2013 Blasthole Reference Book, 3rd Edition tcm1240-3515521 PDF

Atlas Copco
Advantage Pit Viper
Blasthole Drilling
in Open Pit Mining
Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining
Interested in increasing your productivity?

The Pit Viper blasthole drills have earned a well-deserved reputation for dependability and productivity.
Operator safety and ergonomics also contribute to their high long-term value. Whether you are
searching for simple and rugged, or advanced and automated, the Pit Viper will be a strong contender.
With the Atlas Copco Rig Control System (RCS) option you can start with a simple basic concept and
still have the flexibility to add advanced functions later. Atlas Copco also offers complete drill string
and service packages tailored to your specific requirements.
2012
Printed matter no. 58 388 351
If you need more reasons to invest in a Pit Viper, find out if you can take advantage of single-pass
drilling! Visit www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills today to learn more about the Pit Viper series.
Third edition 2012

www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills
Contents
Foreword
2
Foreword by Brian Fox
Talking technically
3
11
13
17
23
29
35
37
41
43
47
49
53
59
69
71
75
79
83
87
91
From gunpowder to Pit Viper

Ergonomics and safety
Personnel rig protection
An introduction to surface mining
Putting rotary drilling into perspective
Automated surface blasthole drilling
Taking advantage of single-pass drilling
Drilling at high altitudes
Drilling in Arctic conditions
Tricone rotary blasthole drilling
Optimizing the rotary drill string
Increased productivity with DTH drilling
Selecting the right DTH drilling tools
Blasting in open cut metal mines
Fuel saving clutch
The mid-range Pit Viper 235
Development through interaction
The large Pit Viper 310 series
Large diameter drilling
The economic case for routine bit grinding
Secoroc Jazz
Case studies
93
99
101
103
105
107
109
115
117
119
123
Aitik eyes top three efficiency Copper/Sweden

Arsarcos choice: both diesel and electric Copper/USA
Reopening of Copper Mountain Copper/Canada
Radomiro Tomic prioritizes service Copper/Chile
Automation at Escondida Copper/Chile
Ambitious target at Esperanza Copper/Chile
Raising to the altitude challenge Copper/Chile
Innovation through interaction Gold/USA
Unforgiving ground Gold/USA
Community-friendly mining Gold/Canada
Drilling reliability at Veladero Gold/Argentina
129
133
137
141
145

149
155
157
159

163
165
169
171
173
Penasquito powers up Gold/Mexico

Secoroc hammers go for gold Gold/Turkey
Advanced iron ore mining in Ukraine Iron/Ukraine
Steep wall open pit mining at Zhelezny Iron/Russia
Mining industrys new beginnings in Mongolia
Coal/Mongolia
Coal mining in eastern Australia Coal/Australia
The fuel cost killer of Queensland Coal/Australia
Boosting Siberian energy Coal/Russia
Hidden treasure beneath America's western prairie
Coal/USA
Finding a perfect balance Coal/USA
Moving mountains Coal/USA
Cost busting Coal/USA
Mining in Kazakhstan Coal & Gold/Kazakhstan
Drilling for coal in Vietnam Coal/Vietnam
Product specifications
175
179
180
211
236
239
246
250
255
256
258
260
270
273
276
280
288
295
300
Drilling methods guide

Specifications guide
Blasthole drill rigs
Drill rig options
Compressors and boosters
Bit selection
Sealed bearing
When to change a bit
How a rock bit drills
Importance of records
Air practices
Rock formation & drillability
Guides for best bit performance
DTH hammer specifications
Secoroc grinding tools
Service and training
Glossary of terms
Where to find us
For latest updates contact your local Atlas Copco Customer

Center or refer to www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills
Produced by: Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC, PO Box 462288, Garland, TX 75046, USA, Phone +1 972 496 7400.
Publisher: Ulf Linder, ulf.linder@us.atlascopco.com
Editing team: Cecilia Einarsson, Diane Norwood, Elisa Davidson, Gunilla Lindberg, Justin Cocchiola, Marino Wallsten, Matthew Inge,
Torbjorn Viberg, Ulf Linder.
Adviser: Dustin Penn, dustin.penn@us.atlascopco.com
Contributors: Brian Fox, Clarence Zink, Bo Persson, Dustin Penn, Gunnar Nord, Jim Langford, Tyler Berens, Jon Torpy, John Stinson, Leif Larsson,
Maureen Bohac, Morgan Penn, Rick Meyer, Sverker Hartwig, Ted Aikman, Tyler Berens, all name.surname@country code.atlascopco.com
William Hustrulid, Hans Fernberg, Kyran Casteel, Scott Ellenbecker, James Lawrence, Mark Stewart, Adriana Potts, Joseph Bradfield, Sara Schmuck.
Digital copy of Atlas Copco reference edition can be downloaded at www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills.
Reproduction of individual articles only by agreement with the publisher.
Layout: Rafaella Turander, ahrt informationsdesign, rebro, Sweden, turander@ahrt.se
Printed by: Executive Press, Richardson, Texas, www.executivepress.com
Legal notice
Copyright 2012, Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC, Garland, Texas, USA. All rights reserved.Atlas Copco is committed to comply or exceed all
applicable laws, rules and regulations. Photos in this publication may show situations which complies with such laws, rules and regulations in the
country where the photo has been taken but not necessarily in other parts of the world. In any case think safety first and always use proper ear,
eye, head and other protection to minimize risk of personal injury. This publication, as well as specifications and equipment, is subject to change
without notice. All Atlas Copco product names (including but not limited to Pit Viper, ROC, COPROD, TEAMALLOY, SmartRig, SmartROC, COP and
Secoroc) are registered trademarks or trademarks of one or more Atlas Copco Group companies.
Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 1
Foreword
Blasthole Drilling
in Open Pit Mining
is designed to be a
comprehensive reference on the application of rotary drills
in surface mining
applications, plus
an overview of the
current product
offering from
Atlas Copco.
Open pit mining technology continues its evolution, as seen everywhere

at MINExpo 2012 in Las Vegas. Atlas Copco prides itself in being at the
forefront of blasthole drill automation with our proven Rig Control System
(RCS). We have many of the building blocks in place for autonomous drilling,
and extensive plans to tie everything together for a safe, reliable solution that
integrates seamlessly into the mines communications infrastructure. We will
stay on target and execute these plans.
We will also stay on target with our efforts to continually improve the safety
of our machines. Safety First is our approach within our factory and engineering teams. One such example is our project to fit a multitude of local
Australian options (known as J4) at our facility in Texas; this is proving very
successful. These options are designed to yield improved operation and maintenance of the machines, with the goal of further improving safety performance. We anticipate that more markets will adopt these options in the future.
Despite economic uncertainty in the world as this Third Edition is released,
we find the mining industry running at a high level. We are proud to be a part
of it, and are working hard to introduce new products such as the Pit Viper
311 and continually improve our sales and support capabilities worldwide.
Our singular focus is blasthole drills for open pit mining. Its all we do.
We hope you enjoy this third edition.
Brian Fox
Vice President, Marketing
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC
brian.fox@us.atlascopco.com
Talking Technically
From gunpowder to Pit Viper

Drilling and blasting
The rotary blasthole drilling rig
was a long time coming. Gunpowder was invented in China
about 1000 A.D. But in Europe at
least it took another 500 years or
more before miners started to use
it for blasting and a further three
centuries for the introduction of
mechanized drilling in surface
mines. Mobile blasthole drilling
rigs have been in use for only
some sixty years.
Gunpowder
The application of blasting agents
apparently began in Hungarian mines
sometime during the sixteenth century. To make better use of the explosive force, miners started to place the
powder in holes and it is certain that
drilling and blasting were used in several German and Scandinavian mines
early in the seventeenth century, for
instance at the Nasafjll silver mine in
Lappland in 1635, and in 1644 at the
Rros mine in Norway.
One-man drilling with the help of
a drill steel and sledgehammer was
the established technology used in the
Drilling with sledgehammer was the established

method before the development of the rock drill.
The Pit Viper is designed for production drilling of large holes in hard rock conditions.
eighteenth century. This physically

demanding technique evolved only
slowly but, despite the mechanization
of other industries, remained in quite
widespread use until well into the
twentieth century. However, powered
drills did start to mount a challenge in
the 1800s, the competition in the USA
being symbolized by John Henry who
in 1870 hammered through 14 feet in
35 minutes while the steam drill only
completed nine feet.
The first patented rock drilling machine was a steam driven percussion
drill invented by J. J. Couch in Philadelphia in 1849 but it may have been
preceded by a machine manufactured by the Scottish engineer James
Nasmyth ten years earlier. This patent
spurred a period of rapid development,
accelerated in the 1860s by Nobels
inventions of the blasting cap and
safe dynamite explosives. From 1850
to 1875 some 110 rock drill patents
were granted to American inventors
and seven for drill carriers while 86
patents were issued in Europe during
this period.
In 1851 James Fowle, who had

worked with Couch, patented a rock
drill that could be powered by steam
or compressed air and could rotate the
drill steel by means of a ratchet wheel
controlled by the piston's back-andforth movement. In the 1860s large
scale rock drilling machines were built
for tunnelling by engineers in Europe
and the United States. One of the most
successful of these early rock drills
was the second refined version of the
Burleigh rock drill, which was put into
service in October 1866 at the Hoosac
tunnel in Massachusetts. The performance at this tunnel project showed
that rock drill development had taken
the step from an experimental product
to a proven and rather reliable technology.
In 1871 the American inventor Simon
Ingersoll patented a steam powered rock
drill, later to be operated on compressed
air. Ingersoll formed the Ingersoll Rock
Drill Company in the same year. During
the following year Ingersoll purchased
the Fowle-Burleigh patents and also
merged with the Burleigh company.
Talking Technically
In 1871, a number of patents were issued to the

inventor Simon Ingersoll, who started the Ingersoll Rock Drill Company The machine produced
by Ingersoll was at this time regarded as the best
rock drill yet produced, and it was followed in
the mid 1880s by another success, the famous
Ingersoll Eclipse machine.
The new compact rock drill launched by

Ingersoll was a simple and strong design
with few moving parts. The designers
had kept in view the tough conditions
in which the rock drill had to work, and
the contemporary technical opinion
regarded his new rock drill as the best
yet available on the market. During the
years to come Ingersoll bought out many
small firms and expanded his company.
The Ingersoll Rand name came into
use in 1905 through the combination of
Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company and
Rand Drill Company.
The AB Atlas enterprise had been
founded in February 1873 at a time
when the Swedish railway net was
being rapidly expanded. Three years
later, now with 700 employees and the
Stockholm shops completed, AB Atlas
had delivered more than 600 railway
wagons. Diminishing demand from the
railroad sector, combined with years of
losses, led to a reconstruction in 1890.
During the years to follow new product
lines were added, including compressed
air tools, compressors, diesel engines
and the first Atlas rock drill which was
launched in 1905.
The Ingersoll rockdrill was a simple and strong design with few moving parts.
it was very heavy for manual use.

Immediately and for the next 25 years
Atlas focused on light weight hand
rotated drills like the Cyclop, Rex,
and Bob. The real Atlas winner among
lightweight hand-held rock drills was
the RH 65 from the year 1932. This
machine had more efficient shank and
chuck designs for better steel guidance
and longer shank life. Used with the
new pusher leg feed system developed
in the 1930s, the RH 65 was the most
important element in what was later
to become known as the "Swedish
method" of underground drilling.
In the United States Ingersoll-Rand
expanded into pneumatic tools in 1907
by acquiring the Imperial Pneumatic
Tool Company of Athens, Pennsylvania.
In 1909 the company bought the A.S.

Cameron Steam Pump Works and entered the industrial pump business.
Ingersoll Rand also acquired the J.
George Leyner Engineering Works
Company. This firm had developed a
small, pneumatic hammer that could be
operated by one man. This Jackhamer
introduced in 1912 became a popular
item, and the company progressively
developed the design as well as supplying compressors to the expanding
construction and mining industries in
North and South America
Rock drilling tools

The parallel improvement of drill steel
quality had started during the 1890s
Further development
The design of the first Atlas rock drill
featured an advanced rifle bar rotation but with a weight of 280 kg (617 lb)
4
The first drill made by Atlas "pneumatic rock drill No. 16" had a weight of 280 kg (617 lb) and was heavy
and difficult to handle - at least two men were needed to move it.
Talking Technically
with development of heat treated drill

steel that could better resist deformation.
But sharpening the tips required extensive haulage of tons of drill steel between
drilling sites and the work shops. The
detachable drill bit was developed in
1918 by A L Hawkesworth, a foreman
at the Anaconda copper mine in Butte,
Montana. The first versions used a dovetail joint to the drill steel while later versions were threaded or tapered. The rods
were retained at the workings and used
with new or re-forged bits.
In Europe during the German collapse in 1918 a team was formed at
the Osram lamp factory to develop
cemented tungsten carbide as a substitute for industrial diamonds. In 1926 the
first cemented tungsten carbide became
available as a magical machine tool
for turning and milling operations. Early
tests were made in 1928 trying to use
tungsten carbide bits for rock drilling in
German mines and before World War
II promising results were obtained. By
this time the research team had scattered
and some members had been forced to
leave the country. One of these, Hans
Herman Wolff, found refuge in Sweden
where he worked at the Luma lamp factory. Dr Wolff manufactured a number
of bits according to designs provided by
Erik Ryd at Atlas.
The bits were tested in the Atlas
test mine. In 1942 Atlas, Sandvik and
Fagersta signed a cooperative agreement and it was not until 1945, after a
long improvement process, that the new
cemented tungsten carbide drill bits
were as economical to use as conventional steel bits.
The post-war years saw Atlas achieve
further major advances. In 1948 the company introduced an RH 65 upgrade, the
RH 656, which was designed to use the
new cemented carbide tipped drillsteels.
The superior performance of the Light
Swedish Method was exploited worldwide and culminated in 1962 with the
completion of the Mont Blanc tunnel.
With development of highly mechanized drill rigs and with the introduction in 1973 of the COP 1038 hydraulic
top hammer drill Atlas Copco laid the
foundation to become a world leader in
top hammer drilling technology. (See
article from wagon drill to SmartRig,
Surface drilling, Fifth Edition 2012).
The US patent for a dual roller cone bit was issued to Howard Hughes Sr. in 1909.
Rotary bits
Rotary drilling with drag bits was the
common method used in oil drilling.
These bits were suitable when drilling in soft formations like sand or
clay but not in rock. The solution for
drilling large diameter holes in rock
was by using rotary crushing technology instead of trying to cut hard rock
with drag bits. The roller cone bit was
developed by Hughes and Sharp, and
the US patent for a dual roller cone
bit was issued to Howard Hughes Sr.
in 1909. This new type of bit had two
interlocking wheels with steel teeth,
and penetrated the rock by crushing
and chipping. The success of the new
bit led to the founding of the SharpHughes Tool Company, and after
Sharp's death in 1912 the name was
changed to Hughes Tool Company.
The company continued development of the roller cone bit and in 1933
two Hughes engineers invented the
tricone bit. This bit had three conical
rollers equipped with steel teeth.
Drilling was accomplished by transferring a pulldown force to drive the
teeth into the hole bottom. The three
roller cones turned as the drill string
was rotated, and the teeth crushed and
spalled the rock.
While tophammer drills could be
used for small blast holes in rock, this
method was not suitable for large hole
diameters; for these rotary drills were
the best alternative. However, as drillers

sought to use the rotary system for progressively harder rock formations so
the feed force (pulldown) available had
to be increased. Roller cones with long
steel teeth were used in softer formations for gouging the formation while
roller cones with shorter teeth were
used for crushing and spalling harder
formations.
The Secoroc Omega sealed bearing tricone bits

are now regarded as the ultimate blasthole bit
solution.
A parallel development of the tricone bits made it possible to use these

high loads on bits. To extend the life of
the bits in hard and abrasive rock the
steel teeth were replaced by cemented
tungsten carbide inserts. Tungsten carbide inserts have significantly increased the number of blast holes that
the roller cone bits are able to drill.
Talking Technically
Big picture; Airpowered DM-3 with a DRD-2 Rotary head from the late 1950's. Inset; Tractor mounted
Drillmaster, air powered with a DRD Rotary Head from the early 1950's.
Improvements in materials have continued to increase the life of the bearings so the cutting structures can be
fully utilized. While the geometry of
the roller cone bit is much the same as
the original bit patented in 1933, the
material and technology currently utilized is cutting edge.
Downhole drilling
technology
Meanwhile, manual lightweight pneumatic drills had also underpinned the
expansion of bench mining in open cut
mines and quarries. But in the 1930s
downhole drills (DHDs ) were introduced for drilling deeper holes. The
main initial development of this technology took place in Belgium and the
United States. Atlas designed a downhole unit in the mid-thirties that was
used with good results in two Swedish
limestone quarries until the 1950s but
the company then ceased further DHD
development, only re-entering the
market in 1969 with the COP 4 and COP
6 down-the-hole hammers. Followed
by the valve less COP 32 42,52 and 62
from 1978, where still COP32 is in use.
In 1955 Ingersoll-Rand introduced a
new downhole drill design and started
The Quarrymaster from 1948 was equipped with a huge 8" bore drifter.
to establish downhole drilling on a truly

commercial basis. The Tandematic,
which at the time was claimed to provide the highest drilling speed ever
attained by a downhole drill, was supplied in two standard sizes the DHD
275 for 4* inch and 5 inch holes and
the DHD 1060 for 6 and 6 inch . This
later enabled the company to build drill
rigs adapted to be used either for rotary
drilling or with downhole hammers. The
main difference is that downhole drilling requires more air, and consequently
these drill rigs had to be equipped with
a larger capacity compressor and a more
powerful diesel or electric engine.
Downhole drill technology went
through rapid change in 1960s and 70s.
In fairly rapid succession I-R developed
the DHD 325 ( their first 6" hammer),
DHD 325A, DHD 16, DHD 1060,
DHD 1060 A and B models, DHD 360
(all 6" drills) and corresponding larger
and smaller models, up to the current
line of DHDs. Probably the most significant change in DHD technology
was the advent of the valveless DHD.
Drill efficiency and life dramatically
improved with the elimination of the
flapper valve. During the 90s the QL
series of hammers came with the unique
QL (Quantum Leap) design , a still valid
patent. This features makes it possible to
have the piston stroke pressurized 80%
of its distance compared with 50% for
other hammer design. The QL feature is
also used in the TD hammers series for
deep hole drilling.
Of course higher pressure and volume air from the air compressor advancements produced the performance one
sees today. Re-entry to the downhole
drill market at 6 bar** in 1969 also enabled Atlas Copco to take advantage of
improved air compressors and develop
more and more powerful downhole
hammers, reaching 18 bar in the early
1980s and more recently 25 bar and 30
bar in the larger current hammer sizes.
In the early 90s COP44, 54 and 64
where introduced by Secoroc. A series
of high performing hammers operating
at high air pressure. They were unbeaten
in blast hole drilling applications until
replaced by the COP Gold series in the
beginning of 2000nds.
*1 inch = 25.4 mm, **1 bar = 14.5 psi
Talking Technically
Secoroc COP64 Gold downhole hammer.
Drill rigs
The mobilization of rotary and downhole drills was linked to significant
post-war changes in rotary drilling technology. Up until then rotary drilling
had been used in water well drilling and
surface mining using fluid circulation
to clean cuttings from the hole. Coal
mines were using rotary drilling in
soft overburden, removing the cuttings
with augers. In the late 1940s it was realized that air was an effective flushing
medium with considerable advantages
over water, doing a better cleaning job,
protecting the bits and eliminating the
difficulties of supplying water.
Experience also proved that air flushing improved the penetration rate of
rolling cutter bits such as tricone bits
and extended their life. By using efficient air flushing to keep the bottom
of the drill hole free from cuttings the
rock breaking process became more
efficient.
In 1948, Ingersoll-Rand entered the
large-diameter blast hole market by
launching the Quarrymaster. It really
was not a rotary drill, but a large self
propelled mounting in the 40,000 lb*
weight range, designed with on board
air and a long drill tower to drill 6 inch
to 8 inch diameter holes for mining
and quarry applications. The original
Quarrymasters were equipped with a
huge 8" bore drifter, know as the QD8.
This was a piston drill with the drill
steel attached directly to the drifter
piston. The blow frequency was in the
range of 200-300 blows per minute.
The drifter used a large rifle bar rotation system. Achieving decent wear life
between the rifle bar and rifle nut was
sometimes a problem in tight ground.
This was a single pass drill system,
hole depth was limited by the tower
length. The steel system was a heavy
wall tubular product, in the range of 4"
OD, and was extremely heavy. Since

there was no steel change, the weight
didnt seem to be much of an issue.
Quarrymasters were used in some
large iron mines in Canada and the
Atlantic City Iron Ore Mine in Wyoming.
Numerous Quarrymasters were used in
the rock excavation for the St Lawrence
Seaway in Canada.
In the same year also Atlas introduced its first mobile rubber tired drill
wagons for top hammer drilling, but
these were not equipped with any tramming machinery and were intended for
considerably smaller hole diameters.
I-R development work with downhole
drills in the early 1950s brought about
changes to the drill mounting business.
First, the Quarrymaster was equipped
with the newly developed QRD rotary
head, and this along with the new DHD
325 down hole drill, made for a productive but heavy and bulky package.
The Drillmaster design, a somewhat
smaller rotary drill, was introduced about
1955. It produced the same performance
as the Quarrymaster in a smaller and
less costly package. Upgraded versions
of the Drillmaster, the DM-1, DM-2
and DM-3 followed in quick succession. Originally equipped with sliding
vane air compressors up to 900 cfm**,
all were updated to the screw compressor design. The Drillmaster line was
equipped with the DRD and later DRD 2
rotary head to provide drill string rotation. As with the QRD rotary head the
DRD was powered by a vane air motor
and several steps of gear reduction.
All of these drills only used hydraulic
power, from an engine driven hydraulic pump off the cam shaft, to operate the jacks, tower raising cylinders,
break-out wrench, and dust collector
drive motor. Neither rotary head was
*1 lb = 0.45 kg, **100 cfm = 42.2 l/s
very useful in supplying straight rotary

power for tricone bits, hence the future
development of the T-4 and DM-4
with hydraulic powered rotary head for
straight rotary drilling. I-Rs first truck
drill was called the Trucm package.
The drill frame package was mounted
on a customer provided truck, often a
used Mack truck. However, none of the
standard truck designs proved very
successful. The normal channel truck
frames were not sturdy enough, resulting in many cracked and broken truck
frames. I-Rs answer to this problem
was to join hands with Crane Carrier
Corp of Tulsa, OK, and mount the drill
components and tower directly on an
I-beam chassis frame, often used for
mounting construction cranes. This
product became the TRUCM-3 and the
same style mounting carried over to the
T-4 and T4W introduced in 1968.
A major new stimulus for blasthole
drilling rig development generally was
the introduction in the 1950s of millisecond delay blasting. This allowed
blasters to design multi-hole large
volume blasts that could be used for
mass production techniques in open
The truck mounted T4BH was introduced in 1968.
Talking Technically
The DM50 could use bit loads up to 50,000 lbf

and was launched in 1970.
cut drill and blast mines. In turn this

required the introduction of large,
mobile drilling rigs able to drill large
diameter holes using tricone bits, as
well as the formulation of cheap bulk
mining explosives based on ammonium
nitrate and nitro-glycerine. These and
other developments helped the mining
industry to keep the costs of bench
drilling substantially unchanged during
the 1950s and 1960s, despite increasing
wage costs.
The Quarrymaster and TRUCM machines were made progressively more
self-contained through the 1950s. By
the end of the decade the air supply was
up to 10 bar and the marketing slogan
Pressure is Productivity was promoted. The drill rigs and rock drills were
sold together to maximize revenue but
this did encourage other manufacturers
to build competing rock drills.
Hydraulics technology
adds to drillers options
The similarities between the air requirements of rotary and downhole drilling made the design of rigs able to
do both an economically attractive
proposition. In 1965-66 Ingersoll-Rand
started work on the switch to hydraulic
powered rotation for rotary and downhole drilling, launching first the truckmounted T4W for water well drilling
in 1968. In the same year this rig was
modified to make a truck-mounted
blasthole rig with a 5-rod carousel,
the Drillmaster T4BH, which could
drill holes of up to 7 inch diameter
and was successfully offered for coal
mine drilling throughout the 1970s.
8
The designers also used the power unit,

tower and other components to create
the crawler-mounted Drillmaster DM4
blasthole drilling rig. This machine
was designed from the ground up
for both rotary and downhole drilling. A 36 ft* high tower incorporated a hydraulically indexed carousel
housing seven 25 ft rods. The rotary
head featured an axial piston hydraulic motor and single-reduction worm
gear for rotation, providing 5.6 kNm
of torque and rotation speeds from 0
100 rpm. There was a choice of diesel
engine or electric motor for the spring
mounted f loating power pack and a
range of diesel or electric compressors, enabling use of either rotary or
downhole drilling with the companys
DHD-15, -16 or -17 downhole drills.
The excavator style crawler undercarriage had tracks with 22 inch triple bar
grousers driven by hydraulic motor
through a planetary gear drive and
chain reduction.
In the marketplace the DM4 competed with the more powerful electric
top drive blasthole drilling rigs. The
late 1960s and 1970s saw heavy takeup of the DM4 rig by the Appalachian
coal mines in the United States. And
the combination of patented rig, drill
and drill rod technology was very
profitable for Ingersoll-Rand. The use
of hydraulic power for rotation and
non-drilling functions meant that more
air could be made available for rotary
and, especially, for downhole drilling.
This engendered an air race in the
late 1960s and 1970s. The independent
downhole drill manufacturers were
able to build machines that could drill
at 130 ft/hour in the 6 8 inch diameter
hole range faster than a rotary drill
could achieve in this hole size range,
particularly when drilling in harder
rock types.
The development of screw compressors to supply air for drilling rigs at up
to 20.6 bar led to the 1970s introduction
of an airend to supply both low pressure and high pressure air. These units
were used in portable air compressors
and also onboard drilling rigs, where
they enabled downhole drills to outper*1 ft = 0.304 m
**1,000 lbf = 4.44 kN = 453 kilogram-force
Rotary table and Kelly bar concept.
form rotary drills in the 6 - 8 inch

hole sizes in hard rock mines. However,
rotary drills were still better for rock
compressive strengths up to medium
hard limestone.
The higher pressures were also very
beneficial for water well drilling, in
which air pressure must be sufficient
to evacuate the ground water pressure
from the hole while drilling.
Expansion of the
Drillmaster range
Significant corporate developments and
one major product launch impacted the
Ingersoll-Rand drilling business in the
mid-1970s. Firstly, in 1973 the company
acquired DAMCO (Drill And Manufacturing Company) in Dallas, Texas,
who built mechanically driven pre-split
drilling machines for quarrying and
light coal stripping. These expanded
the Drillmaster range down to the
20,000 lbf* bit weight class. The rigs
also used the rotary table drive and kelly
bar concept, which lightened the tower
structure sufficiently to accommodate
rod long enough to drill 40 50ft holes
in a single pass if required. IngersollRand added their own compressors to
create the DM20, DM25, DM25-SP
(single-pass), DM35 and DM35-SP
rotary rig models. Then, in 1975, the
company bought the Sanderson Cyclone
Drill Company in Ohio, USA, adding
12 models designed for the water well
market.
The next extension of the size class
range came with the launch of the
Drillmaster DM50 with 50,000 lbf of
weight on the bit. In this machine the
Talking Technically
diesel engine drove the hydraulic power

pack from one end of the crankshaft and
the compressor was directly coupled to
the other. This concept was also used on
the next two drills to be launched. The
first one was a new crawler mounted
rig for rotary or downhole drilling, the
DM45 with 45,000lbf weight on bit.
This was followed by a conceptually
similar top drive rotary or DHD model,
the DM30 and a specialized rotary table
variant, the DM-35I, which was introduced in the 1980s for drilling underwater in phosphate mines. It featured a dual
kelly system that allowed explosives to
be charged through the annulus between
the outer and inner kelly. The inner kelly
would then be removed for blasting.
Later the DM 40SPi was developed for
drilling and shooting deeper holes.
Development of large
blasthole drills
Towards the end of the seventies, the
company started designing drill rigs
more specifically aimed at the base
metal mining market, using power
pack concepts developed for deephole
drilling. So far, neither air-powered nor
hydraulic drive rotary nor downhole
drills had challenged the electric motor
top drive rotary rigs manufactured in
the United States for the 12 15 inch
diameter hole market.
These machines by now had very
high weights on bit in the range
100,000 120,000 lbf, partly due to
the weight of the electric motor for the
rotary head, but were not suitable for
live tower operation. Ingersoll-Rands
first response was in 1979 with the
development of the Drillmaster DM70,
able to drill 10 inch diameter holes in
metal mines and up to 12 inch holes
at coal mines using 8.6 bar air for
rotary drilling. And in 1979 the company launched the DM-H (Drillmaster
Heavy), the first truly modern large
blasthole drilling rig to be used for
low pressure rotary drilling of 9 7/8 12 1/8 inch holes with bit loads up to
90,000 lbf.
The DM-H used hydraulics for both
drilling and non-drilling functions
and featured a hydraulic propel excavator type undercarriage with easily
replaceable grouser pads and in-line
components on the deck. It was equipped with a rotary screw compressor

and a live tower with patented angle
drilling system. The tower pivot point
was flush to the drill deck and within
the dust curtain, reducing the length
of unsupported drill rod. It was an
all-purpose machine, with a singlepass version added in the mid-1980's.
The machine has been upgraded over
the years although replaced by the Pit
Viper 351 for hard rock applications.
At much the same time the company
started to offer electric powered versions of the DM 45 and other models
if customers wanted them, for instance
for use in open pits where the other
key equipment was electric powered.
However, although these machines
had electric motor power packs they
retained the hydraulic rotation system.
The first electric drill rig was the
DM7B delivered to Clarksburg in 1977,
followed a year later by the DM100
delivered to Rock Springs.
After recovery from the recession
of the early 1980s, Ingersoll-Rand
launched a medium range Drillmaster,
the DM-M designed for rotary drilling of 9 7/8 inch holes with bit loads up
to 60,000 lbf. Three of the first four
DM-M's went into operation at Peabody
Energy's new Nor th Antelope &
Rochelle Mine in the Wyoming Powder
River Basin, now one of the two largest coal mines in the world. Now, over
25 years later, the prototype DM-M is
still in operation. The machine featured
a carriage feed system with wire rope
cables, resulting in a lighter tower and
lower center of gravity.
In 1989 this model was upgraded
to the DM-M2 on which maximum bit
load was increased to 75,000 lbf and
the hole size capability extended up to
10 5/8 inch. Stability was improved as
well. In 1990-91 the company introduced the DML for multi-pass drilling
to 180 ft hole depth.
This new model could drill from
6 to 9 7/8 inch (200 250 mm) diameter holes in rotary mode, and 6 8
7 / inch using a downhole hammer.
8
Following a development project based
on a customer consultation exercise the
DM-M3 was launched at MINExpo
1992. Designed primarily for deep
drilling of overburden for cast blasting
The DM-H, launched in 1979, could be used with

bit loads up to 90,000 lbf (400 kN).
The DM-M3 launched in 1992 is used for multipass drilling in coal mining.
Milestones in development
Year
Model
Load on bit
1948
Quarrymaster drifter
1955
DM3
30,000 lbf
1968
T4BH
30,000 lbf
1969
DM4
40,000 lbf
1970
DM50
50,000 lbf
1979
DM-H
90,000 lbf
1983
DM-M
60,000 lbf
1990
DML
60,000 lbf
1992
DM-M3
90,000 lbf
2000
PV-351
125,000 lbf
2004
PV-270
75,000 lbf
2008
PV-235
65,000 lbf
2012
PV-311
110,000 lbf
Talking Technically
The first Pit Viper 351 was launched in 2000 and

used at the Morenci copper mine in Arizona.
in large coal mines, the first production

DM-M3 went into operation in 1993 at
Arch Coal's Black Thunder Mine, one
of the largest coal mines in the world.
For this new model, the designers raised bit load to 90,000 lbf and the hole
diameter range up to 12 inch while a
new patented cable feed allowed the use
of 40 ft long drill rods.
The launch of the Pit Viper

Although difficult market conditions
restricted investment in the mid-1990s,
during 1997 the company started work
on a new generation blasthole drilling
rig design.
To differentiate this new range from
the Drillmaster series, which initially
was designed for drilling large holes
in coal mining and soft rock, this new
series was - from the very beginning
- specified and designed for production drilling of large holes in hard rock
conditions.
The first one out was the Pit Viper
351, which was successfully launched at
MINExpo 2000. Weighing 170 tonnes,
measuring 53 feet long, and equipped
with a CAN-bus control system with
seven on-board computers, the new Pit
Viper 351 was at that time the largest
and most advanced drill rig of its kind.
The advanced control system allowed
the drill pattern to be transmitted to
the drill rig via a radio network, and it
also featured production monitoring,
10
The Pit Viper 235 was launched at MINExpo 2008.
rock recognition and a GPS navigation

system. A few months after the Minexpo
show, in April 2001, the PV-351 was put
to work at the Morenci copper mine
in Arizona for final testing and evaluation. The mine had a fleet of 16 drill
rigs from a variety of manufacturers, so
in addition to the new rig being used for
drilling in the hard igneous rock conditions, this was an excellent opportunity
for benchmarking the PV-351 with the
other brands.
The application required 12 inch
diameter single pass drilling of 57 ft
deep blastholes using up to 90,000 lbf
weight on bit (of the 125,000 lbf
capacity). The test was successful: the
PV-351 drilled some 2.2 million feet by
August 2004 at a recorded average rate
of 60,000 feet per month and in some
months even more than 80,000 feet per
month.
Later the same year the multi-pass Pit
Viper 275 was launched at MINExpo
2004. Based on the experience from the
PV-351, combined with customer consultations, a project had been initiated
for development of the PV-270 series.
These drills were specified for a 75,000
lbf bit load capacity and were featured
a similar cable feed system and automatic cable tensioning to that on the
larger PV-351. The multipass version
PV-275 with a 195ft depth capacity was
delivered for a test in December 2003 at
Peabody's Kayenta coal mine in Arizona
where it was used for cast blast drilling
The new Pit Viper 311.
for removal of the overburden. This first

machine is still in use there and, as a
result of the good performance, the mine
decided to invest in several additional
units. One of these was prepared for
quick change between a multi-pass and
a single-pass tower as an option to be
adapted for different applications at the
mine.
The first mine to use the single pass
version, the PV-271, was the Barrick
Goldstrike mine near Elko, Nevada.
Since the PV-271 arrived at the mine in
April 2004 it has been problem-free, and
holds an impressive track record with
an average penetration rate of 199 ft per
hour. The long component life and also
the automatic tensioning adjustments for
the cables are much appreciated by the
mine.
Following this tradition of product
launches in Las Vegas the PV-235
was introduced in 2008 followed by
the PV-311 at MINExpo in 2012. These
new drill rigs are automation ready, featuring the RCS (Rig Control System) as
standard.
Acknowledgements
Editors: Kyran Casteel and Ulf Linder
Contributions: Guy Coyne, Ron Buell,
Kenneth Moffitt, Brian Fox, John
Stinson, Dustin Penn, Gunnar Nord,
Sverker Hartwig, Jim Langford, Diane
Norwood, Darwin Hollar, Ewald Kurt.
Talking Technically
Ergonomics and safety

Machine
developments in
a new decade
Ergonomics today has taken on a
broader meaning with the advent
of safer work rules, higher work
efficiencies and superior design
tools. Today engineers can study
and design machines that are efficient to operate, maintain, build
and transport. Engineering tools,
new materials, improved industry standards and new technology allow a designer to model a
machine and actually simulate
operation under safer operating
conditions.
During this decade not much has
changed with the technical performance of drilling as cutting structures remain the same. Rather the
design emphasis has been on efficiency, fewer accidents and ease
of operation. Globalization of mining to a higher level is also driving changes. The HIV epidemic in
Africa is reducing the workforce at
an unheard of rate. New deposits
in arctic regions require a new
emphasis. This article highlights
the advances Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions engineers have made to
meet these new challenges.
Ergonomics and safety for

operators
Today much has changed with regard to
operators, machines and machine interfaces. Twenty years ago the industry
took a macro view of an operators ability to complete a shift without tiring or
having an accident. Today designers
work to a micro requirement; neither
a hand nor a finger must be injured
over a 30-year career doing the same
function.
In the past the requirements were for
gauges and levers to be properly placed
to avoid human strain during the work
shift. Now engineers analyze site paths,
a process of ensuring that natural hand
motions are used to operate equipment.
The drive for safety and efficiency are
integrated.
Reference dust management improvement.
Not only does the manufacturer look

at drilling as the sole function of an
operator. A multi-skilled operator may
also manage drilling consumables, complete basic maintenance and report details of bench conditions. These new
roles also must be designed into the machine interfaces.
Also with regard to improved ergonomics and safety, Drilling Solutions
engineers work to design systems that
eliminate or reduce the hazards. In the
late 1990s when the United States Mining
and Safety Administration imposed stricter silica exposure limits for operators,
engineers found that improved air quality could not be achieved without removing the concentration levels in certain applications. The drive then became
to manage the dust rather than improve
air quality through expensive filtration.
The goal of Drilling Solutions is to allow the operator to do what comes naturally and to create a work environment that provides superior comfort
and safety.
Operator cabins and

machine interfaces
A rotary drill is recognized as one of
two pieces of surface mining equipment
that sits and works in its waste, heat and
dust. The other piece is the shovel or excavator. The operators cabin, or cab, is
the device used to protect the operator,
a design factor not seriously considered
as late as 1995.
Nearly everyone would agree todays
automobiles are safer, quieter, offer a
smoother drive and are very user friendly. The automobile is becoming the
acceptable standard in industry when
looking at operator cabins. The visual
look of an operator cab has also become
a design criteria, as personnel equate past
operator cabs with a metal box that
induces high fatigue. An automotives
structure and safety systems keep
passengers safe. Likewise todays drills
are engineered to protect an operator against hazards that once injured or
killed operators.
Talking Technically
allows an operator to watch the areas

where visibility is restricted. The combined effect is to give operators a full
view from the operators chair.
The operator chair and flooring play
active roles in reducing drilling vibrations, which add to operator fatigue.
Now an operators chair is often referred
to as an operators pod, and is adjustable to fit a variety of shapes, sizes and
weights. All machine interfaces are now
within the operators reach.
Technology can also play a role in
protecting the operator from dangerous
work conditions. Drilling Solutions engineers, working with suppliers, are
creating a system that allows limits of
operation to be defined and to give
an operator feedback when an unsafe
condition exists. As drilling conditions
change within the pit, the machine can
be easily reprogrammed to fit the new
situation.
The result of this combined effort
is to deliver a safe, comfortable work
environment that is suited for the long
shifts required in surface mining.
Operator survived rock fall.
Maintenance ergonomics
The image shows a digital leveling device

on which the background can change colors,
sound an alarm or remove power when an
unsafe angle of operation is
experienced.
Comfort combined with ease of operation in one

package.
The image shows digital readouts of weight

on bit, rotation speed, torque and rate of
penetration. It also can be programmed to
give an operator visual feedback.
The image above shows a rock fall

that the operator survived without injury. Using proper de sign techniques
and better materials. Atlas Copco engineers have delivered an operator cab
that reduces interior noise levels significantly below the industry benchmark
12
of 80 dBA. For example, the Pit Viper

351 with 1500 hp was measured below
70 dBA when drilling.
Like automotive climate control systems are developed to maintain operator comfort more efficiently, todays
systems direct the cooling effort on the
operator. The systems are also used to
defrost windows in cold weather climates just as automobiles do. Drilling
Solutions engineers also are working to
advance the cleanliness of the air the
operator breathes.
Engineers can use computer models
to quickly improve line of site. Cabs
now feature more window space, which
improves visibility, due to glass and insulation technology. Camera technology
Nearly unheard of a decade ago, industry standards now require safe, routine and easy access to all maintenance
points. In the 1990s the Australian New
South Wales MDG-15 Act gave guidelines for maintenance ergonomics that
have become the accepted standard in
industry today, and these standards, in
addition to factors such as fatigue and
safety, drive the machine design effort.
For example, Australian studies showed a very high incident rate for personnel getting on and off machines. These
results drove the international market to
look at alternatives. As a result, placement of key maintenance points could
only be in a zone from waist to shoulders, based on measurements for 90
percent of the population. Until fairly
recently, operator comfort and safety
were only afterthoughts if they were
considered at all. Now, what was once
out of sight, out of mind, is a critical
requirement at the forefront of design
innovation.
John Stinson
Talking Technically
Personnel rig protection

Built-in safety
features
For drillers, the safest place to
be is the cabin of the drill rig.
Our equipment has many builtin features and options that help
to increase operator safety such
as ROPS and FOPS protection.
Moreover todays cabins are all
designed with smooth edges
and without protruding components that could conceivably
injure an operator who omits to
wear a hardhat. But the fact is,
the moment the operator steps
outside, he or she is immediately
exposed to dangers. Over the
years, technological advances
have done a great deal to reduce
the number of accidents and injuries. Atlas Copco is committed
to this task and will continue to
identify risks and improve safety
through our product design.
Mining safety
Since the implementation of the Mining
Safety and Health Act of 1977, a lot has
changed in the past 35 years. More specifically, a lot of lives have changed or
been saved. Safety is the obligation of
every single individual in every single
step of the entire mining process.
As taught in the MSHA training
class SLAM Risks (Stop Look
Analyze and Manage) helps us diminish workplace risks. SLAM was initiated to focus the mining industry on the
human factors in accident prevention.
At Drilling Solutions, risk assessments
and design simulations are involved
in mitigating risks to the operator and
maintenance personnel. We should
constantly be assessing our surrounding environment and risks that might
be involved. It is something that we
should consider in every action we take
on a daily basis, from climbing off the
machine, to walking out through the
parking lot, to driving home that evening, to walking in that front door; safe
and sound and fully intact.
The safest place to be is the cabin of the drill rig.
In order to facilitate what we should

be doing on a daily basis versus what
we actually do, this is a niche where we
as the OEM are able to further develop
safety into our products. We at Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions have spent the
past year researching different scenarios and situations to find areas that
can further enhance the safety of performing a specific function or task.
We have conducted open-floor meetings with major mining corporations,
spent time on a wide-range of different
mining sites, and coordinated with
various teams world wide in order to
fully understand develop, and offer you
a multitude of Personnel Rig Protection
opportunities for your machines. Our
ultimate aim is to lead the industry by
changing equipment designs to minimize the risk to all parties involved in
the mining process.
Tower access restraint

system
This option provides the mine with a
dedicated resource providing a safe
means of conducting maintenance in

our towers. The Tower Access Restraint
System meets OSHA Standards 1926
and 1910, as well as Australian and New
Zealand Standards 1891.2:2001.
Drilling Solutions engineers have
designed a set of stairs for access to
the Tower while in the horizontal position. Each step is made of sturdy steel
grating. The Stairway also consists of
a signed gate at the bottom, as well as
the top of the stairs in order to prevent
accidental entry. There is a continuous
handrail that goes up both sides of the
stairway and then a spacious work platform once you reach the top.
Once you have reached the top and
you are ready to enter the tower to perform maintenance, you open the gate,
clip onto each of the shuttles that are
attached to two stainless steel cables
that run the length of the Tower. The
cables are permanently anchored to
the Tower cords and include a shuttle on each side on which to hook the
harness. These shuttles are an integral
part of the structure and include a
double-locking mechanism for safety
Talking Technically
PV-270 tower access stairs.

(Part of tower fall restraint system)
Tower fall restraint system with infill.
purposes and are specially designed to

withstand the vigors of a mining environment. They also allow the operator full access to the Tower, as well
as being able to smoothly move over
transition pieces without the hazardous
practice of having to unhook from the
cable, allowing the individual to keep
their hands free for tools and the task
at hand.
In addition to the Tower Access Restraint System, the bottom of the Tower
is also filled with fiberglass grate decking. This is a continuous slip-resistant
and sturdy surface for the individual to
stand on while performing their duties.
The final result of combining the
above components is a safe and secure
tool to utilize during regular Tower service intervals. In addition, this system
provides improved safety and mobility
for mine personnel.
Access and egress
Hydraulic ladder option.
PV-230 standard ladder option.
PV-230 spring assisted ladder option.
14
A lot of emphasis and design hours

went into the multiple options we now
provide for getting on and off the machine, always keeping ease and safety
in mind. Atlas Copco now provides a
number of different means to access
the deck and cab on the cab side of the
machine. These include your Standard
Ladder, a Hydraulic Ramp, a Hydraulic
Ladder, Hydraulic Stairs, and emergency ladders. Each individual step on
the above ladders is comprised of either
sturdy, slip-resistant steel or fiberglass
grating. One more added benefit to
some of the ladders mentioned is the
safety interlock that is built into the
RCS control system. This interlock
will not allow the rig to move while the
ladder is in the down position.
Some of the above options are obviously more intricate than the Standard
Ladder, but they do provide a more natural means of accessing the machine.
They can allow the operator or maintenance personnel an easy approach
onto the machine, opposed to having
to hoist themself up a vertical ladder.
This ease enables hands to be free for
other needs, such as carrying tools.
Even more so, the Hydraulic Ramp
that we offer provides a flat surface
that, can be utilized as an easy surface
for dollies to be pulled up and, for
example loaded down with a bucket

of grease. When you need to climb on
the machine from the non-cab side you
can either have a Standard Ladder or no
ladder at all with a handrail in its place.
And in the event of an emergency we
now also offer one or two Emergency
Ladders on the Non-Drill end of the
machine. These ladders flip out with a
quick release and provide a swift means
of escape if need be. When they are not
in use they fold up onto the rig and relatch.
The main emphasis of these new
ladder options is not for aesthetics, but
instead to further ensure that there is
a safe means of getting on and off the
rig. The new options above allow for
front or backwards ascent or descent
from the machine. We want to try to
get away from having to climb on the
rig, but rather be able to easily access
the decking in a more natural form.
Decking
A main concern of all mines is working
in a confined space. Drilling Solutions
is currently exploring the balance of
opening up workable areas as well as
keeping the machines overall size in
mind for transportation purposes and
still allowing the mine to access those
holes that might bring an operator close
to the highwalls.
We have developed options that will
allow complete 360 access around the
machine. This includes an option for
complete walk-around access of the
cab. This added selection can be used
for inspection and for cleaning the windows for further visibility.
Another part of the 360 access is
a decking option that includes a built
in bit basket on the Drill-End of the
machine as well as a spot to store
hammer subs. By adding this decking
option, you not only gain complete
access to the machine, but also have a
safe, secure, and dedicated spot to store
bits and hammers. This option inhibits
bits from being laid unsecured on the
deck, opening up a possibility for them
to shift and move during tramming.
One more part of the 360 access
option that is available is an Extended
Cooler decking. Prior to this option
the only way to access the back of
Talking Technically
the coolers was by using a man-lift or

some other similar means. By adding
on this decking you add approximately
2 feet (61 cm) to the non-cab side of
the machine. This allows unconstrained
access to the back of the coolers for
cleaning, maintenance or a walkway
to other areas of the machine.
Energy isolation
When working on any piece of machinery this size, there is the constant concern about isolating any energy, whether it be electrical, hydraulic, or pneumatic. The engineers at Drilling Solutions spend numerous hours designing
and configuring different options with
the goal of being able to give anyone
with access to the machine a safe and
secure piece of equipment to work on,
complete with fail-safes when applicable. We know that the easier we make
the machine to work on, the happier
and safer all entities involved will be.
One of the new options offered is a
Ground-Level Battery and Starter Isolation box. Inside this box are lockable
turn switches that either engage or disengage the power or the starter. There
are also long-life LED lights that are
color coded to designate whether it is
receiving power, or if the power is off.
The front cover on this box is comprised
of a strong plexiglass piece so that you
can see what energy state the machine
is in without having to physically open
the front cover. Again we are of the
mindset that the quicker and easier it is
to use, the more it will be used.
Another example of how we are isolating hydraulic energy is by utilizing
a series of Hydrau-Flo Valves. These
valves are specially designed to prevent
fuel spillage, in the event of over-filling
or tank rupture. Not only is this design
a safe way to transfer fuel, but it is also
environmentally friendly.
Ease of maintenance
There are many new options offered
straight from the factory that have
greatly enhanced the ease of working on
our machines. Keeping confined spaces in mind, as well as the idea that the
less often a component needs to be serviced, the more production the machine
does in the dirt. When you choose the

above option for cooler access decking,
you also then have the opportunity to
pick the Cooler Access Ladder. The
Cooler Access Ladder is a stepladder
integrated onto the decking and hand
railing that provides a safe approach to
accessing the radiator tank on top of the
cooler for filling, checking, or maintenance. As a side note pressure-relief
safety caps are standard on all machine
radiator tanks. These caps allow the
pressure that naturally builds up in the
tank to safely be released without the
danger of spraying out hot coolant onto
the individual.
In regards to the powerpack, we now
offer a dipstick for the gearbox. Prior
to this the sight glass for the gearbox
was in a hard to see area. Now it is easy
to access and it provides a means to easily check the gearbox oil level daily
or as required. We also have the new
oil-centrifuge option that extends the
life of the engine oil. It achieves this
without filters to change or clean.
We are providing new ground level service options in addition to the
Ground-Level Battery and Starter
Isolation. The first of these is a new
ground level Live-Oil Sampling option.
This option provides the ability to take
samples for Hydraulic Oil, Engine Oil,
and Compressor Oil. The oil continually circulates through this area so that
all samples taken are fresh.
Two more ground level service
options that are available are the QuickFill Box and the Quick-Drain Box.
These two boxes located on the non-drill
end of the rig provide a simple means to
either fill or drain the machine of its
fluids. Each connection point is clearly
labeled and consists of a safe quick
connect, each differing in size to avoid
cross contamination of fluids.
Design teams at Atlas Copco are
constantly getting feedback from customers or our own field service personnel. They let us know if something is
working great, what can be improved,
or if something needs to be completely
redesigned. One of the steps that we
are taking as a company is trying to
phase out welding, and instead use
bolt-in parts. This facilitates in both
making it easier to change out parts
and cuts down on possibly challenging
PV-270 new decking and access options.
PV-230 bit basket option.

