisel The 70 series bits are
or conical inserts. This typically characterized
configuration promotes by a densely spaced,
maximum penetration shorter projecting conical
rates in softer formations or ogive inserts with a
that have a tendency conical or ovoid gauge
to stick and ball up the insert. This configuration
cutting structure. promotes maximum
penetration rates in hard
Applications Soft formations such as shale, formations.
siltstone, soft limestone and alluvials.
Applications
Suggested Operating Parameters: Hard formations taconite,
Weight on bit –1,000 to 5,000 lb/inch of diameter banded iron and quartzite.
Rotation speed – 50 to 150 rpm
Suggested Operating Parameters:
50 Series Weight on bit – 4,000 to 8,000 lb/inch of diameter
The 50 series bits are Rotation speed – 50 to 90 rpm
typically characterized
by more densely spaced 80 Series
chisel or conical inserts. The 80 series bits are
This configuration typically characterized
promotes maximum by very densely spaced,
penetration rates in short projecting ovoid
soft/medium formations inserts. This configuration
that are fractured or promotes maximum
have varying degrees of penetration rates
hardness. in extremely hard
formations.

Applications Applications Extremely

Soft/medium formations such as sandstone, shale, hard formations such as
granite and some marble. chert, hematite ore and quartzite.

Suggested Operating Parameters: Suggested Operating Parameters:

Weight on Bit – 3,000 to 6,500 lb/inch of diameter Weight on bit – 6,000 to 9,000 lb/inch of diameter
Rotation Speed – 50 to 150 rpm Rotation speed – 40 to 80 rpm

132 Drilling in open pit mining

 secoroc grinding

Grinding Grinding machines recommended can be used

*Can be used for ODEX pilot bits and reamer

DTH/COPROD Cross-type
Grinding machine Button Bits Reaming bits X-type bits Integrals
bits bits
Grind Matic BQ2
Grind Matic Jazz
Grind Matic Manual B
Grind Matic HG
Grind Matic BQ2-DTH
Grind Matic Manual B-DTH*
Grind Matic X
Grind matic Swing
Grind Matic Senior

Grind Matic BQ2 Grind Matic Jazz Grind Matic Manual B

Rig-mounted, semiautomatic grinding machine for
tapered, threaded, DTH and COPROD bits.
Grind Matic Jazz, standard 9500-4100
incl. main bit holder for threaded bits
Grind Matic Jazz, DTH 9500-4300
incl. main bit holder for DTH / COPROD bits
Grinding capacity
Max. distance 250 mm (10")
Max. diameter of drill bit 254 mm (10")
Min. diameter of drill bit 35 mm (1 ³⁄8")
Min. distance between buttons 3,5 mm (9⁄64")
Technical specifications
Air pressure, maximum 7 bar (102 psi)
Air pressure, minimum 6 bar (87 psi)
Air consumption 25 l/sec
Speed, spindle 15 000 rpm
Output, spindle motor 1 kW
Voltage 24 V
Coolant container 3 liter
Weight, exclusive of packing 90 kg
Dimension 800 x 500 x 700 mm
(31.5 x 20 x 27.5 in.)
Accessories included in delivery Product code
Box wrench, 11 mm 9500-4425
Box wrench, 16 mm 9500-4426
Protective eyewear 9500-1967
Grinding gauge 9500-9104
Operators instructions/
Spare parts list 9852 1490 01
Optional accessories Note!
Anti-freeze kit 9500-4315
Main bit holder for DTH/
COPROD bits 9500-4268
Main bit holder for threaded bits 9500-4214
Mounting bracket for Atlas Copco drill rig
- with cabin 9500-4388
- without cabin 9500-4456
3-leg stand 9500-4450
Centering tool 9500-4465
NOTE!
Note: Grind Matic Jazz must be completed with grinding
wheels, centering cups, indexing templates and bit
holders. Product number begins with 8700-xxxx
instead of 9500-xxxx (product code).

Drilling in open pit mining 133

9213 Secor KAT_1_3.fm Page 86 Thursday, October 16, 2003 4:14 PM

secoroc grinding

Grinding

Grind Matic HG Grind Matic BQ2-DTH Grind Matic Manual B-DTH

134 Drilling in open pit mining

 secoroc grinding

Grinding

Grind Matic X Grind Matic Senior Grind Matic Swing

Keep up to date with the world of mechanized

rock excavation –
Visit Mining & Construction on-line at
www.min-con.com

Drilling in open pit mining 135

 secoroc grinding

Grinding Diamond grinding wheels for button bits

Grinding wheels for steel grinding of button bits

Diamond boron nitride

Full access to Atlas Copco products -everytime, everywhere.