(Will be located on drum deck)
PV-270 ground level battery and starter

isolation.
PV-270 overview of location of live sampling

quickfill and quick drain.
From left: Close up view of live sampling,

quickfill and quick drain.
Talking Technically
Options
PV-230 RCS
Respa Filters
XIR Glass
PV-270 SEOH*
PV-270 RCS
PV-310
Hydraulic Hedweld Ladder
PV-351
Hedweld Spring Ladder
Atlas Copco Hydraulic Ladder
Emergency Ladders
New Cab
Tower Access
Cable Reel
Additional Tower Rest Water Tank
Tropical Engine Roof
Stainless Steel Battery Boxes
Staniless Steel Electrical Boxes
Ground Level Battery Isolation & Jumpstart
Live Sampling
Under the Deck Misting
Secondary Rod Catcher
Autcrane Option
Wormald Fire Suppression
Drum Deck Bit Holder
Protective Hose Sleeving
Dynaset Water Injection Pump
Secondary Air Conditioning Unit
Buddy Seat With Seatbelt
Cooler (Radiator Tank) Access
Engraved Hydraulic Schematic
Centrifuge Engine Oil Filter
Gearbox Dipstick
Hydra-Flow Fuel System
360 Walk-Around Decking
Housing Option
Quick Fill Box
Quick Drain Box
Led lights
*SEOH = Non RCS, Standard Electric Over Hydraulic
the integrity of the material by welding and cutting. As an added bonus, the
more components that we design to be
bolted in rather than welded results in
a more modular machine that can be
customized specifically to the customers orders.
One of these newly redesigned boltin options is the sheave and cable
retainers that are on the PV-270 and
PV-351 towers. Previously, when it was
time to change out the cables, these pins
and sheaves had to be removed. Now it
is just a matter of loosening a few bolts,
changing out the cable, and rebolting
the roller back in. Another design that
16
has been modified is the feed cylinder

supports on the PV-351s. Again it
used to be that you would have to
remove the feed cylinders to replace
the worn guides. The guides now boltin as well. By constantly keeping ease
of maintenance in mind, Atlas Copco
Drilling Solutions are hopeful that it
will result in more productivity hours
for you and your mine; less down time
means more drilling time.
Regardless of what drilling rig you
may own, or what piece of equipment
you may work on, we here at Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions want you
to always be conscious of your every
action on or around the mine site.

Mining is not the safest in-dustry out
there, but with everyone putting forth a
little more effort towards always thinking SAFETY FIRST we feel that this
will make a monumental difference
in everyones life. As long as you do
your part of ensuring that you are constantly thinking of your safety, you can
rest assured that Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions will do all within its power
when designing a machine to keep you
just as safe.
Maureen Bohac
Talking Technically
An introduction to surface mining

The wealth
of nations
A well-accepted principle is that
the wealth of a nation comes from
the earth. In the world of mining, a
corollary to this is that If it cant
be grown, it must be mined.
Surface mining techniques are the
principal means used to extract
minerals from the ear th. The
yearly rock production yielding
metals, non-metals and coal in the
world totals 16.6 billion tons*. Of
this, the production from surface
mines is about 70% or 11.5 billion tons. Crushed rock, sand and
gravel - the fundamental materials required for construction - are
largely produced using surface
mining techniques. Their yearly
production rate totals 23.5 billion
tons. To this must be added the
materials needed for the production of cement, another 2.3 billion
tons. Finally, the amount of waste
that must be moved in the process
of extracting the valuable materials is estimated at 30 billion tons.
Summing, one finds that the total
amount of material extracted per
year using surface mining techniques is of the order of 67.3 billion tons (Bagherpour et al, 2007).
*1 ton = 907 kg
An increasing demand
Today, the population of the world
stands at about 6.5 billion people. In
simple terms, this means that every
year approximately 10 tons of material
is extracted using surface mining techniques for every person in the world.
If one looks to the future, the UN estimates that in 20 years (2038) the worlds
population will have reached about 8.5
billion people. By simply applying
the current utilization rate of 10 tons/
person, one would expect the amount
of material extracted yearly by surface
mining techniques to climb to 85 billion
tons. One must keep in mind, however,
that today about 95% of the population
growth is in the developing countries
of the world. Based on their expectations for improved living standards
Photo: Copper mine in the southwest USA.
in the future, the actual estimate of materials mined using surface mining techniques in the year 2038 is 138 billion
tons (Bagherpour et al, 2007).
The ability of the earth to meet this
type of demand is not really a question
of resources, since they are clearly
there, but rather a matter of price and
cost. In looking at the mineral resource
base, one must conclude that, in general, the mining conditions will be significantly more difficult than today. In
addition, ever-increasing environmental and health and safety conditions are
expected to be in place. This means that
the entire mining process from prospecting to exploration to development
to extraction and finally to reclamation will have to become much more
advanced. In many places of the world
today, mine closure must be fully and
satisfactorily addressed before a surface
mine can be opened. This translates
into requirements for applying first rate
engineering and technology for meeting todays requirements and especially

those of the future. Atlas Copco is at
the forefront in producing the equipment and technologies required today
and for addressing the challenges of the
future.
A brief synopsis of
quarrying and open pit
mining
This introductory chapter will focus
on those surface deposits that require
the application of drilling and blasting
techniques as part of the overall extraction process. Excluded from the discussion will be strip mining, the mining of
sand and gravel deposits and the quarrying of dimension stone.
As indicated, large quantities of raw
materials are produced in various types
of surface operations. Where the product is rock, the operations are known
Talking Technically
Financial
optimization
1. Capital and operating
summation
2. Revenue
3. Cash flow statement
4. Marginal ore utilization
5. Rate of return
Refined ore
reserves
Ore reserve
analysis
1. Cutoff grade
2. Marginal analysis
3. Design alternatives
1. Break-even analysis
2. Drill-hole evaluation
3. Pit design
4. Marginal analysis
is obtained. By adding the desired production rate into the model a production
schedule is generated. Based on the
schedule, one determines the required
equipment fleet, staffing, etc. to satisfy
the schedule. This leads allows one
to calculate the capital requirements
and the operating costs. With these
now-estimated rather than assumed
costs, the ore reserves are re-examined
and design alternatives evaluated.
Eventually, an overall financial evaluation is performed. The double-headed
arrows indicate the highly repetitive
nature of the process.
Quarries
Production
scheduling
Equipment and
facilities
1. Preproduction costs
2. Working room
3. Stripping ratios
4. Sequencing
5. Reclamation
6. Operating schedules
7. Financial
8. Constraints
1. Capital intensive
2. Equipment selection
3. Operating costs
4. Capital depreciation
5. selective mining
Figure 1. Financial optimization using circular analysis (Dohm, 1979).
as quarries. Where metallic ore or nonmetallic minerals are involved, they are
called open pit mines. There are many
common parameters both in design and
in the choice of equipment.
When examining a deposit for potential mining and even when expanding
a current operation, one often employs
a process called circular analysis. As
shown diagrammatically in Figure 1,

the process consists of five components.
Although the figure applies specifically
for the open pit mining of ore deposits, a similar procedure is followed for
quarries.
One naturally begins with a description of the deposit and using some assumed costs a preliminary pit design
Figure 2. A diagrammatic representation of a quarry operation.
18
A rather simple but useful definition of

a quarry is a factory that converts solid
bedrock into crushed stone. Quarries
can be either of the common pit type
or, in mountainous terrain, the hillside
type. Pit type quarries are opened up
below the level of surrounding terrain and accessed by means of ramps
(Figure 2). The excavation is often split
into several benches depending on the
minable depth of the deposit. When the
terrain is rough and bulldozers cannot
provide a flat floor, a top-hammer construction type drill rig can be used to
establish the first bench. Once the first
bench is prepared, production drilling
is preferably carried out using DTH- or
COPROD techniques.
The excavated rock is crushed, screened, washed and separated into different size fractions, for subsequent sale
and use. The amount of fines should be
kept to a minimum. Not all types of rock
are suitable as raw material for crushed
stone. The material must have certain
strength and hardness characteristics
and the individual pieces should have
a defined shape with a rough surface.
Igneous rock such as granite and basalt
as well as metamorphic rock such as
gneiss are well suited for these purposes.
Soft sedimentary rock and materials
which break into flat, flaky pieces are
generally unacceptable. The final products are used as raw material for chemical plants (such as limestone for cement
manufacturing, the paper and steel
industries), building products, and for
concrete aggregates, highway construction, or other civil engineering projects.
Talking Technically
Open pit mines

Two major differences between open pit
mining and quarries are the geological
conditions and the demands placed
on the characteristics of the blasted
material. For quarries, a majority of
the rock products eventually delivered
to the customers has only undergone
crushing and screening in order to obtain the desired size fractions. An open
pit metal mine, on the other hand,
attempts to deliver the ore as pure as
possible via crushers to a concentrator
consisting of mills, separators, flotation and/or biochemical systems, etc.
The resulting concentrates/products
are eventually sent for further processing before emerging as a final product.
For certain metals, this latter process
involves smelting and refining. The
deposits mined using open pit methods have a variety of sizes, shapes and
orientations. Sometimes the distinction
between the valuable material and the
waste is sharp such as shown in Figure
3 and in other cases the distinction
is more subtle - based upon economics. As in quarries, the minerals are
extracted using a series of benches. If
the orebody does not outcrop, the overlying material must first be stripped
away to expose the ore. As the initial
pit is deepened, it is widened. The pit
geometry is controlled by a number of
factors including orebody shape, grade
distribution, the stability of the slopes,
the need to provide access, operating
considerations, etc.
For the geometry shown in Figure
3, a significant amount of waste must
be removed (stripped) to access the
next bench of ore at the pit bottom.
Without jeopardizing slope stability, it
Waste
Bench
slope 72o
Good slope stability
Pit slope 45o
Or
eb
od
Quarries are often run by operators who

sell their products to nearby contractors
and road administrators. Because the
products are generally of relatively low
value, they are transport cost sensitive.
Hence, wherever possible, quarries are
discreetly located as close as feasible to
the market. Special measures are required to minimize adverse environmental
impacts such as noise from drilling,
vibrations from blasting, and dust from
crushing and screening to the neighboring areas.
Good fragmentation needed
Figure 3. General principles of open pit mining.
is of prime importance to keep the pit

slope angle as steep as possible, thereby
keeping the excavated waste to a minimum. There becomes a point where the
quality of the material contained in the
next ore bench is not sufficiently high
to pay the costs of the associated waste.
At this point in time either the open
pit mine closes or, if conditions are
favorable, continuation may proceed using some type of underground method.

Figure 4 shows the Aitik copper/gold
mine in northern Sweden. It is Europes
largest copper mine producing 18 Mton
of ore per year. Currently at a depth of
480 m it is expected to reach of depth
of 800 m before decommissioning. The
Bingham Canyon mine in Utah (Figure 5)
Figure 4. The Aitik mine in northern Sweden (www.boliden.com).
Talking Technically
Orebody
Drilling
Overall fragmentation system
Blasting
Loading
Hauling
Mine
Mill
Primary crushing
Secondary crushing
Grinding
Further treatment
Figure 5. The Bingham Canyon copper mine near Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. (www.kennecott.com)
has been in production since 1906 and

is one of the largest man-made structures in the world, measuring 1200 m
deep and 4400 m across the top. It

has produced more copper than any
other mine in history and has many
Figure 6. Diagrammatic representation of the

overall mine-mill fragmentation system and the
mine and mill subsystems (Hustrulid, 1999).
years remaining. With respect to waste

removal, the fragmentation demands
are simple. Since, the material is not
required to pass through a crusher, the
maximum size is controlled by the limitations imposed by the equipment
used to load and haul the material to
the waste dump. On the other hand,
good fragmentation of the blasted ore
offers great savings in the total costs of
the mineral dressing process.
Some forward thinking
Photo: Blasthole drilling of 40 ft (12 m) benches at Newmont's Phoenix mine, Nevada, USA. See page 117.
20
Extraction of the valuable mineral whether in quarries or open pits requires a

number of unit operations. Generally,
the rock is drilled, blasted, loaded,
hauled to a primary crusher and then
transported further to a plant of some
type for further processing. Figure 6
shows a schematic of the process.
Often, mines are organized so that
the individual unit operations are separate cost centers. Although there are
advantages to this approach, one result,
Talking Technically
Insitu
Drilling
Specified Drill Pattern
Drilling
Blasting
Internal environment
Minimum wall damage
Blast Engineering
External environment
Minimum: Flyrock, noise,
airblast, ground vibration
Loading & Haulage
Primary crushing
Secondary crushing
Fragmentation
Conveyor
Loading & Haulage

Good: Fragmentation,
Pile shape, diggability
Primary crusher
Grinding
Transport
High throughput and

bridging preventation
Further treatment
Secondary
crushing & grinding
Efficient crushing and
grinding feed
Figure 7. The mine-mill system represented as

fragmentation and transport unit operations
(Hustrulid, 1999).
Figure 8. Simplified view of the five different stages of fragmentation, each with a different energy product profile.
unfortunately, can be that the individual

managers look at minimizing the cost
of their center rather than on the overall
objective of overall cost minimization.
In reviewing the components in Figure
6, it can be shown that they can be
replaced by two operations, fragmentation and transport. In the simplified
view shown in Figure 7, there are five
different stages of fragmentation each
with a different energy product profile.
One must carefully examine the best
opportunities for applying fragmentation energy in the various stages on
the final product cost. For example, increased fragmentation energy can be
relatively easily introduced in the mine
by modifying the drill patterns and
explosive characteristics. This action
may provide an inexpensive alternative
to adding the fragmentation energy in
the grinding circuit. This process of
considering all elements of the fragmentation system, logically dubbed
mine-to-mill is a recognized part of
mine-mill optimization. In addition

to production, there are some other
important customers for blast engineering. One is termed the Internal
Environment and the other the External Environment. These are shown
in Figure 8.
Both for safety and economic reasons, it is important to preserve the
integrity of the pit wall. Large diameter blast holes, energetic explosives
and wide patterns will be used in the
production blasts which will be subsequently loaded out using large excavators and haulage units. Near the pit wall,
much more precise techniques involving
smaller diameter holes, specially designed explosives, and special timing
procedures are employed to minimize
wall damage (Figure 9). Unless great
care is taken, large loading equipment
can easily spoil the results of the trim
blasting. The result is that special loading and hauling fleets may be required. Failure to protect the pit walls,
translates into the need for flatter slopes
and additional waste removal and/or the

loss of reserves. These, in turn, translate
into higher overall costs for the mining
operation. In carrying out an evaluation
of the appropriate drilling and blasting
practices, emphasizing mine-to-mill
aspects without taking into account
the care of the slopes can result in lower production costs but at the sake of
higher investment (capital) costs due
to greater stripping or lost reserves.
Therefore care must be taken to include
all the costs when making the analysis.
The external environment component
falls into the category of a potential
show-stopper since if proper measures are not taken to fully comply with
standards, the operation could very well
be shut down.
Final remarks
Atlas Copco has the advantage of long
experience in all types of surface drilling operations, with a product range to
match. With its history of innovative
Talking Technically
Figure 9. Near the pit wall more precise techniques are employed to minimize wall damage.
engineering, the company tends to

think forward, and is able to advise the
user on improving design elements of
the operation that will result in overall
cost savings.
William Hustrulid
Hans Fernberg
References
Bagherpour, R., and Tudeshki, H.

2007. Material handling in worldwide surface mines. Aggregates
International. Pp 10-14. June.
Dohm, G.C., Jr. 1979. Circular analysis Open pit optimization.
Chapter 21 in Open Pit Mine Planning and Design (J.T. Crawford, III
and William A. Hustrulid, editors).
AIME. Pp 281-310.
Hustrulid, William. 1999. Blasting
Principles for Open Pit Mining.
A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam.
Fernberg, Hans 2002, New trends in
open pits, Mining and Construction
1-2002
22
Photo: Blasthole drilling and haulage at a mine in the southwest USA.
Talking Technically
Putting rotary drilling

into perspective
Atlas Copcos largest drill, the Pit Viper 351E, operates on a blast pattern at an open pit copper mine. Rotary blasthole drills are the predominant method of drilling
9 inch (229 mm) diameter holes or greater.
Mining prosperity
Atlas Copco offers a complete range
of rotary as well as DTH and tophammer drill rigs for most types
of open pit mining and quarrying
applications. But how do these
technologies complement each
other and how do drillers know
which method to choose, and
when?
A complete range
With the acquisition of IngersollRands Drilling Solutions, Baker Hughes
Mining Tools (BHMT) and Thiessen
Team businesses, Atlas Copco has a
complete range of products to offer to
large quarries and open pit mines. Much
of the worlds 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 drilling.
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 limited to
the softest material. The other method
utilized by rotary drill rigs is down-thehole (DTH) drilling. High-pressure air
compressors are used to provide compressed air through the drillstring to
drive the DTH hammer (See illustration next page). The primary difference
between rotary drilling and other methods is the absence of percussion. In

most rotary applications, the preferred
bit is the tricone bit. Tricone bits rely
on crushing and spalling the rock. This
is accomplished through transferring
downforce, known as pulldown, to the
bit while rotating in order to drive the
carbides into the rock as the three cones
rotate around their respective axis.
Rotation is provided by a hydraulic or
electric motor-driven gearbox (called a
rotary head) that moves up and down
the tower via a feed system. Feed systems utilize cables, chains or rack-andpinion mechanisms driven by hydraulic
cylinders, hydraulic motors or electric
motors. The preference at Atlas Copco
is to use cables for pulldown, as they
are lightweight and inexpensive, and
allow easier detection of wear to help
avoid catastrophic failures.
Talking Technically
Pulldown
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
The tower supports the drill string during drilling as well as the rotation head and feed system.
Down-The-Hole method
Rotary drilling method

TONS
Principle:
The hammer is situated

down the hole in direct
contact with the drill
bit. The hammer piston
strikes the drill bit,
resulting in an efficient
transmission of the
impact energy and
insignificant power
losses with the hole
depth. The method is
widely used for drilling
long holes, not only for
blasting, but also for
water wells, shallow
gas and oil wells,
and for geo-thermal
wells. In mining it is
also developed for
sampling using the
reverse circulation
technique (RC drilling).
24
Principle:
Rotation is provided
by a hydraulic or
electric motor
driven gearbox,
called a rotary head,
that moves up and
down the tower
via a feed system,
generating the
pulldown required
to give sufficient
weight on the bit.
Flushing of drill
cuttings between
the wall of the hole
and the drill rods is
normally done with
compressed air.
It only takes one look to see that the

biggest DTH and tophammer drill rigs
are very different than the biggest rotary
blasthole rigs. In fact, the PV-351
rotary drill rig weighs in excess of nine
times that of Atlas Copco's largest DTH
hammer drill rig, the SmartROC D65.
Yet the PV-351 is drilling a hole that is
generally only twice the diameter. Take
a typical medium formation tricone bit
with a recommended maximum loading of 900 kg/cm of bit diameter
(5000 lb per inch of diameter). With a
200 mm (7-7/8 in) bit, you could run
about 18,000 kg (40,000 lb) of weight
on the bit. The laws of physics dictate
that for every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction, meaning that if
you push on the ground with 18,000 kg
(40,000 lb), the same force will push
back on the unit. Therefore, the weight
of the machine must be over 18,000 kg
(40,000 lb) 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 blasthole drills are
built to run 30,000 hours of operation,
and some of the large blasthole drills
have clocked over 100,000 hours of use.
Rig design
With the exception of one model, the
rubber-tire mounted T4BH, Atlas Copcos
rotary blasthole drills are mounted on
excavator style undercarriages. Powerful hydraulic-drive systems allow the
machine to tram over a variety of ground
conditions, though rotary blasthole
drills should always operate on firm,
flat benches.
Talking Technically
The key component of a rotary blasthole drill is the tower, which is sometimes referred to as the derrick or mast.
Atlas Copco towers are four main member, open front structures in which the
rotary head slides up and down via a
guide system. The length and weight
of the tower ultimately dictates the size
of the mainframe and undercarriage.
Most drilling functions are hydraulically driven. Powering these hydraulic
systems, along with the air compressor
is a diesel engine or electric motor.
Most rotary drills are diesel powered for
good mobility. Electric powered units
offer some advantages such as lower
power cost (in most areas), no diesel
emissions, no refueling requirement
and less maintenance. However, some
operations are not setup with the proper electrical infrastructure or staffing
to run electric units. Even when electric power is available, many customers avoid electric drills as the trailing
cable used to provide power makes it
harder to move the unit between holes
or patterns. Generally, electric power
is preferred on large single-pass units
used in major open pit metals mines
where electric shovels are employed,
though electric power is now available
on smaller units such as the Atlas Copco
PV-271, PV-275 and DML.
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 spacing on the face of the bit.
This design yields large cuttings which
increase drill speed and reduce dust. It
is important to have sufficient clearance
between the wall of the hole and the
drill rods in order for such large cuttings
to pass. If this clearance, known as annular area, is not sufficient, the cuttings
will be ground between the wall of the
hole and the rods or by the bit itself
(called regrinding) until they are small
enough to exit the hole. This results in
The drilling platform is supported by a crawler undercarriage except during drilling when it is raised up by
hydraulic jacks.
excess dust and accelerated wear on the

bit and drill rod.
Bailing velocity
A traditional rule-of-thumb is a minimum of 1,525 m 3/min (5000 cfm) of
uphole velocity, the speed at which air
exits the hole. The actual amount of air
required will vary widely based on the
density of the material and the size of
the cuttings. Dense cuttings as found in
iron ore mines will settle much quicker
than lightweight overburden in coal
mines and thus need more air coming up
the hole to lift them; 1,525 m3/min (5000
cfm) may not be enough. However, harder material is generally drilled with
hard formation bits that utilize shorter
cutting structures, thus yielding smaller
chips. Conversely, some soft material
can be drilled effectively with only 915
m 3/min (3000 cfm) uphole velocity.
Unfortunately, many operations have
tried to increase uphole velocity by increasing the diameter of the drill rod.
The ability to carry long drill rods up to 70 feet

provides more time for drilling.
Talking Technically
This is obviously much easier than getting a larger air compressor by retrofitting or purchasing a new machine. In
some conditions, this strategy works,
but more often, the reduced annular area
results in increased wear and dust and
the drill rate may even drop. Whatever
the application, it is critical to have proper bailing air.
Dust control
Rotary drilling with tricone bits is the most cost efficient method for large hole diameters.
To control the dust, the area around the hole is surrounded by a dust hood.
A necessary evil created by the air compressor in drilling operations is the generation of dust. To control the dust,
the area surrounding the hole is enclosed by a dust hood. Dust hoods are
sealed on the sides by dust curtains,
and where the rod comes through the
deck by a rod wiper or dust seal. A dust
control system must be used in conjunction with the dust hood and curtains. The two most popular types of
dust control are dry dust collectors and
water injection. Dust collectors are essentially large vacuum cleaners that
pull the dust away from the dust hood
and run it through a collection of filter
elements. Water injection systems
inject a fine amount of water into the
air stream. Water injection is the more
effective solution for ensuring dust is
minimized, but the introduction of
water into the hole can slow down the
drilling process by increasing the density of the cuttings at the bottom of the
hole that the air compressor must move.
Water injection systems require frequent refilling of the water tanks, and
in freezing conditions, elaborate heating systems must be used. Dust collectors offer a productivity advantage, but
they can become plugged if not turned
off when wet material is encountered.
This is particularly a problem if the wet
material freezes in the system.
When rotary is better
Large diameter holes produced by rotary drills, such as this Pit Viper 351, yield blast patterns with wider
burden and spacing, resulting in fewer holes.
26
Every drilling application is different,

so we cannot say that there are particular breakpoints where you should
transition between drilling methods.
Generally, drilling below 152 mm (6 in)
is best accomplished with tophammer
units. Above this diameter, it is typically done with a rotary rig, although
tophammer units are doing some of this
Talking Technically
APPLICATIONS
PRODUCT RANGE DIAGRAM

Dimension stone industry
Construction
Aggregate (Cement and Limestone)
Industrial minerals (Cement & Limestone)
Gold and precious metals
Coal
Copper and base metals
Iron and ferrous metals
1"
25 mm
2"
51 mm
3"
76 mm
4"
102 mm
5"
127 mm
6"
152 mm
7"
178 mm
8"
203 mm
9"
229 mm
10"
254 mm
11"
279 mm
12"
305 mm
13"
330 mm
14"
356 mm
15"
381 mm
16"
406 mm
Pit Viper 351

ROTARY DRILLING PRODUCTS
Pit Viper 311

DM-M3
Pit Viper 275
Pit Viper 271
Pit Viper 235
DML
DML-SP
DM45/50
T4BH
DM30 II
DM30
PERCUSSIVE DRILLING PRODUCTS
DM25-SP
SmartROC D65
FlexiROC D65
FlexiROC D60
AirROC D65
PowerROC D55
FlexiROC C65
FlexiROC D55
ROC L7
FlexiROC T50
AirROC D55
AirROC D50
FlexiROC D50
ROC F6
AirROC D40
AirROC D45 SH
ROC F9CR
ROC F9
SmartROC T45
SmartROC T40
FlexiROC T40/R
SmartROC T35
AirROC D35
FlexiROC T35/R
PowerROC T35/E
AirROC T35
ROC D3 RRC
ROC D3
PowerROC T25/E
AirROC T25
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions division
Atlas Copco Surface Drilling Division
Rotary
Rotary / DTH
DTH
COPROD
Tophammer
AirROC T25 W
FlexiROC T20R
FlexiROC T15R
Rotary drilling with tricone bits is the most cost efficient method for large hole diameters.
work effectively with the introduction

of larger platforms and more powerful rock drills. For harder material,
say above 100 MPa (15,000 psi), unconfined compressive strength (UCS),
DTH is often faster than pure rotary
drilling if provided there is enough air
pressure on board. Simply looking at
our product range (see above) gives an
indication of which methods are commonly used for the different diameters
found in construction and mining.
There are certain limitations imposed on each method of drilling.
With tophammer percussive drills, the
power of the rock drill itself limits the

ability to transmit adequate force to
larger diameter bits, especially at deeper depths when percussive energy is
successively reduced with each new rod
connection. Down-the-hole (DTH) tools
solve this energy loss problem, but their
maximum hole diameter is limited by the
volume of air. To build the air pressure
that translates directly to impact energy,
a certain volume of air is required. Take
for example a Secoroc QL80 203 mm
(8 in) DTH hammer that is designed
to operate at 25 bar (350 psi). Even with
our largest high pressure compressor
686 41 m3/min (1,450 cfm), 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 lb) less than it is designed
for. In some cases, this method will
still outperform rotary drilling.For
most large diameter blasthole drilling,
there is simply not enough air onboard for a DTH to be as cost effective
as rotary drilling with a tricone bit.
Rotary drilling is still the predominant method of drilling 230 mm (9 in)
diameter or greater. This is driven primarily by the current limitations of
Talking Technically
Total Drilling Cost (TDC) related to bit life and productivity

14,000
$ 9,00
Footage/24 Hours
Bit Life (ft)
Overall Cost/Ft
$ 7,50
10,000
$ 6,00
8,000
$ 4,50
6,000
4,000
300 ft/hour,
1500' bit life
$ 3,00
High Production
2,000
Overall Cost/Foot
Footage/24 Hours & Average Bit Life
12,000
215 ft/hour,
5500' bit life
Lowest Cost
75 ft/hour,
12,000' bit life
$ 1,50
Great Bit Life
$0
0
Bit Life vs Production 2012 update (1) (Cost vs. Bit Life & Production)
tophammer units and rig air systems.

Tricone bits also become more cost effective as the larger bits are equipped
with larger bearings which in turn can
handle 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. Smaller rotary blasthole
machines utilize 9.1 meter (30 ft) length
rods, while larger units are capable of
running 10.7 meter (35 ft) or 12.2 meter
(40 ft) rods. By comparison, tophammer or DTH crawler drills use drill
steel that is generally 6.1 meters (20 ft)
or less in length. Further, some rotary
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
that can dig a 17 m (55 ft) bench.
Productivity versus cost

Studies have shown that pure penetration rate will increase linearly with
increased pulldown. The same has also
28
been said of rotation speed. So why

doesnt every operation use more of
each? Unfortunately, higher pulldown
and rpm usually results in increased
vibration and lower bit life. The vibration causes increased wear-and-tear on
the rig, but more importantly, it creates
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
no vibration in order to improve bit life.
This is often the wrong strategy as the
overall drilling cost per unit, also known
as Total Drilling Cost (TDC), should be
considered. TDC is calculated using the
bit cost per meter/foot and the total rig
cost per hour. The unit cost per hour
includes labor, maintenance and power, and possibly capital cost. The
drilling speed really doesnt impact
this cost-per-hour figure. What it does
impact though is the cost per unit
produced (cost/meter/foot, cost/ton,
etc).
You generally want to push the rig
harder to reduce the cost/foot, but there
will be a point where the rig overloads
the bits (see diagram).
Large versus small

There are some drawbacks to rotary
rigs. Smaller crawler rigs are more
flexible with many advantages such as
articulating and extendable booms and
guides that allow drilling at many different angles. Unlike crawler rigs, the
components on rotary rigs are often not
enclosed. They are mounted onto the
frame in an open layout that makes
them extremely easy to service. Large
electric units normally have a machinery house to protect the electrical drive
components, and newer midrange sized
blasthole units such as the PV-235 have
the option of a machine enclosure. The
general trend for 165 mm (6-1/2 in) or
less is towards the smaller, more flexible units. However, many large scale
quarries and small mines still favor
the durability, life and simplicity of the
larger rotary rigs for these small diameters. For the large scale open pit operations that yield a high percentage of the
total worldwide mineral production, it
is anticipated that rotary drilling will
remain the primary method for years
to come.
Brian Fox
Talking Technically
Automated surface blasthole drilling

Utilizing the RCS
technology platform
The current series of Atlas Copco
Pit Viper drill rigs is based on the
latest, well proven computer and
information technology. These drill
rigs are of modularized design in
both hardware and software, so
upgrades of the latest technology
are available for older models. Several options are available to facilitate quality drilling. Atlas Copco
has applied the same new automation technology for other underground drilling equipment such as
Simba production drill rigs, Boltec
rockbolting rigs, and ROC surface
crawler rigs. For the customer, this
means commonality of components and training, leading to a
better understanding of both the
capability and the maintenance
of Atlas Copco products. For the
company, it allows continuous product development, which can be
applied straight across the range.
Introduction
Atlas Copco has introduced a number of
new drill rigs for the Drilling Solutions
Division using a common technology
platform. This approach allows development of new functionalities for the
drill rigs, which experience has shown
in both underground drilling and haulage as well as surface drilling. The current generation of machines is designed
for high productivity, quality drilling
and a comfortable working environment
for the operator. Drilling a hole constitutes a small amount of the direct cost
and time of mining, but has a major impact on the other production processes
because it affects fragmentation, backbreak, underbreak, wall control, loading, haulage and processing. Although
great attention is paid to penetration
rate and wear of drill steel and bits,
Atlas Copco is also interested in what
drilling can do to improve rock excavation overall. The inputs to this ongoing
process come from customers and from
research projects where new technology is applied to drilling operations.
RCS is Atlas Copcos technology platform.
PV-275 cabin with RCS provides an excellent operators environment and improved drilling performance.
Talking Technically
RCS cabin on a PV-351.
The control system replaces the electric/hydraulic joystick and console layout pictured here.
Rig Control System
surface blasthole machines, the flexibility of the system is highly utilized

and can be adapted and configured for
all different types of products. Customers can start at a low level of automation and, as their requirements
change, can upgrade. New functionality
can be added without major rebuilding
of the machines.
The automation platform for Atlas

Copco blasthole drilling equipment is
the Rig Control System (RCS), which is
based on standard PC-computer technology. The new generation of RCS rigs
has taken a quantum leap forward with
respect to logging capabilities, serviceability and drilling accuracy. CAN-bus
technology provides the backbone of this
new rig control system. It is flexible and
easily expandable, allowing new units
to be added anywhere along the data bus
by cable.
The electronic modules are all developed solely for the RCS rigs, and are
ruggedized and protected from external
magnetic and electric influences. For
RCS cabin on a PV-270 series.
30
Common automation
All Pit Vipers can be equipped with
RCS Basic, which provides a number of
safety and interlock features and a series
of options Autolevel, Autodrilling, GPS
hole navigation, Rig Remote Access
(RRA) and communication, wireless remote tramming, Measure While Drilling
(MWD) data log files, and International

Rock Excavation Data Exchange System (IREDES).
Safety features
The RCS Basic provides the machine
with additional standard interlocks
compared to the electric-over-hydraulic
machines. A few of the interlocks created with the software are:
Hole depth indicator displays the
rotary head position as well as the
depth of the hole drilled;
Pipe in hole tram interlock rotary
head must be in a safe position to
allow tramming;
Jack interlock pipe in the hole will
disable jack functions to protect the
machine and reduce bending of rods;
Rod support interlock prevents
damage of the rotary head and rod
support by not allowing feed with rod
support not in the stowed position;
Carousel no-bump prevents damage
to the carousel by limiting pulldown
pressure with the carousel not in the
stowed position;
Breakout wrench protection prevents damage to the breakout wrench
by disabling pulldown with wrench
not in the stowed position;
Engine and electric motor information displayed over the touch screen
maintenance screens;
Low fuel, lube and water level messages; and
Tram interlocks, so a trigger must be
activated to allow tram function.
Talking Technically
On the panel
1. Auto interlock button.
Press and hold this first
and then choose one
of the following auto
functions.
2. Using multilever
rocker switch. Autolevels up for switch up.
Autodelevels for down
in drill mode.
3. Autodrill. Drills to
predefined depth and
returns head to propel
safe position. Anti-jam,
void detection and so on
in drill mode.
4. Future option.
Auto tramming or autonomous operation.
RCS Automated Function Buttons.
Autolevel/Autodelevel
To increase the quality in setup of the
drill, leveling the machine on the jacks
is performed automatically. This will
help an average operator to close the
gap to the skill level of an expert operator. Installation of this feature will
reduce wear and tear on the machine
structure by limiting torsional effect
on the mainframe and tower while
leveling. This function's performance,
of course, depends on ground conditions, but for a normal bench flatness,
the results are that leveling is done in
less than 35 seconds with an accuracy
in pitch and roll to 0.2 degrees. Well
structured and integrated fault handling

is vital for Autolevel/Autodelevel. This
is to avoid unwanted tip over of the drill
in case of uneven ground conditions or
internal component faults.
Autodrilling
In many cases there are several types
of rock conditions within one blasthole,
and an operator must be alert at all times
to react to these varying ground conditions. With Autodrilling, computers
are now the operators reacting to feedback from the machines gauges.
Atlas Copco's autodrill feature has
reproduced the expert operator's reactions into an automatic drill control.
When activated, this function will detect the rock when the bit touches the
ground, and start your air, water, rotation and feed to collar the hole. After
the collared distance has been met, then
this module will adjust air, water, rotation and feed to a drilling setting. This
feature will apply optimal pulldown
and rotation to try and drill as fast as
possible without stalling the rotation or
getting stuck. Once the target depth has
been hit, the autodrill feature will clean
the hole or flush the hole, shut off the
air and water and then return the bit to
a tramming-safe position.
This feature provides the consistency
of drilling to the correct hole depth, and
a consistent water flow to maintain the
hole so it does not collapse. Currently
this is available for single pass drilling and multi-pass drilling, although
a manual rod change must be made at
this time.
GPS navigation screen.
Drill dashboard - drilling screen.
Leveling screen.
Settings screen.
Autodrill diagram
Hole building
Start
Rock contact detection
Collaring
Drilling
Hole cleaning
Finished
Anti-jamming / vibration control
This diagram is valid for a single-pass drill. For multi-pass drills a rod handling system sequence is added to the Autodrill sequence, which is currently not
developed for rotary drills.
Talking Technically
RCS shows its flexibility through mine integration and diverse options.
GPS hole navigation

To ensure the blasthole is precisely positioned where the mine engineer has
designed the blast pattern and is drilled to the correct depth, GPS hole navigation has been developed for the RCS
platform. This hole navigation system
uses antennas mounted on the tower
rest and radio antennas on the cab to
produce an accurate bit position. Drill
plans designed with the local mine coordinates are imported to the system,
and the bit position is provided in real
time. The bit position is very accurate
and is calculated by taking into consideration the variability on the bench,
providing the operator with the correct
depth to drill each specific hole. This
feature also provides a moving map
display with zoom functions as the rig
is trammed closer to the desired blasthole location. The dominant system for
positioning of a rotary drill on a blasthole drill plan is with satellite navigation based on GPS or GPS and Glonass.
Accuracies up to 10 cm are possible to
reach depending on installation and
number of available satellites. The integration of the GPS receiver to the control system is via a standard RS serial
link. Protocol used is preferably the standardized NMEA0183. The advantage of
having the GPS system as a positioning
sensor enables customers to choose products of any brand (Trimble, Leica,
Topcon) depending on the preferred
standard in the actual mine.
32
Rig Remote Access

and communication
The Rig Remote Access (RRA) system
from Atlas Copco gives a customer the
ability to connect the drill rigs to a
standard computer network on a work
site. The RRA system allows access information on the drill rigs from any
authorized point in a network. The RRA
system basically consists of a communication server onboard the drill rig and
a network adapter. The server supplies
the user with three functions: a web
server that can connect to any standard
web browser, an FTP server to enable
transferring of data (files) to and from
the drill rig, and a server process that
enables any data to be integrated into
the user's administrative systems.
If a commercially available "office"
network is used on the work site, which
is easy to install into the existing infrastructure, it restricts the RRA functionality to only remote access, and does
not permit remote control. Standard
communication equipment is also used
that makes the RRA easy to upgrade
and adapt to new and more effective
equipment when available.
The system also utilizes standard
communication protocols such as PPP
or TCP/IP. With a wireless network
connection to the drill rig, a number
of working procedures in the mine are
simplified and several new features
are available to the mine planning
organization. The basic mine planning
and control functions can be simplified

substantially by having a direct link to
the machines. Advanced work orders
that previously were distributed at the
beginning of each shift can now be
distributed instantly.
This leads to a more flexible and
adaptable production organization.
Computer designed drill plans and
work orders that earlier had to be
loaded manually with a PC card can
now be downloaded directly from the
office computer where they were created. This saves time and personnel and
also allows last minute changes in order
to adapt to variations in geology and ore
geometry. Log files generated during
drilling, also previously transferred
from the rig with a PC-card, can now be
collected from any computer connected
to the network.
This means that information carried
by the log files, e.g. production data,
geological and geomechanical data
(strata recognition) is available for the
entire organization as soon as the drill
completes its hole/pattern. Manual shift
reports stating number of holes, drilled
depth, etc. can now be completed automatically from data logs without human
involvement. RRA is also a tool for
more advanced service and maintenance procedures.
The operation of the rig can be followed remotely and monitoring of drill
rig status can be made online using
a standard web browser on a remote
PC. Web pages are set up similar
to the native RCS display on the rig.
Troubleshooting can be done remotely
using the built-in menus in the RCS
system. This can also be done by specialized technicians and engineers at
Atlas Copco's product companies.
Furthermore, entire replacement
of the RCS software has been done
remotely from rebro, the Rocktec
office. The RRA system has been
introduced to a number of underground
mines and construction sites since
2003, which has eased implementation
in surface mining operations.
Wireless remote tramming

The wireless remote tramming function
allows the operator to tram a Pit Viper
from the bench within a 60-meter
Talking Technically
distance. This will allow an operator to

walk all the way around the machine
and tram the rig to avoid any blind spots
or next to a highwall or berm to prevent
damage to the machine. This controller
is also equipped with safety triggers, so
the operator must have control of the
unit with his hands to tram the machine.
The function has an emergency stop
button and engine speed control as
well, and can be equipped with additional functions when available.
IREDES
The data that is transmitted to and from
a drill rig or any other mining equipment is arranged in a specific format.
Often different equipment suppliers use
their own specific format, allowing data
communication only between their own
equipment. For a mining company or a
contractor, an industry standard will
simplify integration of equipment from
different suppliers. Atlas Copco was one
of the originators of the International
Rock Excavation Data Exchange Standard (IREDES) initiative in 2000. A
positive and open attitude between the
IREDES members has led to data profiles for the different processes in the
rock excavation process drilling, loading and blasting. Atlas Copco is fully
committed to the IREDES standard
and the rotary drilling product line is
IREDES compliant.
Measure While Drilling

Measure While Drilling (MWD), strata
logging, logs several drill parameters
during production drilling, and the
data can be used for prediction of
geological and geochemical variations
within drill patterns on a bench. This
can help determine the strength of that
specific rock type. A rock mass is also
intersected by fractures and faults that
strongly influence the conditions of the
rock mass and, therefore, engineering
aspects such as charging and blasting of
the drill pattern. This data, when integrated with the blasting plan, should
influence the explosive charging and
specific density applied throughout the
pattern, which will in turn influence
the loading, hauling and processing of
the ore.
Teleremote office installation. Inset: Wireless remote control, compact portable package.
Teleremote operation
This feature uses the mine's wireless
network, either 2.4 or 5.2 GHz frequency, and allows an operator to utilize
the machine functions from a remote
location including, drilling leveling,
tramming, and GPS hole navigation.
A dedicated communication channel
that guarantees bandwidth and latency
times for real time control of the drill is
required. The package can be equipped
with a four-camera system that is compressed to limit bandwidth for viewing
of the machine from remote locations.
This module also includes a dedicated
safety system independent of the RCS
package. If communication is lost between the remote station and the machine, it will shut down. Additional
safety systems like personnel detection
systems or systems detecting when
people enter the working area should
be combined with the mine's specific
safety instructions.
Autotramming
Autotramming is a feature in the development stages and has been tested
on a machine at the Garland, Texas,
factory. This component utilizes the
GPS hole navigation system or can be
deployed with an augmented GPS using
the standard NMEA string to tram a
machine between holes on a blasthole
pattern. This pattern is interpreted by
the path planner, which is in communi-
cation with the drill regarding direction

and track speed to tram the machine
at an ideal speed to the exact location.
This module can reduce wear and tear
on the machine structures as well as
undercarriage by reducing spot turning and planning a correct path to the
next hole.
The current requirement for this feature is a "flat" bench, which must be
verified by a mine engineer, to allow
this machine to stay within its limits.
A combination of any or all of these
features are available for deployment to
fulfill a specific mine's needs for automation.
Additional feedback will be required
in the future to further enhance the
automation package, but the RCS is
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions' platform for automation.
Autonomous Pit Viper