136 Drilling in open pit mining
 secoroc grinding

Grinding Diamond grinding cups for button bits

Grinding Ceramic grinding wheels for button, integral and insert bits
Button bits

Integral bits

Insert bits

Grinding templates r= 80 mm 3,5/32"

110°

1/8"
3 mm

40 30 20 10 0

10
5 1/4"
10 10
,9 D/3 1/2"
9

5
15
3/4"
D
12,7

Regrind when flat

is 173 of button dia.
14
,5
7
0,5
Min.

Drilling in open pit mining 137

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Silenced SmartRig
Noise reduction
In many countries, strict noise restrictions are imposed
for drilling in urban areas, and close to habitation or
other sensitive buildings. This is exactly the situation for
which the Silenced ROC D7C was introduced, as the first
SmartRig for use especially in areas where noise levels
have to be controlled. Silenced SmartRig ROC D9C has
now been released to complete the product portfolio.
Substantial efforts have been put into redesigning
components and soundproofing enclosures, resulting
in a 10dB(A) external noise reduction.

Feed enclosure
The most visible difference between the Silenced
SmartRig and other computerized drillrigs is its
patented feed enclosure, the frame and panels of
which are formed from lightweight aluminium.
There are four access doors, which are hydraulically
operated from the cab. A rubber sliding skirt at its base
encloses the drill hole, and this can be hydraulically
raised for collaring. The whole enclosure is designed
for quick demounting when not needed.

Lower fuel consumption

The advanced and more efficient hydraulic system on
the Silenced SmartRig requires less power. Because
its new engine delivers the right amount of power for
each phase of the drilling operation in different rock
conditions, fuel consumption can be reduced by up
to 30%.

SmartRig automation
SmartRig has a PC-based control system that facilitates
all kinds of automation in drillrigs. The hardware is
designed to operate in every possible weather condition,
and the software can be upgraded at site. SmartRig has
built-in logging and monitoring functions, together with
support for diagnostics and faultfinding. In the cab, the
control system replaces hydraulic pipework and gauges
with a display unit, considerably increasing the space
and reducing the noise for the operator. In addition, the
number of hydraulic components on the drillrig has
been reduced substantially, and hydraulic efficiency is
higher as a result. The need for electrical cables is also
diminished.

Increased productivity
SmartRig facilitates increased shift capacity through
faster positioning, to which can be added the produc-
tivity increase from automatic rod adding and auto feed
alignment. Altogether, the Silenced SmartRig is a major
step forward for the environment, presenting a flexible
choice for quarries and civil engineering work sites.

138 Drilling in open pit mining

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Angle and hole depth instrument

Angle instrument with sight
The electronic angle indication system consisting of an
angle sensor on the boom and feed, sight and graphic
presentation on an LCD display. The sight makes it pos-
sible to drill parallel holes by selecting a reference point
before the first hole is drilled. This reference point is then
maintained throughout the entire round or as long as the
direction of movement is the same. By turning the sight
back to the same reference point the entire time regard-
less of how the drill rig travels, the instrument calculates
how the feed inclination must be changed to maintain
the same direction of movement. The angle sensor on
the boom mounting allows the instrument to compen-
sate for the turning of the boom the same way as when
the sight is turned.
Drilled depth instrument
In order to maintain control over the drilled depth, drill
metres and penetration rate, the system is equipped with
a drilled depth sensor.
The drill rig can be equipped with one of the
following alternatives:
• Angle and depth measurement instruments with sight.
• Angle, depth and laser plane instruments with sight.

Display: Angle instrument with sight Display: Drilled depth instrument

a e
d
a
b
f f
e
c b g

d c

a Actual inclination front/back a Indication of selected measurement method

b Desired inclination front/back.
c Actual inclination left/right
d Desired inclination left/right
e Reset
f Graphic
b Reset of drilled depth counter
c Accumulated drilled depth
d Desired drilled depth when using automatic drill stop
e Current drilled depth
f Speed Penetration rate
g Activation of the laser plane function

Drilling in open pit mining 139

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Water mist system

An optional water injection system on the drill rig, com-
bined with reduced flushing air, produces the so-called
water mist system - which can be used for dust protection
or hole stabilization. The system is especially useful when
starting a hole or drilling through the first metres of soft
rock or overburden. Also, in certain types of rock where
dust suppression can be a problem for deep holes, water
mist can be used as an alternative to the conventional
dust collector.
• The water mist system consists of a water tank, safety
valve, strainer, two cocks, two valves and one check
valve.
• The water in the pressure tank is pressurized by the rig’s
air system through a hose with an adjustable nozzle.
The quantity of water can be finely adjusted using a
valve on the water mist system. The system is cont-
rolled by a switch located on the drill panel.
• The system is depressurized by a blow-down valve
when the compressor on the drill rig is deactivated.

In order to meet customer demands, all rigs can be equ-

ipped with the water mist system - whether they are top
hammer, DTH, pneumatic or hydraulic.

Equipped to operate the water-mist system: an Atlas Copco ROC

F7 crawler rig, fitted with a pressurized water tank.

140 Drilling in open pit mining

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Lubrication system
The Quicklub lubrication system is designed to provide a
relatively simple and inexpensive method of centralizing
and automating the lubrication of machinery bearings.

The system dispenses small measured amounts of lubri-

cant at frequent intervals while the machine is operating.
With a fully automated system, the lubricant is supplied
by an electric pump through one or more distribution
blocks to each point covered by the system. Even those
hard to reach are assured of being properly lubricated
and purged of contaminants.

Up to 300 lubrication points can be served, depending on

the length of the hose.

• Reliably distributed lubricant in predetermined

amounts.
• Delivers lubricant to the connected lubrication points in
a safe manner.
• With three pump elements mounted, the pump can
serve three separate lubrication circuits.
• Each lubrication circuit is equipped with a safety valve
that holds the pressure within permissible values.
• If there is a block in a lubrication circuit, lubricant will
leak from the safety valve.
• Works through lubrication cycles (interval time, prop-
agation time and load time)
• Pumps grease up to NGLI 2 at temperatures between
-25 degrees C and +70 degrees C.
• Can be used down to -40 degrees C if special low temp-
erature grease is used.

Quicklub lubrication pump.

Drilling in open pit mining 141

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS
COP OIL
Main features
The development of lubricating oil for pneumatic and
hydraulic tools has been driven by the high demands on
environment and reliability. COP OIL is made of carefully
selected components that give the highest technical
performance. COP OIL has a broad temperature range
that gives you optimum operation in the most variable
air temperatures. It withstands heavy loads and protects
against wear and corrosion.
More and more users are recognising the advantages of
using environmentally adapted lubricants. In applications
where lubricant is contaminating the surroundings, the
use of environmentally adapted lubricants will therefore
be a strong coming demand. COP OIL is based on rene-
wable raw materials that are readily biodegradable.
COP OIL is specially developed for Atlas Copco pneumatic
and hydraulic rock drills and down-the-hole hammers.
Biodegradability according to OECD 301
COP OIL
Mineral oil
100%
10 days
Readily biodegradable
60%
28 days
142 Drilling in open pit mining
A new oil for Atlas Copco
pneumatic and hydraulic rock
drills, and DTH hammers
that unites technology and
environment.
COP OIL
• Excellent lubricating properties.
• Reduces the risk of scoring and abrasion.
• Protects against corrosion and oxidation.
• Insensitive to air temperature variations. Works equally
well throughout the temperature range - 35°C to + 45°C
(-31oF to +113oF).
• Adhesion and larger drop formation contribute to the
very good lubricating properties.
• Based on > 90% renewable raw materials.
• Readily biodegradable according to OECD301
Additives in the oil are:
• Approved in accordance with the German authorities
”Blue Angel”
• ”Approved” in accordance with the Swedish
authorities ”Ren Smörja”
Technical data
COP OIL
Density, 15°C: 927 kg/m³
Viscosity at 40°C: 65 cSt
Viscosity at 100°C: 13.4 cSt
Index of viscosity: 215
Flame point 250ºC (482ºF)
Lowest flow temperature: - 39ºC (-38ºF)
Part number
3115 3125 00 Can 10 litres
3115 3126 00 Can pallet 48 x 10 litres
3115 3127 00 Drum 208 litres
Using Atlas Copco COP OIL ensures that you are doing
your best for both the environment and your equipment!