Operations
Automating Pit Viper functions have
been the backbone of RCS. Since its
inception on ADS drills in 2006, the
RCS product portfolio has grown
through a planned evolution. This
growth in RCS options has focused on
creating autonomous drill elements,
network integration, streaming data,
precise navigation, and remote control.
Capitalizing on this proven platform
provides a solid foundation for the
Autonomous Pit Viper. A multifaceted approach was taken to define the
Talking Technically
deal with fatigue, breaks in the schedule (operational delays), along with a
list of additional variables. The autonomous Pit Viper combines the proven existing automated functions into
a complete drilling process to include
AutoNavigation and Auto Rod Changing (ARC). The drill is prepared to
take on the challenges of completing a
pattern.
A cold winter day (-36 C) at the Aitik mine in Sweden, a perfect place for automation testing.
Integration
Autonomous mining breathes efficiency by definition. A major component

to that is proper and flexible means
of integration in subsystems. The Pit
Vipers software and hardware have
been engineered around f lexibility
where each meets mine processes and
physical integration points. Standard
data flows, hardware standards (not
brands) and network integration vs
independent networks are each keys
to success. Each integration point was
designed around public/universal standards or where none exist, adaptable
solutions were created using standard
protocols.
Efficiency
The newly developed client offers drill fleet awareness in an autonomous environment.
autonomous capabilities with respect

to Pit Vipers. This twofold definition
provides the outline of a complete solution; documenting machine control and
data exchange.
around safety, and compatible for integration directly impactingefficiencies

in the drill and blast process
Safety
Data Exchange: Data transfer to and

from the drill to a centralized machine
server. Server to compute internal data
for use and transfer external data to 3rd
parties in a standardized format.
Moving drill operations from the drill

to an operations center creates an
added layer of safety for a mine and
its personnel. The unmanned Pit Viper
drill maintains safety through obstacle
awareness, visual and switched safe
to board process and a precautionary
staged approach to degradations that
could be encountered in GPS and
communication networks. All current
safety interlocks will remain in RCS
along with the addition of autonomous
specific interlocks such as geofences.
A complete solution
Productivity
Machine: Propelling between holes

and rows on a single bench, obstacle
detection/avoidance, positioning, levelling, and drilling to target depth (corrected elevation) for vertical and angle
drilling of blastholes.
The autonomous Pit Viper has been

engineered for productivity, designed
34
A majority of the items captured in

the safety, productivity and integration
sections have direct contributions to
efficiency. In addition, the autonomous
operations center has monitoring and
control components building efficiencies. Maintaining awareness of the fleet
is accomplished through both actively
selected or default drill mounted
and controllable cameras as well as
a unique Pit Viper f leet monitoring
tool. This tool provides the responsible person the precise data needed for
each autonomous Pit Viper operating in
the fleet. Should a Pit Viper encounter
issues, the person is alerted and can
take action to include direct control
utilizing the teleremote station at their
desk.
The Pit Viper with the integrated
RCS platform will remain on the leading edge of autonomous drilling.
Dustin Penn and Tyler Berens
Automated drilling functions provide

predictable, reliable, and repeatable
drill operations where human operators
Talking Technically
Taking advantage of
single-pass drilling
The easy way to get
more blastholes
per day
40' Single-pass,
(12.2 m)
50 MPa Rock*
90
2
40 ft
80
Overall production rate in metres/hr
Large rotary drills have been in

use for years around the world
in mining applications. In many
open pit operations, these large
drills were equipped with electric
power and long towers for drilling
benches in a single pass. Today,
these features are being added to
smaller equipment. Lets look at
the benefits of single-pass.
100
30 ft
30' Multi-pass,
(9.1 m)
50 MPa Rock*
70
60
50
2
1
40
40' Single-pass,
(12.2 m)
100 MPa Rock*
40 ft
30 ft
30
30' Multi-pass,
(9.1 m)
100 MPa Rock*
20
Longer towers
The drilling of large diameter holes,
generally considered to be greater than
9 inches in diameter, is done predominantly with rotary blasthole drills. One
of the reasons for this is that larger diameter tricone bits allow for large bearings to handle high pulldown forces to
drill through hard rock quickly. These
high pulldown loads require a heavy
tower structure to transmit these pulldown forces to the drill bit. Further,
this high pulldown must be offset by
sufficient mass to keep the drill rig
from lifting off the ground. The resulting rig is therefore quite heavy.
With a heavy, durable rig already
dictated by a large hole diameter, drill
designers are able to take advantage of
the large platform to offer longer towers
capable of drilling benches in one pass.
This often drives a change in structural
design and supporting components such
as undercarriages, but the basic rig envelope doesnt change. Drilling a hole
in one pass has many advantages.
10
* Compressive strength
0
0
10
12
14
Drill depth in metres
Fig 1. Comparison of single-pass and multi-pass drilling, = Time lost for rod adding and rod removal,
= Lost productivity for multi-pass drilling.
Elimination of rod
changing time
Adding a rod may take 45 to 60 seconds depending on the size of the rig,
and taking the rod back off may take
60 to 90 seconds. The extra time for
removing a rod is due to the extra cycle
required to lower the head to pick up
the next rod.
The effect of rod changing time is
more dramatic in soft material, as shown
in Fig 1. Surprisingly, it is the large
metals mines that pioneered the use of
single-pass drills, even though they may
see limited productivity benefit. In extremely hard rock such as that encountered in taconite, the single-pass benefit might only be 3 percent. At the
other extreme would be very soft coal

overburden. This material can be drilled
with claw-type bits at rates of 400 meters/
hour or more. In this situation, a singlepass drill would yield an overall productivity gain of over 25 percent.
Simplified operation
Even in situations where the productivity gain from eliminating rod changes
is relatively small, there are benefits.
Operators dont have to worry about
the rod changing operation, which consists of 10 actions to add a rod and 13
actions to remove a rod. Eliminating
these tasks during each hole reduces
the chance for errors such as crossthreading the tool joints on the drill
Fig 2. Single-pass Pit Viper rigs

Rig
PV-235
PV-271
PV-311
PV-351
Hole range
152-251 mm (6-978")
171-270 mm (6-105 8")
229 - 311 mm (9 - 12 ")
270-406 mm (10 5 8 -16")
Single pass
depth
12.2 m (40 ft)
16.8 m (55 ft)
19.8 m (65 ft)
19.8 m (65 ft)
Talking Technically
Committed to superior productivity. The PV-271 is perfect for single-pass drilling of a 40 ft bench and has a
maximum single-pass capacity of 55 ft (16.8 m).
rods or dropping a rod. Tasks such as

changing a bit in the middle of the hole
or reaming the hole to clear out cuttings
are much simpler when you dont have
to add or remove rods. These factors
could increase overall productivity by
a few more percent.
build a unit to support a 70 meter hole

in coal overburden. It may be possible,
but youd end up with a unit with a mast
as long as a dragline boom. The expense of such a unit would probably never
be recovered with the operating cost
savings.
Less maintenance
Safety factors
The carousel and wrench systems used

routinely in multiple-pass operation are
high wear items due to the nature of
their operation. While they may still be
used on single-pass drills, especially
for changing drill bits, they see a much
lower duty cycle. As mentioned above,
tight drill tool joints can be a problem.
Improvements in breakout wrench systems have helped address these issues,
but it is still common to see joints that
cant be broken by onboard wrench
systems.
Given the advantages above, why
wouldnt every drill be built as a singlepass? Obviously, it isnt practical to
As towers grow in length, the supporting mainframe and undercarriage must

grow as well. To maintain the structural
life and reliability of smaller multiplepass units, proper safety factors must
be used in the design. The result is a
larger and more expensive machine
than customers are willing to buy. An
example would be the move from the
DM-M2, a multiple-pass unit with
35-foot drill rods and a gross weight
of about 57 tons, to the single-pass Pit
Viper 271 for 16.7-meter holes. The Pit
Viper 271 weighs in at around 80 tons.
Many smaller rotary drills operate
on slopes that could not be considered
36
firm and flat. While single-pass drills

might be capable of operating on a
minor slope (less than 10 percent), they
will generally have a higher center of
gravity than their multiple-pass equivalent, reducing the stability of the unit.
This is often the operators perception
as the unit may be capable of slopes
that might be substantially more.
However, many factors must be
taken into account when determining whether to operate on a particular
slope. Ground conditions are rarely a
single plane. Instead, they are compound angles of widely varying rock
size and type. Most operators err on
the side of limiting the slope they will
attempt to navigate. Thus, single-pass
drills are viewed as being limited to
flat benches only.
As we say at Atlas Copco, we are
committed to our customers superior
productivity. We will continue to develop single-pass units for smaller diameter operations. While we have several
smaller units already capable of singlepass (the DM25SP and DML-SP), they
are rotary table drive units. They utilize
lightweight towers on relatively small
base units by locating the feed and rotation mechanisms towards the bottom of
the tower. The drawback of this design
is that rotation is accomplished through
a rotary table drive that engages a
fluted kelly bar, driven mechanically
by drive pins. The kelly bars are very
expensive due to the fluting milled into
them, and if the material is abrasive,
they wear quickly and result in high
operating costs. However, in soft applications, they are a great option.
We continue to develop topheaddrive units with longer towers. Adding
to our fleet of large single-pass units, as
outlined in Fig 2, we are testing the new
Pit Viper 311. It is set up for single-pass
drilling of 65 ft (19.8 m) holes, which is
demanded by many metal mines. This
unit will operate in the same diameter
range as the DM-M3, which has 40-foot
drill pipes and a 11.3-meter capability.
We encourage our customers to look at
single-pass drilling as it is one of the
easiest ways to get more holes per day.
Brian Fox
Talking Technically
Drilling at high altitudes

Challenging
locations
Easily accessible, high grade ore
is becoming scarce. To meet global mineral demand, mining companies must look to challenging
locations for economically viable
deposits. Naturally, this includes
mountainous regions at high
elevations. While some operations are already producing at
altitudes exceeding 5,000 meters
(16,405 ft), high elevations can
have adverse effects on people
and machinery starting as low as
1,500 m (4,922 ft).
Reduced density of air

The primary problem with high altitude
is the decreased mass density of air.
To understand this concept, you must
first look at the composition of air. Air
molecules consist of nitrogen (78%),
oxygen (21%) and other gases, and have
a given molecular weight. As gravity pulls the air towards the ground,
these air molecules are subject to the
additional weight of all the molecules
above. This additional weight means
the air pressure is highest at sea level,
and diminishes with increases in elevation. This is much like water pressure
in a swimming pool. At the surface, the
water pressure is relatively low. As you
dive lower, the pressure increases due
to the weight of the water above.
The reduced mass density of air
poses two problems. First, the air molecules and their associated density are
what carry the drill cuttings out of the
hole. If there are fewer molecules per
cubic foot of air, there is less carrying
capacity. Second, while the oxygen
content is the same (21%) at sea level
at high elevations, there are fewer
molecules available and therefore less
total oxygen available for humans or
engines.
The entrance to the Collahuasi mine is located 3800 meter above sea level.
Altitude and temperature

It must be noted that temperature and
humidity also factor into the density
of air. Humidity has little impact and,
counter-intuitively, actually reduces the
air pressure as moisture increases. This
is because water vapor (in gas state,
not liquid) is lighter than the nitrogen
and oxygen molecules it is displacing.
Temperature, however, has a significant effect. Air, like most substances,
expands when heated and contracts
when it cools. The molecules move
further apart with an increase in heat,
and thus reduce the density of the air.
The majority of heat carried by air
molecules is via conduction from the
earth, which is heated throughout the
day by the suns rays. The air temperature becomes colder at a fairly uniform rate as it moves further from the
heat source, and there are fewer air
molecules to transfer heat at high altitudes. This is called the environmental
lapse rate. The normal lapse rate is
3.5F (1.94C) per 1,000 feet (304 m)
of altitude, though it can range from
3F (1.66C) for saturated air (100%
humidity) to 5.5F (3.05C) for dry
air. Therefore, 59F (15C) at sea level

(which is often referred to as the standardized condition) would drop to 7F
(-14C) at 15,000 ft (4,572 m). The altitude has now created a situation where
cold weather provisions are needed for
proper operation of the drill.
Air compressors & bailing

At sea level, an air compressor will
compress a certain volume of air at
atmospheric pressure to a higher pressure, yet lower volume. It is often misstated that compressors produce less
CFM at high altitude. As an example,
lets start with a 1,900 cubic feet per
minute (CFM) compressor rotary drilling at sea level. The compressor rating
is the intake CFM, meaning it can pull
1,900 cubic feet of air into the compressor every minute. What comes out the
outlet of the compressor is determined
by the downstream restriction, which
well assume are the nozzles of a tricone bit. If small nozzles are used, or
the bit becomes plugged, the pressure
will increase back to the compressor,
up to the maximum pressure allowed by
the system (e.g. 110 PSI). The concept
Talking Technically
When moving from sea level up to high altitudes the density of air will decrease, and the temperature will
drop at a fairly uniform rate.
is similar to water running through a

garden hose. Running unrestricted, a
large volume of water comes out, but
at a low pressure. If you put your thumb
over the end of the hose, the pressure
will increase but the volume will be
reduced. In our example, if the nozzles
are sized properly, the pressure at the
bit might be 60 PSI. At this lower pressure, the volume would be higher than
at 110 PSI, but still much lower than
the intake volume. As the air moves
through the bit and up the hole, the
pressure will eventually drop to atmospheric pressure again, at a high volume.
At 15,000 ft (4,572 m), the same
compressor is still taking in 1,900 cubic
feet of air per minute. However, the
number of molecules of air is reduced
by approximately 42%, calculated by
comparing the air pressure at sea level
(14.7 PSI or 101 kPa) to the pressure

at elevation (8.6 PSI or 59 kPa). To
compensate for the lower density, correction factors are used to calculate
the effective, not actual, intake CFM
required to produce the same performance as at sea level. In this case, the
reduced air pressure effectively cuts
the compressor to an equivalent intake
capacity of 1106 CFM (assuming the
same temperature as sea level). Taking
into account the lower temperature and
corresponding increase in density, the
intake capacity would move up to 1,221
CFM at 7F (-14C).
To determine how much air is required, a calculation of uphole velocity
is required. Uphole velocity is calculated from the intake air volume and the
annular area, which is the gap between
the wall of the hole and the drill rod.
A minimum uphole velocity is often

stated as 5,000 ft/min but in reality is
affected by the density, size and shape
of the chips, and factors such as the
pressure of cuttings or water in the hole
and the condition of the borehole wall.
Using a Pit Viper 271 as an example,
the table below shows a comparison at
various elevations.
At sea level, 1900 CFM for a 10-
bit with 7- rod works well, even
as the rod wears down. At high altitude, the large reduction in air density requires either a larger compressor
(2600 CFM in the example) or a larger
(10-) diameter drill rod. The preferred option is a larger compressor,
as using larger rods cuts the clearance
between the wall of the hole and the
rod to such a small gap that larger cuttings must be reground to a smaller size
before exiting the hole, thus accelerating bit wear. Going to a smaller diameter bit will improve uphole velocity as
well, though this is not always feasible
given the blasting requirements.
Power drain
Diesel engines face considerable difficulty at high altitude as they rely on
the oxygen in the air for proper combustion. Engines have varying altitude limits and power de-rate curves.
Manufacturers are able to maintain full
power to the altitude rating by changing
the engine timing, turbocharger configuration and compression ratios. This
altitude rating is the point where horsepower begins to decrease. As a rule
of thumb a diesel engine will de-rate
Uphole Velocities
Compressor
At Sea Level/15 C (59 F)
At 15 000 ft/ 14 C (7 F)
Rating: 1900 cfm
Rating: 2 600 cfm
Rating: 1 900 cfm
Rating 2 600 cfm
Hole
(in)
Drill Rod
(in)
Effective Vol. 1900 cfm
Effective Vol. 2 600 cfm
10
7 58
6 434 ft/min
8 804 ft/min
4 087 ft/min
5 592 ft/min
10
9 149 ft/min
12 520 ft/min
5 812 ft/min
7 953 ft/min
7 58
8 946 ft/min
12 242 ft/min
5 682 ft/min
7 776 ft/min
15 232 ft/min
20 855 ft/min
9 675 ft/min
13 240 ft/min
1900 cfm = 53.8 m3/min

1000 ft = 304 m
5000 ft/min = 25.4 m/s
Comparison of compressor performance at high altitude vs sea level and subsequent effect on uphole velocity in rotary drilling using a Pit Viper 271 drill rig.
38
Talking Technically
its output by 3% per 1,000 ft (304 m)

above altitude limit.
For example, an 800 HP diesel engine might have an altitude limit of
8,000 ft (2,438 m). At 15,000 ft (4,572 m),
the power would be 21% less, or 632
HP. At full power assuming maximum compressor and rotary head
power, this unit would approach 90%
load, or 720 HP. If this unit operated
with mechanical or hydraulic drive
systems that do not de-rate, there
would be insufficient power to operate
at this elevation. However, because the
air compressor is working with lower
density air, its power requirement is
reduced by 1.5% per 1,000 ft (304 m).
The 1,900 CFM compressor itself
requires approximately 430 HP to provide full flow and pressure. At 15,000
ft (4,572 m), the load drops by 22.5%
to 333 HP, effectively cutting the total
load from 720 HP to 623 HP, safely
below the de-rated power.
For best results, it is preferable to
go with a larger displacement engine
with a higher output to offset the
reduction due to altitude. However, it
is not always possible to provide larger
engines as the drills are sized to handle
a particular size engine from the beginning and space is not available.
Another alternative is electric power.
Electric motors do not rely on combustion for power, and are not subject
to power loss due to lack of oxygen.
However, there are two issues which
can impact the operation of electrical
components such as motors, starters
and transformers. One is the decreased
cooling capacity at altitude. Higher
capacity components may need to be
specified to achieve the same rating
as lower altitudes, though the cold air
at altitude generally ensures standard components do not overheat. The
second issue is that lower air density
reduces the di-electrical strength of air
gaps in components, thus reducing the
insulation capacity of these components
and increasing the risk of electrical
breakdown, or flashover. At extremely
high elevations, special electrical components may be required.
The decision to go with electric power has to consider other factors like
how electricity is generated and the
demand for mobility of the rig. In
Atmospheric Pressure vs. Altitude

110
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
-10
Air Mass Density vs. Altitude
Atmospheric pressure (kPa)
4 800 m
50 %
15 750 ft
Computed for 15 deg. C and 0% humidity
2 000
5 000
4 000
10 000
6 000
15 000
8 000
20 000
Altitude (m)
Altitude (ft)
Sea level
100 %
The primary problem with high altitudes is the decreased mass density of air. There are fewer molecules
for carrying drill cuttings out of the hole and less oxygen available for humans and engines.
remote areas, the only alternative to

produce electricity might be by diesel
powered generators. In such a case, the
power generation will also suffer from
the power de-rating at high altitude,
and a diesel powered rig can still be
the best alternative if it can be configured to meet the required performance.
Electric power may offer higher capacity, but this might be offset by the
mobility and higher utilization of a
diesel powered rig.
Cooling requirements
With fewer air molecules available,
the ability to remove heat from the
engine, compressor and hydraulic
system is reduced. Limiting Ambient
Temperature (LAT) is the temperature
at which the cooling system becomes
marginal; the design standard is 125F
(52C) rating. For the engine and compressor, cooling is not a problem as
they are also de-rating; the LAT essentially remains the same. As the hydraulic oil density does not change, the LAT
rating is reduced to approximately
90F (32C) at 15,000 ft (304 m),
though temperatures at this altitude are
unlikely to approach that level.
Human impact
Aside from the engine, compressor
and cooling systems, there is little
impact on the drill simply from the
altitude. Excluding the extremely cold
temperatures that may be present,

structures and gearboxes perform as if
at sea level. Hydraulic components are
unaffected except for the charging of
pumps, which may require a change in
the charging circuit. An example would
be using a pressurized hydraulic tank.
The biggest impact of high altitude
is on the operators and technicians
working on the drills. The human body
compensates for the decreased amount
of oxygen with higher respiratory
and heart rates along with a gradual
increase in red blood cells that carry
oxygen (known as acclimatization).
Every person is different, and many
can contract acute mountain sickness
(AMS) beginning at 8,000 ft (2,438 m).
AMS symptoms are similar to a
hangover, but this is minor compared
to much more dangerous problems
such as cerebral and pulmonar y
edema. Mining companies are very
careful when it comes to ensuring the
safety of their employees and contractors. Examination by medical experts
is required before allowing work in
these tough conditions, and full onsite
medical services are available to deal
with problems. Ultimately, autonomous
drilling will play a significant role as
mining companies push to higher
elevations.
By Brian Fox
Talking Technically
In 2007, Barrick Gold installed the world's

highest-situated wind turbine at the Veladero
mine at nearly 4,200 m elevation.
40
Talking Technically
Drilling in Arctic conditions

Coping with
climatic extremes
The spread of mining to inhospitable parts of Mother Earth has
posed a major challenge for mining
equipment design engineers in
terms of both basic machine functions and operator well being. Operation at high latitude or high altitude requires a significant degree
of redesign. Available coal and
mineral resource geography has
intensified, first with exploration
and then mining activity, in the
Arctic and sub-Arctic central continental regions of North America
and Asia. In parallel the ability to
build equipment that can operate
economically at temperatures
around -55C has become increasingly important. Similarly, the
development of mines at high altitudes requires machines that can
cope with low atmospheric pressure as well as low temperature.
The Russian experience

For rotary drill rigs the key base materials adversely affected by low temperature operation are steel, rubber and
lubricants.
At lower ambient operating temperatures steel becomes brittle, creating
possible earlier fatigue failures. For
heavy equipment designers, the task
is to select steel with proper material
properties, to reduce the load or to
reduce the loading cycles. Through
the combination of the three factors,
structural integrity can be equalled
to equipment running in non-arctic
conditions.
Exposure and constant ground contact subject the crawler undercarriage to particular abuse in low temperature, icy conditions, requiring careful selection of materials. Some applications may require heating
the drive elements to keep them working.
With any rotating equipment, seals

and hoses are used to retain fluids.
Like steel, the newer generation synthetics lose f lexibility, becoming
brittle. With arctic conditions, the
key is again through material selection to keep equipment doing its primary function without the aid of
artificial heat sources. In an arctic
application the use of natural rubber
or silicon is better than synthetics.
To maintain acceptable component
life in arctic conditions effective lubrication is essential. Typically this
will require using the standard additives with a base lubricant that will
flow at the ambient temperatures
and at the viscosities specified for
the application.
Beyond making necessary changes
to base materials, subsystem redesign may be required to meet the low
temperature challenge. Engineers must

decide if the material can be changed,
heat be added or in some cases the part
be eliminated to achieve 5,000 to 6,000
operational hours per year.
Exposure and constant ground contact subject the crawler undercarriage
to particular abuse in low temperature,
icy conditions. Many components either
rotate or articulate (rollers, idlers, drive
sprockets and track chains). Again the
driver is to upgrade the base material, steel and rubber, where necessary.
Some applications may require heating
the drive elements to keep seals soft
and pliable.
Similarly, for a diesel engine powering the rotary rig in these conditions,
special attention must be given to
start-up and lubrication. Atlas Copco
has designed a series of heater packages for lubricants, the engine block
and batteries. All these packages are
Talking Technically
powered by 110, 240 or 380 V AC electricity provided by the mine electrical

grid or a diesel generator. If getting
electrical power to the drill is impossible, a diesel-powered block heater is
another option available. Likewise if
low ambient fuel is not available use
of 24 V DC fuel heaters is yet another
option available.
Lubrication systems pumping grease
over long distances can be impossible,
and it may be best to redesign with a
component that has impregnated oil
bushings or closed bearings. To prevent
the pump from cavitating, the lubricant
will either have to be heated or replaced
by a special blend that maintains viscosity through the ambient temperature
range.
Dust suppression is most difficult
in low ambient climates. The synthetic
rubber normally used in dry dust collectors becomes brittle in extreme cold,
and articulated components such as
hoses and dust curtains will fail. If the
drop out chute does not close properly
the system fails to back flush. Also moisture entering the collector will freeze
when it enters the cold dust collector
chamber. Vibrators can be used to prevent material collecting on the dust
collector body.
Another option under development
is a wet dust control system. To keep
the system from freezing is a design
challenge. In this case short hose connections with diesel fired pre-heaters
create enough energy to keep the
system in operation.The benefit with
wet systems is the reduced number of
moving parts.
Given that the time limit for human
exposure to very cold air is 15 minutes, the cab for artic rigs must be big
enough for two operators and their cold
weather clothing. Additional insulation,
heating and defrosting capability are
also essential.
The marriage of low temperature
solutions and advanced technology on
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions rotary
blasthole drills has been successful.
Today over 150 Drillmaster and Pit
Viper class rigs work in coal, gold,
copper, diamond and iron mines where
temperatures can drop below -40C.
John Stinson
42
Atlas Copco has designed a series of heater packages for lubricants, the engine block and batteries.
Watermist closed.
Watermist open.
Proheat closed.
Proheat open.
Wiggins closed.
Wiggins open.
Talking Technically

Rotary tricone
bit elements
Rotary tricone bits consist of several basic parts: Three roller
cones with the bit cutting structure (tungsten carbide inserts or
milled steel teeth) on their external surfaces; bearing races machined inside each cone bore;
three sets of bearing elements consisting of small inner rollers, ball
bearings, and large outer rollers; and three lugs, each having
inner, ball, and outer bearing races
that match the cone bore races
and hold the different bearing
elements.
Rotary tricone bit

fundamentals
Rotary tricone bits consist of several
basic parts:
Three roller cones that hold the
cutting structure on their external
surface, and the bearings in their
interior
The cutting structure consisting of
either Tungsten Carbide Insert teeth,
or milled steel teeth.
Three lugs, each of which has the
bearing journals which match up
with the cone bearing bore.
Inner and outer roller bearing elements.
Ball bearing elements.
These basic parts are then assembled
into bit thirds, and three thirds are
then assembled into a tricone (three
cone) bit.
Once completely assembled into a
finished bit, the bit pin connection is
threaded with the appropriate connection size and type for the bit diameter.
The figure at right illustrates the assembled components of a tricone bit
and presents a cut away of one lug/
cone assembly to show the internal
component arrangement.
Note that this figure shows air passages from the bit interior into the bit
bearing areas. This is an air bearing
Elements of a rock bit.
bit. Other types of bearing configurations are open (or fluid) bearing, and
sealed bearing.
Open bearings do not have any internal air passages, and the back of the
cones are open to the external drilling
environment.
Sealed bearings are completely
enclosed, with no internal air passages.
The bearings are sealed off from the
external drilling environment, and are
filled with pressurized grease.
Rock breakage
Contrary to popular opinion, rotary tricone bits do not drill by crushing rock.
Instead, they actually drill by a mechanism called spalling. A European
gentleman named Hertz originally defined this method of rock breakage
back in the 1880s. If a force is applied
to an indenter in contact with a rock
surface, stress fields are set up under

that indenter. As the loading force on
the indenter is increased, the stress
fields extend outward and downward
from the point of contact and loading.
The applied load creates fractures
(cracks) that propogate along the stress
field vectors, seeking a free surface.
When these stress vectors find the free
surface, the crack is completed, and the
rock above the stress vector breaks free.
A rock chip or cutting is created,
and must now be removed.
Because tricone bits apply this force
to several inserts simultaneously on
each cone, the cones must constantly
be rotated to new indenting positions
in order to advance the hole. It would
do no good to simply continue to apply
weight to the bit without rotation.
Nothing would happen. The bit must be
rotated to bring new teeth into position
for loading and rock breakage.
Talking Technically
Drillhole cleaning /
cuttings evacuation
Air circulation through nozzles and bearings.
44
Once the cuttings are created, they

must be evacuated. If the cuttings are
not removed from the hole, the bit will
be eroded by the abrasiveness of the
rock chips, and the teeth will quickly
wear down and/or fall out, rendering
the bit ineffective. In blasthole drilling,
hole cleaning is done with compressed
air.
The rotary bit is either attached directly to the drill pipe, or one of a number of other drilling accessories, (bit
adaptor subs, bit stabilizers) are used to
attach the rotary bit to the drill pipe.
The exact attachment method depends
upon the drilling situation.
In any case, a large volume of compressed air is directed down through the
drill pipe (also called the drill string)
into the bit. The flow of compressed
air is intentionally restricted at the tricone bit by the use of jet nozzles, in
order to create back pressure and a
pressure drop through the bit. This
back pressure forces air into the bearings of an air bearing bit, to keep the
bearings cool and clean, and to prevent
contamination from entering the bit.
Secoroc wants to achieve an actual
pressure inside the bit of 45 psi (3.1 bar)
or higher. This will direct from 15%
to 25% of the air into the bearings for
bearing maintenance, while the remaining majority of the air creates a jet blast
against the face of the hole to blow newly
formed cuttings away from the bit.
The following figure shows the bits
internal air path in yellow. Jet nozzles
are shown in purple.
Rock density (specific gravity) varies
greatly, depending on what material is
being drilled. Coal for instance has a
SG of around 1.6, while some iron ores
have a SG greater than 3.8. Most rock
we drill has an in situ SG of between
2.4 and 2.8. If there is a lot of natural
ground water, this can wet the cuttings,
increasing the cuttings SG by about 0.1
SG. Secoroc recommends a minimum
air Bailing Velocity of 5,000 - 7,000
feet/minute (1524 - 2134 meters/minute)
for light and dry materials, and 7,000 9,000 feet/minute (2134 - 2744 meters/
minute) for rock materials that are wet
or have a high density.
Drilling parameters
Secoroc tricone bits generally conform
to the IADC rock type classifications.
IADC is the International Association
of Drilling Contractors, who set many
standards and conventions for the
general drilling industry. Secoroc has
adapted certain IADC concepts to its
tricone bits.
Tungsten Carbide Insert bits fall into
five IADC classes:
4-1 to 4-4 - very soft to soft
5-1 to 5-4 - soft to medium
6-1 to 6-4 - medium to medium hard
7-1 to 7-4 - hard to very hard
8-1 to 8-4 - very hard to extremely
hard
In general, decades of bit manufacturing, and product development and
application experience gives us the
following operating guidelines:
For 4-1 to 4-4 IADC type bits:
50 to 150 RPM
1000 to 5000 pounds of applied load
per inch of bit diameter
50 to 150 RPM
3,000 to 6,500 pounds of applied
load per inch of bit diameter
50 to 120 RPM
4,000 to 7,000 pounds of applied
load per inch of bit diameter
50 to 90 RPM
4,000 - 8,000 pounds of applied load
40 to 80 RPM
6,000 - 9,000 pounds of applied load
As the rock gets harder, it is adviseable
to apply slower RPM. As more load is
applied to a bit it is adviseable to apply
slower RPM.
Strong rocks may need time for
the indenting teeth to create sufficient
stress in the rock fabric to cause it to
crack, and the crack propagate. Thus,
in strong or hard rock it is suggested
that lower RPM is used. Weak rock
does not need as much time to react to
the indenting teeth. Higher RPM can
be used effectively in softer ground.
These are general guidelines, and
are intended as suggestions only. Every
rock type is different, and every specific
Talking Technically
IADC vs. Rock UCS

48000
8-1 to 8-4
70000
IADC Class
36000
7-1 to 7-4
56000
22000
6-1 to 6-4
42000
6000
5-1 to 5-4
28000
1000
4-1 to 4-4
10000
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
Rock UCS (PSI)
IADC vs. Rock UCS Chart showing comparison of IADC classifications to rock hardness.
rock type exhibits a wide variation in

mechanical properties at an individual
site. Individual mines should determine
optimum operating parameters for each
rock type and drill type at that specific
site.
The value of a bit

What is the value of a bit? What determines how good a bit is? Ask
around, and you will probably get one
of these four answers to the question of
value:
Low price
Long service life
High penetration rate
Low operating cost
Secoroc believes the highest value a tricone rock bit can have is low operating
cost. Considering that the cost of

owning and operating a modern rotary
drill rig can approach US$400 or more,
bit performance needs to be judged on
what the total cost of operating the drill
is. This then, goes hand in hand with a
high penetration rate, and is accompanied by a good service life.
Consider this example:
Drill operating cost per hour =
US$300
Penetration rate of Competitors bits
= 30 meters/hour
Penetration rate of Secoroc bits = 45
meters/hour
Hole depth = 15 meters
The Operating Cost per Meter is
calculated by:
OC/m = Drill Operating Cost /
Penetration Rate
Performance comparison for distance, of two bit types, over time.
Thus, it is easy to see that for a 15

meter drilled depth hole:
Competitors Operating Cost / meter
is US$300 / 30 = US$10.00
Secorocs Operating Cost / meter is
US$300 / 45 = US$6.66
The faster drilling Secoroc bit saves
the mining company US$3.37 for every
meter drilled. That is value.
Bit record keeping

Without keeping track of bit performance, there can be no way to measure
one bit type against another, and one
bit supplier against their competition.
Secoroc can provide the templates for
two types of Bit Record Book to record bit performance.
Compilation of product performance
histories creates a valuable tool for the
sales person and bit manufacturer. Different bits can be compared at a minesite. Performance of the same bit at different minesites can be compared. How
does one drill type compare against another drill type? If a new mine is being
opened, you need to have an idea of
what products to offer, and what performance can be expected.
Secoroc has a global product performance database available in Lotus
Notes. Product performance from
mines around the world can be compared. Sales people easily generate a
variety of reports for their monthly business reviews and sales calls. Below
is an example of a report generated by
Perform v6, for two bit types compared
over a five month period:
Clarence Zink
Talking Technically
46
Talking Technically
Optimizing the rotary drill string

Money in the bank
In rotary drilling, the careful selection of every drill string component
is vital to achieve accurate holes,
optimal rock fragmentation and
operational efficiency parameters which affect total operational
costs.
Close attention
When developing a rotary drilling
system, most of the attention is usually
given to the drill rig, the capital equipment that requires significant investment and hence a planned payback. The
second priority in the system tends to
be choice of rotary tricone drill bit
the Tricone. However, to utilize the full
power and capacity of the rig and the
bit, and at the same time increase service life and productivity, consideration
should also be given to the entire drill
string. The optimal drill string includes
a shock absorber at the top, a rotary deck
bushing to centralize the drill string
as it passes through the deck of the rig,
strong and straight drill pipes and finally a hole stabilizing roller stabili-zer
or bit sub-adaptor to optimize the performance. Giving the necessary attention to every part of the drill string will
lead to the lowest total operating costs
in rock excavation and fragmentation.
The rotary drill string

The primary purpose of the drill string
is to transmit the rotational torque and
weight from the power source the
rotary head of the rig to the rock
breaking drill bit. As for every rock
drilling method, the power must be
transmitted as efficiently as possible,
and return as few vibrations as possible, as these cause unnecessary wear on
the rig and reduce penetration rates.
When selecting components for the
drill string, attention must be given to
the different roles of the support tools
in the string. The aim can be to:
Giving the necessary attention to the drill string components will pave the way for quality drilling and
lower total operating costs.
reduce wear and tear on the drill rig

absorb damaging vibrations travelling
back up the drill string
improve transmission of energy from
the rotary head to drill bit
centralize the drill bit within the hole
longer bit life
reduce friction as the drill string
passes through the drill rig deck
stabilize the hole wall to prevent hole
caving
increase penetration rates and lower
drilling costs
achieve blast hole accuracy for improved blasting efficiency
improve the end result the fragmentation of the blasted rock.
Shock absorber
At the very top of the drill string
between the rotary head and drill pipe
a shock absorber is commonly used.
As the name indicates, the intention of
this tool is to reduce the negative effects
of harmful vibrations that travel back
up the string as a result of the drilling
process.
The benefits of using a shock absorber include:
improved torque control
increased drilling penetration rates
better drill rig availability and extended drill rig drive head and mast life
longer service life of drill bits
Talking Technically
Smoothdrive
shock absorbing
sub
Square drive
flange method
Welded strap
method
Smoothdrill
shock absorbing
sub
B
A
D
C
E
Threadsaver
sub
Full length repairable

Teamalloy
body drill pipe
(box-box optional)
OD
ID
Centeroll
rotary deck bushing
(repairable)
WLS
EZ-Drill
roller stabilizer
Duralloy
bit sub adaptor
Duralloy bit sub
Secoroc Tricone bits
The optimal drill string includes a shock absorber, a rotary deck bushing, strong and straight drill pipes and
finally a hole stabilizing roller or bit sub-adaptor.
Deck bushing
To guide the drill string and reduce the
risk of wobbling, a rotary deck bushing
is utilized at the drill rig deck opening.
The deck bushing guides the pipes to
prevent reduction of rotary head torque
and assists with the final straightness
of the hole.
The deck bushing contains an outer
housing with a top flange that allows it
to fit perfectly into the deck opening. A
series of roller bearings allow the inner
sleeve to rotate with the drill string.
Wear of the deck bushing occurs primarily on the inner sleeve as cuttings
are blown upwards, between the drill
pipe and the inner sleeve.
while still achieving an acceptable life

of the Tricone bit. The use of a strong
and straight alloy drill pipe is one of
the best ways of preventing wobbling
of the drill string and hole deviation.
Drill pipe is subjected to a severe and
abrasive environment, due to the rapid
evacuation of drilling cuttings through
the annulus of the hole, causing a sandblasting effect on the drill pipes. It is
logical, therefore, to utilize only the
best alloy steel for both the threaded
connections and the body of the drill
pipe. Special wear protection material
is applied to the most critical areas of
erosion at the bottom of the drill pipe.
The drill pipes can, in most cases, be
refurbished to prolong service life.
Drill pipe
Bit sub adaptor or stabilizer
The role of the drill pipe is to transfer

sufficient amounts of rotational torque
and weight to the drill bit. The goal is to
establish an optimal rate of penetration
To connect the bit to the drill pipe, a

wearprotected bit sub adaptor is generally used when the rock formation is
relatively competent, and not in need
48
of stabilization within the hole. In some

softer, fractured rock formations, it is
worthwhile to consider the use of a stabilizer as an alternative. The roller stabilizer contains three roller assemblies
which provide support against the hole
walls, serving to both guide the drill bit
in a straight direction and pack the wall
of the hole to prevent caving in. The
use of either straight or spiral-bladed
stabilizers is strongly discouraged as
this causes excessive friction when
these blades are at full gauge diameter,
while they also lose gauge diameter
rapidly rendering them virtually useless
as a stabilizer after only a few shifts. In
addition, the spiral-bladed stabilizer
slows down the evacuation of the cuttings. So, to achieve improved hole
straightness, hole wall integrity, and at
the same time increase the effective life
of the stabilizer, only stabilizers with
rollers fitted with cemented carbide
inserts are recommended.
All in all, when you consider the
significant amount of capital invested
in a rotary blasthole drill rig and the
annual investments in Tricone drill bits,
the selection of the best quality rotary
drill string tools that are suited to the
application, is critical to the eventual
success of the drilling program. The
rotary drill string tools should not just
be considered as mere support tools, but
rather as an essential, integrated part of
the total rotary drilling system.
The following basic criteria should
be considered when deciding which
rotary drill string tools will best optimize overall drilling performance and
cost effectiveness:
are quality materials and innovative
design used to address specific drilling problems?
can the tools be refurbished for an
economical second run?
does the supplier of the tools offer
application and follow-up service?
In conclusion, straight blast holes
drilled exactly to the pre-planned hole
bottom positions, pave the way for
lower total operating costs, taking into
account the entire process drilling,
blasting, secondary breaking, loading,
haulage and crushing/screening.
Rick Meyer
Talking Technically
Increased productivity with

DTH drilling
Cutaway section of Secoroc COP 64 Gold.
DTH growing
in popularity
The DTH drilling method is growing even further in popularity, with
increases in all application segments, including blasthole, water
well, foundation, oil & gas, cooling systems and drilling for heat
exchange pumps. DTH competes
favourably with rotary drilling in
open pit mines, mainly thanks to
increased productivity and flexibility. Open pit mining has adopted
smaller holes where rotary drilling
has either been replaced by DTH,
or where DTH has been introduced to create a better finish to the
pit wall, as the method is also perfect for pre-splitting and smooth
blasting, which avoids back-cracking. DTH drilling offers increased
productivity, and is fa-voured by
contractors for production drilling. In larger quarries, the optimum hole size is 110-171 mm.
With todays demands for strict
hole control for safe blasting in
populated areas, DTH drilling is a
popular choice among quarry
operators.
in joints; and efficient energy transmission, with the piston striking directly
on the bit. The COP 34-64 series of
hammers was introduced from 1992,
and immediately became the benchmark for productivity within DTH
drilling. Over the years, the increase in
average drilling pressure, from 17 bar
to a current market standard of 30 bar,
has improved hammer performance,
and productivity has increased proportionally to air pressure. The introduction of the Atlas Copco ADS and
SDE series of high-performance, highpressure DTH rigs gave another boost
to the sales of hammers. The flexibility,

productivity and manoeuvrability of
these rigs, when equipped with a COP
hammer, make them the most productive combination on the market today.
COP Gold series

The increase in drilling pressure also
had some negative impact on the internal components of the DTH hammer,
as the increased stress promoted the
risk of premature failures. So, in 1998,
Atlas Copco Secoroc decided on a longterm strategy to improve reliability,
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 explosives;
deephole drilling capacity, with constant penetration and no energy losses
New Secoroc hammer and bit ready for action on an Atlas Copco drill rig.
Talking Technically
COP 64.2 steel COP 64 Gold steel Improvement
Yield point ReL(Mpa)

Breaking strength Rm(Mpa)
Hardness (HRc)
700
1000
32
1400
1950
42
100%
95%
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.
while retaining the benchmark status

of the COP DTH hammers.
Stage One of this strategy was the
development of the second generation
six-inch hammer, COP 64.2, introduced
in October, 2000, which incorporated
newly-designed steel disc spring and
lower buffer. Performance was vastly
improved, thanks to a drastic 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 sustained performance and improved
longevity of the external parts. The
COP 64.2 resolved internal component
reliability, 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 performance
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 minimum thickness limits. COP 64 Gold
enjoys a greater durability margin than
its predecessor.
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
and COP 44 Gold to this increasingly
successful range.
In July 2004 COP 54 Gold was released with the same features as the
COP 64 Gold and improved performance thanks to a heavier and modified piston and a 12 spline bit shank.
The COP 44 Gold was released in
Q3 2009. As the other hammers in
the Gold Series It will have improved
longevity of the external parts thanks
to the Gold cylinder. Internally it is
improved with a heavier piston that
will increase the performance and
with modified buffers and a steel disc
spring the lifetime of internal parts is
extended. And finally a new 12 spline

bit shank with 19% more area than
DHD340A minimize shank failures in
soft or unconsolidated rock.
Hammer cylinder
The new cylinder has been redesigned
in a number of important ways. COP
Gold boasts a cylinder made of low
alloy wrought and toughened steel, a
new grade with a higher combined
Molybdenum and Vanadium content
(4.8%) than its predecessor. The result
is greater impact strength and higher
wear and temperature resistance. All
in all, this means greater resistance
to breakage, impact, temperature and
wear for the new hammer cylinder.
Thanks to the new steel grade, cylinder
properties have been greatly improved.
Wear has been reduced, both internally
and externally. Cuttings and moving
parts no longer cause the problems
they once did. In effect, the service life
of the cylinder has been extended considerably.
Rebuilding
With the introduction of COP Gold
Series, hammer life will increase substantially. Less internal and external
wear, together with a reduced minimum
cylinder wear limit, are key contributing factors. As a rule of thumb: If the
hammer has reach its external wear
limits before 5000 drill meters use an
Secoroc COP 54 Gold.
50
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.
Economy Kit and rebuild the hammer,

between 5000 and 10 000 drill meters
consider to rebuild the hammer and
with more than 10 000 drill meters the
internal parts could be subject to fatigue
failures. Ultimately, this means customers can look forward to increased drill
rig availability.
The sum total of these improvements shows COP Gold Series to have
more than 50% greater service life, in
abrasive rock conditions, than its predecessors.The customer benefits from
lower cost/metre drilled, thanks to less
downtime and greater abrasion resistance, and 30-50% longer life of external parts. Higher availability results
from less breakage in the threads of top
sub and chuck-ends of the cylinder, and
there are fewer stoppages for service

and maintenance. Improved penetration
rate and higher efficiency are a result
of reduced friction of the piston, and a
greater life cycle penetration rate is the
overall reward.
To sum up, the customer can drill
more holes per hammer than previously.
Applications
COP Gold Series is high-pressure hammers, where performance is related to
air pressure. A lower limit of 12 bar for
deep hole applications is a good rule
of thumb.
In abrasive formations, performance
will be up to 15-50% better than old
COP STD, in what is an ideal application for COP Gold hammers.

In soft unconsolidated rock drilling,
the 12-spline chuck concept and the
improved durability make COP Gold
the perfect hammer. High pressure
yields higher productivity, and drilling
pressures of 28-30 bar are not unusual.
The COP Gold hammer concept
offers customers a tool to meet the most
demanding requirements with sustained productivity.
Leif Larsson
16 000
14 000
Drill metres
12 000
10 000
New Material
Old Material
8 000
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)
Results of comparative tests with COP 64.2 and COP 64 Gold. The COP 64 Gold drilled 50% further.
Talking Technically
52
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 equipment 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 manufacturer to offer both first and second
choice solutions in almost all typical DTH applications on a price vs
performance basis. For premium
performance and advanced technology, QLX (replacing TD) and
COP Gold hammers are offered.
For an optimum blend of features
and cost, the QL (Quantum Leap)
can be the solution for high reliability at economical price. QLX,
COP Gold, and QL hammers are
also energy efficient, consuming
less fuel and with lower energy
cost per drilled metre than other
DTH hammers. This wide choice
of DTH drilling tools is backed by
a reliable network of distributors
and customer centres that offer a
complete range of parts, service
and support.
Quarrying application.
Relevant applications
Quarrying
Companies producing in non-abrasive
rock formations should consider hammers such as Secoroc QL series, a
time-tested and field-proven design
offering good productivity and ease
of service. Customers demanding the
highest productivity and/or drilling in
abrasive formations should consider
either the QLX or Secoroc COP Gold
hammers.These incorporate the latest
technology and are the most reliable and productive hammers on the
market.
Changing a Secoroc bit.
Talking Technically
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, 140-171 mm
buffer holes, or 115-140 mm pre-split
holes. Companies should consider
either the QLX 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, Secoroc COP Gold is recommended, while for those who typically run hammers until they wear out,
QLX will be the first choice.
Selecting the right hammer
ROC L8.
Dimensional stone quarrying demands

consistent hole straightness, and such
operations typically use smaller size
holes of 90-105 mm in limestone,
granite and marble. Here the QLX 35
hammer is the best choice.
Mineral exploration
Mineral exploration generally occurs in
very remote locations, requiring robust
hammers capable of running high pressures, in sometimes dirty environments.
54
For true reverse circulation drilling with

face collection in mineral exploration
and in-pit grade control, the Secoroc
RC50 Reverse Circulation Hammer, incorporating the Quantum Leap cycle,
performs particularly well. Geotechnical
Environmental monitoring applications
will appreciate the Secoroc Quantum
Leap or COP hammers. Drilling of
holes for foundation, anchoring or
drainage also demands reliable, works
horses like the QL range of hammers.
The optimum hole range of blast holes

for DTH drilling is 90 mm to 254 mm.
Smaller holes are generally drilled
using top hammer, and larger holes generally use rotary machines. 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,
airflow 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 evacuate the hole. Secoroc hammers are
purpose-matched for all rock types and
applications. Where high performance
is the main criterion, Secoroc COP
Gold and Secoroc QLX hammers are
recommended. In deep hole drilling
applications, the QLX hammer has
proven superior performance and adaptability to different air requirements,
thanks to the Air-Select System. Where
proven technology is required, the
Secoroc QL series of hammer are
known for their reliability and longevity, and for a reliable workhorse.
The Standard design for COP 54 and
COP 64 Gold hammers can be used
Talking Technically
DM45 Blasthole Drill.
down to a depth of 330 ft (100 m) using

a Standard bit size, making it useful for production drilling in quarries,
shallow waterwell drilling, and underground blasthole drilling. QM (quarry
mining) is similar to Standard, but with
heavy duty chuck and wear sleeve, and
a backhead 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
Soft rock
Highest performance
The Secoroc COP Gold and QLX
hammers are designed for the most
demanding drilling conditions and for
those applications requiring premium
performance.
These hammers feature state-of-theart 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.
Medium hard rock (220 Mpa/32000 psi)
Hard rock
Flat front HD
SpeedBit
Convex/Ballistic
Concave
Concave DGR
Rocket bit ballistic
Rocket bit spherical
Bit designs and rock types.
Talking Technically
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.
Secoroc QLX
Provides the industrys 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.
Selecting the right bit

Flat front design HD
Flat front with large spherical gauge buttons for hard and
abrasive formations. Also, front flushing grooves for efficient 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 d eviation.
Concave front design HD

Concave front with spherical buttons, with larger gauge
buttons. Ideal for medium hard to hard, abrasive and fractured formations.
Concave DGR front design

Concave front with double rows of spherical gauge buttons. Only available for 8 in bits and larger. The reinforced 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 difficult 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.
56
Atlas Copco Secoroc has a comprehensive range of DTH drill bits to match
all conceivable applications. Each bit
is made from quality alloy steel, and
has been precision machined to produce a perfect body, heat treated to the
required hardness, given surface compression 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 productivity, so the fast cuttings
removal features of the SpeedBit and
Convex/Ballistic designs are preferable,
to ensure 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 medium
hard formations where fractured rock
can be expected, or can be supplied with
spherical buttons for hard and abrasive formations. Bits are manufactured
to match all diameters of all Atlas
Copco Secoroc hammers.
Talking Technically
Selecting the right tube

Key features of a high quality DTH
tube are durability, accuracy and manageability. Atlas Copco Secoroc tubes
are made from cold drawn tubing, providing a superior surface finish and tolerance compared to conventional tubes made from hot rolled tubing. This
drastically reduces the risk of scaling
from the tubes entering the hammer,
a major cause of premature hammer
failure. The joints are friction welded
to achieve maximum strength, and the
threads of the end-pieces are heat treated for optimum durability and strength of the thread profile. This not only
ensures long thread life, but also makes coupling and uncoupling quick
and simple, reducing drilling time.
Tube diameter should be close to the
hammer diameter to provide optimum
flushing, reducing the chances of getting stuck. In most applications, Atlas
Copco Secoroc standard API threads
will be the best choice. Atlas Copco
Secoroc also offers a wide range of
subs and crossover subs to meet an
array of demands, all manufactured to
the same standards as the tubes.
Secoroc COP 54 Gold - the production drillers best friend.
COP Backhammer
The COP Backhammer is a tool that
can save and recover a drill string stuck
in a hole. It can be easily fitted in a suitable tube joint between the drill support and the rotation head to provide
an effective combination of backward
hammering and vibration to loosen
stuck drill strings.
Quality
API grade N-80
Standard
tubes
End pieces
and adapters
min 550
min 550
Tensile strength
N/mm2
N/mm2
min 650
min 700
Elongation A5
min %
18
21
Core hardness
HB
190230
210250
Surface hardness
HRC
Lower yield limit
5862
Service and support

Atlas Copco Secoroc service, support
and training follows every purchase,
to ensure that customers extract maximum productivity from their drilling
operations. Having a knowledgeable
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 worldclass partner. For example, Secoroc
knows that using higher productivity
bits reduces the cost of each drilled
hole, and the simplest way to cut costs
is to drill holes faster. This has been
Drill tube
OD (mm)
Wall
(mm) RD 50
70 3.6

23/8" 23/8" 27/8" 27/8" 31/2"

API Reg API IF API Reg API IF API Reg
76
3.6
76
5.6
89
3.7
89
5.7
102
5.7
114
4.3
114
5.7
114
7.9
Talking Technically
With on-site support, the choice of DTH equipment is even easier to make.
a focus of product development, and

is at the core of Secoroc technology,
ensuring that every generation of products drills faster and more efficiently.
It takes a support team to apply this
knowledge, so that customers can be
58
assured 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
support, supplied by the largest, most
dedicated manufacturer of DTH drilling tools in the world.
Leif Larsson
Talking Technically
Blasting in open cut metal mines

Explosives
Since blasting was introduced in
mining as part of the production
process, blasting technology and
blast management have been interconnected. Explosives have been
the primary method of breaking and loosening rock since the
introduction of black powder.
Over the years, however, blasting technology such as the physical properties of explosives and
types of detonators has evolved.
The same holds true for the process of blast management from
design principles for production
blasts that are cost-effective and
optimize mining operations, to
safety and accident prevention
during every step of the drilling
and blasting process. Drilling
and blasting results have a major
impact on many processes in a
mine. Therefore, it is important
to find the right combination of
drill pattern, explosives and blast
design to contribute to the economic success of the total mining
operation.
Principles
When properly initiated, commercial
explosives are rapidly converted into
gases at high temperature and pressure.
When detonated unconfined, a liter of
explosive expands to around 1000 litres
of gas in milliseconds. When confined
by rock, expanding explosion gases result in extremely high stresses in the
rock. The gas energy released during
detonation acts equally in all directions
but tends to escape through any path
of least resistance. Therefore, blastholes
should be charged and stemmed so that
the gases are confined for sufficient time
to provide optimum breakage, displacement and looseness of the blasted rock.
The majority of explosives used in
todays surface metal mines are primersensitive explosives. Under normal conditions of use, a primer is required to
initiate them reliably.
All primer-sensitive explosives cotain
the following essential components:
Bulk explosives are loaded using an Orica Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU ).
An oxidizer: a chemical which provides oxygen for the reaction. Ammonium nitrate is the most common
oxidizer;
A fuel: which reacts with oxygen to
produce heat.
A sensitizer: which provides voids
that act as hot spots where the reaction starts during detonation. Sensitizers are generally air or gas in the
form of very small bubbles, sometimes encapsulated in glass microballoons (GMBs).
An explosive is classified as detonatorsensitive if it can be reliably initiated
in an unconfined state by a #8 strength
detonator (which has a base charge of
0.46 g of PETN). Detonator-sensitive
explosives may or may not contain ingredients that are themselves explosives.
Properties of explosives
The physical characteristics of the various types of explosives differ markedly.
For example, ANFO type explosives are
loose, free-flowing, granular compositions, whereas emulsion explosives have
a consistency that varies from that of
syrup to firm putty. There are also various blends of emulsion and ANFO type
explosives, notably so-called heavy
ANFOs. Watergel (slurry) explosives
are also used in some countries.
The physical properties of the explosive can dictate the handling system
used to charge the explosive into blastholes.
Water resistance
The water resistance of explosives varies considerably. Emulsions have excellent water resistance; heavy ANFOs
have some water resistance while ANFO
has negligible water resistance.
Density
The in-hole density of explosives has

a significant effect on the energy per
meter of charge length. Higher-density
explosives generate more energy. Explosives are supplied in different densities to enable the shotfirer to control the
total energy released in a blasthole to
suit the particular blasting conditions
and to achieve the desired result.
Sensitivity
Sensitivity is a measure of the ease with

which an explosive can be initiated by
Talking Technically
responsible for conditioning the rock

and initiating mechanisms that generate fractures.
The gas energy or heave energy
is delivered during the later expansion
of the explosive products into the crack
network of the rock. Once a fracture
network is established the gas is able to
expand into the network, both extending the fracture process and causing
movement of the rock. As this happens,
the gas pressure drops until it vents to
the atmosphere.
Drilling at the Aitik Mine, northern Sweden.
heat, friction impact, or shock. The

trend in commercial explosives is
towards lower sensitivity to initiation
without detracting from detonation
efficiency.
Critical diameter
The critical diameter of an explosive is

the diameter below which a stable detonation does not occur. To ensure reliable initiation under normal conditions
of use, explosive suppliers recommend
a minimum diameter for each of their
products. To ensure reliable results under
most conditions, the recommended minimum diameter is larger than the critical
diameter.
Desensitization
Most explosives become less sensitive

at higher densities. Desensitization can
occur at excessive hole depths due to the
static head of pressure. It is also possible for explosives to be dynamically
desensitized by nearby earlier firing
charges.
Velocity of detonation (VOD)
VOD is the speed with which the detonation propagates through a column of
explosive. Two explosives having the
same strength but different VOD may
perform quite differently in a blast. As
a general rule, the higher the VOD,
the greater the shock energy and the
lower the heave energy. However, it is
important not to correlate shock energy
directly with fragmentation energy.
60
The VOD of explosives used in surface metal mines vary between about
3000 m/s and 7500 m/s. The VOD of
many explosives increases with charge
diameter and confinement. Because of
their high degree of refinement and efficiency, emulsion explosives can maintain very high VOD even with poor confinement and in small diameters.
Energy/strength
The energy of an explosive expresses

the ability of the explosive to do work.
An explosive with greater energy will
be able to do more work on the surrounding rock. Energy produced by an explosive can be calculated using thermodynamic codes and measured using a
variety of techniques.
Primer-sensitive explosives
Primer-sensitive explosives have relatively low sensitivity to shock, friction

and impact, resulting in excellent safety
and handling characteristics. The reliable detonation of primer-sensitive explosives requires initiation by a primer
(e.g. Pentex) that is in good contact
with the charge. Ammonium nitrate is
the major ingredient of most primer sensitive explosives.
Shock energy, gas energy and

heave energy
Following detonation, high-pressure

gases compress and crush the rock immediately surrounding the explosives.
This results in an increase in the size of
the blasthole and will vary according
to the characteristics of the rock. The
energy that is released by the explosive
can be partitioned into two main types,
the shock energy and the heave energy.
The shock energy that is delivered to
the rock is related to the extent and the
rate of the borehole expansion to a socalled equilibrium state and includes
the effects due to sub-optimal initiation.
The energy delivered thus far is termed
shock energy, which is primarily
Detonator-sensitive explosives
Detonator-sensitive explosives include

Pentex boosters and Senatel packaged emulsions, which can be reliably
initiated by a single #8 strength detonator or by a strand of 10 g/m detonating
cord.
Initiating systems
Initiating systems are used to safely

initiate charges of explosives at predetermined times by carrying a firing
signal from one place to another, using
chemical or electrical energy.
Talking Technically
Modern initiating explosives incorporate various explosive and inert

components, which are partly or wholly
consumed in the blast. Small quantities
of signal tubing or wire often remain in
the muckpile.
Non-electric initiating explosives use
pyrotechnic compositions or explosives
to store and transmit energy by controlled shock waves, detonation or burning.
Electric initiating systems require an exploder to generate an electrical charge,
which is transmitted along wires. Blast
timing is usually controlled by pyrotechnic (burning) delay elements located inside detonators.
Non-electric initiating systems based on a signal tube are currently the
most widely used for blasting in surface
metal mines. Most mines now use nonelectric detonators inside blastholes,
with remote initiation of blasts using a
non-electric firing system.
Electronic blasting systems are becoming more common, and differ from
electric and non-electric delay systems
in that the delay time is controlled by
a programmable integrated circuit, resulting in very precise timing. The accuracy and programmability of electronic detonators allows for blast timing
to be tailored to the geometry, geology
and unique requirements of any blasting operation to more effectively use
explosives energy.
Examples of initiating systems produced by Orica.
Bulk explosives
Specialized equipment and tools are

required to safely and effectively mix
and charge explosives in surface metal
mines. Most of the equipment and tools
used in blasting operations are subject
to statutory regulations.
A Mobile Manufacturing Unit
(MMU) is designed to produce and
deliver specif ied bulk explosives
from a manufacturing unit based on
a conventional truck chassis. Orica
MMUs are able to carry large quantities of non-explosive raw materials
to the mine site, avoiding the need to
carry explosives on public or mine
roads. The bulk explosives are manufactured at the blasthole collar and
accurately delivered into blastholes at
high discharge rates. MMUs are produced in a variety of configurations to
meet specific needs. The complexity of
Electronic Blasting Systems can enable a mine to more efficiently achieve its productivity, safety, and
environmental performance objectives..
Talking Technically
designs developed, and possibly to

indicate alternative superior designs.
Initial blast designs must then be progressively improved to optimize mining
operations and costs. Optimum designs
help to produce the required fragmentation, muckpile looseness, muckpile profile, toe conditions and grade control.
In some cases, blast designs must also
minimize flyrock and control ground
vibrations and air overpressures.
Design variables
The Mobile Manufacturing Unit on site (MMU).
the onboard manufacturing facility depends on the type and number of explosives required. The truck on which this
is mounted is selected to suit the material to be carried and the terrain on
which it will operate.
Explosives selection,
priming and charging
Priming and charging of blastholes is
one of the most important parts of a successful blast. Blastholes must be accurately primed and charged to the design
specified by the blast designer.
The objective when selecting a combination of explosives is reliable performance, which will ensure the lowest
overall operating costs without sacrificing safety. When selecting explosives,
the first considerations are the site geology and the end objectives of blasting.
Once assessed, there are other important
considerations such as:
Ground water conditions;
The properties of the rock being blasted, i.e. strength, structure, etc.;
The diameter and depth of blastholes;
Drilling costs and drilling capacity;
The relative explosives cost per unit
of effective energy;
The fragmentation and heave characteristics of the explosives;
Shelf life;
Desired results.
ANFO has often been selected when
blasting dry blastholes. Wet blastholes
62
ideally should be charged with a waterresistant explosive, either an emulsion

or a watergel. The explosive will displace the water up the hole, which may
flow into adjacent dry blastholes. While
ANFO is considered somewhat of a reference point, there has more recently
been an increased emphasis on both
lower and higher energy bulk explosives to meet the evolving demands of
the mining industry.
Other options that may be considered
are:
Dewater the holes using in-hole
pumps, compressed air or other
means, and then treat them as blastholes containing nuisance water by
charging with water-resistant bulk
or packaged explosives to above the
original water level, then continuing
with ANFO.
Charge the wet blastholes with packaged explosives until above the water
level. Then charge with ANFO.
Blast design
When starting to work a new mine or
a new area of an existing mine, it is necessary to develop one or more initial
designs for production blasts. In this situation, some rules of thumb, derived
over many years of relevant practical
experience, should be used for developing these designs. If a detailed assessment of rock mass properties has been
carried out, computer modeling can
be used to assess the suitability of the
Bench height normally lies in the range

of 5-18 meters The selected bench
height is influenced by:
Statutory regulations (excessively
high benches are unsafe and, therefore, not permitted);
Rock mass properties;
The type and size of digging equipment;
Grade - control requirements;
The need to maximize the overall cost
efficiency of drilling and blasting.
Increasing bench height decreases total drilling consumption of primers and
initiators, the labor required for firing,
and the number of mining cycles. Optimum blasthole diameter increases with
bench height. In general, an increase in
blasthole diameter decreases the total
cost of drilling. Drilling accuracy becomes more critical in higher benches
and drill deviation can produce costly
consequences.
Blasthole diameter
Optimum blasthole diameter is greater

for higher benches and for larger digging, hauling and crushing equipment.
Large diameter blastholes are less suitable in strong, massive rock; when minimal broken rock movement is required;
or where it is very important to control
blast vibrations. At large surface mines,
the total cost of mining is usually minimized by drilling large diameter blastholes. Larger diameter blastholes reduce
costs for drilling, primers and initiators
and labor. They usually need higher
powder factors than small diameter
blastholes to give the same fragmentation, especially in strong rocks. Smaller
blastholes give better distribution of
energy in the rock mass.
Talking Technically
Free faces
Effective free face
Forward displacement of blasted rock

occurs if a blast shoots to a free face
(Figure 1). Some movement of the rock
mass is necessary to allow for crack propagation. Increased movement assists
crack propagation and can improve fragmentation. This may not be the main
objective in some operations (e.g. blasting in ore) so free faces may be limited
(choked) to restrict ore dilution.
Blasthole angle
Vertical blastholes are usually used in

surface metal mines because:
Angled blastholes are more difficult
to set up and drill;
Some drills do not have an angled
drilling capability; and
Drilling accuracy is greater with
vertical blastholes.
In free-face blasting, vertical frontrow blastholes often leave variable and
excessive burdens between the top and
bottom of the charge (Figure 2). This
variation is greater in high- or shallowdipping faces and can cause hard,
immovable toe. Front row blastholes
collared near the crest to control the
toe burden can cause explosion gases to
blow out prematurely in the face. (See
Figure 3 and 4)
This blow out has the potential to
create noise, airblast and flyrock and
reduces blasthole pressure near the bench
floor level, which may prevent adequate
breakage and movement of the toe. This
may necessitate the use of some angled
blastholes in front rows. (Figure 5)
Subdrilling and drilled length of

blasthole
Efficient excavation needs toe conditions that suit the digging equipment.
Toe conditions are affected strongly
by the amount of effective subdrilling.
Subgrade or subdrilling is the length
of the explosive charge, which lies
beneath the designed bench floor level.
Unavoidable fallback of drill cuttings
and small rock fragments reduces the
effective subdrilling to less than that
originally drilled. It is good practice
to drill a certain extra distance (which
is longer for higher benches and weaker
rocks) to allow for unavoidable fallback.
Fig 1. Effective free face.
Caution!
Excessive
Burden
Airblast
Flyrock
Required
Burden
Fig 2. Variable burdens, vertical holes.
Fig 3. Excessive blasthole angles cause problems.
Airblast
Flyrock
Caution!
Correct
Burden
Fig 4. Problems with variable burdens.
Fig 5. Angled holes increases rock breakage.
Priming
Bottom priming has several advantages over top priming. They include:
Improved fragmentation, displacement and muckpile looseness;
Reduced toe problems, better floors,
and cleaner faces;
Reduced noise, airblast, flyrock and
surface overbreak; and
Fewer cut-offs and misfires.
The overriding concern in priming is

to locate the primer in the explosives
column and ensure operational safety
and efficiency. The primer is generally
placed at or near grade level. Some operators place the primer at a known distance above or below bench floor level
to ensure that, should a misfire occur,
the excavator operator does not dig directly into a primer.
This may be a valid reason for not
placing the primer at bench floor level.
Charge distribution
Distribution of the explosive charges in the rock mass is an important
Talking Technically
consideration when determining blast

geometry. Crater blasting to a horizontal rock surface has a less efficient
charge distribution but is preferred in
shallow ore deposits where quality control dictates low benches, despite a higher
explosives consumption.
Blasthole pattern
(a)
(a) Paddock
Paddock blast
blast staggered
staggered
(b)
(b) Paddock
Paddock blast
blast square
square
Blasthole patterns depend on blasthole

diameter, rock properties, explosive properties, bench height, and the results
needed. Operating experience and blast
modeling results have shown that, in
massive rocks, better fragmentation and
productivity are obtained with staggered
patterns than with either square or rectangular patterns. Equilateral triangular patterns provide optimum distribution of explosion energy in the rock.
While staggered patterns give the best
theoretical performance, the initiation
sequence can alter the geometry and results of blasts on square or rectangular
patterns.
Spacing-to-burden ratio
(c)
(c) Paddock
Paddock blast
blast rectangular
rectangular
Burden and spacing are related to blasthole diameter, depth, rock type and
charge length. Blasthole spacings considerably smaller than the burden tend
to cause premature splitting between
blastholes and early loosening of the
stemming.
This can cause premature release of
explosion gases to the atmosphere and
considerable overbreak. Loss of heave
energy reduces breakage and produces
large rock slabs in the muckpile.
On the other hand, a spacing-to-burden ratio that is too large can cause the
face midway between back-row blastholes to remain intact, especially near
bench floor level. This results in tight
digging and possibly unbroken toe.
Front-row blastholes
d) Square Fired on Echelon

Fig 6. Blasthole patterns.
64
Special attention should be paid to the

position of front-row blastholes. If the
burden on front-row charges is excessive, it will not be broken by the time
second-row charges detonate. Restriction of motion at the beginning of the
blast can prevent optimum blasting
results throughout the blast. Where
burden is too small, explosion gases
burst rapidly through the face, causing
noise, airblast and flyrock.
Talking Technically
Changing burden and spacing
Changes in burden generally affect

fragmentation, muckpile looseness and
toe much more rapidly than changes in
spacing. If enlarging a blast pattern for
improved economy, it is more common
to increase the blasthole spacing in
steps before altering the burden.
Stemming
Stemming enhances fragmentation and

rock displacement by reducing premature venting of high-pressure explosion
gases to the atmosphere. (Figure 7)
Dry granular materials are best for
stemming because they have inertial
resistance and high frictional resistance
to ejection. Materials that behave plastically or that tend to flow are not suitable for stemming, e.g. water, mud, wet
clay. Stemming length can be reduced
significantly if effective stemming is
used, resulting in better explosive distribution and improved overall fragmentation. Optimum stemming length
depends mainly on blasthole diameter,
stemming material, and surrounding
rock properties. Inadequate stemming
increases collar rock breakage, but decreases overall fragmentation and displacement because explosion gases vent
to the atmosphere more easily and rapidly. It also creates more flyrock, surface overbreak, noise and airblast.
Long stemming lengths ensure good
confinement of explosion gases, but
fragmentation of collar rock becomes
coarser.
Size and shape of blasts
Most oversize rocks come from the

back, sides and top of blasts. Boulders
are created by open fractures in the free
face, irregular burdens and by backbreak around the perimeter. Damage
from previous blasting around the perimeter opens fractures which define
rocks isolated from the rock mass.
These rocks are not fragmented by explosion-generated strains and cracks,
but are merely pushed forward into the
muckpile. In addition, large rocks that
have been torn loose or dislodged can
slide from the new faces into the muckpile. Increasing the blast size reduces
the proportion of large rocks from the
blast perimeter, and therefore improves
overall fragmentation.
(a) Excessive
Airblast & Flyrock
(b) Good
breakage &
displacement
(c) Poor fragmentation
Fig 7. Effect of correct and incorrect stemming.
Allocation of delays
The sequence in which blastholes are

initiated and the time interval between
successive detonations has a major influence on overall blast performance.
The performance of production blasts
can only be optimized when charges detonate in a controlled sequence at suitable discrete, but closely spaced, time
intervals.
Optimum delay allocation for a
blast depends on many factors, which
include:
Rock mass properties (strength,
Youngs modulus, density, porosity,
structure, etc.);
Blast geometry (burden, spacing,
bench height, free faces, etc.);
Diameter, inclination and length of
blasthole;
Explosive characteristics, degree of
coupling, decking, etc.;
Initiating system (surface or in-hole
delays, type of downline, non-electric
or electronic, etc);
Type and location of primer;
Environmental constraints (air and
ground vibration levels and frequency); and
The desired result (fragmentation, muckpile displacement and
profile etc.).
It is not possible to determine optimum
delay allocations from first principles,
but blast monitoring, analysis and interpretation have led to a greater understanding of the mechanisms and significance of blasthole interaction.
Delay along rows
The delay time between adjacent blastholes in a row is sometimes called the
intra-row delay. Firing a single row of
blastholes with the optimum delay between holes produces:
Optimized fragmentation for that
particular blast geometry;
Forward displacement, which is less
than that for an instantaneous singlerow blast; and
Reduced overbreak.
Delay between rows
The delay time between the initiations

of rows of blastholes is sometimes
termed the inter-row delay. The delay
between rows can be as important as
the delay along rows in controlling overall blast performance. Multi-row blasts
are fired using a time delay between
the detonations of successive rows of
blastholes. The burden on each blasthole needs time to move after the detonation to create an effective free face.
Dependent blastholes then fire towards
this new free face developed during the
blast. (Figure 8)
Hole-by-hole initiation
In many situations the simplest method

of blast initiation hook-up is to fire
blastholes row by row or simultaneously along echelons. This will rarely
produce optimum blast performance,
especially in terms of fragmentation or
ground vibrations. The end result can be
improved by introducing hole-by-hole
Talking Technically
between the back row and the pit

limit is too small, there will be too
much overbreak into the final face.
If the standoff distance is too large,
digging back to the design final face
will be difficult, expensive and may
need a bulldozer. (Figure 9)
Blasthole depth If blastholes are
drilled into the berm below then
the succeeding wall will be damaged. Sufficient standoff distances
need to be maintained to designed
crests.
(a) Good "Relief"
Smoothwall blasting techniques
(b) Insufficient "Relief"

Fig 8. Burden relief.
firing, where every blasthole is initiated in sequence at a unique time.

Where appropriate delays are selected,
hole-by-hole initiation exploits the
positive benefits of blasthole interaction while avoiding most of the negative effects. This leads to improved
fragmentation and muckpile looseness,
reduced overbreak, lower ground vibrations, and better control over the final
muckpile position and profile.
Final wall blasting
At most open pit mines, the final slope

of the pit affects profitability appreciably. Steep stable pit walls can be formed by smoothwall blasting techniques, which include cushion blasting,
presplitting and postsplitting. But with
each of these techniques, the combined
cost of drilling and blasting is relatively
high. In some cases, stable pit walls
can be formed without smoothwall
blasting.
66
Careful blast design is the key to producing clean, safe pit walls at minimum
cost. The blast design needs to consider
the rock conditions in the area, the
likely amount of backbreak from this
blast, and the design location of the
final pit limit. Key factors to consider
in final wall blasting are:
Geology Rock properties have the
greatest influence on the effect of
blasting on pit walls. Heavily jointed
rock often produces overbreak along
joint planes.
Blasthole location The location of
the back row of blastholes is critical
to the location of the final pit limit.
The back row of blastholes needs
to be drilled in front of the final pit
limit to allow for backbreak behind
the blastholes. The correct location
depends mainly on previous experience in the pit and trial and error, particularly if the amount of backbreak
is variable. If the standoff distance
Cushion blasting, postsplitting and presplitting are the three common blasting techniques used to produce stable
final walls. Postsplit and presplit blasts
are often used alone to produce stable
walls.
Cushion blasting is frequently overlooked when designing final-wall
blasts, but can be the most versatile and
useful method of the three techniques.
The back-row blastholes in a cushion
blast contain lighter charges than the
production blastholes, and are drilled
on a correspondingly smaller pattern.
Cushion blastholes are usually the same
diameter as the production blastholes in
front of them.
Charge weight is commonly reduced
by about 45 percent, and both burden
and spacing by about 25 percent. The
energy factor is therefore essentially the
same throughout the final wall blast.
A postsplit blast consists of a row
of parallel, closely spaced blastholes
drilled along the final face. These blastholes are charged with a light, welldistributed charge, and fired after the
production blastholes in front have
detonated. Postsplit blastholes split the
rock web between the blastholes to produce a sound smooth face with minimal
overbreak.
Presplitting requires a row of closely
spaced blastholes drilled along the design excavation limit, charged very
lightly, and detonated simultaneously
before the blastholes in front of them.
Special blasting
techniques
While the main emphasis in surface
metal mines is on production blasting,
Talking Technically
there are times when special blasting

techniques are required. These include:
Opening up new benches using
either drop cut or ramp blasting
Mining of weathered and fresh rock
Dilution control
Choke blasting
Blasting ore and waste together
Steeply dipping multi vein orebodies
Shallow dipping narrow vein orebodies
Flat or bedded orebodies
Selective ore blasting
Separate ore and waste blasting
Deck charging
Secondary blasting and popping
Plaster blasting
Floor and toe blasting
Could be Presplit
Production
Blastholes
Final Limit
Maybe Smaller
Diameter
Reduced
Energy per m
Safety and accident prevention
Safe and cost-efficient blasting requires

all mine operators and supervisors to
understand and follow correct procedures for handling and using explosives.
Most mines now have on-site induction
training to develop skills for specific
jobs, including blasting. Many mines
have written work procedures, which
specify the method, tools and equipment to be used for each job. These procedures, combined with local mine rules
and statutory regulations, are designed
to maintain the health and safety of
all people working in the mining environment.
Blasting requires the use of special
tools and equipment, which are usually
subject to statutory regulations. All
tools and equipment used for charging
and firing explosives should be properly maintained, regularly checked and
correctly used.
There should be no improvisation or
substitution, as this can cause injuries
and accidents.
There are many hazards when working in and about a mine. The additional
hazards associated when using explosives that need to be mitigated are:
Electrical hazards that can affect the
use of electric detonators. The sources of electrical current are static,
stray currents from machinery, lightning and radio frequency energy.
Heavy impact on initiating explosives
Vehicles driving over explosives
Hot and reactive ground
No Subgrade
Final Limit
Fig 9. Placement of blastholes along final pit limits.
Misfires
Fume
Walking on rough ground and
around blast holes
Vehicle and pedestrian congestion
on the bench
Charging blastholes safely
Before charging commences, the blasting area should be barricaded and

marked with cautionary signs and
lights. All unnecessary tools, equipment and people not involved with blasting should be removed from the area.
Smoking must not be permitted near
explosives or charging operations.
The quantity of explosives delivered to the job should not far exceed
immediate requirements, and any
unused explosives must be returned to
the magazine when charging has been
completed.
Explosives and detonators must be
kept apart in separate containers until
charging commences. These containers
should be located in a safe place, clear
of equipment, and marked by appropriate signs or lighting.
Electric detonators must be kept
clear of all sources of electricity and all
potential conductors of stray currents.

Electric detonators should be kept coiled, with the lead wires shorted together, until they are used.
All blastholes should be cleared of
obstructions and checked for length
before charging. Drilling sludge and
loose rocks should be washed or blown
out before charging.
Economics and benefits

Cost effectiveness of drilling and blasting can be defined in many ways, but
the bottom line is that these operations must contribute to the best overall
economic result for the total mining
operation. Drilling and blasting influences many different processes in a
mine, with the benefits of a cost-effective blast being felt anywhere from digging to maintenance, hauling, crushing and milling, ore recovery to labor
utilization and secondary breakage.
Therefore, decisions on drilling and blasting need to be made in the overall context, and should not generally be based
on short-term economic factors.
The development and introduction of
bulk explosives and efficient delivery
Talking Technically
Cost per
Tonne
Total
Costs
Unit Costs ($)
Zone of
Minimum
Total Costs
Load & Haul

Crushing
A
Drill
& Blast
Secondary
Fragmentation
Fig 10. Costs versus fragmentation.
systems has provided a quantum step

forward in blasting efficiency and has
allowed cost reduction through economies of scale.
The factors contributing to economic
production in mines include:
Productivity
Overburden/waste removal
Primary raw feed/mine production/
sales tonnage
Mobile equipment capacity/type and
availability
Fixed plant capacity/type
Ore grade control factors
Maximizing reserves through structural stability
Minimizing stripping ratio: waste/
ore
Mine conditions
Type and extent of overburden/

waste
Rock type and geology
Height and inclination of operating
benches
Ground water conditions
Environmental constraints
Labor force competence

Training
Motivation and numbers
Operating costs vs
fragmentation
Drilling and blasting results have a
major impact on each part of a mine's
68
operations. The optimization criteria

for mine production operations can be
expressed as finding the right combination of activity costs, and managing
them in order to minimize the overall
production costs (Note: this does not
mean that reducing any particular
parameter in isolation will necessarily
result in a lowering of overall costs).
Figure 10 schematically represents the
activity costs as a function of maximum fragmentation size. The relationship between these activity costs varies
from mine to mine.
The curve is divided into three zones
A, B and C. Zone B is where the total
costs are minimized within a controllable and acceptable range. In zones
A and C the unit costs of one or more
activities make the overall production
cost excessive. In this case, the cost
effectiveness of blasting does not necessarily increase with a decrease in
blasting costs, and changes can often
be counterproductive.
The best time to break rock is
undoubtedly during the primary blast
the aim being to achieve desired and
predictable fragmentation, muckpile
looseness, and a suitable muckpile
profile for ease of digging. During the
evaluation, other key issues may be:
To modify fragmentation to suit
excavator or crusher specifications;
To make blasting more environmentally acceptable;
To improve labor utilization allocated to blasting;
The PV-351 can drill blastholes up to 16 inches in

diameter.
To reduce blasting costs, particularly

in wet areas;
To protect pitwalls or control overbreak damage; and
To maximize recovery of product
ore.
The process of optimizing blasting
must be done in a controlled manner
so that the inf luence of changes on
blast performance can be measured
and evaluated. It is most important that
changes are made one at a time, and
that a thorough analysis of the total cost
and the blast performance are made to
enable any benefits to be identified and
quantified.
Acknowledgements
Article provided by Orica, the world's
leading provider of commercial explosives, blasting systems and blast based
services. Read more at:
www.oricaminingservices.com
Talking Technically
Fuel saving clutch

Automatic
clutch system
With rising diesel and electricity
costs, reducing fuel consumption is vital to stay competitive in
todays market. A new innovative
solution to reduce the fuel consumption in drilling applications
is the patent pending automatic
hydraulic clutch. It disengages
the compressor from the diesel
engine during non-drilling operations.
Turning the compressor off

Atlas Copco is once again taking the
industry lead by introducing and implementing the patent-pending automatic
clutch system on selected surface drilling machines. Although this is new to
the mining market, it is a time proven
technology that has been used in other
industries. Through an integrated
clutch-control unit that activates the
clutch, our engineers have developed
this option to help mines save on the
fuel costs and maintenance, and to contribute in helping the environment by
drastically reducing the amount of fuel
consumed by our machines.
Typically, if you were to study a
drill in a surface mine, you would find
it performing one of the following
tasks: drilling, propelling/tramming,
leveling and rod handling. Today, both
the engine and compressor run at all
times for all five functions, although
the compressor is only required for one
of these tasks: to get the cuttings out of
the hole during the drilling cycle.
Wouldnt it be advantageous, though,
to only use the compressor during drilling and not for the other four phases?
For example, turning the air compressor
on-and-off when deemed necessary and
saving horsepower drawn on the engine
would be greatly beneficial. Even with
the air switched off the compressor still
uses approximately 30% of the rated
horsepower even in standby mode.
This action alone could ultimately save
The automatic clutch system was first introduced for the Pit Viper 235 series and is now also available for
the PV-271, PV-275 and PV-311.
a mine thousands of dollars in fuel and

maintenance costs not to mention the
vast impact that less fuel usage would
have on the environment.
No change to rig operation

With the addition of the clutch system,
it is important to note that the operation
of the machine will remain the exact
same; the clutch integration is minimal
(which also means the clutch can easily
be retrofitted to a machine already
in the field) and will not require any
additional inputs from the operator (See
Figure 1). Once the operator is ready
to drill another hole, they set up the
machine as usual and then turn the air
ON. At this moment a signal is sent
to the clutch control unit and the engine
speed automatically drops to around

900 rpm and the clutch begins feathering the engagement.
Once the speed of the compressor
matches the speed of the engine, the
engine automatically ramps back up
to full speed, the air is now ON and
the compressor has already started
to generate air. All of this happens
within three seconds, so there is no
visible delay. Once the hole is drilled,
the operator then turns OFF the air,
disengaging the compressor, and moves
on to the next hole.
Lets look at a scenario that utilizes
the exact same machine drilling both
single-pass and multi-pass, with and
without a clutch.
If two machines are compared, one
with the clutch system and one without
Talking Technically
le a
nin g
Posi
tio
ni
ng
illi
Dr
The clutch omits the parasitic load of

the compressor on the engine during
start-up, specifically in cold weather
environments. This ultimately increa ses engine and compressor life over
the life of the machine.
On previous configurations, the com
pressor did not have a dedicated hour
Leveling
ng
ec
ol
Combined with Atlas Copcos large

capacity fuel and water tanks, the
clutch system can greatly increase production time while reducing the amount
of time that fuel and water trucks spend
making trips down to the machine at
the bottom of the pit. For example, a
Three benefits of the clutch

option
Figure 1: Clutch system, the patent pending automatic clutch system supplied as an option for selected rotary blasthole drill rigs. Below: A rig
equipped with this system only uses compressed
air for drilling and hole cleaning (yellow arrows).
mi
Added advantages
mine can maximize the fuel capacity

on a PV-275 up to 2,365 liters (625 gallons), and still have a 3,100 liter (822
gallon) water tank. The combination of
the large fuel and water tanks would
allow the machine to run for over 24
hours of operation without the fuel
truck needing to make a visit, as well
as provide the machine with over 24
hours of water.
As an ISO 14001 certified company,
Atlas Copco continually strives to
ensure that the highest environmental
standards are adhered to during the
design, assembly, and utilization of
our machines. This additional and welcomed option is just one item in a large
portfolio of options that we offer on our
machines, all catered toward designing and manufacturing enviro mentally
conscious equipment. The clutch system
not only contributes to reducing a mines
operating budget, but more importantly
we are able to support the mine through
a wide range of safety and environmental options. Our ability to do this ultimately helps our customers to pursue
their goal of responsible mining, which
benefits not only the environment but
their personnel as well.
m
Tr a
working in the exact same rock formation, it is easy to visualize the immediate fuel savings from one single-drilled
hole.
Extending out the fuel savings of one
hole over a mines yearly production can
greatly assist in reducing the bottom line.
As we can see from the chart (Figure 2),
the fuel savings tend to increase during
multi-pass drilling since the machine
spends more time performing nondrilling functions when compared to a
single-pass machine. Furthermore, the
fuel savings are also higher in soft rock
formations when compared to a hard
rock formation.
The reason for this lies in the fact
that in order to drill hard rock, the
machine typically spends more time
drilling the rock compared to handling
the drill pipe, ultimately consuming more horsepower and fuel than a
machine used purely for rotary drilling.
Regardless of whether a mine is multipass drilling or single-pass drilling in a
soft or hard rock formation, the reality
is that there is potential for sizeable
cost savings. In fact, with some preliminary studies of this option, we have
seen some increasingly high fuel savings that could make a significant difference in any mines operating budget.
Pip e
h a n d li n
Working cycle.
meter and therefore the service inter val and rebuild time was dependant
on when the engine had to be ser viced or rebuilt. With the clutch, the
compressor has its own hour meter
and its own service interval based
only on hours of actual use.
The advantage of getting the job
done with less fuel is an added bene fit in itself, not just for the mine but
for the environment as well.
Maureen Bohac
WITHOUT Clutch
WITH Clutch
Bench
Height
11
35
14
75
35
115
47
155
53
175
m
ft
Figure 2: Fuel Consumption based on Depth Drilled . An indication of fuel savings when drilling at different depths in soft formations. Savings with the clutch
increase with the depth of the hole and number of pipe changes and will also be greater when drilling in soft rock where the rate of penetration is high. Actual
savings must be estimated for each drill rig and application.
70
Talking Technically
The mid-range Pit Viper 235

The star of
MINExpo 2008
The new ultra class haul trucks
in the Central Hall arguably may
have achieved the greatest visual
impact at MINExpo 2008, but surface mine drillers attending the
record-breaking Las Vegas show
in 2008 hailed their own new
star in the North Hall the Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions Pit Viper
235 at the Atlas Copco display.
This PV-230 class machine thus
followed in the tracks of the first
Pit Viper model, the PV-351, which
was launched at MINExpo 2000,
and the PV-270 series models introduced at MINExpo 2004.
Efficiency and productivity

The PV-235 has a weight on bit of up
to 65,000 pounds (29,500 kg) and is
designed for rotary or downhole (DTH)
drilling of 6-inch to 9 -inch (152 251
mm) diameter holes. Competitive performance and excellent long-term reliability have been key marketing points
for the Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions
range of drilling rigs for a long time.
The PV-235 is specified and fabricated
to maintain this reputation, with particular attention having been paid to the
reduction of horsepower demand and
non-drilling time. The cab and control
technology have been significantly
upgraded and the diesel engine options
are Tier II and Tier III units.
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions has
again placed great emphasis on flexibility in application, and the PV-235 is
available with two towers to drill 35 ft
(10.7 m) or 40 ft (12.2 m) clean 230 mm
holes. The new machine can be configured in a surprising number of ways
to offer an optimal match to a mines
particular operating method and environment.
Like the PV-351 and the PV-270
models, the PV-235 will be available
with either a choice of diesel engines
or an electric motor. And it retains the
Pit Viper 235 is capable of dilling a single pass 40 ft clean hole.
hydraulic systems, including the rotary

head, that have consistently been preferred by the Atlas Copco design and
engineering team for many years.
Less mass, more options

Starting at ground level, the PV-235
has a newly designed platform. It is
built with two-speed hydraulic excavator style Caterpillar 330 undercarriages the 330L for units with the
35 ft tower, and 330EL when the
40 ft tower is fitted. The dimensions for

the PV-235 version with tower up is 34
feet 2 inches long and 14 feet 6 inches
wide (10.4 x 4.4 m). The high-speed
tram operates with the tower lowered.
The plate steel frame is new to blasthole drill construction and was designed using finite element analysis. The
material thickness is one third that of
an equivalent welded plate construction
and has a better fatigue life. The frame
accommodates the 450, 600, and 1050
gallon fuel and water tanks, which are
Talking Technically
The enclosure option will reduce noise and provide cold weather protection; full-length doors offer easy
service access.
The hydraulic automatic cable tensioning cylinder is a time saver for maintenance .
For angle drilling the PV-235 uses a pivot at the base of the tower with adjustments from vertical to
30 degrees in 5-degree increments, while keeping the deck level.
72
isolation mounted. An additional 400gallon water deck tank can be fitted if

no dust collector is used. Another 200
gallon belly tank is now offered with
the non-drill end deck extension.
For safer, easier and quicker trouble
shooting and maintenance, the Grip Strut
open mesh deck provides excellent access to the superstructure elements, including ground level battery and starter
isolators, deck level access for the service
points on most systems, and quick fills
at waist level. The deck hose and cable
trays manage the routing and clean up
the decking. An optional bolt-on drum
deck on the drill end adds extra space
for lube and other fluids storage tanks,
and cleans up the deck area to allow
300 of access and improved serviceability. Other optional fittings include a
central lubrication system, fire suppression equipment, a jump start receptacle
and a spring assisted emergency ladder.
For mounting on this platform, Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions has decided
to offer customers a wider choice of
power system options than on previous
models. The structure is similar to that
designed for the Pit Viper 351, with an
independent sub-structure and threepoint isolated mounting. But there is a
wider choice of Cummins or Caterpillar
engines, covering the range 600 800
hp at 1,800 rpm with the Cummins
QSX 15 to QSK 19 or Cat C18 to C27
engines, all meeting Tier II, III or IV
regulations.
There is also a wider choice of air
compressors, as either single-stage asymmetrical oil flooded Atlas Copco
or Ingersoll-Rand rotary screw units
are available for low pressure (1,600
1,900 CFM, 100 psi) rotary drilling,
and the two-stage equivalents for high
pressure (1,250 or 1,450 CFM @ 350
psi or 1,300 CFM @ 435 psi) downhole
drilling. An Electronic Air Regulation
System (EARS) allows low load starting.
An Atlas Copco patent pending
automatic hydraulic clutch between the
engine and the air end has been introduced during 2010 as a new option for
the Pit Viper 235 series. The benefit of
this clutch is that it will disengage the
air compressor from the engine when
the air end is switched off. In a traditional power package, the compressor
consumes approximately 30% of its
Talking Technically
rated power at standby. Installation of

this clutch eliminates fuel being used
for this standby power consumption
and allows for a low idle speed. While
changing rods, levelling, or moving
between the holes, the air compressor
is disengaged allowing for horsepower
savings during those cycles as well
as increasing the service interval and
life on the air compressor. The clutch
removes parasitic engine loads at start
up as the compressor is not engaged,
therefore decreasing engine load and
increasing engine compressor life.
The hydraulic system has been further refined with load sensing pumps
and other features to reduce horsepower
demand. The heavy duty Funk gearbox
is driven by a drive shaft from the front
of the engine. There is one piston pump
for rotation; one load sensing piston
pump for the feed, set-up and auxiliary
functions; and one pressure-compensated piston pump for the fan circuit.
The propel function uses the feed and
rotation pumps and there is an in-cab
switch to select the diverter valves. The
valve rack is centrally located for easy
service access, at the same time simplifying hose runs and control wiring.
The pressurized hydraulic fluid tank
has a capacity of over 100 gallons and
the filters are serviced at waist level.
To allow operation at ambient temperatures up to 125 F (52 C) the cooling system features oversized radiators.
Variable speed control helps to reduce
fuel consumption and noise and improves cold weather performance. The low
fan speed also lowers noise emissions.
Available as an option is a very smart
enclosure that further reduces noise, provides cold weather protection and has
full length doors for service access.
The RCS provides various levels of automation.
and the updated four-rod carousel, the

40 ft tower can be used to multi-pass
drill to a maximum depth of 200 feet
(61 m).
The PV-235 is fitted with a standard
spur gear head design that is also used
on the DM45 and DML. Alternatively
there is the option to chose a two-speed
head delivering either 4,900 lbf-ft

(6.6 kNm) at 110-190 rpm, or 8,200 lbf-ft
(11.1 kNm) at 0-110 rpm. The options
direct drive rotary head tends to require
less maintenance than the standard spur
gear head. Both of these rotary heads
are fitted with adjustable wear guides
that follow the length of the tower. The
Clutch
Output-side
coupling
Bolts
Towers
The open front structure of the two
towers available is similar to that used
on the other Pit Viper models fabricated from rectangular steel tubing by
certified welders and having four main
vertical members. The 40-foot (12.2 m)
and 35-foot (10.7 m) hole depths mentioned previously are the distance from
ground level to the bottom of the hole,
while the top of the bit basket is 5 feet
above ground level. Using a starter rod
Input-side
torsional
coupling
The optional fuel saving clutch will disengage the compressor when not drilling.
Talking Technically
The FOPS designed cab offers excellent visibility and comfort.
single cylinder cable feed designed

for the PV-235s 40 ft tower provides
a hydraulic pulldown force of 60,000
pounds and a further improvement in
non-drilling speeds. The sheave diameter: cable diameter (D/d) ratio is 22:1
and reverse bending of the cables, which
can create excess fatigue and shorten
cable life, is eliminated. The pulldown
rate is 140 ft/min with the 40 ft tower
and 193 ft/min for the 35 ft tower.
Retract is 202 ft/min with the longest
tower and 195 ft/min for the other.
Auto-tensioning of the cable, necessary
to counter the loss of tension caused
by cable stretch is by means of a single
cylinder with exclusive balancing yoke.
For angle drilling the PV-235 uses
a pivot at the base of the rig tower,
proven on the earlier Pit Vipers, with
adjustment from vertical to 30 in 5
increments. But the rear telescopic support legs provided on the larger rigs
are unnecessary. This single pivot design reduces non-drilling time significantly, with tower raising and lowering improved. The rig has a new twocylinder impact slide wrench for drill
string breakout that has replaced the
single-cylinder deck fork used on previous models. The new patented Atlas
Copco twin cylinder break out-wrench
is standard on the PV-235. Breaking the
pipe joint is done below the table and
74
allows the deck fork to be used while

clamping the upper rod and allowing
for adjustment from 4 " - 8" (115-203
mm) OD drill pipe allowing for wear.
The rear jacks are incorporated into
the new tower rest, as are the exhaust
mounts, air cleaners and lights. The
arch-shaped tower rest adds torsional
stiffness to the frame and riser arms
secure the tower when it has been lowered, reducing wear during tramming.
The optional non-drill end deck extension is provided with an integrated
tower access, a fall restraint system and
an extended tower infill for accessing
the tower for service and maintenance
while it is in horizontal position.
Even better cab

Together with the power system enclosure, if fitted, the most distinctive
feature of the latest Pit Viper is the cab.
The cantilevered pod-type FOPS design is a further advance on the progress achieved with the PV-270 series
machines in terms of both capabilities
and appearance. Visibility is enhanced
not only by the shape of the cab and
large glass area, but also by tinted
windows, improved wiper/washers and
six Nordic integral lights (which also
consume less power than conventional
ones). The integrated air conditioning
system, with a hydraulically powered

compressor, evaporator and condenser,
is mounted under the cab rather than
on the side. The Atlas Copco engineers
worked with the cab supplier to achieve
further noise reduction and have tested
at 70 dBa. For easier housekeeping
there are fitted floor mats and a sweepout door at the non-drill end. Optional
offers are a safety camera system and a
radio/CD player for the cab, as well as a
Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS).
The standard controls are the proven
Atlas Copco RCS computerized network rig control system, which provides various levels of automation, in
common with the rigs manufactured by
the companys surface and underground
teams in Sweden. For the PV-235 these
options include remote tramming, auto
leveling and GPS navigation, all of
which can help minimize non-drilling
time, and also measure while drilling
logging technology (See page 29 for
RCS explanation). Prospects for the new
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions model
are good as the PV-235 enjoys the same
level of success as its predecessors.
Dustin Penn
Talking Technically
Development through interaction

Single- or multi-pass
drilling
The large range Pit Viper 270 series drilling rigs provide 75,000
lbf (340 kN) force on bit and can
be equipped for either rotary or
down-the-hole (DTH) drilling.
The automation platform for the
Pit Viper series is the Rig Control
System (RCS) and many PV-270
machines have been provided
with RCS. The new PV-270 RCSseries is built with a new larger
cabin and RCS-Basic as standard.
The PV 270 series combine structural features of the PV-351, and
components successfully used
on the DM45, DM-M2 and DM-M3
models, and some new ones,
including Tier II engine options.
These features were incorporated
as a result of extensive discussions
with customers already using the
Drilling Solutions equipment range
Low center of gravity