COP Grease
COP Grease can be ordered either in a tube for use in the field together with a grease gun, or in a can for use in the workshop.
To keep the rock drill in perfect shape, it is necessary to
use the right quality of gear box grease. That´s why we
recommend you to use COP Grease – a grease specially
developed for Atlas Copco´s hydraulic rock drills. The
grease is thoroughly tested to cope with all the trials
that the gear box of the rock drill is exposed to, such as
damp, vibrations and high temperatures.
COP Grease handles temperatures ranging from 40°C to
150°C and short term up to 220°C. It has excellent mecha-
nical stability, providing high resistance under vibrating
conditions.The smooth consistency ensures minimal
temperature elevation in the gear. It has excellent load
carrying capacity, is very resistant towards water, and
has good rust preventing properties.
COP Grease contains additives to prevent wear and cor-
rosion, and to ensure good Extreme Pressure (EP) ability.
The additives also improve the oxidation stability, ma-
king the grease suitable for use under extended periods
of time at high temperatures.
By using COP Grease, you can lower the maintenance
cost and increase the life length of your rock drill. You
can order COP Grease either in a cartridge for use in the
field together with a grease gun, or in a can for use in the
workshop.
Drilling in open pit mining 143
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
COP Grease
Items Content P/N
Cartridge 0,4 kg 3115 3422 00
Can 18 kg 3115 3423 00
Typical inspections
Characteristics Methods Units
Thickener - - Lithium-
complex
NLGI - - 1.5
Penetration ASTM D 217
Worked 60 times mm/10   305
Dropping point ASTM D 566 ºC >260
Baseoil viscosity @ 40 °C ASTM D 445 mm2/s   475
Baseoil viscosity @ 100°C ASTM D 445 mm2/s     50
Tests and approvals
Classified as L-XDDIB1.5 according to ISO 6743-9
Classified as K1.5N-40 according to DIN 51502
SKF Emcor WWO, distilled water
SKF Lubricity R2F run test A
SKF Lubricity R2F run test B (150°C)
Handling and Storage
Avoid skin contact. Wash thoroughly with soap and water, after skin
contact. Dispose of used grease properly. Safety data sheet available
for professional user on request.
 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Hole Navigation System

The Atlas Copco satellite-based Hole Navigation System
(HNS) for surface drillrigs employs Real Time Kinematic
(RTK) GPS for positioning accuracy, to within 10 cm in
most situations. With HNS, there is no need to mark
out holes, and the accuracy is such that all holes can be
parallel, or different holes in each round can be drilled in a
predetermined direction, according to the blasting
pattern. The result is a controllable product, with better
fragmentation and fewer boulders.

HNS focus is currently on road construction applications,

but the system can be used in any type of surface drilling.
Using information on his display, the operator can
navigate the rig to the coverage position for the given
hole, and the computer will provide the information
to place and align the feed exactly over the collaring
position.

Where HNS is used in quarries and mines, the drillplan

should be provided by an external tool, such as ROC
Manager, and transferred to the rig computer system
via a PC card. Using ROC Manager, the operator selects
a hole in the drillplan, and information on his display
guides him to the correct position to start drilling. The
time saved by not having to aim visually to set angles,
and by being able to drill more than one hole from
a single set-up, results in better rig utilization.

ROC Manager
ROC Manager is a stand-alone PC-based tool for
making drill plans, measuring hole deviation, and
logging, presenting and reporting drilling data
graphically. This infor-mation can be presented
individually or in combination with other parameters,
and used both during drilling operations, and by
transferring logged data from the rig.

Advanced MWD analysis is also possible as an option.

ROC Manager 2.0 supports the IREDES format for data
exchange on performance, quality and MWD logs, and
on drill plans.

A number of graphical tools are available for presen-

tation of data in ROC Manager. These are sometimes
customized at site to ensure that local rock conditions
such as discontinuities, faults, and boundaries are
correctly displayed.