Clearly an essential quality for this market is f lexibility, though the design
engineering team could not ignore the
across-the-board industry requirement
for maintenance convenience and cost
effectiveness. These two characteristics
are evident from the PV-270 crawler
tracks through to the choice of singlepass or multi-pass drilling.
The PV-270 machines offer a choice
of proven Caterpillar and Atlas Copco
undercarriages to enhance their compatibility with other mine fleet members.
The PV-271 is built with the extended
version of either the CAT 345XL or
the Atlas Copco GT3400, while the
PV-275 can have either the standard
19-foot 6-inch (5.9 m) CAT 345XL with
GFT110 final drive or the ACGT 3400
tracks.
The design and testing process used
for the PV-270 main frame was generally similar to that for the Pit Viper 351.
To ensure long frame life without rebuilds, the I-beam used is 24 inches
thick with a cross section of 162 lb./ft.
smaller than the PV-351 frame but
A PV-270 RCS-series used for blasthole drilling in an American mine.
larger than the one used on the DM-M3

rig. The structure achieves a low center of gravity for good stability and
reduces drilling vibration. Single pass
stability ratings, adjusted for dynamic
conditions, are 5 with cab facing
downhill and 8 tramming across the
slope, both with tower up, and 10 with
tower down, cab facing uphill. The equivalent multi-pass figures are respectively 11, 13, and 16. The rigs also
offer the customer a choice between a
standard three jack configuration and
four, with the rear jacks tied as on the
Pit Viper 351.
Power options
The power system setup for the PV-270
series machines is structurally similar
to that on the Pit Viper 351 but includes
a choice of matched engines and compressors suitable for the rotary or downhole drilling options. The engines offered, which are Tier II compliant, are
the 760 hp (567 kW) Cummins QSK
19, the 800 hp (597 kW) Caterpillar
C27, and the larger 950 hp (709 kW)
Cater-pillar C32. There is a single
side-by-side hydraulic/compressor/
radiator cooler package. The IngersollRand compressor options are a 1,900

CFM (900 l/s) unit or a 2,600 CFM
(1230 l/s) supplying 110 psi (760 kPa),
plus a 1,450 CFM (680 l/s) air compressor delivering air at 350 psi (2,400 kPa)
for downhole drilling. The CAT C32
engine is fitted on those rigs using the
2,600 CFM compressor.
The Atlas Copco patent-pending
automatic hydraulic clutch, between the
engine and the air end that was introduced during 2010 as a new option for
the Pit Viper 235 series, is now available on the PV-270 series. The benefit of
this clutch is that it will disengage the
air compressor from the engine when
the air end is switched off. In a traditional power package, the compressor
consumes approximately 30% of its
rated power at standby. Installation of
this clutch eliminates fuel being used
for this standby power consumption
and allows for a low idle speed.
While changing rods, levelling,
or moving between the holes, the air
compressor is disengaged allowing for
horsepower savings during those cycles
as well as increasing the service interval and life on the air compressor. The
Talking Technically
The PV-271 RCS is fitted with a larger cab. The computerized network rig control system (RCS) provides
varoius levels of safety interlocks and automation.
The PV-271 live tower is dimensioned for 55-foot single-pass drilling, there is also a 65-foot clean hole single
pass drilling tower option where a pipe must be racked when levering the tower.
76
clutch removes parasitic engine loads

at start up as the compressor is not
engaged, therefore decreasing engine
load and increasing engine and compressor life.
The electric power pack option comprises alternatively a 700 hp (520 kW)
WEG 6808 motor running on 6,000 V
AC/50 Hz current and coupled with
an 1,800 CFM/50Hz Ingersoll Rand
air compressor, or a 900 hp (671 kW)
WEG 6811 motor running on 4,160 V
AC/60 Hz power that is coupled to the
Ingersoll Rand 2,600 CFM/60 Hz air
compressor. An electric powered version for downhole drilling is available
for the PV-270 machines, albeit limited
to 1,070 CFM and 350 psi for 50 Hz
application. The motor is completely
enclosed and is cooled by a fan with
the highest rating in the industry, which
allows the unit to operate without a machinery house. An oil-immersed nonflammable 40 kVA transformer protects the motor, providing 380 V AC
for the extensive heating package used
for all the reservoirs. The high voltage
safety circuit and the operator controls
run on 110 V AC that is converted to
24 V DC so that the electric machine
can use the same components as the
diesel-driven rigs.
Experience shows that electric motors typically last 20,000 30,000 hours
before replacement or rebuild in this application, as compared with the 10,000
14,000 hour life usually attained by
diesel engines. This is one reason why
there is growing interest in the electric
Pit Vipers, to which Atlas Copco has
also responded by matching the electric
power pack to a mines available power
supply. For example, four PV-275 rigs
have been delivered to the Moroccan
phosphates producer Office Chrifien
des Phosphates (OCP) for operation at
5,500 V AC.
Like that on the PV-351, the hydraulic system for the 270 series utilizes a
leak-free, clean specification. However
it has the single gearbox and three
pumps configuration used on the
DM-M3 rig, albeit with larger units;
using fewer components has proved to
reduce operating cost. There are two
main pumps for feed, rotation and propel, while the double pump supplies the
auxiliary functions.
Talking Technically
The PV-271 Rotary head.
The PV-271 RCS and PV-275 RCS are fitted with a new state of the art cabin, featuring visibility and comfort
for the operator while undertaking complete machine control.
The air cleaners are similar to those

on the PV-351, with one provided for
the Cummins engine, two for the CAT,
one for the 1,900 CFM air compressor
and two for the 2,600 CFM unit. These
and the other serviced units are easily
accessed from the PV-270 deck, which
is designed on similar lines to that of
the PV-351, while retractable ladders
are also available.
hole tower option, but with this unit

one drill pipe must be racked and the
rotary head brought down in order to
lower the tower for relocation. Like the
power pack, the variable displacement
rotary head for the PV-270 rigs is very
similar to the proven design used on
the DM-M2 machine. The rotary head
also has a filtered lubrication pump
to keep the motor splines lubricated.
Equipped with two motors, the 188 hp
(252 kW) rotary head delivers up to
8,700 foot pounds (11.8 kNm) of torque.
Maximum speed is 150 rpm. Internal
spur gear speed reduction gives better
torque on rough ground, and in other
circumstances where the head stalls are
later than other designs.
The hydraulic rod support with
automatic actuation is essentially the
same as that proven on the DM-M3 rig.
There is also an upper fixed rod catcher.
Again like the PV-351, the Pit Viper
270 series drilling rigs use the cable
feed system introduced on the DM-M3,
however with some redesign to achieve
faster feed speeds. The feed rate is 127 ft.
/min. (38 m./min.) and the retract
rate is 158 ft./min. (48 m./min.). The
automatic tensioning is derived from
Three towers
The two machines comprising the Pit
Viper 270 series are primarily differentiated by their towers. These are of similar construction to those on the PV-351
but are new designs, not stretched or
lighter weight versions of the existing
design.
The PV-271 live tower is dimensioned for 55-foot (16.7 m) clean hole
single-pass drilling. Like the PV-351
it does have a two-rod changer, in this
case for 25-foot rods enabling drilling to a total depth of 105 feet. With
a four-rod carousel holding 40-foot
pipe, the PV-275 is designed for multipass drilling to a maximum depth of
195 feet. There is also a 65-foot clean
the PV-351 system which has proved

problem-free to date. The pipe handling
system on the PV-271 is similar to that
on the PV-351, and the PV-275 is similar to the DM-M3. The PV-270 series
machines also use the same patented
system for angle drilling as the Pit
Viper 351, with 0 - 30 adjustment in
5 increments for the multi-pass PV-275
and 0 - 20 adjustment in 5 increments
for the single pass PV-271. These rigs
are quite widely used for angle drilling,
both in coal mines and in metal mines
for toe blasting.
Cab commonalitys
There are two different cab options
available for the PV-270 series. With
the development of the RCS option,
we have incorporated the new state
of the art cabin into the PV-270 RCS
machine design. While rigs without the
RCS control system are fitted with the
same single piece cab as that used for
concurrent DM45, DML, and PV-270
machines. It meets the FOPS requirements of ISO 3449 Level 2, is thermally insulated and pressurized, and has
adjustable vents for climate control. The
Talking Technically
air conditioning unit is side mounted,

which, along with other detailed features, makes this cab easier to service
so no roof access is required. The sound
damping has been tested down to 70
dB(A) on the new cabin. The operator enjoys excellent visibility over the
ergonomically designed wrap-around
console. The controls are predominantly electric-over-hydraulic sticks.
Options
As well as the four jack system, options
available for the PV-270 series rigs when
they were introduced included a dry
dust collector with 9,000 CFM blower,
four-camera system with LCD monitor,
buddy seat, water injection, fire suppression, cold weather package, a central fast
service system, high intensity Nordic
lights, and a hydraulic test station (that
is now standard). The integrated tower
access ladder, a fall restraint system and
an extended tower infill for accessing the
tower for service and maintenance while
it is in horizontal position is an available
option. There is also an option for
non-drill end tower access ladder, fall
restraint system, and extended tower
infill for accessing the tower while in
horizontal position, as well as a number
of ground level service options.
Rapid acceptance
The Pit Viper 270 series rigs were rapidly
accepted since its launch at MINExpo
2004. It was a machine that got it right in
terms of all the parts working together
perfectly, and customers seem to agree.
In only four years the sales of the PV-270
series sur passed the accumulated
14-year sales record of its predecessor,
the DM-M2.
Barrick was one of the first mines to
use a PV-271 at their Goldstrike operations, and the company now has nine
of them. Newmont was another early
customer, buying four PV-271 machines
for the Yanacocha gold mine in Peru,
and now has 17 of these rigs. Copper
mining customers include FreeportMcMoRan which now has over 20 machines.
Most recently, the PV-270 series has
broken into the Australian coal and metals markets.
78
Pit Viper 271 working in a copper mine.
Many of the PV- 270 series rigs have

been ordered for coal applications
mainly in South Africa, Russia and
the USA. The other major applications
are in copper and gold, mostly in the
Americas, and iron ore mines in Africa,
Latin America, Russia and Ukraine.
Almost all of the PV-275 machines
are equipped for rotary drilling, but a
significant number of the PV-271 units
have ben configured for downhole
drilling, mainly single-pass drilling of

8-inch diameter holes at gold mines.
Since the first PV-275 was shipped
for testing at Peabodys Kayenta coal
mine in 2003 and the 2004 MINExpo
launch of the new models, more than
250 units of the PV-270 series rigs have
been shipped to customers.
Dustin Penn
Talking Technically
The large Pit Viper 310 series

Launched at
MINExpo 2012
Following tradition, Atlas Copco
Drilling Solutions extends its
blasthole drills range at a fourth
straight MINExpo. At MINExpo
2012 the company will exhibit
both the PV-235 and a new rig,
the PV-311, that is slated to be the
first model in a new PV-310 series.
Like the PV-351 this is a rotary
rig set up for single-pass work,
but able to drill deeper holes if
required. However, it is a more
compact machine designed to
drill in soft and hard rock formations using a narrower range of
large hole sizes at the lower end
of the PV-351 range and the upper
side of the PV-270 models capability. As with the PV-270 series,
the second model will be a multipass version the PV-316.
Firmly family
The Pit Viper 310 series can drill a 65-foot clean hole in a single pass.
Market-driven, but staying with proven and preferred design concepts,

the Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions
team in Garland have developed the
crawler-mounted Pit Viper range using
an iterative process. These rigs have
established a reputation for excellent
performance and reliability and offer
a full complement of state-of-the-art
features. No surprise then that the new
PV-310 series are conceptually and
visually Pit Vipers. By utilizing a very
high proportion of proven technology
from previous Pit Viper series, trends
of greater energy efficiency and safety
continue.
The standard undercarriage is an
Atlas Copco 375 class extended unit,
a robust frame and tower structural
engineering and fabrication are similar
to the previous models, along with four
jacks. Once again, a choice of diesel or
electric power supply is offered, as are
Ingersoll Rand or Atlas Copco compressor model options. The fuel saving
automatic clutch introduced in 2010 for

the PV-235 is also available as an option
on the PV-310 series, and the hydraulic
system again includes load sensing
technology for auxillary uinctions.
The hydraulic top-head drive drill
rotation system that our Garland engineers have always preferred is retained.
So is the automatically tensioned
hydraulic cable feed, which is much
lighter (and less noisy) than a chain
feed system, which enables productiontime while maximizing live tower
operation. Hydraulic powered break
out tools are once more provided.
The new large cabin is again insulated, pressurized, air conditioned
and FOPS certified with high quality
seating, and provides the operator with
excellent visibility, touch screen and
joystick controls. The computerized
Rig Control System (RCS) is time
proven, but, at the same time, remains
sufficiently agile to support new developments in control technology.
However, size matters to both present and potential Pit Viper customers,
so the new models bring to the marketplace a new combination of power and
hole diameter/ hole depth ranges. The
other key new features are a choice of
diesel engines with Tier 4 compliance
for those who need it and the even more
spacious cab design.
Nimble versatility
The first PV-310 series rotary blasthole drilling rig provides a maximum
weight-on-bit of 110,000 lbf (490 kN),
while the machines operating weight
ranges from 310,000 340,000 lb
(140,600 154,000 kg) depending on
specification. The rig is 25 ft wide and
is 98.5 ft long with the tower down.
With the tower up it is 47 ft long (almost
6 ft shorter than the PV-351 and only
5 ft 9 ins longer than the PV-271). With
the tower up the machine is 100.5 ft
high, and 28.5 ft long when the tower
Talking Technically
Atlas Copcos patent-pending clutch (left) is designed to significantly save on fuel costs. The new Atlas Copco heavy duty, high torque undercarriage. (right)
is down. The optional Caterpillar 350

custom undercarriage has a hydraulic
propel system, hydraulic track tensioning, and a 162,000 lbf-ft (220 kNm)
final drive. Alternatively, the standard
heavy duty Atlas Copco 375 undercarriage can be fitted as on the machine
displayed at MINExpo. With this latter
platform the power supply system provides a choice of two tramming speeds,
either 1.0 or 1.6 mph, as on the PV-235.
The main frame is made with wide
f lange structural steel I-beam, like
that on the PV-351, but with newly
developed cross members designed
to increase frame fatigue life. For the
power pack frame the engineering team
has used large rectangular tube that is
very strong in torsion. There is a threepoint mount which prevents the transfer
of torsion forces.
The rig has four levelling jacks, each
with a bore of 8 ins (203 mm)] and a
stroke of 72 ins (1,830 mm). There are
two staircase-type boarding ladders
and tow hooks.
The power pack may have either
an electric motor or a choice of diesel
engines. The two Tier 4 compliant
engine options are the Caterpillar C32,
rated at 1,125 HP/840 kW @ 1,800 rpm,
or the MTU 16V Series 2,000 which
80
delivers 1,300 HP/970 kW @ 1,800

rpm. Alternatively, there is a choice of
three Tier 2 compliant engines the
Cummins QSK 38 rated at 1,260HP @
1,800 rpm , the Cat C32 rated at 1125
HP @ 1,800 rpm or the MTU 16V2000
unit delivering 1,205HP @ 1,800 rpm.
The standard diesel fuel tank has
a capacity of 700 U.S. gallons (2,650
liters) and provides sufficient fuel
for 12 operating hours. It is normally
teamed with a 1,200 U.S. gallon water
tank. Alternative fuel/water tank combinations are 1,400 gallons and 1,200
gallons, providing sufficient fuel for
24-hour operation, or 700/1900 gallons
which provides sufficient water if the
rig is fitted with a water injection and
dust collection option. Diesel machines
also come with a ground level battery
disconnect switch, battery equalizer
and jump start hook up.
The hydraulic system has the same
main pump drive set-up as the PV-351
with P14 closed loop feed and rotation.
But, like the PV-235, it has a load sensing piston pump serving the auxiliary
units which increases machine efficiency. Load sensing should not only yield
a reduction in fuel consumption but
also deliver increased speed for auxiliary functions. As well as improving
life and cleanliness, it reduces the risk

of system failure. The valve rack and
I/O modules, together with the central
hydraulic test station, are now located
at one central station above deck. Hoses
are tagged with a part number and reference number on both fitted ends and
the reference number matches the hose
number on the hydraulic schematic.
The hydraulic oil tank has a capacity
of 350 U.S. gallons (1325 liters).
The required 3,000 CFM of compressed air at 110 PSIG (84.9 m 3/min
@7.6 bar) can be supplied by either an
Ingersoll Rand compressor with a 2 x
285 mm air end as used on the PV-351,
or an Atlas Copco Twin S3 air end
similar to the Single S3 available for
the PV-235. The automatic hydraulic
clutch introduced as an option for the
Pit Viper 235 during 2010 has proved
very beneficial. It disengages the air
compressor from the engine when the
air end is switched off; in a traditional
power package the compressor uses
perhaps 30% of its rated power when
on standby. As well, this clutch allows
for a low idle speed. The air compressor is also disengaged during rod
changes, levelling, or moving between
holes, so horsepower is saved during
these cycles too.
Talking Technically
The PV-311 offers a dual acting hydraulic cylinder feed system that raises and lowers the rotary head by way of cable for pulldown and pullback, while integrating
Atlas Copcos patented cable tensioning system.
The engine and air compressor have

separate air intake filters located at the
non-drilling end of the machine. The
filter rack has engine, compressor and
hydraulic system filters. The cooling
package, rated at up to 125F (52C),
incorporates oil coolers for the hydraulic and compressor oils and an engine
charge air cooler.
One area of particular concern to
mine engineering management is the
speed and convenience of servicing and
maintenance work. The PV-310 offers
an optional 360 access decks with
standard full deck service Fibergrate
catwalks and railings, and there is 20
inches of service room between the
power pack and the coolers. On the
deck, hose and cables are located in
trays as on the PV-235 and there are
also dedicated runs in the frame with
improved access.
The fast service system provides
ground level, quick connect fitting for
filling and evacuation of fuel, hydraulic oil, engine oil, engine coolant and
compressor oil.
Going deep
The Pit Viper 310 series is designed
to offer drilling flexibility. The tower
is an interchangeable unit structurally similar to that on the PV-351, but

deeper in order to accommodate larger
sheaves and to be suitable for use on
both the single and multi-pass drilling
versions. In addition, the weldments
have been improved. When the tower
is horizontal, a ladder from the deck
provides access to decking in the tower
above the rod changer. The new tower
rest design allows replacement of a
non-drilling end jack cylinder without
removing the rest.
Like the massive PV-351, the PV-311
model is set up for single-pass drilling 65 ft (19.8 m) clean holes, with bit
changing above the deck. As with the
larger machine, using the carousels
two 35 ft (10.67 m) drill pipes, the
rig can drill a maximum hole depth
of 135 ft (41.1 m). However, the hole
diameter range is quite different, 9-12
inch (228-311 mm), covering the upper
sizes offered by the PV-270 models and
the lower end of the PV-351s hole size
range. We anticipate the new model
may particularly be used for single
pass drilling 270 mm or 311 mm holes,
depending on rock conditions.
The upgraded and well proven twospeed hydraulic motor rotary head,
already used for the DM-M3, provides
drill rotation. It delivers 12,880 lbf-ft

(17.62 kNm) rotation torque at 140 rpm
and 7,000 lbf-ft at 240 rpm. Hydraulic
pulldown is 100,000 lbf and pullback
is 50,000 lbf. Hydraulic cylinders
drive the cable feed system, which
has the patented Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions automatic tensioning of the
pulldown and pullback cables. The
auto-tension power screw is like that on
the PV-351, the tension cylinder as on
the PV-271 but with a larger diameter
rod, and the valve and hydraulic design
is as per the PV-235 which extend cable
life. The thread greasing system uses
a electric driven pump similar to that
on the PV-270 series and PV-235 rigs.
There are improved rotary head guides
and, as on the PV-351, rod support is
provided when the head is close to the
top of the tower. The carousel works
with a no-bump rod changer and
there is an 8,000 lb (3,630 kg) capacity
auxiliary hoist for handling rods.
The breakout tools are those now
standard across the Pit Viper range.
There is a hydraulically powered breakout slide wrench, the fork chuck having
an improved deck bushing, and a handsfree auxiliary hydraulic wrench with a
6-inch clamp cylinder. Dust curtains are
hydraulically retractable.
Talking Technically
The PV-311 offers a spacious cab, as well as maintenance friendly enclosed filter rack and ground level service access.
The drilling angle can be varied in

5 increments from 0-20 on the PV-311
and 0-30 on the PV-316.
In control, in comfort,
in safety
The PV-310 series continues our quest
to provide the rig operator with every
facility needed to achieve maximum
machine productivity all shift long.
Designed with assistance from the
Atlas Copco Rocktec team in Sweden,
the cabin is larger than that used on
the PV-351 (or any other Atlas Copco
Drilling Solutions rig) and has been
further improved over the PV-235.
In conjunction with the elevated
cabin, three large tinted windows on
three sides, each fitted with windshield
wipers and washers, give excellent visibility from the operators suspension
seat. The Atlas Copco Rig Control
System (RCS) display and joystick
controls are integrated with the seat.
The backlit electrical cabinet has been
integrated to provide easy, secure
access and the size has been increased
to provide flexibility for changes in the
electrical specification during the rigs
lifetime. There is a buddy seat installed
on the front-left side of the cab, and
both the buddy seat and the operator's
82
suspension seat come installed with

retractable seat belts. The operator's
seat and buddy seat are both installed
with retractable seat belts. While the
work surface above the spaces for the
optional refrigerator and microwave
can seat other visitors; during the rig
build the cabin has hosted up to 10
people. The air conditioning system has
12 kW of cooling power that includes a
hydraulic compressor and a condenser
fan that reduces overall machine electrical requirements.
For operation at night, a High Intensity Discharge (HID) lighting package
and a cabin dome light are standard.
The rigs presence is indicated by LED
strobe lights, amber on the cab and
blue on the tower. Elsewhere there are
the usual emergency shut-down buttons, propel alarm, attention horn and
ground level cable for horn activation.
Options
As well as the Atlas Copco 375 undercarriage, engine and fuel/water tank
options there are other additions or
alternatives available to suit operators
specific circumstances. These include:
an engine enclosure similar to that
introduced with the PV-235, a wraparound cabin deck, hydraulic boarding
ladders, a water injection and dust collection system, an LED lighting package and a fire suppression system that
can be mounted on the non-cab side of
the tower.
In addition to a number of standard
safety and interlock features, the RCS
Basic control system can offer a series
of options Autolevel, Autodrilling,
GPS hole navigation, Desktop Viewer
and communication, wireless remote
tramming, Measure-While-Drilling
data log files, and the International
Rock Excavation Data Exchange System (IREDES).
Multi-pass drilling
Development of the PV-316 multi-pass
drilling model is well advanced. On
this rig the tower will allow drilling to
a depth of 295 ft (90m) using a five-rod
carousel with 50 ft (15.25m) drill pipe.
This is a substantial increase over the
PV-275, which offers multi-pass drilling to 195 ft (59.4 m)*. The PV-316 is
expected to be launched during 2013
and to replace the DM-M3 model.
*For full Pit Viper 311 data see Specification page 207.
Dustin Penn
Talking Technically
Large diameter drilling

Pit Viper 351
The giant Pit Viper 351 is a flexible
rotary drill rig with a weight on
bit of 125,000 pounds (56,700 kg),
and the ability to drill 10 5/8 -inch
to 16-inch (270-406 mm) diameter
holes to a maximum depth of 135
feet. However, at MINExpo 2000
many customers commented:
Its set up to single-pass drill a
65-foot-deep hole. The PV-351
is ruggedly constructed with an
operating weight of 385,000415,000 pounds (175-188 tons).
However, it takes only touch
screen controls and a joystick to
operate.
Power platform
From the ground up, the PV-351 is a
robust and highly capable drilling rig.
The undercarriage is a hydraulically
driven custom version of the Caterpillar
385 excavator unit. At 26 feet 10 inches
(8.18 m) in length this is the largest
undercarriage used for a rotary drilling
rig. Maximum tramming speed is 1.1
mph (1.77 km/h).
The main frame was designed using
finite element analysis and was subjected to dynamic strain gauge testing. To
ensure long frame life without rebuilds,
the I-beam used is 30 inches thick with
a cross section of 326 lbs/ft It supports
three inboard mounted tanks one
900 gallon (3,407 liter) water and two
600 gallon (227 l) fuel, as well as the forward jacks and rear tower support and
jacks assembly. There are four levelling
jacks with 10 inch (254 mm) bore and
72 inch (1,829 mm) stroke. The rear
jacks are cross linked to minimize
frame twisting.
Power for the multiple hydraulic systems and air compressor used on the
PV-351 comes from either a diesel
engine or an electric motor. Either drives the hydraulic power pack via a drive
shaft and the air compressor directly.
A floating power pack sub-base isolates the components from vibration.
Two coolers allow operation up to an
The diesel powered PV-351 can be offered with Cummins or CAT 12-cylinder engines.
ambient temperature of 125F (52C).

Two 12-cylinder diesel engines with
electronic monitoring systems that
meet the EPA Tier I standard are
offered; the Cummins QSK 45, rated
1,500 hp (1,119 kW) at 1,800 rpm, and
the Caterpillar 3,512, rated at 1,650 hp

(1,230 kW) at 1,800 rpm.
The 1,400 hp (1,044 kW) electric power unit comes with a rear access platform and, optionally, a 1,500 ft (457 m)
capacity cable reel for a 2 inch (51 mm)
Talking Technically
Pit Viper 351 live tower.
Weg motor 1400 hp.
cable. The WEG 6811 squirrel cage motor

normally runs on a 50 or 60 Hz, 4,160
7,200 V AC power supply. The machinery house for the electric unit, containing the majority of the main components, is hydraulically pressurized and
has two access doors and removable
roof panels. Some 8085 percent of the
components used in the rig are the same
in the diesel and the electric versions.
The hydraulic system has a 350 gallon
(1,325 l) tank with three-micron filtration. To ensure reliable operation, the
designers made extensive use of hard
piping with Stauff clamps for hoses,
O-ring face seal fittings and two
quick change filters. There is a single
gearbox and five pumps. The main
Parker Denison variable displacement
pumps control the propel motors and
drill feed/rotation. Other pumps run
various auxiliary functions. The use
of integrated circuit blocks reduces the
number of hose connections.
The well proven Ingersoll-Rand asymmetrical screw compressor features twin
rotors in parallel, variable volume electronic control and lubrication pumps
that minimize load during startup. It
delivers up to 3,800 CFM (107.6 m 3/
minute) of air, which is the highest rate
ever available on a blasthole drill. At
110 psi (758 kPa), its a pressure that
ensures improved bit life. The air cleaners employ an innovative three-stage
system in which the elements are easy
to access and easy to change. Quick
release co-vers make for easy operator
maintenance.
The PV-351 is designed to be a
maintenance friendly machine. The superstructure is laid out to allow safe, easy
movement and good access to service
points. The rig has standard Wiggins
Quick Fills for programmed maintenance
and daily refilling. The spool valves are
located above the deck and all the filter
elements are easy to reach. The standard decking to the rear of the tower and
the tower access ladder enable service
personnel to inspect the rotary head and
other tower components while the tower
is down.
Versatile tower
Valve stand offering excellent accessibility for
maintenance.
84
Like the main frame, the tower for the

PV-351 was designed with the aid of
finite element analysis and tested by

dynamic strain testing. The tower is
of open front construction, fabricated
by certified Drilling Solutions welders using rectangular steel tubing, and
has four main vertical members. The
design retains the unique live design
used for the Drillmaster towers, which
enables the operator to raise and lower
the tower with the rotary head at the
top and the rods in place; a capability
that typically saves 4 10 hours of
work when moving a rig.
The tower is dimensioned for drilling 65 feet (19.8 m) in a single pass.
Using a longer starter rod, the operator
can drill 70 feet (21.3 m) in a single pass
but the tower cannot be used live. There
is also a two-rod carousel with key lock
retention for a 35 ft (10.7 m) long and
8-inch to 13-inch (219 340 mm)
diameter drill pipe, so the PV-351 can
drill to a depth of 135 feet.
Drill rotation uses the hydraulic drive
rotary head system that the Garland
team has preferred to an electric motor
drive for a long time. It is the compact
size and light weight of this design that
makes possible live tower operation
of the PV-351 and preceding Drillmaster
rigs. The variable displacement rotary
head on the big Pit Viper has two 14cubic inch motors that deliver 340 hp
(254 kW) and a maximum torque of
19,000 foot-pounds (25,759 Nm). Maximum speed is 170 rpm. Simply adjusted
extended head guides maintain alignment during descent and a separate
lube pump improves motor spline life.
A rod support system, actuated automatically by detection points at the
rotary head, supports the pipe at its
mid-point whenever the rotary head is
near the top of the tower.
Another important feature of the
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions rig design is the patented cable feed pulldown
and pullback system developed in-house
and introduced on the DM-M3. It is
low-cost, four times lighter and much
quieter than a chain feed, but offers good
buckling resistance. The cables absorb
the loads transmitted by drilling before
they reach the rotary head so that drilling is smoother and bit wear is reduced.
As well as providing 120,000 pounds
(54,446 kg) of pulldown and 125,000
pounds (56,700 kg) of bit load, the dual
Talking Technically
The variable displacement rotary head and the

automatically actuated rod support.
Automatic cable tensioning pull-down cables

jack screws.
The optional cable reel for 1600 feet of 2-inch cable.
cylinder system delivers 70,000 pounds

(31,752 kg) of pullback and retract speed
is 140 FPM (42.7 m/min). The system
also improves rig safety as the operator
can detect dangerous amounts of wear,
whereas a chain feed can fail catastrophically. The downside is that stretching in use results in a loss of cable tension, but this has been countered by an
automatic tensioning system that uses
independent hydraulic motors and jack
screws to tension the pulldown cables
and hydraulic cylinders to tension the
pullback ones. The system maintains
tension, ensuring accurate rotary head
alignment, and eliminates maintenance
hours for tensioning.
The break out system may not be the
most technically sophisticated piece of
equipment on a rotary drilling rig, but
from the operators point of view, its effectiveness is very important in terms
of the physical effort required and the
non-drilling time involved. On the
PV-351 primary break out is achieved
simply and effectively by a sliding
fork and reverse rotation. A patented
self-adjusting hydraulic tong wrench,
already proven on the DM-M3 rigs,
is used for auxiliary break out. Neither

operation transmits shock loads to
the tower. The PV-351 has a patented
system for angle drilling between
vertical and 30 in 5 increments. The
same system is used on the DM-M3 rig.
There is a short, independently supported pivot point and hydraulic cylinder at the base of the tower, and two
telescoping rear legs are attached to the
tower close to the rotary heads uppermost position and to the tower rest at
the rear of the rig. Locking pins are
remotely activated. This configuration
allows the tower to pivot at deck level,
minimizing the amount of unsupported
drill pipe, which gives the operator a
better view of the deck. The hole to be
drilled can be collared within the Pit
Vipers dust hood.
New generation cab

The new large operators cab is the
same as the one designed for the Pit
Viper 310 series, and has been further
improved over the original PV-351
cabin. In conjunction with the elevated
cabin, three large tinted windows on
three sides, each fitted with windshield

wipers and washers, give excellent visibility from the operators suspension
seat. The Atlas Copco Rig Control
System (RCS) display and joystick controls are integrated with the seat. The
electrical cabinet has been integrated
to provide easy, secure access and the
size has been increased to provide
flexibility for changes in the electrical
specification during the rigs lifetime.
There is a buddy seat installed on the
front-left side of the cab, and both the
buddy seat and the operator's suspension seat come installed with retractable seat belts. The air conditioning
system has 12 kW of cooling power that
includes a hydraulic compressor and
a condenser fan that reduces overall
machine electrical requirements.
The PV-351 is equipped with the
Atlas Copco computerized Rig Control
System (RCS). RCS is time proven
yet remarkably agile to continually
support current technology advances.
Based on the highly reliable and well
proven CAN-bus (Controller Area
Network) system, RCS uses a single
main cable through the rig intercon-
Talking Technically
Inside and outside view of the new PV-351 cab. The RCS control system provides a number of safety and interlock features and a series of automation options.
necting a series of modules controlling the drills sensors and actuators.

This simplistic modular design allows
upgrades to higher levels of automation with little machine downtime. The
RCS touch screen displays a selection
of data, including all pertinent drill
information using internationally recognizable symbols. The screen is not
affected by dirt and can be used by
operators wearing gloves. The PV-351
rigs being supplied to Bolidens Aitik
copper mine in Sweden are equipped
for Remote Rig Access, enabling Atlas
Copco to check the drilling performance, maintenance requirements, etc.
from distant locations. Aitik already
uses this technology to good effect
for other major equipment units. This
includes the RCS (Computerized Rig
Control System page 29), GPS positioning, MWD (Measurement While
Drilling) data collection functionality,
Autodrill, Auto levelling and wireless
data transfer.
Options
A number of equipment options are available for all the Pit Viper models. These
include fire suppression systems and
computer-controlled central lubrication.
Specific options developed for the
PV-351 include a cold weather package
86
for operation in ambient temperatures

down to -40 C, a four-camera LCD
vision system and attention horn, and a
wireless remote propel control. Remote
controlled tramming with the operator
off the rig is mandatory in certain situations under some regulatory authorities. Additional options are a Hiab crane
for loading and unloading bits and accessories, hydraulic retractable staircase, tower ladder and much more. Optional equipment for electric Pit Vipers
includes a 5-by-8-foot cable reel for
1,600 feet of 2 inch cable, a load break
switch, a power factor correction system,
a machinery house pressurizer, and a
2,100 gal (7,950 l) water injection system.
Extensive experience
It is now almost 12 years since the
first PV-351 started drilling at the then
Phelps Dodge Morenci copper mine.
A second field follow machine went to
Northgates Kemess mine in May 2003.
Atlas Copco decided to invest considerable amounts in production facilities,
and this enabled the Drilling Solutions
division to step up marketing efforts
as mining industry investment in new
equipment began to increase.Commercial deliveries of the Pit Viper started in
2005-6 and the first PV-351 units headed south to Codelcos Chuquicamata
copper mine in Chile and to the Anglo

Platinum Potgietersrust operation (now
called Mogalakwena) in South Africa.
Codelco reported excellent results with
the first machine and ordered a second
rig that arrived at Chuqui in September
2006. Soon after, another PV-351 started operating at Codelcos Radomiro
Tomic mine and Andina ordered electric powered machines. The first two
PV-351 rigs at Anglo Platinum now
have a fleet of nine electric machines.
There are now PV-351 fleets working for Vale at Sossego in Brazil, at the
Penasquito precious metals mine in
Mexico, and at the Los Pelambres and
Spence copper mines in Chile. Antofagasta chose a mix of diesel and electric
rigs for Los Pelambres and Rio Tinto
has done the same at the Rssing uranium mine in Namibia, southern Africa.
Antofagasta minerals has invested in
electric PV-351 units for its Esperanza
project in Chile, while BHPs Escondida
mine is building up a fleet of diesel
PV-351s. A fleet of machines are operating at Newmonts Batu Hijau mine in
Indonesia and Atlas Copco has also supplied 5 PV-351E drilling rigs to Boliden
in Sweden for their Aitik 36 project.
Dustin Penn
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 any grinding at all.
However, it was soon found that
the service life of a button bit
increased considerably 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 operations, the cost is usually expressed
in cost per drilled metre (cost/dm),
in cost per cubic metre (cost/m3),
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 explosives 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 drilling operation. To run the business
without grinding could multiply
this cost, with up to 100% added
when production losses are taken
into account. Labour and material are the highest costs, while
the machine investment cost
is low when u tilization is high,
with a large number of bits to be
ground.
The Secoroc BQ3 grinding machine can handle

drill bits up to 127 mm in diameter.
700
throughout its life, maintains the correct button shape and prot rusion. It
features correct centring on all buttons,
producing a high quality cemented 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, and a lower
penetration rate. It is difficult 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. 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,
regardless of the amount of wear on the
wheel, ensuring that the bit will achieve
standard penetration rate throughout its
Total bit life

drill metres
600
10 regrindings
per drill bit
500
400
300
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, which,
200
Grinding interval
drill metres
100
0
10 20 30 40 50 60
Diagram 1: Typical bit life grinding at different intervals.
Talking Technically
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 interval has
been established as 60 drill metres,
then the bit life can 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.T here is
always a sharp edge created 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 break away
and circulate in the hole, causing secondary damage to the buttons.
When a bit doesnt show any visible wear and the buttons are shiny
like a mirror, 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.
Penetration rate
Diagram 3: Penetration rate drops as the button profiles flatten.
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.
88
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
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 f lat, the penetration will have
dropped more than 30% (diagram 3).
When a bit has a heavy wear f lat it
tends to deviate, and, by the time it
reaches the bottom of the hole, it will
Talking Technically
stress on the remaining rock tools in

the drillstring. A sharp bit always cuts
better, and will prevent both deviation,
and its disadvantages.
Grinding machines
Secoroc Manual B.
have deviated far more than planned.

As a result, the blast will produce
coarse fragmentation, and much secondary 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 characterized
by heavy hole deviation, putting extra
Two parameters guide the selection of

the right grinding machine: the number
of bits or steel to be ground; and whether the machine should be portable or
stationa ry. Several kinds of grinding
machines are available to satisfy these
parameters. In most cases, a simple
machine will suffice for a small operation, 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.
Secoroc HG is a water or air-cooled
handheld machine for grinding cups.
Both spherical, ballistic and steel cutting cups are available. The machine
is driven by up to 7 bar compressed
air, and is suitable for a small grinding
operation.
Secoroc Manual B is an air-driven
portable grinder using diamond-coated
grinding wheels for spherical, ballistic
and full-ballistic buttons. The machine
is mounted in a box fitted with wheels
and handles for easy set up. This is
made for threaded button bits. A steel
spring is mounted in the profile of the
grinding wheel, where it functions as

a centring device, allowing for easy
grinding.
Secoroc Manual B-DTH is similar
to the Secoroc Manual B. It is mainly
intended for DTH bits and COPROD,
but can also be used for threaded bits
with a special bit holder.
Secoroc Jazz is a very flexible grinder that can grind both threaded,
tapered, DTH- and COPROD bits, in
spherical and ballistic versions. The
hole range is from 35 mm to 254 mm.
Secoroc BQ3 is the latest semiautomatic machine, with many features
such as more efficient working light,
better cooling nozzle, soft start of
grinding table, water filter, sleeve coupling for ventilation plus all features
the previous version had.
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
waste product has been separated in a
container.
Secoroc BQ3-DTH is the latest grinding machine for mainly DTH and
COPROD bits. It can also be used for
threaded bits with a special bit holder.
The machine has the same features as
Secoroc BQ3, and can grind bits up to
178 mm (7 in) diameter. Secoroc Senior
and Swing are grinders for integral
steel.
9
8
7
6
5
Labour cost
Grinding material cost
Machine cost
Annual grinding volume buttons.
Figures on the left side of the diagram

show cost per button in SEK.
100 000
75 000
50 000
25 000
10 000
5 000
Cost of grinding reduces dramatically with volume.
Diamond grinding wheels.
Talking Technically
Secoroc Manual B-DTH.
Secoroc BQ3-DTH.
Grinding advice
The Secoroc grinding machines 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, ballistic or
full-ballistic.
In addition, the machines unique
diamond grinding wheel is designed
to ensure even wear on its grinding
surface, while still retaining its profile.
This, in turn, guarantees the button
shape throughout the life of the wheel.
Secorocs advice is to use Secoroc
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, which gives
longer service life to all rock drilling
tools, rock drills and drill rigs.
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.
Bo Persson
Comparison of grinding wheel with grinding cup.
90
Talking Technically
Secoroc Jazz
Secoroc Jazz for correct and professional grinding.
Rig mounted
grinder
In todays world of professional
rock drilling, where ever more
powerful drill rigs and hammers
are used, it has become extremely
important to give the drill string
all the necessary care and maintenance needed if optimum drilling
productivity is to be achieved.
Regrinding the cemented carbide buttons of the bit at proper
intervals increases the service life
of the whole drill string. This, in
turn, helps maintain penetration
rates, while ensuring that holes
are drilled straight and true.
Quick and efficient grinding
of button bits in surface drilling
applications, where the rig is constantly on the move from one job
site to another, has been an elusive goal. However, Atlas Copco
Secoroc has now come up with
the solution, by developing a rigmounted semi-automatic grinder.
The Secoroc Jazz, equipped with
a profile d diamond grinding
wheel, achieves the same quality
of grinding onboard the rig as that
previously associated with static
workshop models.
Development
Atlas Copco Secoroc has gained extensive knowledge and experience of regrinding large volumes of button bits
with stationary grinders, such as the
Secoroc BQ3 and Secoroc BQ3-DTH.
These, together with previous generations of similar grinders, have all used
profiled diamond grinding wheels for
working on spherical, ballistic and fullballistic buttons. However, onboard
grinding machines have always been
fitted with diamond grinding cups,
which have proved to be less efficient
than profiled diamond grinding wheels.
The new Secoroc Jazz grinder, which
is equipped with profiled diamond
grinding wheels, will consistently deliver the same perfectly shaped spherical
and ballistic buttons after regrinding.
This is increasingly important in relation to ballistic buttons, which are
becoming more and more popular.
Secoroc Jazz
The air-driven Secoroc Jazz helps optimize the performance of the rock drill
and drill string, without the bit leaving
the rig. It is user friendly, is designed
for economy of air consumption, and

can easily be retro-fitted to most rigs
in current use. It is delivered with an
attachment for bolting on to existing
rigs, which allows the operator to fold
away the grinder when not in use. It
will also be available through the sales
companies as an option on new Atlas
Copco drill rigs. To make the grinder
ready for work, it is simply a matter of
hooking up the air hose, connecting the
electricity, and filling up the water tank
for the mist cooling.
The low air consumption of the
Secoroc Jazz makes it possible to grind
bits without interrupting drilling operations. The grinder is semi-automatic,
and features an automatic centring
device for placing each button in the
correct position under the grinding
wheel. An indexing bit holder is used for
the gauge buttons, and there is a handy
time relay for setting grinding time.
Secoroc Jazz is a very flexible grinder that will have a beneficial influence on drilling economy. It will grind
spherical and ballistic buttons, on threaded or tapered button bits, as well as big
DTH - and COPROD bits from 35 mm
(13 8 in) to 254 mm (10 in) in diameter.
91
Talking Technically
Grinding instructions for button bits

When to regrind
Button bits should be reground when the penetration

rate drops, or if any of the cemented-carbide buttons are
damaged (fractured buttons should be ground flat). It is both
practical and economical to redress the buttons when the
wear flat reaches about 1/3 of the diameter of the button.
Look out for snake skin
If microscopic fatigue cracks so called snake skin

begin to appear on the cemented carbide buttons, the
cracks must be ground away. In any event, bits should be
reground after 300 metres of drilling at the most.
This should be done even if there are no visible signs
of wear and the penetration rate continues to be good.
If snake-skin is not removed, the cracks will deepen and
ultimately result in button fracture.
Do not grind away too much cemented carbide
Secoroc Jazz can easily be set up on the drill rig, here the machine is ready for grinding.
Do not grind too much on the top of the buttons. Let a
few millimetres of the wear flat remain on top of the
button.
Always grind broken buttons flat
A drill bit can remain in service as long as the gauge buttons maintain the diameter of the bit. Fractured buttons
must always be ground flat to prevent chips of cemented
carbide from damaging the other buttons.
Avoid grinding the gauge
1
Gauge button anti-taper has to be removed by grinding,
although excessive reduction of the bit diameter should
be avoided. Leave about max 1 mm of the wear flat.
Grinding the button bit in a professional way makes sense, because grinding accounts for only a fraction of the
cost of the entire drilling operation.
When a drilling programme is carried
on without correct service of the bits,
drilling output and product ivity will

be significantly lower, and costs may
escalate.
Bo Persson
Secoroc Jazz
Technical Data
Air pressure, maximum
7 bar (102 psi)
Air pressure, minimum
6 bar (87 psi)
Air consumption
25 l/sec
Coolant container
3l
Air tool oil consumption
1.8 cl/hour
Output, spindle motor
1 kW
Speed, spindle
15,000 rpm
Voltage
24 V (D.C.)
Weight, exclusive of packing
90 kg (198 lbs)
Transport dimension
800 x 500 x 700 mm
Grinding Capacity
If necessary, remove some of the bit-body steel below

the gauge buttons, so that a clearance (taper) of 0.5 mm
is maintained. If the flushing holes start to deform, open
them up with the aid of a rotary burr or steel file.
92
Maximum distance between bit holder

and grinding wheel
250 mm (9 78")
Maximum diameter of drill bit
254 mm (10")
Minimum diameter of drill bit
35 mm (138")
Minimum distance between buttons
3.5 mm ( 964")
Sweden, gllivare
Aitik eyes top three efficiency
The Aitik 36 project has increased ore production, and has put Aitik on pace to reach 36 Mt/y by the end of 2012.The investment will make Aitik one of the most
cost-efficient mines in the world.
Boliden on course
With the Aitik 36 expansion completed in 2010 mining is now scheduled to continue until 2029. The
latest technology including Atlas
Copco Pit Viper and SmartROC
drilling rigs is helping Boliden to
double concentrator throughput of
low-grade copper ore and deliver
a competitive concentrate to its
Swedish smelting and refining
complex.
High-tech strategy
Since 1968 Boliden AB has sought to
supply a competitive copper and precious metals concentrate to the Rnnskr smelting and refining complex at
Skelleftehamn, from the Aitik open pit
mine. The company has periodically
upgraded the mining and treatment of

low-grade ore to maintain financially
viable production.
In 2010 the Aitik 36 Project was completed, extending Aitiks mine life
from 2016 to 2029. Drill Supervisor
Nils Johansson is optimistic for the
future. The new plant is a big reason
for the large increase in production,
and Nils Johansson says that 45 million tonnes can easily be handled by the
new processing plant. The only work to
be done is to coordinate the waste and
the rock. Acting Mine Manager and
Drill Superintendent Supervisor Peter
Palo also emphasizes the increase in
production: Were looking forward to
produce 45 million tons of ore and 45
million tons of waste. Thats the next
step. The earliest will be in five years.
As with previous expansions at
Aitik, Boliden has opted for the most
cost effective appropriate technology
available: one result was the mines

expansion included adding four Atlas
Copco Pit Viper rigs to the production
drilling fleet.
Securing copper supply

Located near Gllivare and 60 km
north of the Arctic Circle, Aitik rails
material 400 km to Bolidens Rnnskr
complex at the Baltic port of Skelleftehamn. It is the facilitys largest
copper concentrate supplier although
Rnnskr treats a range of concentrates
and scrap to yield refined copper, lead,
precious metals and zinc clinker. The
company operates four more primary
metal production facilities and is the
third largest copper and zinc metals
supplier in Europe.
In 2006 Boliden concluded that,
whereas the existing 18 Mt/y operation
was scheduled to close in 2016, a new
Boliden undertook a thorough evaluation before deciding to invest in four new Pit Viper 351 rotary drill rigs.
Bolidens criteria included the ability to drill 311 mm holes to a depth of 19 meters.
state-of-the-art and larger scale concentrator would be technically and

economically able to continue recovering concentrate from significantly
lower grade ore reserves at Aitik. The
available tonnage would allow Aitik to
process 36 Mt/y by 2014 and continue
production until 2029. Concentrate
sh ipment to Rn nsk r could be
improved by building a rail spur from
the mine site to the main line instead of
trucking the material to the station at
Gllivare. The 600 million ($845 mn)
Aitik 36 Project was launched in 2007;
the new transport and processing systems came fully on-stream in April
2010 and the official opening by King
Carl XVI Gustaf was held on August
1, 2010.
The mining operation in Aitik is based on proven and probable reserves of
710 Mt. As of December 2011 proven
reserves totaled 486 Mt, grading 0.25%
copper, 0.15 g/t gold, and 1.6 g/t silver,
while probable reserves were 224 Mt.
Although the grade is low, Aitik does
get a little help from nature due to the
good rock conditions that enables the
mine to have really steep slopes 47
94
on the footwalls and 52 on the hanging wall. This means they dont have to
mine too much waste rock. For the Life
of Mine the waste-ore strip ratio is as
low as 0.5:1.
To achieve the required ore extraction rate the Aitik 36 project team
decided to cut back the pit boundary in
a number of places and to mine down to
600 meters. A supplementary open pit
has been developed at Salmijrvi, one
kilometer southeast of the main mine.
Currently, Salmijrvi is at 60 meters
depth with plans to reach 210 meters
depth in approximately 10 years. Nils
Johansson said, Today were mining
the southern part [of the mine] for ore
and the northern part for waste, heading for ore. And then there are two
levels active in Salmijrvi as well, so
we have two main fronts and two secondary fronts."
In all more than 80 Mt/y of rock
will be moved and Aitik 36 included
a largely new in-pit crushing and conveying system to contain mine site rock
haulage costs as well as additional new
shovels and trucks. Boliden undertook a thorough evaluation of available
Top: Nils Johansson, Drill Supervisor. Bottom: Peter Palo,