144 Drilling in open pit mining

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS

Automatic Feed Positioning

When drilling the bench, the operator has to be sure
that, not only is he drilling in the right position, but he
is also drilling at the right angle. It is very important that
the drill rig feed is set to an exact pre-defined angle,
especially for longer holes, where a small error can
cause a large deviation at the bottom of the hole. For
example, a 2-degree feed angle error produces a 3.6
cm deviation for every metre drilled, resulting in a 72
cm deviation at the bottom of the hole. The longer the
hole, the bigger will be the impact on blasting of even a
small deviation. The automatic feed positioning function
avoids mistakes during setting of the feed angle, and
cancels out operator error. The operator simply has to
press a button in his cab, and hold it until the feed is set
to the correct angle. Automatic feed positioning reduces
set-up time and ensures parallel holes, resulting in better
blasting and smoother bench bottoms.

Automatic Rod Adding

Adding rods to the drill string used to be a time-
consuming process. First this process was mechanized
by the introduction of carousels, clamps and SpeedRods,
and now it has been automated.

The automatic rod adding system, AutoRAS, enables the

operator to drill a hole automatically to a given depth,
allowing him to leave the cab to carry out other duties
such as maintenance checks or grinding bits, while
keeping the drill rig in sight.

The drilling is supervised by the drill steel break

detection system, which shuts down the drilling
operation if a breakage is detected. In particular, this
ensures that no damage is caused to the drill rig if a rod
breaks above the surface of the hole.

The result of using AutoRAS is better rig utilization,

evidenced by a couple of extra holes/shift, and more
efficient use of the operator’s time by multi-tasking.

Laser Plane
Using the laser plane as a reference level, all holes
are drilled to the same depth, reducing drilling,
blasting and crushing costs by way of better frag-
mentation, and cancelling the need for secondary
blasting. A flatter, more uniform bench surface
results, making loading and transportation easier.

Drilling in open pit mining 145

 DRILL RIG OPTIONS
DCT dust collectors
DCT dust collectors create a dust-free working environment, wich in turn contributs to lower maintenance costs, and increased service lives
of drilling equipment.
Protect operators and drill sites from drilling dust
Drilling dust poses a serious health hazard, not only
to operators, but also to worksites in general. Silicosis
can be caused by stone dust containing quartz particles
with a granular size less than 0.005 mm. In view of this
health risk, many countries have introduced stringent
standards and measures concerning dust separation in
rock drilling. DCT dust collectors remove virtually 100%
of all drilling dust, and, most important of all, separate
the microscopic stone particles.
Reduce wear and lower maintenance costs
Uncontrolled drilling dust can clog motors and filters
on adjacent machinery, promoting faster wear through
abnormal friction and overheating. This can lead to more
servicing and repairs, and a costly decline in production.
DCT dust collectors create a dust-free working environment,
which in turn contributes to lower maintenance costs,
and increased service lives of drilling equipment.
Increase nett penetration rates
Field experience has shown that, using DCT dust
collectors, nett penetration rates can improve by 5-10%.
This is partly because the drill cuttings are removed from
the drill hole, reducing recrushing, and improving bit
performance. Also, because the operator is able to spend
more time at the controls, he is able to maintain constant
supervision of the drilling sequence.
146 Drilling in open pit mining
Two-stage filtration to separate drill dust
Atlas Copco DCT dust collectors operate via a two-stage
filtration process that removes virtually 100% of all
drilling dust. A coarse separator isolates 90% of dust in
the first stage, thus reducing the risk of overload of the
filters. Then the remainder is separated in secondary
filters to get rid of the highly injurious, microscopic
stone dust of particle size less than 0.005 mm.
High reliability
DCT dust collectors have very few moving parts. The
drive ejector has been positioned behind the filters,
creating a partial vacuum in the entire system. As a
result there is no dust leakage, even in the event of a
suction hose becoming damaged. The drive ejector
operates continuously in clean, filtered air, eliminating
risk of erosion by drill dust. Steady, high airflow speed
in the suction hose counteracts blockage of the suction
hose. Compressed air to the ejector does not pass by
way of the filters, reducing their load.
Atlas Copco DCT dust collectors offer effective, reliable
dust separation with operational simplicity, while
improving the working environment and increasing
productivity.

Mobile Service and Hose Workshops
For easy and convenient service of drill rigs and hydraulic hoses
When you invest in an Atlas Copco drill rig you receive a
quality product. Quality gives reliability, availability and
high productivity, which is essential to make profit. But
the quality of any machine has to be maintained in order
to give continuous high performance and good operating
economy. And that can only be obtained through regular
preventive maintenance and the use of Genuine Parts
from Atlas Copco.
A service workshop located on site or close by is the key
solution to rapid maintenance and repair routines. This
is why Atlas Copco have designed and equipped mobile
workshops to serve different servicing requirements.
Convenient service
The latest enhanced versions of the well regarded Atlas
Copco Mobile Workshop and Mobile Hose Workshop
contain all of the equipment needed for maintenance
and increased availability of rockdrills and drill rigs.
They are housed in 20 ft ISO standard steel containers,
internally insulated and fitted with non-slip aluminium
floor plating. Each workshop container is equipped with
heating and has a complete electric and compressed
air line system for immediate connection to external
electrical and pneumatic power sources.
Basic Mobile Workshop
The container can be delivered standard equip as a Basic
Mobile Workshop without any tools or machinery for
those who wish to equip the container themselves. In
this version it has a workbench, 2.5 m-long with vice and
Each container has two main doors at the front View inside fully equipped Mobile
that open completely, and on one side they have a Workshop.
window with steel shutter.
General information
The containers have a base socket provided for
forklift transportation. The external dimensions of the
2600
containers are 6.0 x 2.5 x 2.6 m, and they weigh around
3 t, depending on equipment. The mobile workshops
can be delivered for 230V/50 Hz and 380V/50 Hz, or other
voltages on request.
Visit www.facedrilling.com for more information
Drilling in open pit mining 147
SERVICE WORKSHOPS
lockable pedestal; shelves; tool-board with tool hooks;
14 m-long hose roll-up for air pressure; 17 m-long, 230 V
electric cable rollup; writing desk with lockable pedestal;
powder fire extinguisher; first aid panel; ventilation
system; and heating fan.
Mobile Workshop
The fully equipped version of the Mobile Workshop
comes complete with standard tool kit, comprising
all hand tools needed for carrying out service and rep-
air work; 30 t hydraulic press, with mandrel set; 500 kg
extensible hoist beam with manual tackle; and a smalI-
part cleaning booth, with exhaust. The Mobile Workshop
can then be completed with a number of well thought-
out options of special tools, instruments and machinery
to optimize efficiency. Mobile Workshops are suitable
for installation of drill bit grinding equipment, and the
Secoroc Grind Matic Manual B air-powered, handheld
portable grinding machine can be supplied.
Mobile Hose Workshop
A new approach to hose maintenance is the Mobile
Hose Workshop with the hose assembly centre, a com-
plete hose mounting workbench, designed to fulfil all
your needs for a safe and professional assembly of hyd-
raulic hoses with up to four reinforcement layers. The
centre is delivered with a hose reel, cutting machine,
peeling machine, marking machine, hose cleaning equip-
ment and hose press. The centre is delivered with all the
necessary accessories.
View inside fully equipped Mobile
Hose Workshop
.
2500 6000
 MARKET MATERIAL

Conversion factors
This unit Times Equals This unit Times Equals

Length Mass
(weight)
mm (millimetres)...................... x 0.001......................= m g
(grammes). ............................. x 0.001.................... = kg
cm (centimetres)....................... x 0.01........................= m t (tonnes, metric)....................... x 1000.................... = kg
dm (decimetres)........................ x 0.1..........................= m grains.........................................
x 0.0648.................. = g
km (kilometres)......................... x 1000......................= m oz
(ounce).................................. x 28.35.................... = g
in (inches).................................. x 25.4........................= mm ozt
(troy ounce)......................... x 31.10.................... = g
ft (feet)....................................... x 0.305......................= m lb
(pounds)................................ x 0.4536.................. = kg
yd (yard).................................... x 0.914......................= m tons
(long, US).......................... x 1016..................... = kg
miles.......................................... x 1609.......................= m tons
(U.K). . ................................. x 1016..................... = kg
tons
(short)................................ x 907....................... = kg
Power
kW (kilowatts)............................ x 1000......................= W Speed