Drill Superintendent and acting Mine Manager.
options in 2007 and decided to continue

primarily with electric-powered equipment. Loading and haulage capacity
would be raised by buying new models
from the suppliers of the existing
fleets. But the drilling rigs evaluation
persuaded Boliden to switch suppliers.
Drill fleet build-up

Aitiks primary blasting requirement is
to produce a fragmentation suited not
only to the loading, hauling, crushing
and conveying equipment but also to
the grinding system Boliden favors.
Theyre doing so using auto-genous
milling, which means its important to
get the drilling and blasting right.
The blasthole drilling effort at Aitik
has been shared between Boliden personnel doing the bench production drilling and an NCC team contracted to do
the pre-splitting. Aitik chose to retain
this division of labor so NCC was able
to continue using its Atlas Copco ROC
L8 machines for downhole drilling
straight contour holes. Boliden, on the
other hand, needed to upgrade their
fleet of large rotary drill rigs with four
The PV-351, installed with RCS, offer features like finger-tip joystick controls, a comfortable cabin, ability to drill angled holes, and ease of raising and lowering the tower
for tramming.
new units. The project teams primary

criterion was the ability to single pass
drill 311 mm diameter holes to a depth
of at least 19 m: drilling big 311 mm
holes going 16 to 17 m deep eliminates
the risk of deviation, points out Peter
Palo, Bolidens acting mine manager
and development superintendent. Also
extremely important for the fragmentation is the positional accuracy of each
hole; the more accurate the holes, the
wider the pattern can be. That way
Aitik can actually save drill meters
and drill fewer holes. Ability to drill
the right hole depths is also important,
with smooth blasting to yield good
flat surfaces for the large loaders and
trucks.
Drilling to the right depth also
means there will be less loose rock to
drill through on the next level down.
Consequently, the team looked for
features such as finger-tip joystick controls, programmable automatic drilling
modes and GPS-based hole navigation. Other major considerations were
good built-in safety and productivity
enhancing features such as an operator-friendly cabin, ease of raising and
lowering the tower for tramming, and

the ability to drill angled holes.
However, operators opinions regarding the merits of the various models
available were therefore particularly
important and Boliden was able to
take some of them to the Atlas Copco
Drilling Solutions (ADS) premises in
Garland to check out the Pit Viper rigs.
Palo says the feedback was clear; the
operators preferred the ergonomics of
these machines, especially the joystick
control. Equally, the electric version
of the hydraulic drive rotary head Pit
Viper (PV-351) met the Boliden managers requirements as to drilling capability and ease of operation. Indeed,
commented Peter Palo, the team was
convinced that the Pit Vipers were the
most advanced rigs of their kind on the
market. I can tell you that if we looked
at the market today, theres little competition, said Johansson. Its the most
modern machine on the market, and its
been proved in the availability as well.
According to Johansson, the Pit Viper
351s availability is 95%. Its really,
really extreme, he said. As of July
2012, the four PV-351s have logged
between 11,000 to 15,000 drilling hours

since they arrived on site in 2009.
Striving for automation

Atlas Copcos Rig Control System
(RCS) technology has a number of
benef its, and Bolidens technical
department took notice. Johansson said,
The probability of being able to use the
autonomous functions in the future is a
big reason that they wanted to buy Atlas
Copco rigs. Using automated features,
such as drilling, tramming, and leveling
is an attractive option for Aitiks mine
personnel, but its something they wont
fully implement until the future.
Boliden and Atlas Copco agreed to
operationally test the Pit Viper 351s
automation software back in 2009.
The products were put under testing
and development dating back to 2009
and the operational testing began in
April 2012. The culminating test is to
put a full drill plan in and to have the
rig achieve predictable and repeatable
results consistently.
Due to the overwhelming success
of the new expansion, more focus on
One of the four Pit Viper 351 drill rigs at the Aitik Mine: The Atlas Copco Rig Control System (RCS) offers a
wide range of features for automation, safety and communications.
the drills autonomous capabilities has

been implemented by mine personnel.
According to Johansson, all full-time
drill operators have been trained on the
autonomous functions, auto-drilling
and auto-leveling, but auto-leveling
seems to be favored by the drillers.
The drillers are using it more and a
lot of drillers like to drill manually; the
older ones, said Palo. The younger
ones drill automatically. But, how
fast and how a fully-autonomous rig
will be utilized remains in question
among mine personnel. Depending on
who you ask, the goal to become fully
autonomous will be within the three
and ten year range.
When asked about how automation
will improve productivity at Aitik Palo
responded, Id really like to see it,
96
because we can drill on a shift change

and dinner breaks and so on, and we
can speed up production by at least
10-15%. Johansson has set-up five
shifts during the week running eight
hours each, with 12-hour shifts on the
weekend. That makes for a 24-hour
day in which the rigs are being utilized
65% of the time. We have downtime
when we change the shifts, but its not
something that we worry about, said
Johansson. We do pay the operators
to have the opportunity to change
shifts at the rig, but today we dont
have to because of the uptime on the
machines, and also the planning ahead
and everything is at a level where we
dont actually have to worry. Drilling
during 80% of the shift is the goal for
Aitik, and using a fully-automated rig
is how they plan to get there. Aitik will

be using its Pit Viper 351s fully autonomously at different points throughout
the day in the future. Johansson states
that one of the biggest benefits of running a rig autonomously is less down
time for shift changes and dinner
breaks. Using the rigs autonomously
during shift changes and dinner breaks
could increase drill time to 80% each
day. Many people relate fully-autonomous functionality to staff reduction,
but Johansson states thats not the case.
They see [drill operators] autonomous
drilling as a huge part as theyre participating in a project where well eliminate
their jobs, but we dont have any plans
to eliminate their jobs, said Johansson.
If anything well add to our staff and
its a way to increase safety.
Not only does the RCS enable drill
and blast plans to be loaded directly
into the rigs computers, the system
also provides a high level of automation, such as GPS hole navigation a
major contributor to hole depth quality plus remote tramming and autodrilling as well as auto-leveling. The
Desktop Viewer allows remote maintenance problem-solving. Moving about
the PV-351 is safe and four cameras
provide good visibility where there
is no sight line. The 65ft tower can
be lowered in eight minutes or less,
enabling much quicker relocation times
than some competing rigs can achieve.
The angle drilling option is relatively
expensive, but Aitik calculated that
having it fitted to just two of the four
rigs would achieve the degree of operational flexibility required.
Preparations for delivery of the
PV-351 machines star ted dur ing
2008, including training at the factory in Garland, TX for Swedish Atlas
Copco rig assembly and maintenance
personnel and for Boliden operators.
Assembly of the first machine was
completed in January 2009.
The local Atlas Copco team worked
with Aitik engineering personnel under
the guidance of Atlas Copco experts
from Garland. The rigs are maintained
by Aitik staff assisted by an Atlas
Copco technician, with servicing after
each 250 hours of operation.
In June 2012 Boliden reported 95%
availability. Atlas Copco has also
The drill rigs drill 200-300 holes for one blasting round and the penetration rate can vary between 0.4 m/min in the upper part and 0.1 m/min in the harder rock
types. Forcit is contracted to charge each hole with about a ton of Fortis Advantage emulsion. Drilling patterns are transmitted from the mine office to the Pit Vipers
using the mines W-LAN network.
continued to provide training for new

operators, and plans to continue running culminating tests to drill an entire
drill plan in a predictable, repeatable
form. Atlas Copco engineers continue
to create interfaces for autonomous
operation, but are working with mines
to define a new role of what an operator
actually is.
Pit Vipers in practice

The Pit Viper 351 is very heavy, with
an operating weight of 185 t, and very
large: 16.4 m long, 8.1 m wide and 31.4
m high with tower up. Even so, single
pass drilling with the Pit Viper is a oneperson job, although the operator of a
hired-in wheel loader does the power
cable shifting. The hydraulic drives,
cable feed system and rig control
technology also make the PV-351 quite
different to operate from the rigs previously in use at Aitik. Nevertheless,

according to an experienced driller,
Gerd Martinsson, the PV-351 is rather
easy to handle. Drill operator Hanna
Wikman agrees: It seemed pretty
complicated at first but I soon got the
hang of it. The controls are well placed
and the screen quickly displays all the
drilling data you need, engine hours,
drill speed, rpm, pull-down pressure
etc.
Hanna says she uses the GPS to
locate her position in relation to the
drill plan sent by the mines control
center via the Wireless LAN and finds
the auto de-levelling system helpful,
though she prefers manual levelling.
The mine works five shift groups: three
8-hour shifts daily Monday Friday
and two 12-hour shifts each day over
the weekend.
Equipped with 9.9 m drill pipe and

311 mm bit (at the lower end of the
machines 270-406 mm range), the
Pit Vipers typically drill blastholes to
a depth in the 17-18 m range, but in
some locations down to 19.50 meters,
close to the rigs 19.8 m maximum. For
standard 15 m high bench drilling the
typical hole spacing is 8 x 9 meters
in waste rock, 7 x 9 m in ore, and the
rigs drill 200-300 holes for a blasting
round designed to yield around 700,000
t rock. Penetration rates vary considerably with rock type but by October
2010 the net rate was 33 m/hour 144
m/8-hour shift, higher than Aitiks projected 27 m/h target. Bit life is around
1200 m, sometimes less. Forcit is contracted to charge each hole with about a
ton of Kemitti 600 emulsion explosive.
The company has built a matrix factory on the mine site and delivers the
Aitik open pit mine, Sweden.
constituents to the blasting site. Now

that management and operators have
a clear idea of the Pit Vipers capabilities and characteristics in ope-ration
various tests are underway at Aitik to
further boost efficiency in the future.
These include using Secorocs new
PARD (Percussion Assisted Rotary
Drilling) low impact DTH hammers
combined with specially designed
Tricone Rotary drill bits to increase
penetration rate. Aitik reports that the
system increased drilling rates by an
impressive 48 %. Drillers are also using
the rigs auto-tramming feature to tram
to the next drilling position on the
planned path so they can auto-locate
each hole. The Atlas Copco Orealyser
launched at Bauma 2010 has also been
tested at Aitik.
Smart pre-splitting DTH

While Boliden was evaluating production drilling options NCC ordered a
new ROC L830 Mk II rigs to replace
older machines. During 2009, when
a new SmartROC D65 came to Aitik
for testing, the contractor was sufficiently impressed to buy the unit for
the pre-splitting contract. NCC Site
Manager Stig Fredriksson says the
main reason for this purchase was that
the SmartROC delivers all the benefits
of the Atlas Copco RCS technology.
The new rig and one ROC L830 are
successfully drilling both 140 mm and
165 mm pre-split holes to depths of
33-35 m, typically at a 1.5 m spacing,
using Secoroc COP54 and COP64 DTH
hammers and spherical button bits. The
NCC team maintains the rigs and the
on-site workshop houses two Secoroc
98
Pre-splitting on the Aitik benches:This SmartROC D65 is a highly productive and comfortable rig to operate in
these harsh conditions where temperatures can drop to -35 degrees in winter. Together with a ROC L8 it drills
140 and 165 mm holes to depths of 3335 m.
Grind Matic regrinding machines.

Typically the bits drill about 65 m
before they need a regrind and can be
reground 10 times.
NCC says the SmartROC has been
working two shifts daily, drilling about
6,000 to 7,000 meters/month and averaging about 90% availability. The rigs
Full Drill Cycle Automation option
allows the operators to prepare material on the bench while the rig finishes
the hole by itself, enabling high productivity.
Also much appreciated in this tough
environment, where winter temperatures can drop to -35C, both the DTH
rigs have warm and comfortable cabins
that make life as easy as possible. A
second SmartROC D65 with some serviceability enhancements suggested by
NCC arrived on site during November
2010.
Drilling with confidence

Now that the expansion has been completed and mine personnel know how
much the new processing plant can
handle, Johansson and Palo are confident that they will be able to amp up
production in the coming years, despite
a low ore-to-waist ratio.
Automation figures to play a vital
role in the production increase, and its
something Atlas Copco and Boliden
plan to implement-fully in the future.
Potentially, it will be a must for this
mine within 10 years, said Johansson.
Acknowledgements
This story first appeared in Mining &
Construction 3-2010, and was updated
by Justin Cocchiola who visited the Aitik
mine in June 2012.
USA, TUCSON, ARIZONA
Asarcos choice:
both diesel and electric
Adding a diesel-powered PV-271 not only met the bench and drilling requirements that Arsarco sought from a single-pass drill rig but also offered versatile mobility.
The rig moves freely about in any of Mission Complex mines pits.
Single pass drilling

with PV-271
Efficient, profitable operations
rely on the right equipment for
the job at Asarcos Mission Complex mine, one of the largest mining operations in the United
States. Mine management at
Mission Complex combined the
cost-effective production of an
electric Pit Viper 271 drill rig
with the independent mobility
and time-saving capability of its
diesel counterpart. The result was
a more efficient, more profitable
operation.
Mission Complex Mine

Mission Complex, located 18 miles
south of Tucson and operated by the
Grupo Mexico subsidiary Asarco Inc.,
is one of the largest copper mines in
Arizona, a state that produces 65% of
the nations raw copper. On average
the total Mission Complex produces an
average of 160,000 tons of rock daily,

equating to 53,000 tons of ore. Annual
production in 2009 was 56.2 million
tons. The mines ore-to-waste cut off
is 25 percent copper.
When they were selecting rigs to
replace their aging fleet, Asarco management looked for those that could
provide cost-effective, high production management of the mines 40-foot
benches with an additional 7 feet of
sub-drill. Missions bench patterns
vary by formation, from limestone to
wollastonite with many variations in
the middle.
The softer rock is a 30 by 35 foot pattern. They pull it in to 18 by 22 feet in
the harder formations. In the past this
presented them with problems with
pipe, because the rock is so abrasive.
To meet the demanding conditions of a
mine of this size and of rock this hard
on tools, mine management combined
the features of diesel and electric rigs.
They focused on two Atlas Copco Pit
Viper blasthole drill models, ultimately
choosing the single-pass capability of
the PV-271 over the 351s.
They are now running two PV-271s.

One is a diesel model, just under three
years old. The second, the electric model, entered service in December 2009.
They purchased the diesel model to
extend the drill reach from the existing
power capacity and to add versatility to
their drill fleet. At the time, they were
operating vintage electric-powered
rigs and one fairly new diesel-powered
DM-M2 in three pits.
Adding a diesel-powered PV-271
met the bench and drilling requirements in a single-pass drill rig that also
offered versatility and could move in
any of the pits.
To make the 47-foot holes they run
the PV-271 with two 25-foot and one
8-foot section of Atlas Copco 8 -inch
Teamalloy pipe. Below that they use a
41-inch bit sub adapter above a Secoroc
air-bearing 10 -inch tricone bit.
Comparable performance
Aside from one having a power cable,
The drills operate identically, said
Juan Salido, a Mission mine driller.
ASARCOS MISSION COMPLEX MINE
manpower required to build the infrastructure and to move the cable during
each relocation must be included in the
comparison.
Outfitting the rigs
The diesel powered PV-271 moves with ease back and forth on the bench increasing productivity by reducing setup time.
The electric drill came with a larger

compressor, 2,600 CFM, whereas the
diesel Pit Viper has a 1,900 CFM compressor. In regard to drilling productivity, both average 8,000 to 10,000
meters per month.
Mine manager Hal Galbraith said
the diesel PV-271 worked great for his
mine. I wouldnt say we ran the tracks
off the rig, because we did haul it on
our lowboy too, but it went everywhere
in the mine. Since then, the mine has
focused operations to just two of the
pits, but the diesel Pit Viper still moves
wherever needed within the mine.
Time on task favors diesel

Drill and blast manager Larry Maddox
noted that the diesel rig offers a significant advantage, working well at
moving into tight spots on the bench to
allow drilling to continue before power
is moved into the working area for the
shovels. Moving an electric drill just
takes more time compared to a diesel
rig: having the cable crew available,
cutting the power, moving the cable,
planning the cable drops. You just
cant put a value on the mobility you
get from a diesel drill.
Salido added that it may only take
20 minutes to move the cable but 40
minutes or more for the crew to get
there. Anything that slows a cable moving crew stops operations. For example, if the cable needed to be moved for
100
an afternoon blast and the crew got a

flat tire on the cable truck, everything
would be held up until the tire could be
changed.
The diesel model obviously maximizes time spent drilling. Softer rock
at the mine may take only 20 to 30 minutes to drill each 47-foot hole. Other
formations that contain more garnettectite and wollastonite, however, may
require as much as two hours for the
same hole requirements. Maddox said,
I think if you had plenty of time, electric would be better because of the cost
to operate and maintain, but mobility
more than makes up for it with the
diesel drill.
Comparing operating costs

One exception to this preference for
diesel is in operating cost. The electric
drill currently operates at 61 percent
of the energy costs of the diesel drill.
There is a point when this advantage
outshines the time-saving, independent mobility of the diesel rig. For
instance, when diesel fuel edged up to
$4 a gallon, the electrical rig was more
attractive.
Galbraith listed some of the additional, indirect costs to factor in with
use of an electric drill before making a
decision. Each electric rig requires four
4,000-foot cables at $100,000 each.
A 138- 4160 substation to power
the drill costs $250,000. Additional
Efficient drilling operations at Mission

are the result of strategically matching pipe and bits to these PV-271s.
Teamalloy pipe has a much higher cost
per piece price than other pipe but its
durability and longevity mean cost per
foot is less in the long run.
A 25-foot section of Teamalloy
pipe lasts 6 weeks at Mission. Initial
outside dimension of the pipe is 8.65
inches. They will run it down to 8 or
7.9 before replacing it. The pipe shows
its wear at the lower end of the joint, in
what operators refer to as a penciling
effect. They rotate these sections, since
sections closer to the bit wear faster.
This distributes wear evenly among the
sections to increase longevity overall.
As for bits, the air-bearing works the
best in this formation with an average
life for a bit at 7,500 to 8,000 feet. Each
drill will go through about two bits a
week, depending on the ground.
Bottom line
For Larry Maddox the choice is simple,
I want to keep them both. He says
each has characteristics that make the
operation more efficient and productive. For the company, that means
greater profitability. Electric may be
cheaper, but the mobility with diesel is
better.
Galbraith said the decision to buy
the right equipment for the drill and
blast process is justified by the bottom
line: For every dollar more you spend
up front on drilling, youll make $10 on
the back end.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Atlas
Copco Mining & Construction magazine No 1 2011. Story and photos
by Scott Ellenbecker, Ellenbecker
Communication, who visited the mine
in June 2010.
CANADA, PRINCETON, BRITISH COLUMBIA
Reopening of Copper Mountain

Data-based confidence in
projections
The diesel PV-271s independent utility enabled it to set up quickly in any part of the Superpit, especially
beneficial during pit push backs.
High-tech pays off

In spite of extreme cold weather
arriving earlier than expected,
Copper Mountain Mining Corporations careful planning, perseverance and high tech investment
in reopening a 15-year dormant
copper mine remains on track to
achieve full production by June
2011. This was achieved by combining the benefits of both diesel
and electric-powered Pit Vipers
in their blasthole fleet. Their success has inspired interest in other
regional mines abandoned decades ago when mineral prices
fell. Intelligent fleet choices are
proving that revisiting these
mines can be a promising venture.
Promising outlook
Its a full six months before startup, yet
an historic mine being reopened by the
Copper Mountain Mining Corporation

is already rewarding the Princeton,
British Columbia, region with new
jobs and a promising outlook for an
economic windfall from the billions of
dollars of copper, silver and gold the
mine will generate. It comes none too
soon for this area of British Columbia,
whose forest industry has suffered
from both pine beetle devastation and a
downturn in the forest industry overall.
During its previous life, the openpit porphyry mine had already yielded
770,000 tonnes of copper, 258 million grams of silver, and 20.7 million
grams of gold from 23 years of continuous production before it closed in
1996, when copper prices were low.
Exploration in 2006 by its new owner,
however, promised that the mountain
would reward the company with another 17 years worth of production from
its untapped mineral deposits.
Combined evidence from past drilling

and modern exploration convinced
stakeholders that there are still at least
680,000 tonnes of copper left, with precious metal credits of more than 12.8
million grams of gold and 127.6 million
grams of silver.
Earlier this year, Copper Mountain
Corporation President and CEO, James
ORourke, said the company anticipates
full production to reach 32,000 tonnes
per day, amounting to over 45,000
tonnes of copper a year and reaping
significant amounts of gold and silver
as by-products. With operational and
financing costs totaling about $1.30
(USD) per pound, the copper will sell
at about $2.80, which ORourke notes
is a significant margin.
The overwhelming evidence that
there are significant resource deposits
yet to mine come from nearly 5,000
historical drill holes combined with
more than 400 of the companys own.
Continued exploration of the deepseated porphyry in the fall of 2010
further confirmed extrapolated predictions. And the life of mine strip ratio is
estimated to be just 2:1.
High profitability, low risk

Although reopening a mine of this size
is a formidable task, the project did
come with some built-in benefits, such
as a ready, skilled workforce from previous mining operations in the area, as
well as a pre-existing infrastructure at
this site. Only 15 miles from the town
of Princeton, a paved highway runs past
the mine, and the site has ample water
resources with an ideal location for
processing the extracted ore. Copper
Mountain partnered with Mitsubishi
Materials early on, who provided ideal
security for the venture both in financial backing and by ensuring the mine
a reliable buyer for the ore.
The conscious effort to reduce operational risk has been evident in every
Reopening of Copper Mountain
By December, the rig had already logged more than

1,200 hours.
compressor packages, are well-matched

to 270 mm (10 ") Epsilon rotary bits,
which will allow quick clearing of the
holes.
Pratico said the rigs are working
well driving 7.62 meter (25 ft) drill pipe
while smoothly operating on the mines
15-meter (49 ft) benches to stay ahead
of scheduling goals. The electric model
does give them the benefit of lower
operating costs. Other than that, the
diesel and electric perform comparably.
The diesel rigs components arrived on site in September.
component of the enterprise, including

choice of equipment. For instance, to
move the 22.7 million tonnes of material by May 2011 in preparation for full
startup in June, and then to move the
additional 54.9 million tonnes anticipated during the first production year, all
blasthole drilling has been awarded in
a three-year agreement to Altas Copco
and its Pit Viper series, as well as all
drilling rig parts, ancillary equipment
and tools.
Gary Wright, the Atlas Copco sales
representative for southwestern Canada,
said, Its good for startups because it
creates a partnership with the manufacturer and the mine. It includes everything from service to the steel and bits
and allows everyone to work together.
The first rig, a diesel-powered
PV-271, which had been in operation
since September, was joined by its electric counterpart in November. A second
electric model, a PV-351, completed the
trio of Pit Vipers at the site in January
2011.
Alastair Tiver, Copper Mountains
Chief Engineer, said a mix of electric
and diesel is working well. Use of
electric allows us to lower operating
costs, he said. The pit will be developed with a series of push backs, so
having a diesel rig affords us some
additional mobility to move a rig
from one mining area to another,
102
should additional drilling capacity be

required.
Strategy for reaching the

metals
Peter Holbek, Vice President of Exploration and leader of the mines exploration teams, explained the three-pronged
approach the company is undertaking
to realize the companys production
goals. They have incorporated and expanded all three pits of the mine under
one all-encompassing Super Pit.
First the company will drill in areas
of known mineralization from the
previous operation. Second, they will
drill in outer target areas that, although
they were drilled previously, were not
fully explored. And third, they will go
after deeper targets, confident in the
corroborative data from the new and
historical information.
The company purchased the original, diesel-powered PV-271 for its
ability to move quickly into other areas
without the need to relocate power. The
decision to purchase electric-powered
Pit Vipers was based on economy.
Although they would have purchased
a third PV-271, Mine Manager Art
Pratico said the PV-351E was immediately available.
The current PV-271s, with their
ample 2,600 CFM (73.6 m 3/min) air
One-source logistics
Copper Mountain Mining teamed with
Atlas Copco for the complete supply
of all required rock drilling tools. This
provides not only the convenience of a
one-source supply but also means Atlas
Copco is in frequent contact with the
company, maintaining instant access
to customer support. Service is instantaneous.
So how has the PV-271 been performing overall? Pratico said he is pleased
with the machine. The diesel rig had
already logged 1,200 hours of operation
by December. It not only performs well,
but it is also being used as a trainer.
The PV-271s high-tech upgrades give
operators rich options without alienating those who are new to the series. It
operates just like any other drill rig,
Pratico said, meaning it doesnt require
a steep learning curve to train an operators skills to proficiency on a Pit Viper.
That drillers can acquire proficiency
with the rigs quickly is just one more
contribution to helping the mine keep
on track for the June 2011 deadline.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Atlas Copco
Mining & Construction USA No. 1, 2011
Story by Joseph Bradfield. Pictures by
Gary Wright.
CHILE, Andes Mountains, antofagasta
Radomiro Tomic prioritizes service

Chilean mines successful strategy
combining expertise of drillers,
technicians.
Proper care of machinery and
tooling directly contribute to the
success of Chilean mines, which
lead the way in mining efficiency and safety in Latin America.
A prime example is Codelcos
Radomiro Tomic Mine in northern Chile, located 3,000 meters
above sea level in the Atacama
Desert. The mine entered into a
10-year service agreement with
Atlas Copco that not only facilitates high production but frees
up the company to focus solely
on mining.
Planning for long term

operation
In 1997 the National Copper Corporation of Chile, or Codelco, named the
Radomiro Tomic mine after a political reformer who was a primary force
behind the nationalization of the copper
mining industry in Chile. Known locally as RT, Radomiro Tomic is located
1,670 kilometers from Santiago, in the
Andes Mountains of northern Chile.
Although the oxide copper porphyry
there was discovered in 1952, Coldecos
operations did not begin until 1995,
when improvements in technology
made mining the resource profitably
feasible. The Radimiro Tomic deposit
lies beneath approximately 100 meters
of alluvial material and extends over 5
by 1.5 kilometers by 200 meters.
Operations at RT show a strategy
for long-term success and the mine is
expected to become the model for other
mines. RT features a service solution
that frees its miners to focus on mining
and ensures support of expert technicians in a highly efficient maintenance
program.
The Pit Viper 351 at work in the Radomiro Tomic Mine at 3 000 m in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, known
as the dryest in the world. Here, Atlas Copco takes care of all service and maintenance of the drill rigs.
To fulfill the 10-year agreement for

service and maintenance of RTs drill
rig fleet, Atlas Copco has established
an onsite service team of about 50
people who will take care of 11 drill
rigs including the Pit Viper 351, ROC
L8, DMH and DML models. Three
additional Pit Viper 351 rigs are due
to be delivered at the end of 2011. By
that time the service team will have
increased to more than 60.
Two programs in force

Two different service programs are in
operation at the minea labor-plusparts program (LPP), which supports
older drill rigs, and a maintenance and
parts replacement contract (MARC) for
all new rigs.
Since the history of each part or
activity of the used equipment is uncertain, it is not efficient to apply a fully
comprehensive service program. This
makes an LPP more suitable for this
part of their fleet. Parts are provided
by the mine in accordance with their
consumption and the labor is provided

by Atlas Copco at a predetermined rate.
The MARC program, on the other
hand, is a complete maintenance and
repair service program that applies to
all new rigs as they arrive. A clear history can be tracked from the first hole
drilled.
The contract consists of all maintenance and repair routines required to
secure high availability and reliability.
This includes preventive, planned and
corrective maintenance as well as condition monitoring. All necessary parts,
repairs and labor are provided by Atlas
Copco at a guaranteed rate.
A predetermined performance level
defined by Key Performance Indicators
(KPI) has also been established, using
a maintenance-balanced score card as
a measurement tool. For example, it is
expected that the Pit Viper rigs will be
available 90 percent of the time. The
mean time between failures (MTBF) is
44 hours and the mean time to repair
(MTTR) is 3.5 hours. This translates
to an average of 44 hours of straight
Radomiro Tomic prioritizes service
Controlling dust is an important function at all mines. Here water is being pumped into the ROC L8 for
collaring the hole, which controls surface dust.
Operator Fernando Acua finds automation relaxing

as he waits for completion of the hole on his
Pit Viper 351.
operation before the rig is shut down

for no more than 3.5 hours before its
up and running again.
The DMH, an older, used rig, has
an availability rate of 78 percent while
its MTBF is 29 and its MTTR is 3.5.
Each drill rig is covered by the contract independently and record keeping is meticulous. The system requires
considerable management expertise
as well as technical skill, and in this
region of Latin America Atlas Copco
is well equipped to provide both. The
service team is part of the its overall
Total focus on drilling
Atlas Copco Service Technician Juan Bustamante

takes a break from working on the electrical
Pit Viper for a photo.
104
customer support effort in Chile, which

has also resulted in the creation of a
Competence Development Center in
Santiago.
The onsite Atlas Copco team is divided into three categories: planning,
execution and logistics. The planning
team, the smallest group, works on
short term and long term planning
needs for parts and fluids. The execution team, the largest group, is dedicated to maintenance and repair tasks.
The logistics group is responsible for
administration, warehousing and purchasing.
The purchase of capital equipment
is a small part of the overall demands
at RT, whereas having the qualified
people to keep the equipment operational is a large part of the mines
success, said Eduardo Fajardo, Atlas
Copcos administrator on the site. As
equipment becomes more technical and
qualified labor becomes more difficult
to hire, mines are looking to companies
that can provide the total package.
The Atlas Copco Competence Development Center was designed to put
more than 100 skilled technicians at the
disposal of its clients. These open pit
and underground equipment specialists
provide training in maintenance and
skills required in such areas as RCS,
electronics and hydraulics.
The Centers mission is to develop
every entrant into a master technician.
Fernando Acua, an operator at RT

who has ten years of drilling experience and many more as a loader operator and truck driver, said learning to
handle the computerized Pit Viper was
not difficult. He pointed to a display
screen showing an rpm of 78 and an
indicator showing a penetration rate
of 0.5 m per minute. The rig keeps its
operator informed of everything that is
happening during the drilling process.
Normally the rig operates at 1 meter
per minute and takes about 20 minutes
to drill an 18-meter hole with an 11-by11 meter burden and spacing pattern.
The rig that day was running with a
weight-on-bit of 27 tonnes. It is capable
of 54 tonnes weight-on-bit.
With an an nual production of
300,000 tonnes of cathode copper, the
Radomiro Tomic mine continues its
steady growth by combining the experience of its drill rig operators with the
service and maintenance experience of
Atlas Copco, leaving each to their area
of greatest expertise.
Acknowledgement
Article and photos by Scott Ellenbecker.
Originally published in Atlas Copco
Mining & Construction magazine,
No. 2/2011.
CHILE, Atacama Desert, antofagasta
Automation at Escondida
Company triples
mine life with high
tech drill rigs
A l t h o ug h E s c on d i d a M i n e r a
literally translates as hidden
mining, its no secret that it can
maintain its position as the largest copper producer in the world
by stepping up its investments in
automation. The largest copper
mine in the world is updating its
fleet with units that feature Atlas
Copcos rig control system (RCS).
Growth strategy
The Pit Viper 351 working in the Escondida pit..
Escondidas growth plan emphasizes

four basic principles: be safe, put people
first, do things right the first time and
think to the future. These are the principles that guide the management in
developing the operation and planning
equipment purchases.
For Escondida, doing things safe,
right and with the future in mind means
their drilling equipment must be mobile
and offer autonomous capabilities both
in the cab and for mine planning.
Growth to us means autonomous
high production drilling, said Juan
Carlos Fuentealba, who is the mines
drill and blast manager.
The mine has strategically moved
its drilling operation toward greater
automation with the recent introduction of units built upon Atlas Copcos
RCS platform. The fleet so far consists
of 120 haul trucks, 18 shovels and 18
drill rigs.
Anticipating its future drilling needs, the mine will phase out its aging
fleet of Bucyrus 49R electric rigs for a
mixed fleet of Atlas Copco diesel rigs.
The main production model will be the
Pit Viper 351, of which two are currently in operation. Three DM45s, a
DM-M2 and a PV-271 are also on site.
Two additional PV-351 rigs are scheduled for delivery in the third quarter
2011.
Automation at Escondida
Escondida operates two open pit copper mines in the Atacama Desert, 170 kilometers southeast of Antofagasta in northern Chile. Escondida produces mainly copper concentrates, which are piped as a slurry down to the port of Coloso where they are dewatered before shipping, and a smaller proportion of cathode copper from the leaching
of both oxide and low grade sulfide ore. It also produces gold and silver.
The smaller rigs drill 200 mm (7

-inch) holes while the PV-351 rigs
drill either 276 or 318 mm (10 - or
12 -inch) holes, depending on the material. The benches are 15 meters high
with additional 1.5 to 2 meters of subdrilling.
Focus on mobility
The mine produces about 300,000
meters per month from its two pits,
Escondida and Escondida Norte, with
the smaller drill rigs primarily drilling buffer holes. Two rows of small
diameter holes are used between the
production holes and the final pit slope
to optimize rock fragmentation. At
Escondida, Atlas Copco ROC L8 rigs
drilling 165 mm (6 -inch) holes are
used for presplitting work.
The mobility of the PV-351 is a key
contributor as it moves from bench
to bench and pit to pit. The Pit Viper
can also be moved with the tower up,
106
or with a live tower on the bench,

something that could not be done with
the old fleet.
Production in the pits has also increased, mainly due to the new rigs
availability, and to the penetration rate
of the Pit Viper, which is also better
compared to the fleets older units that
the Atlas Copco rigs are replacing.
Other benefits of
automation
As the mine moves forward, the management is also looking forward to
using the new training simulator that
the Atlas Copco Customer Center is
bringing to the country. Hugo Reales
Trigo, Drill and Blast Superintendent
and General Operations Manager, noted one advantage of using a simulator is that training does not take a drill
out of production. It is also safer, as it
reduces the number of people working
on the bench. He added that automation
increases safety even while eliminating

or reducing the need for many timeconsuming safety procedures.
A big advantage of the Pit Viper for
Escondida is the rigs GPS navigation
capability. This allows the drill pattern
to be located via computer and downloaded to the rigs onboard computer.
All operational data is also stored to
make the rigs performance and service
record easy to monitor.
Such automated features as these in
Escondidas fleet will ensure that this
operation remains the most productive
copper mine in the world, with the
safest operation possible.
Acknowledgement
Original article published in Atlas
Copco Mining & Construction magazine, No. 2/2011.
CHILE, sierra gorda, Antofagasta
Ambitious target at Esperanza
Esperanza has proven and probable copper reserves of 583 million tonnes with an expected average
annual production of 714,000 tonnes of concentrates containing 190,000 tonnes of payable copper and
230,000 ounces of payable gold over the first 10 years.
Rotary and
DTH drilling
Esperanza mine was from day
one designed to use sea water as
a conservation measure and is
aspiring to become Chiles next
big mining operation by using
even more of the latest in technology and equipment. Utilizing
Atlas Copco drill rigs, the mine is
using PV-351 rotary rigs for production drilling, DMM3 rotary
rigs for buffer holes and DTH rigs
such as the Atlas Copco ROC L8
for pre-splitting the benches.
Large scale mining

The Esperanza mine in the Antofagasta
region is a young mine with big ambitions. Opened in 2008, the first blast
took place in March. The initial blasting, ending in July 2010, included the
largest removal of overburden in the
mining industrymore than 150 million tonnes.
The mine plan considered that the

pit will reach dimensions of 2,100
meters long, 1,750 meters wide and
770 meters deep. The main metal is
copper, but the ore also yields gold and
molybdenum.
The Esperanza project is one of the
few high-profile development copper
projects remaining globally, under
joint ownership of Antofagasta PLC
and Marubeni Corporation.
The groups mining division is one
of the largest international copper
producing companies in the industry.
Its activities are mainly concentrated
in Chile, where it now owns and operates four copper mines: Los Pelambres,
Esperanza (in start up), El Tesoro and
Michilla, with a total production of
521,100 tonnes in 2010.
As a new mine, Esperanza has had
the opportunity to adopt the most modern mining practices right from the
beginning. That willingness to embrace
innovation has included the latest updates to its Atlas Copco Pit Viper drill
rigs and a conservative use of water.
Antofagasta focus for exploration in Chile remains

in the Sierra Gorda District. The group owns or
controls a number of properties there: Esperanza
(and the concentrator plant) and the El Tesoro operation, which means Antofagasta is well placed
to develop this area as a wider mining district.
The Telgrafo deposit could be used to extend the
life of Esperanza, or increase its size of operation.
Water is a scarce commodity in

northern Chile, home of the Atacama
Desert. In one of the driest climates in
the world, Esperanza is a pioneer in the
use of seawater without desalination in
large-scale mining processes. To get
the water from 145 kilometers away,
the mine pumps water at 630 liters per
second to an altitude of 2,300 meters
(7,500 feet). To avoid excessive electricity use, Esperanza does not desalinate
the water before using it.
Atlas Copco is supplying blasthole
rigs in a variety of sizes for this mine
to work at peak efficiency. The practice
is to drill 16-meter holes with a 1.5 to
2 meters subdrill. The drilling pattern varies with the type of rock being
drilled. In sulfides the pattern is 6.5 by
7.5 meters, and in oxides the pattern is
7.5 by 8.5 meters. Waste is drilled at 9
by 11 meters.
For safer pit slopes, an Atlas Copco
ROC L8 drills a line of 165 millimeter
(6 -inch) holes along the wall for presplitting. The blast creates a clean crack
between 2-meter spaced holes. The line
Ambitious target at Esperanza
One of the four

Pit Viper 351 rigs.
ROC L8
DM-M3
PV-351
Pre-split Holes
165 mm (6 in.)
diameter holes
Buffer Holes
269 mm (10 58 in.)
diameter holes
rm
Be
2m
Production Blast Holes

269 mm (10 58 in.)
diameter holes for ore
and 311 mm (12 in.)
diameter holes
for waste
4.5
m
2.8
4.5
m
sulfi
6.5
6.5
des
4.5
7.5
m
7.5
m
In oxides the drill pattern is

7.5 by 8.5 meters. Waste is
drilled at 9 by 11 meters.
16 m
Chosen for its advanced technology the majority of the production drilling is done with four Pit
Viper 351 rigs, drilling 16-meter holes with a 1.5 to 2 m subdrill. Drilling of the buffer holes are
done by two DM-M3 rigs and the holes for pre-splitting with a ROC L8.
is drilled 2.8 meters from the closest

blast pattern holes. Almost all of the
benches are presplit for safety reasons
but especially when they are near a
haul road.
A buffer zone is drilled next in the
pattern, preventing the impact of the
main blast from transmitting its full
energy into the wall. It consists of a
double row of 1,269 mm (10 58 inch)
holes drilled with two Atlas Copco
DM-M3 drills. The buffer zone is shot
after the main blast with only a slight
delay. The DM-M3 rigs are also used
for production drilling when necessary.
Progressive mine and

drill rigs
The majority of the production drilling is done with four Atlas Copco Pit
Viper 351 rigs drilling 269 mm (10 58
inch) holes in ore and 311 mm (12-inch)
108
holes in waste. The PV-351 is capable of drilling blastholes up to 406 mm

(16-inch) diameter to a maximum depth
of 135 feet.
The PV-351 was chosen by Esperanza for its weight in relation to hole
size, pattern size and bench height, and
also because of its advanced technology. The mine converted to the latest
version equipped with the Pit Vipers
Rig Control System (RCS).
Operator Herman Gospochetic said,
Positioning is much faster with RCS,
and I feel I get more done, he said.
The remote control upgrade on the
system is also more user-friendly.
Other Pit Viper options include fire
suppression systems and computercontrolled central lubrication. Options
specific to the PV-351 include a cold
weather package for operation in ambient temperatures down to -40 C, a
four-camera LCD vision system and
The operator gets more done with this rig. It is easy

to operate and positioning is faster with RCS. The
PV-351 was chosen by Esperanza for its weight
in relation to drilling capacity and also because of
its advanced technology.
attention horn, and a wireless remote

propel control. Remote control tramming with the operator off the rig is
mandatory in certain situations under
some regulatory authorities. Additional
options are a Hiab crane for loading
and unloading bits and accessories,
hydraulic retractable staircase, tower
ladder and much more.
Esperanza is at the beginning of its
life. With modern methods and equipment, it is aiming for a long and prosperous future through its estimated life
to 2027, possibly longer.
Acknowledgements
Originally published in Atlas Copco
Mining & Construction International
magazine, No. 2/2011.
Chile, iquique, Tarapac Region
Raising to the altitude challenge

Diesel rigs drill fast
The newest drilling machines at
the Collahuasi open pit mine in
Chile are two snakes from Texas
impressing with their power, versatility and superior technology
in extreme conditions - The Atlas
Copco Pit Viper rigs claim their
territory.
In the northernmost part of Chile, high

in the Andean plateau of the Tarapac
Region, sits the giant Collahuasi mine,
one of the worlds largest copper resources. Here, mining operations take place
at altitudes of between 4,000 and 4,800
metres above sea level, making this one
of the most challenging work environments for any mining equipment.
The mine is operated by a joint
venture company - Compaa Minera
Doa Ins de Collahuasi owned by
Anglo American and Xstrata (44%
each) and a group of Japanese companies headed by Mitsui (12%).
Collahuasi extracts and processes
sulphide ores to produce copper and
molybdenum concentrates and oxide
ores to produce copper cathodes. Of
these, copper concentrate is the main
product, accounting for over 90% of the
mines output of contained copper.
Commissioned at a cost of US$1.76
billion (which turned it into the mine
with the largest single investment in
Chilean history), commercial operations at Collahuasi started in April
1999. After a US$584 million expansion
in 2004, the mine now has an installed
copper production capacity of 500,000
tonnes per year. Even this figure was
comfortably exceeded in 2009 when
Collahuasi produced a record 535,853
tonnes of contained copper.
In mid 2011, a prefeasibility study
was started to see whether a second
expansion would be economically
viable. The study contemplates two
options: a fourth mill line, which would
take production to 800,000 tonnes per
year or a fourth and fifth lines together,
which would take production to over
The PV-351 and the PV-271 are the only diesel units in a fleet of 11 production drill rigs at the Collahuasi
mine. Both rotary machines are drilling vertically an to a maximum depth of 18 meter.
Raising to the Altitude Challenge
Above: Carlos Correa Echeverria. Top right: operator of the PV 351. Bottom right: The PV-351 and PV-271 at Collahuasi copper mine.
1 million tonnes per year. According

to an official press release by Anglo
American, the study is focused on evaluating both options and whichever
option is taken; the project would be
commissioned in 2017. The expansion
project, which will be for the production of copper concentrates, is in line
with the companys vision of being
amongst the leading copper producers
by 2020.
Collahuasi currently accounts for
about 9.3% of Chiles total copper output, which positions it as one of the
countrys main producers and a leading
international player. The mine has an
expected life of over 30 years and the
company has production plans in place
up until 2040. According to the company official figures, mineral resources
total 7.1 billion tonnes at an average
grade of 0.82% copper. This includes
ore reserves of 3.1 billion tonnes, 2 billion tonnes of which is accessible.
There are approximately 5,500 people currently working at Collahuasi,
including contractors. The mine works
110
non-stop 365 days a year with a pattern

of two 12-hour shifts a day; from 8am
till 8pm and 8pm till 8am. We would
only stop if we are badly affected in
winter, says Carlos Correa Echeverra,
Superintendent Drilling & Blasting
at Collahuasi, referring to the harsh
weather conditions in the Andean high
plateau.
We need all our equipment to sustain consistent and reliable performance while operating at maximum
production capacity, says Correa. This
is easier said than done when that
equipment has to operate at very high
altitude, at very low temperatures and
during occasional electric storms. This
is the environment in which the two
new Atlas Copco Pit Viper blast hole
drilling rigs, a PV-351 and a PV-271,
have had to prove their worth.
Mining & processing

Located in an area of historical copper
mining, Collahuasi consists of three
major copper deposits: Ujina, Rosario
and Capella. Lying at an altitude of

4,100 metres, Ujina contains secondary sulphides and oxides. This deposit
(plus a smaller oxide deposit called
Huinquintipa) was the first to be
mined; representing the first stage of
Collahuasi. Currently a total of 50,000
tonnes per day of rock is extracted from
Ujina and a total of 45,000 tonnes per
day is extracted from Capella, which
contains oxide copper ore.
Still higher, at an altitude of 4,600
metres is Rosario, a deposit that contains secondary enriched sulphides
and oxides with a relatively high
copper grade of 1.1%. Stripping at
Rosario began in 2002 and this has
now become the principal source of ore
at Collahuasi; currently over 600,000
tonnes per day of rock are mined.
Rosario Sur 1, a new area where work
has only just started, is contributing
another 10,000 tonnes per day for a
grand total of 705,000 tonnes per day
of extracted rock.
Most of the mining equipment is
deployed at Rosario, including the
drilling fleet and some large capacity

loading and hauling units. Collahuasi
boasts over 40 ultra class haul trucks
from different suppliers, with a rated
capacity of between 240 and 370 tonnes. These are loaded by a fleet of electric rope shovels, supplemented by a
few hydraulic shovels.
After drilling and blasting, the Runof-Mine ore is hauled to the processing
area. Because of the presence of both,
sulphide and oxide ores, Collahuasi
employs two processing methods.
Sulphide ore is crushed, ground and
treated by flotation and oxide to yield
a concentrate whereas oxide and mixed
ores are treated by heap-leaching, solvent extraction and electro-winning
(SX-EW).
The sulphide ore enters a primary
gyratory crusher prior to transport to
two parallel grinding circuits, each
consisting of a SAG mill and a ball
mill. Secondary closed circuit grinding includes cyclone classifiers, from
which the overflow feeds the flotation
circuit. Flotation concentrate is thickened to 50% solids for slurry transport
in a 200 km-long pipeline to the port of
Punta Patache, 60 km south of Iquique,
where it is thickened and filtered before
shipment to smelters worldwide.
The oxide ore is reduced to -10mm
by three-stage crushing. The fine ore
is agglomerated before being conveyed
to the leach pads where it is leached
using sulphuric acid. Copper is recovered from the pregnant leach solution
in the electro - winning plant, where
the copper is stripped using organic
solutions; the stripped liquor is then
returned to the leach pads for re-use.
The strip solution is cleaned using
dilute acid and flotation and is filtered
prior to the electro-winning phase,
where the copper is plated onto cathodes. These are stripped by the Kidd
process on a seven-day cycle and the
cathode copper is then transported by
road to Iquique for export.
Hard Rock Geologically speaking,
Collahuasi is a por phyr y copper
deposit. Approxi-mately 50-60% of
the worlds copper and 95% of molybdenum comes from porphyry deposits
and indeed, the greatest concentration
of large copper porphyrys is in Chile.
The major ore minerals at Collahuasi
The Collahuasi mine, one of the worlds largest copper resources, is located high in the Andean plateau
and operations take place at altitudes of between 4,000 and 4,800 metres above sea level.
are chalcocite, chalcopyrite and bornite. Oxide mineralisation occurs

mainly as chrysocolla with minor
brochantite, native copper, and copperiron-manganese oxides and hydroxides.
The rock here has special characteristics; its altered with quartz so its
harder, says Correa, explaining that
the rock at Collahuasi has an average
strength of 100 megaPascal (MPa), with
some sectors reaching even 250 MPa.
For comparison, the rock at other local
mines has a typical strength of 60 MPa.
Nevertheless, there are some geological faults. Some areas can be unstable with the risk of wall collapse,
says Correa, explaining that this, however, does not happen abruptly. A radar
system is used to scan the walls so the
risk of collapse can be controlled.
The stripping ratio at Collahuasi
varies depending on pushback development but the average is 4:1 (waste: ore).
Bench heights are a standard 15 metres with 1 and 2 metres of subdrilling
depending on the drilling pattern.
There are no double benches due to the
low quality of the rock mass. Blasting at

Collahuasi is carried out once a day and
four different drilling patterns are used
depending on the area. Some areas
contain ground water so we have to
take this into consideration. Depending
on the presence or not of water, we use
heavy ANFO or ANFO & emulsion,
says Correa, adding that they employ a
remote electronic initiation system.
Drilling & Vipers

On the drilling front Collahuasi
currently employs a fleet of 19 rigs of
which 11 are used specifically for blasthole production drilling including the
two Pit Viper units. They are the only
diesel drilling rigs working in production as the other nine are electric rigs.
There are three other rotary diesel
machines from another supplier, which
are being used to drill 7 buffer
holes. These are the holes positioned
on the last two or three rows close to
the walls. These holes must be drilled
with a smaller diameter than production
September), when temperatures can

reach -40C. That means that the rigs
also have to be fitted with a heater
and an on-board generator, continues
Espindola, explaining that elements
such as the water pump, fuel, battery
and oil can all be affected by the very
low temperatures.
Pit Viper 351
Once they arrived in Collahuasi, the Pit Vipers went straight to the Rosario deposit to work in production
drilling. Some areas in this deposit are narrow and have water but this is not a problem for the versatile
diesel rigs.
holes as they require a smaller explosive charge in order to minimize

damage to the wall or the slopes, explains Correa, adding that normally,
these holes are drilled to the height of
the benches, without subdrill.
For pre-splitting, Collahuasi employs four smaller diesel rigs, which are
drilling 4 diameter holes to a depth
of 16 metres and at an angle of 70.
The Pit Vipers were delivered in
April and May 2011 and both went
straight to Rosario to work on production drilling. The PV-271 unit is drilling 10 diameter blast holes and the
PV-351 is drilling 12 diameter blast
holes. Both rotary machines are drilling vertically and to a maximum depth
of 18 metres.
According to Correa, the diesel
machines have proved ideal for work
at this deposit: Weve hit a phase in
the Rosario deposit where the working
area is narrow and there is water, he
explains. It is very convenient for us
not to have to deal with the cables of
the electric machines in that area.
112
Also important is the machines

versatility: Moving electrical cables
about results in lost time, and thats
why we decided to go for a diesel version. We like the versatility of the Pit
Vipers as we can move them around
quickly and without problems.
However, the high altitude and consequent reduction in oxygen, means a
loss of power in any diesel machine.
This makes the rigs less efficient and
so we had to compensate for this by
fitting them with higher-powered engines and compressors, says Paulyn
Espindola, Product Manager, Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions (ADS), explaining that the Pit Vipers at Collahuasi are f itted with a compressor giving a low pressure rotary of
3,800 cfm @ 110psi instead of 3,000,
which would have normally been
enough. Equally, the rigs feature a
more powerful engine, in this case one
delivering 1,650hp @ 1,800rpm.
T he high altit ude also means
extreme low temperatures, especially
in the South American winter (July to
Although both rigs have had a good

general performance, it is the larger
unit that has stolen the show: The
PV-351 is drilling about 10% faster
than the electric rigs, roughly 58 metres
per hour, whereas the electric machines
are drilling an average of 50 metres per
hour, informs Correa.
This was confirmed on site by
Eduardo Macheo, the operator of the
PV-351: I like this machine; its fast.
Ive been able to drill 780 metres with it
in one shift of 12 hours (thats including
a one hour break). But I can do better;
my personal record is 800 metres in
one shift and Im sure I can reach that
with the 351! he laughs confidently.
Macheo felt familiar with the rig
from the start as he used to work on
another Pit Viper unit before, albeit the
smaller 271 and not one equipped with
the Rig Control System (RCS). Before
I came here I worked at another large
copper mine and there I had the opportunity to operate the 271 machine. I
had a console for operation though, not
joy sticks, so the whole computerised
system and the joy sticks were a new
experience for me, he says.
The RCS computerised system
comes as standard on all PV-351 rigs
and provides a high level of automation, including autodrilling, GPS hole
navigation, rig remote access with communication, remote tramming, measure
while drilling and tele-remote operation amongst other advanced features.
All the rig functions are controlled
through a touch screen, two joy sticks
and push buttons on the operators seat,
so when the seat swivels, the joysticks
and screen swivel in conjunction. When
the two Pit Vipers arrived, Atlas Copco
provided two experienced instructors,
to train approximately 20 people at
Collahuasi. The technical training was
completed only in January this year.
Macheo admits it has been a learning curve but an easy and enjoyable
one: Oh, it wasnt a problem at all
to learn to operate it. It did help that I
had already worked on the 271 but the
controls are very straightforward, he
says, praising the cabin and its great
visibility. Its easy for me to work in
here, it feels safe and Im happy.
Featuring a powerful hydraulic pulldown, the PV-351 has also impressed
Collahuasi with its great capacity:
Before, there wasnt a diesel machine
with this capacity and for us this results
in greater availability in time, says
Correa.
Atlas Copco inside

Collahuasi
Before the Pit Viper units arrived, Atlas
Copco did not have a significant presence in Collahuasi in terms of large
equipment so, commercially speaking,
these machines represent a coup for the
supplier. Of course were very proud
to have got into Collahuasi but whats
more important for us is the opportunity to be able to show our new customer
how we can help, especially when it
comes to advanced technology.
Of the 40 Pit Viper units in the
country, 21 of them feature the RCS system. says Fernando Depix, Business
Manager ADS in Chile.
Atlas Copcos advanced technology
was, in fact, one of the major reasons
why Collahuasi decided to go with the
Pit Viper units: Atlas Copco offered
us the possibility of automated drilling and this is very important for us,
confirms Correa.
Complete automated drilling is the
way the company would like to go in
the future and so it needs to get ready
for it: We have been looking at several
alternatives and ideally, in the future,
well reach a stage where drilling can
be carried out without the operator
inside the machine. We have been
watching the results at Aitik mine,
where theyve been drilling remotely,
with the operator placed at a distance
from the machine he says referring to
the Swedish copper mine, one of the
most cost-efficient mining operations
and where four Pit Viper 351 rotary
drill rigs are currently working.
Top left: Fernando Depix, Business Manager, Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions, Atlas Copco Chilena
Top right, Paulyn Espindola, Paulyn Espndola, Atlas Copco Product Manager near a blasthole produced by
the PV-351 at Collahuasi. Above: (Group of men from ADS Chile). From left to right: Jean Olivares, Rodrigo
Muz, Paulyn Espndola, Fernando Depix, Felipe Ortega, Julio Acevedo and Hugo Moyano.
Continuous improvement and innovation through the use of new technology is another important strategic
objective for Collahuasi. From the
drilling point of view, autonomous
technology would mean being able to
standardise our drilling operations and
thus help increase our production,
confirms Correa.
Drilling steel
Collahuasi and Atlas Copco did have a
relationship before the Pit Viper units
arrived at the mine last year. In fact,
this relationship started in 2004 and
came about through a Cost-Per-MetreDrilled Contract. The agreement entails
the supply by Atlas Copco of the whole
drilling column: rotary bits (including Secoroc Tricone bits), rotary drill
pipes, bit adaptors, top sub adaptors
and CENTEROLL rotary deck bushings amongst others.
The contract covers a total of 12
drill rigs and different drill diameters,
independently of the rock hardness.
In a full year, Collahuasi drills about

925,000 metres in 12 " diameter,
plus 420,000 metres in 10 " diameter
and 220,000 meters in 7 diameter.
All the drill rigs are dressed up with
TEAMALLOY drill strings from top
to bottom and SMOOTHDRIVE shock
absorber sub. The contract, which was
recently renewed until October 2014,
is based on rate of penetration (ROP)
with Collahuasi paying for the amount
of metres drilled by the machines in a
specific month. We pay for the metres
drilled, not for the steel, confirms
Correa, explaining that if the total drill
bit run in a certain month reaches an
average ROP over a given base, the
cost per metre increases in a percentage according to an agreed formula. On
the other hand, if the ROP reached is
below the base, the cost per metre is
decreased accordingly. If we manage
to get a better drilling rate, well share
the savings with Atlas Copco, says
Correa.
The cost saving is produced by the
machines achieving a high penetration
we need the supplier to hold some key

parts in stock for when we need them,
says Correa, adding that this possibility
is currently being discussed. If an agreement is reached, it would be for fast
moving critical spare parts; those that
the mine would need to use more often.
Future plans & why

Atlas Copco
The PV-351 is drilling 12 and the PV-271 is drilling 10 5/8 diameter blastholes.
rate, which generates an important

reduction in the total drilling cost for
the mine, says Espindola, adding that
tests though the PARD system (percussion assisted rotary drilling), show
a 35% higher penetration rate when
compared with the conventional rotary
system.
Maintenance & service

Collahuasi prefers to have control over
its maintenance operations and therefore these are carried out by its own
specialist team. However, when the
Pit Vipers arrived, a technical maintenance agreement was struck for Atlas
Pre-split holes
4 "
15 m
Drilling pattern at Collahuasi mine.
114
Copco to oversee the machines for the

first three months. This included two
Atlas Copco drilling experts assigned
to Collahuasi to support in this area.
Despite the fact that there is no Full
Service Contract, we try to be proactive and see to Collahuasis needs,
says Eduardo Fajardo, Atlas Copcos
Service Manager MEL CMDIC.
He adds: We have to be strong in the
service area, in technical and customer
support, to differentiate ourselves from
other equipment providers.
At the moment, Collahuasi would
like to have more support with the
availability of critical spare parts. We
cant have a warehouse full of parts, so
Buffer holes
7 7/8"
Production holes
10 5/8" or 12 "
Next year, in 2013, it is planned that

work will start in another new area,
Rosario Sur 2, which means that a
second machine of the same capacity as
the PV-271 would be needed. In fact,
next year we have to replace two of the
older drilling rigs as theyre coming up
for retirement. Ill be looking for the best
machine for our needs, says Correa.
More Pit Vipers for Collahuasi?
Judging by the reasons why the mine
decided to go with these rigs last time
around, there is a fair chance: One of
the reasons was the machines reliability and prestige. There are a great
number of Pit Viper rigs operating in
the Chilean mining industry, which
proves that the machines work in our
conditions and that theres enough
appropriate support from Atlas Copco,
says Correa.
Another reason was capacity; We
couldnt find another manufacturer that
could offer us a diesel rig with such a
great capacity as that of the PV-351.
Finally, theres the subject of technology. These rigs are now able to
drill in automatic mode and in the nottoo-distant future we can upgrade to a
full autonomous mode. This was not
offered by other manufacturers, says
Correa.
When it comes to surface drilling
rigs, Atlas Copcos advanced technology and know-how is setting it apart
from the rest. As Depix says: Its one
of our main advantages, and well use
it to help our customers achieve their
targets.
Acknowledgments
Article & photographs by Adriana
Potts. Technical drawing by Greenwood
Communications. With thanks to Collahuasi mine and Atlas Copco Chilena
.
USA, Elko, Nevada
Innovation through interaction

First PV-271
ever built
When the Pit Viper 271 drill was
developed, Atlas Copcos engineering and marketing staff worked
closely with customers to design
a rig for greater efficiency when
the truck and shovel mining method is used. Jim Owen works at
Barrick Goldstrike Mine near Elko,
NV. He is not a driller or mechanic, but his day-to-day responsibilities give him the experience
to know the PV-271 better than
just about anyone.
Product development
Atlas Copco has a creed that is stated
in most internal and external communications. We are committed to your
superior productivity through interaction and innovation. These are not just
marketing words tossed about lightly,
but rather a promise of conviction to
each customer. However, unlike most
marketing statements recited to customers, this statement is also a reminder
for employees as to why they are here
and what makes Atlas Copco better.
If you have looked at purchasing a
PV-271, you may have met or talked
with Jim Owen. Atlas Copcos Western
US district manager, Jon Torpy, said
that just about every company that has
purchased a PV-271 in the United States,
and several outside of the US, has first
visited with Jim Owen about the drill.
Jim has been a great resource for other
mines dealing with similar drilling
conditions. For Barrick Goldstrike,
Owen is an important part of the rigs
daily operation. Owen said, Im responsible for everything below the
tophead: shocks, subs, steel, bits, bushings, and preventative maintenance on
the drills whatever is needed. I just
keep the drills moving.
Barricks Goldstrike mine has four
PV-271 rigs and holds claim to the first
PV-271 ever built. After 27,113 hours,
two compressors and two rotary heads,
After consulting with customers, Atlas Copco developed the PV-271 to meet their requirements to increase
productivity in open-pit, hard rock mining.
Owen said, it is still our best performing rig with no cracks in the tower or
frame. Where it counts, all is good.
Since it arrived at the mine in 2004,
the original rig has been problem free.
Other than the replacement of wear
items and preventative maintenance,
the first rig went to work the day it
was taken off the lowboy and has been
drilling ever since, said Owen.
To put that in perspective, thats a
whopping 58,856 holes for a total of
2,671,217 drill ft. Over that period of
time the PV-271 has had an average
penetration rate of 199 ft per hour. The
rate has stayed constant over the life of
the rig, faster when starting a layback
and reducing when we go deeper, said
Owen.
Owen is impressed with component

life, too. On the first rig he got 10,000
hours totaling 1.2 million drilled feet
on the first rotary head and so far
17,000 hours on the second rotary head.
Design has had much to do with this.
I really like these drills, said Owen,
emphasizing his personal reason that,
they save me so much work! He complimented the rigs smooth operation
stating, It is even easier on bits because
not having to add a rod, there is no air
loss which sometimes results in back
reaming.
One of the features that Owen really
likes is the Automatic Tensioning Adjustment for the cables. As you drill the
cable stretches and slackens up. With
a smaller drill youre manually adjusting
Innovation through Interaction
Jim Owen, Drill Supervisor, plays an important role in the rigs' daily operation and is responsible for
everything needed to keep the drills moving.
about once a month or so, said Owen,

who is glad this is not necessary with
the longer cables on the PV-271. The
task of manually adjusting the tension
requires lowering the tower which takes
time. With the automatic tensioning
feature on the PV-271 the work is done
automatically.
Interaction from the

beginning
The PV-271 was developed to increase
productivity in open-pit, hard rock mining. Not only was the entire drilling
process examined, but also how it fit
with mining operations as a whole. To
ensure they hit the mark, Atlas Copco
turned to Goldstrike and worked closely with the Goldstrike operations team,
which included Jim Owen. Interacting
with Goldstrike and other customers
during the development of the PV-271
ensured that Atlas Copco developed a
drill that met the mining industrys
exact requirements, not just what they
THOUGHT was required. For Goldstrike
116
that meant the drills needed op-timum

footage, but they also needed to
drill to the shovels optimum performance. A 50-ft bench would work great
for the shovel, but this size drill is perfect with a 40-ft bench, said Owen.
Increasing the footage rate was a result of completing a full hole without
adding or removing drill steel. Efficiencies came with more time over
the hole and reduced setup and tramming time. Goldstrike uses two 25-ft
steel and one 10-ft sub for a total of
55-ft. Including the ground to rotary
head space when jacked up, this gives
Goldstrike the required 40 to 46 ft of
clean, straight hole.
Production drilling at Goldstrike is
done with 9- and 8- inch bits for
trim and presplit work. Owen said, We
changed the breakout wrench because
the drill was designed for 7- inch
pipe, but we use 7-inch pipe because
its a better fit for the 9- and 8- inch
bits and its also cheaper. Pipe could
be an expensive item but because they
are not making connections, drill steel
lasts them about eight months. He said

when they are finished with the pipe,
there is nothing wrong with it other
than its diameter is reduced. The wall
thickness on the bottom of the 10-ft sub
is 2 inches for extra strength above
the bit.
Owen said he doesnt know a guy
who would complain about the PV-271
including drillers and mechanics.
Mechanics can be intimidated with
electronics over hydraulics, but its so
much easier to work on. And once a
guy works on it, they find its better,
not much more difficult than the wiring
on your boat trailer, he said with a
chuckle.
I have no problem bragging up the
PV-271, said Owen. Its faster, more
reliable and the factor of safetyeverything just came together on this rig.
When talking about the rate of drilling,
Owen said, Ive seen one driller get
5,500 ft in one shift. Today Goldstrike
is all rotary drilling with a tricone bit.
Owen said, 13,000 ft on a bit is not
uncommon and hammer drilling isnt
necessary. Because the rigs at Goldstrike use tricone bits, a 1900 cfm
110 psi low pressure compressor is all
that is needed. Many compressor options
are available on the rig, depending on
the type of drilling.
Innovation through interaction are
big words describing how the PV-271
came to be. It was mostly guys who use
drills sitting down with guys who make
drills and saying, We need a drill that
is perfect for what we do. For those at
Barrick Goldstrike, that started with a
hole size, required depth and a need to
mine gold more efficiently. A couple of
years ago, Goldstrike reached a milestone of 30 million ounces of gold
mined. Thats the largest gold removal
from any one pit in the world and weve
mined a couple million since then,
commented Owen. So its safe to say
the PV-271 is doing its job.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine No 2 2008. Story and pictures
Communications.
USA, Battle Mountain, Nevada
Unforgiving ground
Improvement and
teamwork are the
keys to success
at Phoenix Mine
The formation in Newmonts Phoenix Mine near Battle Mountain,
NV, contains high levels of abrasive quartzite but also contains
precious gold, copper, and silver.
Newmont started mining operations at Phoenix (formerly Battle
Mountain Gold) three years ago
and the planners knew they were
working with a challenging geological formation. But as it turned
out, it was more challenging than
anticipated.
Hammer drilling
with PV-271
Mine manager Mark Evatz said, Anything that touches Phoenix rock wears
fast. The rock fights back here. The Pit
Viper is big and bad and can take it.
Evatz is talking about Atlas Copcos Pit
Viper 271 (PV-271) blasthole drill.
Because of the hardness of the rock,
drilling at Phoenix requires hammer
drilling and the mine uses tough Atlas
Copco TD65 hammers with 6-inch
bits. The mines PV-271s are outfitted
with a single 1450 cfm, 350 psi oilflooded air compressor.
Phoenix has six Atlas Copco PV-271
drill rigs plus an Atlas Copco DML
and a DM45 midrange blasthole rig. The
mines goal is to keep four million tons
of muck in inventory to stay ahead of
the shovels and support needed operational flexi-bility (ore control related).
Drilling efficiency has been a continuous point of improvement since operations began at the mine. The singlepass depth capability of 55 ft (16.5 m)
on the PV-271 helped with that. Originally, the plans called for 20-ft bench
heights, supported by 23-ft drill depths,
but time spent moving from hole to hole
was eating up productivity. Drilling on
Biting through the hard and abrasive quartzite in the Nevada desert, the single pass Pit Viper 271 gives the
Phoenix Mine a clean, 45-ft hole.
that plan resulted in drilling an average of 47 ft an hour. When depths were

changed to 44-ft drill depths, supporting blasting of 40-ft benches, they were
able to utilize the single pass capacity
of the PV-271, and performance increased to over 60 feet an hour. Although
the drill depth change largely supported the improvement, other aspects of
continuous improvement associated
with increased knowledge of the Pit
Viper drills helped as well.
We are below our budgeted drill
costs, said Evatz. This is partially
because the best cost- per- foot comes
from hammer drilling when in hard
rock. Pat McAmis, maintenance planning general foreman, concurred with
this. You can try to put more drills on
the bench, but space and costs dont
make that practical. The mine focuses
on maximizing blast-induced fragmentation while maintaining the integrity
of the ore zones (minimal dilution).
Although the cr usher can handle
30-inch boulders, McAmis said, The
goal is to maximize what youre digging keeping a methodical approach.
At the Phoenix mine, drills are top
priority machines and we mine to feed
the mill, said McAmis. He is pleased

with the performance of the PV-271 and
has no major concerns, complimenting
the support from Atlas Copco and his
distributor, Cate Equipment. Were all
in it to make money and you have to
be fair, but I would say we work well
together.
Time per hole

Drill operator Clinton Riddle started in
mining in 1976 and has seen a lot of technology advancements over the years.
For me, things really started to change
the last couple of years. He cited that
these advancements include the speed
of drilling with air, computerized controls, and automation on the rigs.
Depending on the formation and area
of the mine, Riddle said a 45-ft hole can
take 5 to 45 minutes. As he drills, he
watches his computer monitor, which
tells him the hardness of the rock, the
drilling rate, and performance statistics
such as time per hole, torque and rotation. The color-coded block on the right
of the screen shows red for harder rock
formation and yellow or green for softer
formation. This helps him anticipate
NEWMONTS PHOENIX MINE
Single pass drill of 40-ft benches with PV-271 rigs.
what changes may be required in the

hole. He said the color bar is nice to
have, but its still just a guide.
Riddle said the average shift completes about 18 45-ft holes, but there
are some eight- to 12-hole days and hes
seen as many as 50 a day. Atlas Copcos
Western Region manager, Jon Torpy,
has been in mines all around the world.
About the rock at Newmont, Torpy said,
We, as Atlas Copco, have only seen a
handful of locations that have the difficult drilling conditions found at Phoenix,
and the PV-271, coupled with the TD65
hammers, are the best tools for the job.
Maintenance superintendent Walt
Holland is responsible for the entire
mines equipment maintenance at Newmonts Phoenix Mine. He said that he
looks at mining equipment like a three
leg stool drills, shovels, trucks and
all have to be working to keep things
moving. Because of the hardness of
the rock, drill maintenance is very
important at Phoenix, said Holland.
Other Newmont properties may drill
120 to 130 ft an hour, but at Phoenix,
they are now up to 60 ft per hour. The
rock hardness at Phoenix is unique to
the world, he pointed out. What I like
about the Pit Viper rig is its quality. I
am getting 92.5 percent availability and
that is really good. The operators were
given additional training required for
the single pass rig and they feel very
comfortable operating them now. We
have a great history with Atlas Copco
118
and have worked right through any

issues that have come up, Holland
said.
Maximum productivity
In recent months, productivity at
Phoenix has increased and Holland
credits this in part to good communication between operations, maintenance,
and engineering. Phoenix is successful because we dont get conflicting
missions. We work well together and
challenge each other. The ground is
unforgiving at Phoenix and it takes a
team approach to be successful. When
mechanics and operators are talking,
you know youre winning, he said with
conviction.
Mark Evatz echoed this sentiment.
There had to be a steep learning curve
at Phoenix, he said. Since operations
began, the most recent quarter was
the best at Phoenix from an operation
standpoint. More revenue at a reduced
cost has had a lot to do with technology and the application of the Pit Viper
rigs, said Evatz.
For Evatz, continuous improvement
is a large part of the success at Phoenix.
We had 96 of 100 points right when
we started up Phoenix, he said. A lot
of the original planning decisions came
from the best practices used at other
Newmont Nevada mines, such as the
Lone Tree Mine. We looked at the hardest rock at Lone Tree as a comparison
when beginning operations. Basing equipment estimates and mining practices on Lone Trees numbers, our drill
production was half of Lone Trees,
Evatz said. For another equipment
example, Evatz said dozer grousers
require replacement three to four times
faster at Phoenix than Lone Tree.
Although the overall mining rates were
comparable at ~150k tons per day, the
rock hardness/abrasion at Phoenix is
substantially greater.
Major consumption items such as
down-the-hole hammers and bits are a
large ticket item when hammer drilling,
but necessary in very hard rock. The
mine uses about a dozen TD65 hammers a month and hundreds of 6-inch
bits. To maximize performance, Atlas
Copco has placed a full-time Product
Support Sales Representative (PSSR)
in the mine to support and develop
the use of consumables. Jim Wheeler,
Atlas Copco senior area manager for
consumables in the Intermountain
Region, said, Having someone on-site
is all about continuous improvement.
An example of this was a recent insert
change on the 6-inch hammer bits
gauge row, which has increased bit
performance. Having someone there
watching the performance of all consumables ensures that all pieces are
working together, reducing drilling
costs and improving productivity.
About 150 bits are used per month,
and in these extraordinarily abrasive
conditions, regrinding is not considered
an option. However, in order to reduce
bit consumption as much as possible,
Secoroc has changed the carbide in the
buttons to a tougher grade.
Evatz said that incorporating someone from Atlas Copco onto his team
has allowed them to share the successes
and failures, and has helped fix issues
as they come up the first time. There
is no finger pointing, just solutions for
Evatz.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine No 2 2008. For this edition the
article has been edited and condensed.
canada, VAL D'OR
Community-friendly mining
Smaller rigs
and holes mean
patterns that
limit vibration,
noise and dust
The mining industry has become
increasingly conscientious of the
environment and comunities where
they operate. Change is driven by
mine ownership and management
striving to create a better workplace for their employees and develop good working relations with
their operations neighbors. As
manufacturers increase the focus
on operator comfort, fuel economy and ease of maintenance, they
also contribute to better community relations by engineering products that control noise, dust and
vibration.
The Malartic mine
Integrity of the hole is maintained with a cardboard tube: Hole depth is 11.7 m (38 ft 4 inch).
In 2011 Osisko Mining Corporation

started production in the Canadian
Malartic mine in Northern Quebec, just
40 kilometers west of Val d Or in the
Abitibi Gold Belt. The open pit proven
and probable reserve estimate is 10.71
million ounces of gold.
In January 2005 Osisko initiated a
detailed compilation of the extensive
historical database, including data from
over 5,000 surface and underground
drill holes. Osisko commenced its own
drilling program on the property and in
2007 started open-pit excavations. Full
production started in 2011. The mine is
expected to produce 250,000 ounces of
gold in 2011 and over 700,000 ounces
in 2012.
The placement of the new working
mine is unique because it sits within
the community of Malartic. During
exploration, core rigs were set up on
lawns of residential property. Almost
200 homes needed to be purchased or
moved before push-back could begin.
Community-Friendly Mining
The PV-235 drill rigs are used for drilling of 8.5 inch (216 mm) blastholes with a spacing of 6.3 x 6.3 m.
Osisko Director of Communications

Hlne Thibault can recall knocking
on peoples doors to let them know
when they could expect drilling in their
lawns.
Starting out, sound and dust presented a problem, mining in such close
proximity to the community. An earth
berm built to separate the town from
the mine did much to solve that problem. Equipment choice also played a
crucial role in creating the total community relations solution.
The R in PR
If the community did not already embrace the vision of restarting the mine,
choice of equipment would be a moot
issue.
Thibault attributed some of the ease
in creating a shared vision to mine
personnel themselves. Of the mines
500 employees, 45 percent of them
come from the community.
She said, The employees are our
ambassadors to the community. They
take the message home with them daily

so the community knows what we are
doing.
For the first time in the history of
Quebec mining, and even though it is
not required by law, Osisko deposited
$22 million with the Quebec government, which is half of the future cost
of rehabilitating the Marlartic site. The
balance will be paid by 2013. Osisko
took the initiative as a part of its socially responsible attitude and in order to
assure local residents the mine would
not be abandoned for the government
to clean up.
Reducing vibration and dust
The PV-235 cab is offering phenomenal visibility and comfort.
120
The company chose the newest Atlas

Copco Pit Viper model available, the
PV-235, to drill 8.5 inch blastholes.
These smaller holes are placed closer
together in a blast pattern that has less
impact on the environment. The idea
is to have no dust or vibration outside
the mine, said Mine Manager Franois
Vzina.
The mine has purchased 300 blast
mats to reduce noise, shock and debris
and expects to purchase 100 more.
Vzina appriciates the automation
and precision advantages that come
with the RCS system on the rig. The
auto-drilling system starts off slower

when collaring the hole, which also
reduces ambient noise. Planning each
day starts with the weather forecast,
especially wind direction. The mine
cannot have dust carried into town, yet
the crusher needs to be fed. The wind is
also a factor in carrying noise.
The PV-235 size reduces both of
these problems. The mine was blasting 150,000 tons per day and expected
with increases in equipment to be up to
250,000 tons a day by the beginning of
2012. Osisko operates with a 2:1 waste
to ore ratio. The pit is projected to be
3.2 kilometers by 1 kilometer with a
400 meter depth. To assist in controlling the blast, the pattern is 6.3 meters
by 6.3 meters by 10 meters. The goal
is to create the smallest rock possible
using a smaller pattern.
Driller Mathew Leeker said it took him just one to two weeks to catch on with the operator friendly drilling system.
Previously he was diamond driller. Like all drillers on the PV- 235, Leeker very much enjoys the cab's comfort.
Rebirth of a town
The opening of the Malartic mine has
been a boon to the small community.
Although the town is on the main road
leading to Montreal, it was just a town
to drive by. With the investment from
the mine of new neighborhoods and
a $16 million elementary school construction, the town of 3,000 is now
growing again. Thibault said, We
consider ourselves guests, and we want
to leave the town better off.
Originally the budget was $15 million for the school, but because the
architect said $16 million would give
us so much more, we spent $16 million.
These are our future miners. We want
to give the kids the best quality of life
and education.
The mine also committed to an
annual improvement fund of $50,000.
Thibault said, We dont think of this
as buying the communitys appreciation; we want the community to win
from the gold found here, too.
Safety was also a long-term consideration. Once a neighborhood of
depreciated housing because of the
abandoned underground workings,
homes have been moved to accommodate the new mine workings. The
homes were purchased at fair market
value and are now in a healthy area
where kids ride bikes and play in the
streets safely.
Adding to the four PV-235 rigs already working, the mine has purchased three additional rigs.
Equipment decision
While making their equipment decisions, they kept one focus in mind:
Choose technology for the future. We
knew we were taking a chance with
new-model equipment, but we are in
this for the long term and going with
Atlas Copcos experience was important to us, said Vzina.
In total there are nine drills working onsite, with many exploration
drills doing reverse-circulation and
core drilling. It is expected the mine
has a 16-year life, but the exploration
is continuing and there is hope that it
will go further.
Adding to the four PV-235 rigs already working, the mine has just purchased three additional rigs.
Recently Vzina signed a three-year
service contract with Atlas Copco
to maintain the drills. Those Atlas
Copco service techs really do a good
job and know what they are doing.
The commitment from Osisko is
not just for 16 years, though. This is a
partnership, said Vzina. I think we
need to have a partnership philosophy
with suppliers and the community. We
learn from our partners. Im proud of
what we are doing here. And we are
going to have a lot of fun.
Acknowledgements
Photos and story by Scott Ellenbecker,
first published in Atlas Copco Mining &
Construction magazine, No. 3, 2011
The Rig Control System (RCS) makes life easier for

Mathew Leeker.
122
The Pit Viper 235 has a weight on bit of 65,000 pounds and is designed for rotary or DTH drilling of 6 9 7/8 inch
(152 -251 mm) diameter holes. Two tower options are available to drill 35 ft (10.7m) or 40 ft (12.2m) clean holes.
argentina, andes mountains, San Juan Province
Drilling reliability at Veladero
Operations at Veladero take place at altitudes of between 4,000 and 4,850 metres above sea level.
Heroes of Veladero
Working amidst some of the
harshest weather conditions and
where maximum reliability is paramount, the PV-271 drilling rig is
proving its worth at the Veladero
gold mine in Argentina.
As mining operations go, you would

be forgiven for thinking that Veladero
is just another conventional, low grade
open pit gold mine. This is true to a
point. However, look closely and you
will find a fascinating history and some
amazing logistics, making you marvel
at the everyday challenges faced by
workers and machinery to make this a
successful mining operation.
The Veladero Mine is operated by
Minera Argentina Gold S.A. (MAGSA),
a subsidiary of Barrick, one of the
worlds leading producers of gold.
Located in San Juan Province, about

350 km northeast of the city of San
Juan, Veladero is in the high Andes at
an altitude between 4,000 and 4,850
metres above sea level. It is very close
to the Chilean border and immediately
south of the Pascua Lama gold project,
which straddles the border between
Chile and Argentina and is currently
also being developed by Barrick.
Veladero is accessed by a purposebuilt 156 km road which passes elevations of over 5,000 metres above sea
level. Depending on the weather conditions, it takes about seven hours in
a 4x4 vehicle to drive from San Juan,
the nearest city, to the mine. Conditions
can be so severe that special shelters
have been built every 20 kilometres
along the access road to safeguard
workers and travellers in extreme
weather.
At this altitude, the temperature
is highly variable and drops 2 for
every 300 metres in elevation. During

winter, which takes place between July
and September, the average daily temperature is -10, dipping as low as -16
during the night. Add to that the wind
chill factor and the night time temperature can drop to -40, a figure that has
been recorded several times.
Winds blow from west to east and
can be very strong, sometimes 80-100
km/hour. Even extreme winds of up to
220 km/hour have been recorded by the
weather station, says Jose Luis Forns,
Mining Superintendent at Veladero,
explaining that the average winds are
20-30 km/hour during the day but that
this increases substantially as the day
wears out.
Weather conditions can be very
hard, especially in winter, to the point
where the access road can be blocked
and us having to declare an alert,
says Forns, explaining that among its
facilities, the mine has an operating
Blasthole Drilling in open pit mining 123
Drilling Reliability at Veladero
To the left, Veladero drilling pattern: hole spacing of 7x8 m in waste and 6.5x7 m in ore. To the right, rock sampling: Veladero has a silica-type rock whose hardness
and compression varies throughout the site.
theatre with a surgeon, should any

medical emergency happen whilst the
road is closed.
Because of the remoteness of the
mine, operators at Veladero work a
pattern of 14 days in and 14 days out.
Of the 14 days at the mine, seven are
worked during the day and seven are
worked during the night.
We have special conditions here
that complicate our logistics. Theres
nothing within a 100 km radius around
us, so we expect reliability from our
equipment and suppliers, says Forns .
History
Although mining activities around
the San Juan Province can be traced
as far back as the early 19th Century,
Veladero represents the arrival of
true, large-scale mining to this part
of Argentina and it is Barricks first
operation in the country.
After a programme of regional
exploration in the mid 1990s, it was
not until May 1997, in the middle of
snow storms and cut off roads, that gold
and silver was discovered in an area
124
called Federico. The winter of 1997

was especially bad due to the El Nio
weather phenomenon, making it even
more difficult to access and continue
work in some key areas. After four
years of exploration, in 1998 two very
significant holes were drilled in an area
called Amable; Hole V76 in May and
Hole V90 in October, which revealed
excellent mineralisation and showed
the quality of the project.
Soon after this, MAGSAs then parent company, ARP, sold its shares to
Homestake Mining Company, which in
turn merged with Barrick in 2001. The
environmental impact assessment for
Veladero was approved in November
2003 and that same year construction
started. After an investment of US$540
million in the construction of the mine,
commercial operations finally began in
September 2005 and the first gold bar
was produced in November that year.
Mining & processing

operations
Veladero is an open pit mine extracting
gold and silver from three orebodies:
Filo Federico, Amable and Argenta.

Federico, to the north and Amable, to
the south, are the original open pits.
Extraction at Argenta, located in the
southeast sector of the field, commenced in 2010. Exploration has been
carried out at a fourth area, Cuatro
Esquinas, which is located in the centre
and will eventually become a working pit. Veladero is a low grade mine
producing about 1 gram of gold per
tonne of rock with an ore to waste strip
ratio of 3:1. Metal recovery is achieved
through heap leaching and cyanide
processing methods.
Veladeros gold production in 2011
was 0.96 million ounces of gold at a
total cash cost of US$353 per ounce.
Proven and probable mineral reserves
currently stand at around 11.3 million
ounces of gold.
Rock extraction is car ried out
through drilling & blasting with the
mine currently extracting an average
of 230,000 tonnes/day of rock. Higher
grade ore is crushed to 32 mm size in
a two-stage crushing process and then
transported via overland conveyor and
trucks to the leach pad area. On the
Blasthole drilling in open pit mining
To the left, the PV-271 is drilling 10 5/8 production blast holes at Veladero. Top to the right, Carlos Cavanillas, Drilling & Blasting General Supervisor (left) and
Ramn Arjona, Drilling & Blasting Senior Supervisor. Bottom to the right, Veladero employs standard 15 m high benches.
other hand, very low grade, run-ofmine ore is hauled directly to the leach
pad area.
All the ore is then stacked in a lined
containment area behind a retention
dam. A cyanide leach solution is applied to the top of the stacked ore and
allowed to percolate through the heap.
As the solution goes through the ore, it
dissolves gold and silver from the rock.
This gold-rich solution is collected at
the base of the leach pad and pumped
to a conventional Merrill-Crowe process plant in order to recover the gold
and silver.
Through 2007 and 2008 Barrick offered a US$10 million prize to the scientific community in a bid to improve
silver recovery at Veladero. Recovery
rates for silver are low, less than 7%,
because the metal is bound within
silica, which is difficult to dissolve
using conventional cyanide processing.
As many as 130 proposals were submitted and of these, nine were selected for
testing.
Ever since we started operations,
weve been looking for ways to increase
production, says Forns, explaining
that crushing capacity was expanded

from 50,000 to 85,000 tonnes/day in
2009. Heap leaching capacity as well
as transport have also been increased.
Power at the mine is provided
mainly by diesel generators with a total
capacity of 13.5 megawatts. In 2007,
the company installed a wind turbine
which currently produces 2 megawatts
or around 20% of the total electricity
needed to power Veladeros operations.
The use of wind energy provides a
clean source of power for the mine
and also helps us to cut down on fuel
transport, says Forns, explaining that
the wind turbine, which took nearly a
month to assemble, weighs 229 tons,
has a rotor diameter of 80 metres and
is installed on a specially-developed
tower nearly 60 metres high. At 4,110
metres above sea level, this has been
recognized by Guinness World Records
as the highest wind turbine in the
world.
Veladero uses a mine management
system as well as a wireless communications system for increased data
bandwidth throughout the site and field
communication.
Drilling & blasting

Carlos Cavanillas, Drilling & Blasting
General Supervisor and Ramn Arjona,
Drilling & Blasting Senior Supervisor,
explain the daily work routine for their
area.
We have a daily meeting first thing
in the morning to check what the night
shift is leaving us with; for instance, if
there were any incidents or problems
with the machines, says Cavanillas.
This is followed by a visit to the working area for a general inspection. We
check the areas that are going to be
blasted that day and determine whether there will be blasting or not, says
Arjona, explaining that normally, blasting happens twice a day, at 2:00 pm
and then again later on at around 6:00
pm.Veladero uses ANFO for blasting.
The severe weather can interrupt the
operations. Indeed, as Cavanillas points
out, they get an updated weather report
every single day: If theres the possibility of a thunderstorm that day, we
dont blast - it could be catastrophic!
Veladeros current drilling fleet is
composed of 11 diesel rigs, some drilling
Other Atlas Copco equipment at Veladero includes a ROC F9 crawler drill rig.
pre-split holes and some drilling production holes. This includes an Atlas
Copco Pit Viper 271 and a ROC F9
unit. There are also four DM-M2 rigs
amongst other machines.
The ROC F9 rig, which has been
working at the mine about a year longer
than the Pit Viper machine, is currently
working in production, drilling small
4 holes. Its possible that we will use
this machine for pre-splitting in the
near future, says Arjona, explaining
that there is another ROC F9 unit, with
similar configurations working on presplit drilling at nearby Pascua Lama.
Weve heard that machine is doing
very well, he says.
The PV-271 rotary drill is also working in production. Before acquiring it,
Cavanillas wanted to see a similar rig
under working conditions: Ramn
and I went to Chile, where we had the
opportunity to see the PV-351 he says,
referring to the largest model in the Pit
Viper series. Several of these units are
working at Codelcos Radomiro Tomic
copper mine, 3,000 metres above sea
level in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. They were impressed by
the performance of the PV-351 and
after discussions, decided that the
smaller PV-271 was the best option for
Veladero.
PV-271 in action
Ramn Arjona, Drilling & Blasting Senior Supervisor with the PV-271 drill rig.
126
The PV-271, which arrived at Veladero

in May 2010, is currently deployed in
Pit Amable drilling 10 production
blast holes to a depth of 15 metres. The
mine employs standard 15 metre high
bench drilling with a hole spacing of
7 x 8 metres in waste rock and 6.5 x
7 metres in ore.
A sturdy and powerful blasthole
drill rig, the PV-271 features a pulldown force of up to 311 kN (70,000 lb)
and a 34 tonne (75,000 lb) bit load
capacity for maximum productivity in
hard rock formations. Veladero has a
silica-type rock whose quality varies
throughout the site. We have areas
where the rock is hard, others where it
is quite fragile and others where it is
not only hard but also highly compressive, says Arjona.
Victor Astudillo, the operator of the
PV-271, knows this only too well. He
explains that depending on the area

where they are working, drilling a production blasthole can take anywhere
from 18 minutes to one hour: Most of
the rock is hard so on average, it takes
about 45 minutes to drill a hole.
As all the machines in the Pit Viper
series, the PV-271 uses Atlas Copcos
hydraulic cable feed system, which is
lighter than the traditional chain feed
option. This leads to overall weight
reduction in the tower and feed system
and to smoother drilling, which in
turn extends both bit and feed system
life. Feeding and retracting for pulldown and pullback is really fast so I
can spend more time drilling, says
Astudillo.
Astudillo, who has been a drilling
operator for four years and has experience working with the DM series, is
pleased with the ergonomics of the rig:
it is amazing how comfortable it is.
There could be dust and noise outside
but you barely feel it inside here, he
says, adding that he also likes the fact
that the drilling and non-drilling controls are separated: it certainly makes
the machine easier to operate.
Working at high elevations can
present a number of problems for any
machine. With every additional metre
in elevation, air density and pressure
decrease and traditional electronic
components no longer function reliably. Also, our severe winter can
affect a machine drastically, says
Arjona, explaining that some areas of
the machine such as the air and water
circuits can easily get frozen. So, in
order to work under the weather conditions at Veladero, the PV-271 had to be
equipped with several special features
such as a more powerful engine and
compressor but also with a cold weather package, which includes additional
covering of the machinery housing
and allows for warm start-up and drill
operation in extremely cold ambient
conditions.
And how has the PV-271 faired in
this harsh environment? Oh, very
well indeed and with good reported
availability times, too, says Arjona,
explaining that when comparing
forecast versus real availability and
utilisation in the monthly report, the
real figures normally come on top.
PV-271 operator Victor Astudillo says that due to the variable quality of the rock, drilling a production
blasthole can take anywhere from 18 minutes to one hour.
The PV-271 has given us good levels

of availability. We can rely on that
machine, and for us thats whats
important, says Cabanillas.
According to Forns, when choosing new equipment for the mine they
take into account some basic parameters, such as the machine being able
to be fitted with specific features for
cold weather or the machines penetration rate. But in the end, it is the total
cost of owning that machine which is
going to tip the balance for Veladero:
Cost of buying the equipment itself,
cost of operating it and cost per hour.
Whichever equipment gives us the
best results, thats the one well go for
and in this case it was the Pit Viper
271.
Motivated by technology
The PV-271 is poised to please Veladero even more once it is fitted with
the Rig Control System (RCS) technology; this will give the mine a series
of highly automated options, including: Autolevelling, Autodrilling, GPS
Hole Navigation, Desktop Viewer and
Communication, Wireless Remote

Tramming, Measure While Drilling and
Teleremote Operation. Autolevelling
increases quality in set up of the drill.
Depending on the ground conditions
levelling can be done in less than 35
seconds with an accuracy in pitch and
roll to 0.2 degrees. Autodrilling allows
the system to react to the different rock
conditions within one blasthole and
adjust the drilling as necessary. This
feature provides the consistency of
drilling to the correct hole depth, and
a consistent water f low to maintain
the hole so it does not collapse. GPS
Hole Navigation ensures the blasthole is positioned where it has been
designed in the blast pattern and it is
drilled to the correct depth. RRA and
Communication connects the drill rig
to a standard computer network on a
work site and allows access information on the drill rig from any authorised
point in a network. Wireless Remote
Tramming gives the operator f lexibility to tram the machine from the
bench within a 60-metre distance. Measure While Drilling logs several drill
parameters during operation; this data
Atlas Copco and Veladero staff together (from left to right): Miguel Sernaqu, Atlas Copco Drilling Specialist;
Carlos Cavanillas, Drilling & Blasting General Supervisor; Victor Astudillo, Drilling Operator; Ramn Arjona,
Drilling & Blasting Senior Supervisor and ADS Technician Osvaldo Gil from Atlas Copco Argentina.
can be used for prediction of geological

and geochemical variations within drill
patterns on a bench. Teleremote operation uses the mines wireless network
and allows an operator to utilize the
machine functions mentioned before
from a remote location. Were going
for the full set of RCS functions and are
looking forward to using this technology at Veladero, says Cavanillas.
Upgrading the rig entails replacing
the cabin with a new one. During this
time the machine wont be able to operate, but the changes will be well worth
it, says Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions
Technician Osvaldo Gil, adding that
when the modification is finished, an
Atlas Copco factory specialist will be
there for 10 days to train the operators
and mechanics and to make sure everything works well. Theyre not used to
operating with joy sticks; this will be
128
something new for them, says Arjona,

explaining that they want to use this
opportunity as an incentive for the drill
rig operators: We want them to learn
and then to earn the right to operate
the machine.
This training will be put to another
good use for a second PV-271 now
on order for delivery to the mine.
Effectively, the managers at Veladero
are so pleased with the performance of
the drilling rig that they have decided
to acquire a second unit and this time
it will feature RCS technology from the
start. The idea is that both machines
will have the same configurations,
avoiding the need for different spare
parts and operations, says Gil.
With both machines, the one being
upgraded and the new one, featuring full versions of the RCS system,
Veladero will be able to take its drilling
to the next level. The technology from

Atlas Copco is another factor that keeps
us motivated, says Cavanillas, adding:
Eventually, our idea is to work with
the Pit Viper remotely from a fixed
distant point. We want to be at the forefront when it comes to mining technology. Using the latest high technology
in drilling automation will certainly
help Veladero achieve this goal. And
if everything continues to go well, our
vision is to eventually replace all our
DM machines with Pit Vipers.
And to ensure that everything will
go well, Atlas Copco has a Technical
Assistance Contract with Veladero,
which was put in place in April 2011.
The contract, which has just been
renewed for another six months, specifies one specialist drilling technician
from Atlas Copco available to Veladero
per shift. Currently that means two
people, each working seven hours
shifts. Were here to help with any
drilling issues that might come up. We
spend time with the rig operators and
the drilling supervisors, giving technical support to all the Atlas Copco
fleet, not just the PV-271 but also the
ROC F9 and the four DM-M2 units,
says Miguel Sernaqu, one of the Atlas
Copco drilling specialists. Once the
new PV-271 arrives, the plan is to have
two technicians per shift, effectively
four people, available to Veladero.
Servicing Veladero will go even further now that Atlas Copco Argentina
has just expanded its operations and
presence in the region with a new
branch and workshop located about 2
km south of Barricks offices in San
Juan. Gil explains that the new branch
offers all types of after-sale services
as well as evaluation, failure analysis,
repair of equipment and major components, field equipment set-up and the
stocking of key spare parts. He says:
Were here to see to Veladero and
Barricks needs; thats our priority and
commitment.
Acknowledgements
Articles and photographs by Adriana
Potts. With thanks to Veladero mine
and Atlas Copco Argentina.
MEXICo, saltillo, ZACATECAS
Penasquito powers up
Powerful fleet: Five of the seven Atlas Copco Pit Viper 351 blast hole rigs lined up at the Penasquito open pit gold mine.
A perfect match for

large hole drilling.
In just 14 months the site of the
Goldcorp Penasquito mine in the
state of Zacatecas, Mexico, was
transformed from a flat open valley
into a mine producing more than
500,000 tons of rock each day. Its
choice of Pit Viper drills and Secoroc drill pipes and tricone bits has
proven to be the perfect fit.
A total community program

Peasquito is Mexicos largest open pit
mine and comprises the Penasco and
Chile Colorado/Azul deposits that contain gold, silver, lead and zinc. At an
elevation of 1 900 m above sea level,
the surface of the site is made up of approximately 30 meters of alluvium.The
virtually flat topography has helped the
mine carry out its development plan
that includes moving large amounts of
rock. Im used to mining in mountains
so this is easy mining by comparison,
says Mine Manager, Tim Collins.
The company reports that annual
production over the life of the mine
(estimated to be 22 years) is expected

to ramp up to approximately 500 000
ounces of gold, 30 million ounces of silver and more than 400 million pounds
of zinc.
The Peasquito project is considered
a total community improvement program that includes educating future
generations by building schools. When
looking for potential employees in the
surrounding area, Peasquito found
that most of the local inhabitants had
no mining experience or even a drivers
license. Today, however, 70 percent of
Peasquitos truck drivers are local women, many of whom had never driven
before, and now work at the mine as
a result of Goldcorps investment. In
addition, operating millions of dollars
of earth moving equipment required an
intensive training program before the
workers entered daily production.
Powerful fleet
From the outset, it was the mine managements vision to achieve a high level of production, but first it was necessary to find the right combination of
equipment and support for the project.
To drill and blast half a million tons of
rock every day, the mine needed a special drilling fleet and rig management
program. The mine uses only Atlas
Copco drill rigs which include seven
Pit Viper 351 blast hole drill rigs plus a
DML and an ECM 590 for specialized
tasks.
Production hole size is 311 mm
(12 inches) for the 15 m (49 ft) bench
height. Different types of Atlas Copco
Secoroc epsilon tricone bits are also
used, depending on ground conditions.
The entire drill string, including the
pipe, stabilizers, bushings and subs are
supplied by Atlas Copco Thiessen.
Learning to operate the rig also
required extensive training, but it takes
time to learn the feel of the ground.
To speed up this process, Peasquito
chose rigs with Atlas Copcos Rig
Control System (RCS), which simplifies the drilling functionality for the
operator.
They have it all

These drills have it all, says Mine
Manager Collins. The operator only
needs to move it and level it and the rig
drills its own hole. Collins adds that
he does have four experienced drillers
who like to drill manually and they can

match the auto-drilling performance.
There are times when the bit can take
more down pressure and less rotation;
a skilled operator can feel that, said
Collins. The Rig Control System (RCS),
integrates common drilling functions
such as collaring a hole with low pressure air and down pressure, applying
just the right amount of water and antijamming, with several high-tech options
such as GPS hole navigation.
Ensures efficiency
Drilling and blasting half a million tons of rock every day: The Atlas Copco Pit Viper 351 drill rigs in operation
at Penasquito. The RCS system ensures efficient drilling and the software provides several standard safety
interlocks.
RCS ensures efficient drilling, but many

features are also for the safety of the
miners and equipment. These include
jack and tram interlocks which ensure
that the rig and tooling are secure before
a rig can move.
The mine has installed a complex
dispatch system that integrates with the
GPS on each haul truck, shovel, drill rig
and every other piece of mining equipment. The entire operation is monitored
from a control room where two dispatchers and a maintenance person watch
and direct the activity in the mine.
All data is recorded and is retrievable
by those in the mine who need constant
equipment information. However, the
operation can also be monitored in real
time through a web-browser interface
anywhere in the world.
Technology is the future
The single pass Pit Viper 351 will drill 50 holes per 12 hour shift, at the 15 m (49 ft) high benches.
130
Technology is the future of mining,

continues Collins. If youre monitoring maintenance and operational data
to this level, decisions are made when
they need to be made. Mining is more
efficient today than it once was technology has a lot to do with that and
safety can only move forward at the
same time.
When searching for the right equipment, Alan Hernandez, Project Engineer,
Technical Services, and Tim Collins,
spent seven months travelling around
the world trying to decide which products would fit the program. There
were some hard decisions, but for drill
rigs it was always Atlas Copco, said
Hernandez. More time was spent debating which Atlas Copco drill models
would best fit the plan.
Making the most of bits: Xavier Garcia, Key Account Manager, Atlas Copco, trains operators on the correct use of the eH64OA Secoroc epsilon Tricone bits.
We looked at feasibility studies, calculations, pit design, tonnage every

scenario that would determine what
would work best, says Collins. For
most equipment it was a matter of elimination. The choice consistently came
down to service and support, but with
Atlas Copco there was no debate.
As far as drilling goes, everything
here comes from Atlas Copco, he adds,
complimenting the speed and penetration rate of the Pit Viper 351. The 351
will drill fifty holes per twelve-hour
shift. The fleet at Peasquito drills an
average of 2,300 to 2,500 holes perweek. To keep ahead of the crushers,
about 15 million tons of inventory are
kept in the pit. I like to keep at least
a month ahead, says Collins. This
inventory allows time to support the
drills. The maintenance plan includes
having two or three rigs serviced for
preventative maintenance. That takes
care of normal wear and tear. I can say
the Cummins engines in all our drill
rigs are solid, they dont even burn oil.
Close support
Acknowledgements
In addition to parts and training, Xavier

Garcia, Atlas Copcos Key Account
Manager for Goldcorp, personally handles drilling consumables at the mine.
Twice a month, Xavier spends nearly
a week here analyzing bits. Sometimes
it feels like he practically lives here,
says Collins.
Atlas Copcos Marcus Pantoja and
Octavio Garcia (Service Manager and
Product Specialist) also play a key role,
providing training, equipment start-up,
commissioning and technical support.
To date, the epsilon tricone bit line
has changed from eH53CA to eH61 CA,
eH62OA and eH64OA, to adjust to the
rock formation. We are constantly reviewing bit wear and performance.
Well keep testing bits until we settle
on the one that works the best, he says.
A great advantage has been the use of
the TeamAlloy Drill Pipe from Atlas
Copco Thiessen, which seems to last
forever.