Horsepower............................... x 735.5......................= W km/h
(kilometre/hour)............... x 0.2777.................. = m/s
Horsepower, U.K....................... x 745.7......................= W m/s
(metres/second)................. x 3.6........................ = km/h
ft.lbf/sec..................................... x 1.36........................= W mph
(miles/hour)...................... x 0.45...................... = m/s
Btu/h........................................... x 0.29........................= W mph.
. .......................................... x 1.61...................... = km/h
ft/s
(foot/second)....................... x 0.3048.................. = m/s
Volume ft/s
(foot/second)....................... x 18.29.................... = m/min
1 (litres)...................................... x 0.001......................= m3 ft/s
(foot/minute)....................... x 0.3048.................. = m/min
ml (millilitres)............................ x 0.001......................= l
dm3 (cubic decimetres)............. x 1.0..........................= l Frequency

cm3 (cubic decimetres)............. x 1.0..........................= ml blows/minute............................
x 0.017.................... = Hz
mm3 (cubic millimetres) .......... x 0.001......................= ml kHz
(kiloHertz)........................... x 1000.................... = Hz
in3 (cubic inches)....................... x 16.39......................= ml r/min
(rev/minute). . ................... x 0.01667................ = r/s
ft3 (cubic feet)............................ x 28.316....................= l degrees/second.
. ....................... x 0.1667.................. = r/min
Imperial gallon.......................... x 4.546......................= l radians/second
. ....................... x 0.1592.................. = r/s
U.S. gallon................................. x 3.785......................= l
Ounces (Imp. fluid oz).............. x 28.41......................= ml Pressure

Ounces (U.S. fluid oz)............... x 29.57......................= ml bar..............................................
x 100....................... = kPa
Pints (U.S. liq.).......................... x 0.4732....................= l bar..............................................
x 100 000............... = Pa
Quarts (U.S. liq.)....................... x 0.9463....................= l kp/cm

2
........................................ x 0.98...................... = bar
yd3 (cubic yards)....................... x 0.7646....................= m3 atm
(atmospheres)................... x 1.01...................... = bar
psi
(pounds/in 2
)......................... x 6.895.................... = kPa
Force psi............................................... x 0.06895................ = bar
kN (kilonewton)......................... x 1000......................= N
kp (kilopond)............................. x 9.81........................= N Area
kgf (kilogramme force)............. x 9.81........................= N mm2 (square mm)..................... x 0.000001............. = m2
Ibf (pound force)....................... x 4.45........................= N cm2 (square cm)........................ x 0.0001................. = m2
in2 (square inches).................... x 645....................... = mm2
Torque ft2 (square feet).......................... x 0.0929................. = m2
kpm (kilopondmetres).............. x 9.81........................= Nm yd2 (square yards)..................... x 0.8361.................. = m2
Ibf in (poundforce inch) ........... x 0.11........................= Nm Acres ......................................... x 4047..................... = m2
Ibf ft (poundforce foot)............. x 1.36........................= Nm Square miles............................. x 2.590.................... = km2

Equals Divided This Equals Divided This

  by    unit   by    unit

148 Drilling in open pit mining

 ROC CARE Value-for-money rig service with extended warranty

Scheduled service. Inspection protocols. Extended warranty. ProCom*.

These are the four key ingredients of ROC CARE, the new value-for-money service
package for Atlas Copco surface drill rigs.

ROC CARE is tailor-made for the construction and quarry business. It protects all that is
essential to your drilling operations. It guarantees regular inspections and
service. It extends the warranty on major rig components in order to secure your
productivity.

ROC CARE means security and peace-of-mind.

*ProCom is a global, satellite-based system that monitors rig status.

Committed to your superior productivity

Learn more at www.atlascopco.com/surface

 Straight to success

T he new ROC L7 4 0 CR has all the qualitie s you ne ed for optimal sur fac e
drilling, featuring a high roc k drill ef fe c t and a s trong f uel - ef f icient engine.
T his mas ter rig will increase your produc tivit y by drilling large and s traight
holes of supreme qualit y at great sp e ed.*

T he rig features our patented COPROD ® sys tem that c ombine s the high
pene tration rate s of Tophammer drilling with the s traightne s s and ac c urac y
of D own -T he - Hole drilling. Add to this it s unb eat able abilit y to handle poor
roc k c onditions, and the new ROC L7 4 0 CR will help you drill s traight to
suc c es s .

* Hole range 10 5 mm - 18 0 mm (4"- 7" )

Committed to your superior productivity

Printed matter no. 9851 6549 01

Learn more at www.atlascopco.com/surface