Mining & Construction magazine No 3
2009. It was written by Scott Ellenbecker
after a visit to the mine in September
2009.
The Peasquito mine will have a long
life. As of December 31, 2008, proven
and probable gold reserves totalled 17.4
million ounces.
Silver reserves totalled 1045.7 million
ounces, while lead and zinc stood at
7.07 million tons and 15.36 million tons
respectively.
Measured and indicated gold resources,
inclusive of proven and probable reserves, increased 39 % to 17.8 million
ounces.
Measured and indicated silver resources increased 55 % to 1.3 billion ounces.
For further information and the latest
updates visit: www.goldcorp.com
Example of Pit Viper 351 Drill String used at Penasquito
Shock Sub
Drill Pipe Lifting Bail
Top Spindle Sub
TM
TEAMALLOY Drill Pipe
TEAMALLOY
TM
Starter Drill Pipe
CENTEROLL
DURALLOY
EZ-DRILL
TM
TM
TM
Deck Bushing
Bit Sub
Roller Stabilizer
Secoroc Tricone Drill Bit
Bit Breaker Basket
Drill string
Production hole size
311 mm
12 1/4 in
Bench heigh
15 m
49 ft
Secoroc epsilon Tricone Rotary drill bits
H61CA, eH62OA, eH64OA
The entire drill string from the rotary head to the tricone rotary drill bit is supplied by Atlas Copco
Thiessen and Atlas Copco Secoroc.
132
Turkey, Usak
Secoroc hammers go for gold

Secoroc COP
Gold hammers
The number of meters drilled is
directly tied to the productivity
level of a mine. The type of rig,
hammers and bits must be able
to handle the geology of the site
while achieving the desired performance levels and do so costeffectively.
Powerful drilling,
reliable production
To accomplish this, Tuprag Metal
Mandencilik San. Tic. A. (Tuprag) uses
Secoroc COP Gold DTH hammers on
two Atlas Copco DM45 rigs and a ROC
L6 at the Kisladag gold mine. Designed
for the production drilling market,
Secoroc COP Gold hammers feature a
specially designed piston for efficient
energy transfer; control tube suspension
with steel disc compression rings and
lower buffer rings; steel grade hammer
casing that provides greater impact
strength and excellent wear resistance;
and superb flushing capabilities.
Secoroc COP Gold hammers have
proven to be efficient, reliable and durable with a 10-15 percent longer service
life than equivalent hammers. Furthermore, with the COP Gold E-kit, they can
be rebuilt and restored to their original
performance levels up to three times at
a fraction of the cost of a new hammer.
These factors, along with intensive
training of local operators and maintenance personnel, have seen productivity levels increase beyond expectations since the mine opened in 2006.
Secoroc hammers on the job

At 157 km, the Kisladag gold mine in
the Usak province of western Turkey is
the largest gold mine in the country. It
is owned by Tuprag Metal Madencilik
San. Tic. A. (Tuprag), a wholly owned
subsidiary of Eldorado Gold Corp.
Kisladag Mine Manager Ahmet Raci Uslu in front of one of two Atlas Copco DM45 rigs that enables his
team to surpass productivity expectations.
10 m
A = 22 m Pre-split holes
B = 11 m Buffer holes
C = 11 m Production holes
Be
rm
Pre-split
holes
Buffer
holes
10 m
Production
holes
1m
4.2 m
2.5 m
5.5 m
4.2 m
5.5 m
4.8 m
5.5 m
10 m
The drilling pattern at the Kisladag open pit with 152165 mm production holes, 152 mm buffer holes and
95 mm pre-split holes. The purpose of the pre-split holes and the row of buffer holes is to ensure the
stability of the final walls of the pit.
The ROC L6 with a Secoroc COP 34 DTH hammer drills the pre-split holes. Each hole is 95 mm in diameter
with an average depth of 45 m. Hole spacing is 1 m. (Inset) the blasting sequence of the pre-split holes.
134
Tuprag uses two Atlas Copco DM45

rigs equipped with Secoroc COP 64
Gold DTH hammers for bits with a
QL60 shank. In addition, there is an
Atlas Copco ROC L6 equipped with a
Secoroc COP 34 DTH hammer for bits
with COP 34 shanks for presplitting, or
a COP 54 Gold DTH hammer for bits
with a QL 50 shank for production.
The result is reliable performance on
the site that has continuously increased
production from 70,895 ounces in 2006
to 109,177 ounces in just the first six
months of 2009. The grade is 1.41 gram
per ton.
Maintaining productivity
Kisladag started commercial production in 2006 with a local mine contractor and has been developed as a low
grade, bulk tonnage open pit operation
using heap leaching for gold recovery.
In May 2008, the mine began the transition to being a fully owner-operated
pit. The transition, which included
technical and practical training of operators and maintenance crews, was
completed in four months, and the mine
began using its own fleet exclusively in
October 2008.
Kisladag has been using Atlas Copco
rigs with Secoroc hammers and bits
since the transition began. Penetration
rates are good through the volcanic rock
and Ahmet Raci Uslu, mine manager,
says the rigs and rock drilling tools
were selected to maintain the high productivity rates required at the mine.
The amount of meters we drill is
really important for us to keep up mine
production, says Uslu. In June 2009
we drilled nearly 48,000 meters and we
aim to maintain this level of production.
High productivity is one of the reasons
we chose Atlas Copco.
The anticipated production capacity at Kisladag is 1.73 million tons a
month, but the current rate of mining is
more than two million tons per month.
To achieve this, drilling operations are
run for 20 hours a day; mining operations are 10 hours per shift and there
are 14 shifts per week.
A ROC L6 equipped with its Secoroc
COP 34 DTH hammer averages 45 m
per hour drilling pre-split holes. Hole
diameters are 95 millimeters and the
spacing between the holes is 1 meter.

The holes are 22 meters deep and have
an inclination of 65-77 degrees.
For production drilling, the ROC L6
with the Secoroc COP 54 Gold hammer
averages 400 meters per shift. Each
DM45, equipped with a Secoroc COP
64 Gold hammer, averages 31-35 meters
per hour. The hole diameters are 152-165
millimeters and the drilling pattern is
5.5 meters x 5.5 meters with vertical
holes. The production drilling benches
are 10 meters high with 0.5-0.8 meters
of sub-drilling.
The total drilling capacity for all
rigs is 58,000 m/month. This is including 2 x DM45 and one ROC L6. The
availability of the rigs is 92%.
Hole quality is checked by measuring tape before each blast. Kisladag
uses cord, downhole delays and surface
delays for detonators and ANFO and
emulsion ANFO explosives.
While high speed drilling increases
the number of holes completed per day,
air consumption, fuel costs, penetration
rates and bit and hammer life have a
major impact on profitability. The
operating life for the Secoroc DTH
hammers with E-kits is: COP 34-9,900
meters; COP 54 Gold-12,853 meters;
and COP 64 Gold-27,332 meters.
Maximizing,
extending bit life
Kisladag uses Secoroc drill bits to
achieve high production rates for
extended intervals. To utilize the full
power of the drill rigs, regular bit
grinding is essential. The bit on the
COP 34 averages 1,540 meters; the bit
on the COP 54 hammer, 2,257 meters;
and the bit on the COP 64 Gold, 3,099
meters.
However, the economics of drilling often comes down to balancing
penetration against bit life. A rule of
thumb is that a 10-percent increase in
penetration rate results in a reduction
of 20 percent in bit life.
To extend the life of its bits and
maximize the number of drilled meters
per bit, Kisladag uses a Secoroc Grind
Matic grinder, and each bit is reground
two or three times. The efficient grinders extend the service life of the bits,
which also results in less wear and tear
Bahadir Ergener, RDT/GDE product manager, Atlas Copco-Turkey, demonstrates how to use a gauge to
determine when a tungsten carbide bit needs regrinding. Kilada uses a Secoroc Grind Matic BQ2-DTH.
on each rigs drillstring. The availability

of consumables and parts, as well as the
durability of the equipment, also played
a role in Ahmet Racis Uslus decision
to use Atlas Copco at Kisladag. We
have our own maintenance shop and
crew. We get good maintenance support from Atlas Copco Turkey and a
good supply of parts and consumables
that makes life easy for us, he says.
Exceeding productivity
expectations
Since the first year of commercial
production (July 2006), Kisladag has
surpassed productivity expectations.
Initially, plans were to increase production in year four, but Tuprag was able
to move forward with expansion in year
two. And the trend continues. Tuprags
parent company, Eldorado Gold, recently completed a review of the
Kisladag mine. The study identified

opportunities to effectively increase
annual production by 30-40 percent,
while decreasing unit operating costs
by approximately 15 percent all of
which is expected to be achieved using
Tuprags existing fleet.
For Ahmet Raci Uslu, the relationship with Atlas Copco and the reliability of the equipment will continue to
contribute to the production capability
of Kisladag. And with Secoroc equipment offering the lowest cost per meter
in the industry, taking all costs into
consideration, his fleet will also make
a major contribution to the mines profitability.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining
& Construction, No. 3 2009, and was
updated June, 2010.
Kisladag to double its gold

Arrival of Pit
Viper 235
In mid 2011 the Kisladag mine
took delivery of a new Pit Viper
235. This is a high pressure unit
used for single pass drilling of
12 m deep blastholes using a
Secoroc DTH hammer. Here is
an update published in Mining &
Construction No 2 2012.
Team of rigs
High on the Anatolian plateau, Canadian company Eldorado Gold Corp
has successfully commissioned its
Kisladag gold mine.
Operated through Eldorados subsidiary, Tprag Metal Madencilik Sanayi
ve Ticaret, the mine opened in 2006
and is now Turkeys No.1 gold producer
with an annual production of about
285000 troy ounces.
In contrast to the volcanogenic massive sulphides of the Black Sea region,
the ore at Kisladag is in porphyry-type
mineralization. It grades up to 1 g/t
gold. with softer, oxidized material at
a depth of 30-80 m.
Serkan Yksel, Mine Manager at
Tuprag, explains that the company
plans to more than double its ore production by 2014. Since Tprag took
over mining from a contractor in
2008, the operation has relied on two
Atlas Copco DM45 blasthole drill
rigs for production drilling. Then in
mid-2011, it took delivery of a new Pit
Viper PV-235. Together, the three rigs
completed 650000 drillmeters in 11
months.
Thats over 58800 individual
holes, notes Yksel, and during the
first four months, the Pit Viper contributed around 70000 m to that total. We
are using it in the harder rock in the
pit so were not really in a position yet
to make direct comparisons with the
DM45 rigs. The Pit Viper is powerful
and can drill a 12 m hole in one pass,
136
Good teamwork: The Pit Viper PV-235 above was delivered in mid-2011 and working together with two
DM45 rigs, it helped to complete 650 000 drillmeters in 11 months. Insert: Serkan Yksel, Mine Manager
at Tuprag, confirms that the mine aims to double production.
says operator Yasar Senturk. You can

also move the rig from setup to setup
without lowering the mast which is a
big advantage. That means you can
drill an extra five holes each shift.
Both ore and waste are drilled on
a diamond pattern, with a 4.5-5.25 m
burden and slightly larger spacing. 152
mm holes with a COP 54 Gold hammer
or 165 mm blastholes with the COP 64
Gold hammer cover the depth of a 10 m
bench, with typically 800 mm of subdrilling.
However, the blasthole rigs are not
the only Atlas Copco rigs that have
helped make Kisladag successful. The
mine also runs a ROC L6 (renamed
FlexiROC D50), equipped with a QLX
35 hammer primarily for presplit holes
for wall control. The rig drills 20 m

double bench holes with a diameter of
95 mm and 1 m of sub-drilling. The
layout involves a spacing of 1m per
hole around the entire pit periphery,
requiring very accurate rig set up to
achieve parallel drilling.
Another challenge is that the pit
slope varies from 65 to 77 degrees,
depending on the geotechnical sector
from area to area, Yksel explains,
and we have experimented in the
past with both single and double plane
inclined holes.
Acknowledgements
The article on this page first appeared
In Mining & Construction, No 2 2012
UKRAINE, KOMSOMOLSK
Advanced iron ore

mining in Ukraine
Profitable pellets
Poltava GOK (PGOK) is one of the
most technically advanced iron
ore mines in Ukraine and arguably one of the most progressive
of its kind in the world. The turning point in the history of PGOK
came when the new management
made two key decisions: to concentrate solely on the production
of pellets, and to invest only in
the most modern mining equipment available. The PGOK fleet
currently includes eight Pit Viper
275 blasthole drills. These are
rotary and DTH rigs covering the
hole diameter range 171-270 mm
(6 "10 58").
Solid position
The open pit iron ore mine near the
town of Komsomolsk in central Ukraine
is one of 10 deposits located on a single
5 km long magnetic anomaly strike.
Owned by Poltava GOK, it dates back
to the former Soviet Union when efficiency was not its first priority.
However, following Ukraines independence in 1992, and subsequent
privatization, everything changed and
today the ore dressing and processing
facilities are almost unrecognizable.
PGOK, which is owned by Ferrexpo
plc, is a modern, well equipped and
highly developed operation which, with
annual exports of some 10 million tonnes of iron ore pellets, ranks among the
worlds top pellet suppliers.
The turning point in the history of
PGOK came when the new management made two key decisions: firstly,
to concentrate solely on the production
of pellets, and secondly, to invest only
in the most modern mining equipment
available. And it is the combination
of these two goals that has driven the
mine to success and given it a solid
position among international iron ore
producers.
The diesel-powered PV-275 is drilling 251 mm holes. In rotary drilling with tricone bits, high pressure air
(24 bar) is used to clean the holes.
Advanced iron ore mining in Ukraine
The PGOK benches are 10 to 12 m high and the drill pattern is 6 x 6 m in waste and 5.5 x 5.5 m in ore.
Modern drilling
The iron ore at the PGOK deposit is
extracted from medium hard rock and
to drill the required 251 mm blastholes,
the mine specialists chose the Atlas
Copco Pit Viper 275, a top-of-the-line
rotary drill featuring the computerized
Atlas Copco Rig Control System.
Voldymyr Chasnyk, parts and service manager at Atlas Copco Ukraine
has this to say: Theres no doubt that
PGOK is one of the most modern enterprises in Ukraine. The company is the
industry leader with modern equipment
and has a determination to keep up
with all new technical developments.
PGOK made up its mind to focus
on iron ore pellets in contrast to the
other mines in the country which have
a lot ofdifferent products and they
recognized the superior performance
of the Pit Viper to help them achieve
their goals.
Steady progress
By studying the productivity report,
it is easy to see why the Pit Viper is
the rig of choice here. Since it was first
138
introduced into the fleet in April 2006,

productivity and output have both
steadily increased whereas the number
of rigs needed in the fleet to achieve
the desired results has successively
declined.
Currently PGOK is operating a
fleet of 23 drill rigs, eight of them Pit
Viper 275. In 2010 there were 19 rigs in
the pit and the total number of meters
drilled was 780 000 (13% of which was
done using three Pit Viper rigs, 17%
with three TEREX rigs and 70 % by
13 SBSh (Russian made) rigs.
For 10 months of drilling in 2011,
the total number of meters drilled was
920 000, of which half was drilled
using the eight Pit Vipers, 8% by
TEREX and 42% using SBSh rigs.
Major shift
PGOK has facilities for crushing, concentrating and pelletizing facilities on
site and benefits from its sea port JV
on the Black Sea, at Yuzhnye, near
Odessa, from where it ships pellets to
overseas markets.
Voldymyr Ivanov, First Deputy
Chairman of OJSC (Poltava GOK),
confirms that making the shift from the

traditional fleet to the more modern Pit
Viper has been a major undertaking.
Efficiency is productivity and because our focus is to be more efficient
we are evaluating every type of equipment. That includes trucks, shovels,
loaders, drills, transport systems
everything. Our fleet plan has been
developed in close cooperation with
Atlas Copco Ukraine. Once our fleet
includes more Pit Viper drills we will
get even more efficiency as maintenance and repairs will be carried out
by the specialized Atlas Copco Ukraine
service company and this will allow for
a considerable increase in equipment
availability and drilling volumes.
Mobility and flexibility

Although the increase in productivity
can, to a certain extent, be attributed to
the advanced functions and efficiency
of the Pit Viper, mobility played a
decisive role in the choice. The mines
previous fleet was electric but the PV
is diesel powered, which meant that the
rigs could move around freely from site
to site without the restraints of power
cables. Ivanov confirms that this

mobility has been one major productivity driver. Another is the rigs live
tower capability which allows the rig
to be moved with the rotary head at the
top of the tower and rods loaded an
operation that was not possible with the
older fleet. The benches are 10 or 12
m high and the drill pattern is 6 x 6 m
in waste and 5.5 x 5.5 m in ore. In
rotary drilling with tricone bits, high
pressure air (24 bar) is used to clean the
holes. The reason, explains Aleksandr
Protsenko, is that this extends the life
of the consumables. All of the Atlas
Copco equipment is well taken care of
under the terms of a full service agreement.Driller Victor Voznuk, who has
more than three years of experience
operating the PV-275, says he can drill
a 16 m hole in about 15 minutes, which
in these conditions is considered to be
a good performance.
He says he likes the Pit Viper for its
safety features with fewer opportunities to break things. He adds: The
drills are more comfortable and have a
better way of reporting drilling statistics and tracking productivity.
PGOK exploits the Gorishne Plavninskoye and Lavrikovskoye ore
deposit which is some 8 km long, 2.5 km
wide and 350 m deep, with a gradual
dip ranging from 20 to 37 degrees.
Yeristovsky next in line

Next in line is Yeristovsky GOK
(YGOK) which is already under development. Prestrip operations have
commenced with hard rock mining expected to start in early 2013. The
deposit has an expected life span of
approximately 32 years under the current development plan. It will produce
on average 28 Mt of iron ore and 10
Mt of pellets or concentrate equivalent per year. In total, approximately
1 600 Mt of waste rock is expected to
be removed and 800 Mt of ore to be
produced, giving a favorable strip ratio
of approximately 2:1.
Ferrexpo has engaged international
mining experts to assist in developing
the operation to an international level.
Bob Garrick, an Australian with
many years experience in the mining
industry, says: We have been given
Top picture: The Pit Viper 275 is designed for multi-pass drilling down to 59 m and can be used for angle
drilling with 0 - 30 degrees in 5 degree increments. Above: Driller Victor Voznuk enjojs the comfortable
and ergonomic PV-275 cab.
a blank sheet to design the operation

from the very start, without the constraints of having to modify an existing
operation. As a result, we are able to
take advantage of the latest technology
available within the industry worldwide. We are leading the Ukrainian
mining indust r y with respect to
equipment selection, being the first to
introduce some of the largest trucks,
excavators, rubber tired wheel dozers
and graders. With respect to our selection for drilling rigs, it was obvious to
us that the Pit Viper options were an
ideal solution.
Garrick adds: We value equipment
reliability, life cycle costing as well
as in-depth preventative maintenance

programs and product support all of
which Atlas Copco provide. Therefore
we are happy with our decision to use
the Pit Viper product.
YGOK intends to demonstrate to the
industry that it is capable of developing
a world class operation. With support
from Atlas Copco and the Pit Viper
drills this aim will soon become a
reality.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine
No 1. 2012
140
Russia, Kovdor, murmansk oblast
Steep wall open pit

mining at Zhelezny
The Zhelezny open pit mine at Kovdor operates Atlas Copco and Russian drill rigs, Russian electric shovels and Belaz, Caterpillar and Komatsu haul trucks. The
in-pit crushing station is on the upper right of the picture.
Super-deep mining
Kovdorsky GOK, one of two mining
companies in the Kola Peninsula
supplying two of Russias major
phosphate fertilizer manufacturers, has decided to utilize superdeep mining at the Zhelezny open
pit until reserves are exhausted in
2049. The technique relies heavily
on precision drilling with equipment supplied by Atlas Copco.
Treasure Trove
Discovered in 1933, the ore deposit at
Kovdor in Russias Murmansk Oblast
(67 33 N, 30 30E) is unusual, probably unique. The discrete, deep and
more or less downwardly conical carbonatite deposit hosts 45 recorded minerals and is the type locality for five of
these. It is also one of the Kola Peninsulas two major sources of Apatite for
fertilizer production, one of the worlds
few reserves of Baddeleyite (containing

zirconia), and a substantial supplier of
Magnetite.
The mining method developed for
the Zhelezny open pit is a bit special
too. Described as a breakthrough technique in Russia, super-deep mining requires extraordinary control of drilling
and blasting on near vertical benches.
Kovdorsky GOK, which is part of the
Eurochem fertilizer group, wants to minimize ore dilution while maintaining
production rates although bench areas
will decrease as the mine deepens. The
rim of the pit is approximately 200
meters (m) above sea level and is 2.3
kilometers (km) in length, 1.7 km wide
and presently 170 m deep. Whereas
mining was scheduled to cease in
2015 Kovdorsky GOK now intends to
mine down to 660 m below sea level,
thereby accessing an additional 330400 million tonnes of ore and enabling
Zhelezny to produce 23 million tonnes
per year (Mt/y) until 2032. Output will

then decline until closure around 2049.
Evolution
The mining and processing operations
at Kovdor started in 1959-62, initially
recovering only the magnetite from
6 Mt/y of ore, explained Igor MelikGaikazov and Mikhail B Togunov, respectively Technical Director and Chief
Mining Expert at Kovdorsky GOK.
Super-deep mining is not the operations first technical breakthrough, they
pointed out. During the 1970s the staff
developed a process for separating the
apatite and baddeleyite as well as the
magnetite, with optimal processing
achieved early in the 1980s. The iron
ore is extracted by magnetic separation,
then the pulp undergoes flotation to
recover the apatite and, finally, gravity
techniques separate the baddeleyite.
In the same period the mineable area
Steep Wall Open Pit Mining at Zhelezny
2.5 4.0
4.0
5.0
5.0
5.0 (m)
15 m
238 m
A = Pre-splitting holes
B = Buffer holes
C = Production holes
Sea level
15 m
A typical drilling pattern for drilling and blasting

the Zhelezny benches.
660 m
*The Kovdor property also includes deposits of

apatite-shtaffelite (AShR) and apatite-calcite ores.
During the period 2000 2006 engineers developed
an AShR open pit mining plan with 12 m high
benches. The apatite-calcite part of the deposit
below the AShR is regarded as a long-term strategic
phosphate reserve.
Length 2.3 km
The Zhelezny open pit is 2.3 km long, 1.7 km wide and its current depth is approximately 170 m. The
diagram shows the vertical orebody and the planned angle of the slopes at the projected depth of 900 m
(dotted line). Kordovsky GOK aims to accomplish this with no significant expansion of the pit rim.
was extended by draining part of Lake

Kovdoro and diverting the High Kovdora River to access all of the primary
orebody. The pit has since been progressively deepened, with necessary
changes to the material transportation
systems and equipment fleet. Particularly interesting are the Cyclical Line
Technology (CPT) in-pit crushing and
conveyor systems used to haul ore and
waste.
Privatization in the early 1990s
as Kovdorsky Gorno-obogatitelnyi
Kombinat (Kovdorsky Mining and Processing Combine, Kovdorsky GOK)
was followed by a difficult period. But
in 1998 management started exploiting
baddeleyite-apatite-containing waste
from magnetite-only processing stored
in sedimentation ponds*. This enabled
Kovdorsky GOK to compensate reductions in mine apatite and baddeleyite
output made in response to low iron ore
demand until 2005.
In 2001 EuroChem Mining and
Chemical Company JSC (EuroChem),
reputedly Russias largest integrated
fertilizer producer, acquired the Kovdor facilities. A report for Kovdors
40th anniversary in 2002 commented
142
that 1997-2001 had been a period of

stabilization for the operation and for
Kovdor city.
During 2003 the Kovdorsky team
introduced (and later modified) a
Strategic Development Programme
suited to EuroChems phosphate feedstock requirements that covered the
period until 2015. Commenting on progress in the period 2003 2006, senior
personnel1 pointed out that the mine
succeeded in restoring ore production
to the desired long-term 16 Mt/y target.
The planned apatite concentrate recovery from open pit ore in 2010 would
be about twice the amount achieved in
2001.
Super-deep mine planning

The mining licence for Kovdor allows
mineral extraction from the primary
orebody to a depth of two kilometer
and a major mine redesign to exploit the
lower levels started early this century.
The start of super-deep mining was
preceded by several years of advanced
and extensive studies using some of the
most sophisticated methods of testing,
calculation and data processing in the
industry. In view of general trends and

advances in rock mechanics Kovdorsky
GOK decided to continue development
of the Zhelezny pit to lower levels
rather than switch to underground
mining. To avoid widening the surface
pit rim and creating large volumes of
waste rock the project team focused
on super-deep mining of benches with
vertical or near vertical highwalls.
Initial geomechanical studies enabled expert organizations to produce
parameters for the engineering geologists and a 3D geological-structural
map of the Kovdor deposit for use in
forecasting potential slope failures.
Five engineering-geological sectors of
the pit were defined and for each one
the bench slope angles, bench heights
and widths of safety berms were calculated.
This information was used to develop specifications for super-deep excavation using methods such as presplit drilling and blasting. These specifications are used in conjunction with
techniques for the relief of water pressure in the benches; stabilization of
weak rock masses by, for instance, rock
bolting and cement mortar injection;
and thorough slope stability monitoring for which Kovdorsky is using three
methods: visual observation, surveying
with electronic and optical instruments
including laser scanning, and seismic

monitoring in high risk areas.
Once the deep mining concept was
approved by EuroChem, the Giproruda
institute started work on the mine
redevelopment plan in 2004 and two
years later completed the project
Reconstruction of the open cut for
restoration of the project capacity of
Kovdorsky GOK by means of the use of
steeper constant open-pit benching and
in-crease of the open pit depth and duration of open-pit mining. Two pit
design versions were used for technoeconomic evaluation. Stage One of forward development will hold open pit
output at 15-16 Mt/y of baddeleyiteapatite-magnetite ore and 7 Mt/y of
low-iron apatite ore until 2032, thereafter production will decrease gradually until closure.
Drill and blast design

Blasting at Zhelezny was thoroughly
modernized from the late 1990s to 2005.
The mine introduced non-electric initiation with Nonel and Primadet systems and from 2000 progressively
switched to EVV emulsion explosives
VET emulites. Consequently, in
2006 as compared with 2001 (figures
in brackets), 99.1% of blasting was with
EVV, using 21,500 t (9,400 t) of explosive, and yielded 15.25 Mm3 (7.5 Mm3)
of blasted rock; 200t (2,400t) of conventional explosives blasted 0.23 Mm3
(2.59 Mm3) of rock. VET explosive is
mixed by the Russian company Eastern
Mining Services Ltd, a subsidiary of
Maxam, delivered to the holes and
charged using SZM mixing-charging
machines. The new technology significantly reduced the number of misfires.
The super-deep mining system required further improvements to blasting practice. Firstly, it was essential to
reduce fragment size as even sizeable
increases in the amount of explosive
used in the 250 mm production blast
holes did not fragment the rock to dimensions sufficiently small to improve
performance of the CPT systems, truck
haulage, or comminution. Secondly,
the drill-blast system used in the zones
near the pit rim must maintain the stability of the benches and steep highwalls
and not disturb the rock mass outside
Contractor Technobur has four Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions DML rigs working for Kovdorsky GOK. Three are
low pressure (LP) rigs for rotary drilling, and one is a high pressure (HP) rig for DTH drilling or rotary drilling.
the mine walls. Thirdly, because the proportion of wet blast holes is expected to
increase, waterproof explosives would
be required.
Blastability studies led to the definition of five categories and for each one
the burden, hole distance and height of
explosive charge are calculated in relation to hole diameters, bench height,
grade of emulsion charge and row position in the blasting sequence (see illustration page 110). Typically, the inner
blocks of the bench are drilled with
smaller diameter bits, transitional blocks
are drilled with the smaller holes on the
inner part but with larger holes further
away, and outer production blocks are
entirely drilled with the larger diameter holes. Using emulsion explosives
reduces impact on the environment, especially the urban area close to the mine
as they emit less gas and dust pollutants and the vibration effects are easier
to control. For routine planning mine

surveyors and drill-blast engineers
use the GIS GEOMIX information
system developed by Kovdorsky and
the VIOGEM FSUE organization and
introduced in 2004. They report that
this has improved blast preparation
and stabilized the quality of ore feed to
the process plant. System development
continues.
Upgrading the drilling fleet

For more than 30 years Zhelezny relied
on Russian-built electric powered rotary drilling rigs to drill 250 mm and
270 mm diameter holes. But, as Mikhail
Togunov pointed out, a fleet able to drill
a wider range of hole diameters with
optimum efficiency would be crucial
for super-deep mining.
Accordingly, in 2004 Kovdorsky
GOK acquired one imported rig for
A major player in Kovdovskys Super Deep Mining programme: Atlas Copco s DM45 HP (high pressure) rig
on the pits upper, 12 m high benches.
drilling 171.4 mm diameter holes. Two

Atlas Copco ROC L8 down hole drilling (DTH) rigs were added in 2005 in
order to drill 140 mm pre-split holes
and also 165 mm buffer hole rows
close to the margin of the benches. The
new rigs demonstrated the advantages
of using smaller holes that match the
physico-mechanical properties of the
rock.
These results and the bench configurations required for super-deep mining
persuaded Kovdorsky GOK to use diesel-powered as well as electric drilling.
The diesel rigs could drill the required
smaller hole sizes and also work efficiently where long tramming distances
are a disadvantage for rigs with power
144
cables. Nevertheless, the old electric

rigs achieve high performance indices and Rig Numbers 15 and 16 have
respectively completed 500 and 600
drill km since they went into operation.
So Kovdorsky GOK has retained five
SBSh electric rotary rigs plus the two
ROC L8 and one other DTH machines.
Management also looked for an external drilling partner.
These efforts led to the deployment,
starting in 2007, of a second drilling
fleet comprising Atlas Copco large blasthole rigs operated by a Russian contractor, Technobur. This company, based in Moscow, was formed in October
2004 by an experienced team specifically to carry out mine drilling. Prior
to the contract at Zhelezny, Technobur

had started work at Olcons Olenogorsk
iron ore mine north of Kovdor and
has a Pit Viper 275 there. The company also tested a DM 45 against SBSh
rigs at Olenogorsk, finding the diesel
machine was 30% faster. Presently
Technobur operates an Atlas Copco fleet
at Kovdor comprising three DML LP
rigs (1600 and 1200), one Pit Viper 275
LP, one DML HP 1250 and two DM 45
HP machines. This fleet usually does
more than 70% of the meters drilled at
the mine, over 40,000 m of a total of
55,000 m in a month being typical.
All the rigs are set up for multi-pass
drilling. To a depth of 70 m above sea
level benches are 12m high but below
this level they are generally 15 m high
with 3 m sub-drill. Production holes are
normally 14-20 m in depth. Presently
the slope angles range 35-40 from
vertical but the long term aim is to
make them as near vertical as possible.
The rotary rigs use Russian tricone bits
while the down hole production drilling is done with Atlas Copco Secoroc
COP64 hammers and 165 or 200 mm
bits. The DML and DM 45 high pressure rigs can be used either for down
hole drilling or for rotary, in which
case the pressure and engine power
are reduced. They are fitted with inclination angle indicators for use when
tramming. Technobur services the rigs
with help from Atlas Copco, explained
the companys site manager Evgeny
Perevozchikov.
The project has been progressing
according to plan and Kovdorsky GOK
expects to reach its first stage targets
in 2011.
Reference
1. D S Strezhnev, N A Ganza, I V MelikGaikazov, A P Ivakin, N N Melnikov,

N V Cherevko: Kovdorsky Mining-andProcessing Integrated Works Builds the
Future: Realization of Strategic Program of
Long-term Collaboration. Eurasian Mining
Gornyi Zhurnal 1, 2008.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine
No 1 2010. Kyran Casteel of Mineral
Industry Intelligence & Information
visited the mine in 2009.
MONGOLIA, GOBI DESERT
Mining industrys new

beginnings in Mongolia
Mongolia may
become the new
Saudi Arabia
of Coal
Mongolias newly discovered
metal and energy resources position it to become a world mining
leader. The aggressive development strategy and rapid growth
of SouthGobi Sands make that
company a trailblazer within
Mongolias coal industry. Part
of the strategy at SGSs Ovoot
Togoi mine has been working
with Atlas Copco to put together
a drill program that will conquer
many of its challenges with its
Pit Viper 275 and DM45 blasthole
rigs.
SouthGobi Sands Ovoot Tolgoi mine has two pits in development: Sunset and Sunrise.
Generally held to be the worlds most

sparsely populated nation, in 2011
Mongolia became the number one
coal importer to one of the worlds
most populous nations, China. To date
China has been able to supply most
of its energy needs itself.However, in
2009 China passed the United States
to become the worlds largest energy
consumer. The International Energy
Agency has forecast that Chinas
overall energy needs will increase 75
percent by the year 2035 and demand
for coal, since China has insufficient
natural gas and oil resources, is rapidly
increasing. In addition to its increasing
consumption of coal, Chinas future
need to import foreign coal will grow
even greater as its own coal production
dwindles. China is believed to have
only about 20 to 30 years worth of its
own mineable coke to support its thriving steel industry.
Mongolia is positioned better than
any other nation to meet Chinas need.
The countys coking coal resources
hold more than enough coal to meet
Chinas needs, as the Tavan Tolgoi

region of the Gobi Desert in south
central Mongolias holds one of the
worlds largest deposits of high-grade
coking coal. Industry pundits have
suggested Mongolia may be on its way
to becoming the new Saudi Arabia of
Coal, a title generally used in the past
to describe the United States.
While others scurried in response to
Mongolias sudden importance in the
coal industry, Mongolias SouthGobi
Sands (SGS) was already at work at its
Ovoot Tolgoi mine in the Gobi desert
setting high standards for others to
follow. Going into 2012 it owned three
projects already, with exploration
licenses for 12 more, all of them wholly
owned by SGS.
Ovoot Tolgoi
Ovoot Tolgoi was the first of SGSs three
coal projects to go into commercial
production. Mining in the Ovoot Kuhral
Basin, the mine is located only 40 kilometers from the China border, ideally
situated for its primary client.
SouthGobi Sands Ovoot Tolgoi
mine has two pits in development:
Sunset and Sunrise. The older and
larger of the two is the Sunset pit with
Sunrise just taking shape. Licenses
were issued in 2007 when Sunset
produced 1 million tonnes. In 2011
the mine produced 4.5 million tonnes
and confidently set a goal of 8 million
tonnes for the following year.
In December 2011 the mine upgraded its resource data, having determined
a proven reserve of 62.8 million tonnes
of high-volatile B and A bituminous
coals. According to the ASTM D388
standard, high-volatile B coal yields
7,212 to 7,785 kilocalorie-per-kilogram
(kCal/kg). The heat output of highvolatile is more than 7,785 kCal/kg.
Another 44 million tonnes of probable resource brings total resources to
106.8 million tonnes. SGS actually
SOUTH GOBI SANDS
Even though the mine is in the Gobi Desert, the mine had to deal with the challenge of ground water. Ground water often freezes in this climate, so the mine uses
a dewatering unit and switched to a bulk-based explosive program.
produces two other coal products in

addition to hard and semi-soft coking,
or metallurgical, coal. These screened
medium ash and screened high ash/
sulfur coals are upgraded to semi-soft
coking coal through a dry-air separation and washing.
At Olvoot Tolgoi the company can
remove waste rock and blend different
kinds of coal taken from various seams
with its on-site dry coal-handling facility. It is capable of processing 9 million
tonnes of coal per year to create highervalue products.
High production equipment

The mine started out with three Atlas
Copco DM45 blasthole drill rigs for
surface work and, for larger production
holes, uses the Atlas Copco Pit Viper
275 blasthole rigs. To meet its production goals the mine added two PV-275
drill rigs to the four it already had.
This plan matches the Ovoot Tolgoi
growth in digging and hauling equipment. The big excavator for the mine is
Liebherrs 996 with its 34-cubic-yard
bucket and the Liebherr 9250 with
17-cubic-yard capacity. The mine uses
146
the Terrex MT 440PC 240-ton haul

truck. It will be adding a second 996
excavator to its fleet this year and will
increase its truck fleet from 12 to 22.
Unique difficulties in
drilling
Acting Mine Manager John Howlett
said Ovoot Tolgoi is like any mine with
the exception of what he calls some
really crazy seams.
The largest of the seams that run
through both pits is Number 5. It is
about 50 meters thick near the surface,
but dips at a 45-degree angle. There
are multiple seams lying side by side.
Exploration drilling has found seam
Number 5 at a depth of 800 meters.
The Ovoot Tolgoi surface mine
based its plans on a 20-year mine life,
mining to a depth of 300 meters, but
this could increase as coal demands
rise. Future plans tentatively include
going underground.
Ovoot Tolgoi General Manager
Rodney Lacy said to date they have
moved 8 million tonnes of coal to
roughly 35 million total bank cubic
meters (BCM) of overburden. Howlett
said his plan is to keep at least 1,000

holes drilled at all times. A single
excavator can excavate 1,600 BCM an
hour or 28,000 BCM total a shift. SGS
wants to keep 800,000 BCM ready for
the shovels at all times.
Mining coal in Mongolia is a challenge. With the extreme temperatures
and complex geological formations,
Mongolia challenges even the most
experienced engineers and miners.
Other challenges to the drilling operations are the sharp folding of the coal
seams and the steeply dipping footwall.
Drilling and blasting practices have
been modified to allow for a stable
final pit wall.
SGS found what Lacy called conglomerates at the bottom of the pit.
These areas were tougher to drill and
blast and required patterns to be tightened for better fragmentation. This is
another reason for the transition from
the DM45 to the larger, more powerful
PV-275. The drills greater pull down
force penetrated the conglomerate mass
with ease.
The standard burden and spacing
was 5.4 by 6.2 meters for the DM45
with a 7 -inch hole and 8 by 9 meters
SOUTH GOBI SANDS
The mine added 200 employees in 2011 with miners being bussed from three local communities up to 130 km away.
for the PV-275 with a 9 7/8 -inch hole.

The bench depth was 12 meters with 1
meter of sub-drill where needed. The
PV-275 allowed double benching to
help develop the wall in unstable areas.
One unexpected problem they
encountered was ground water. Even
though the Gobi Desert shows very
little vegetation and annual precipitation, the mine has encountered a fair
amount of ground water. Because the
temperature is below freezing, wet
holes freeze over. To remedy the situation the mine included a dewatering
unit and began a transition from package explosives to a bulk-based program, bringing about significant cost
reductions and greater flexibility.
and Noyon soum are 100 kilometers and 130 kilometers away from
Ovoot Tolgoi, respectively. Additional
employees and a few ex-patriots in lead
positions were flown in from the countrys capital, Ulaanbaatar, nearly 1,000
kilometers away. In early 2012 the
company had nearly 600 employees,
with 75 to 80 percent of the drillers
coming from the local communities.

Because of its proximity to the communities, the mine donates 2,000 tonnes of
coal annually to them.
Having a fairly new work force also
required an intensive training program.
Lacy thinks the Mongolians are an
independent-natured people, requiring
a team approach to training as it relates
Developing the mine

The mine has put together an equipment and personnel plan that will
keep it on track. In 2011 alone added
200 employees to the Ovoot Tolgoi
operation. Miners were being bussed
from three of the local communities.
The Gurvantes soum of Umnugobi
district is the closest to Ovoot Tolgoi,
just 30 kilometers away. Sivrie soum
The largest of the seams that run through both pits is Number 5. It is about 50 meters thick near the surface,
but dips at a 45-degree angle. There are multiple seams lying side by side. Exploration drilling has found
seam Number 5 at a depth of 800 meters.
SOUTH GOBI SANDS
to safety. From the start, each miner has

to learn the basics, from radio instruction to team work. Communication is a
key part of the training program from
the top down. Lacy said it starts with
a new-hire meeting they have every
Wednesday. Part of that meeting is
devoted to sharing about each others
history and family and offering the
new hire a chance to do the same, said
Lacy. He believed this builds a unity
and camaraderie that promotes safety.
Where does it lead?

SouthGobi Sands is more than a coal
exporter. In addition to the 600 to 700,
100-tonne trucks that roll the 45 kilometers to the China border every day,
the mine is looking to the future.
In the beginning those trucks were
running on a dirt road, and the journey took nearly three hours. In keeping with its progressive philosophy,
the mine immediately began building
a four-lane road to offer better transport to every mine in the area. That
includes the companys next property,
Soumber Mine, which will open up in
the coming years.
Developing a mine is not enough for
SGS. Management knows Mongolias
future is mining and that, as it builds
Ovoot Tolgoi, it is building the foundation of the industry in Mongolia. The
foundation comes in the form of small
business loans to companies wanting
to start up mine service and support
operations as well as from development
of tomorrows miners through technical school associations and engineering
programs.
The mines engineering team is an
example of the companys success.
Lacy thinks the team is top notch and
is growing their skills. This will not
only support the needs of the mine but
also the development of the country for
years to come.
The DM45 is used for drilling 7 inch holes in a 5.4 x 6.2 m drill pattern.
Acknowledgements
Article and photography by
Scott Ellenbecker
General Manager of Ovoot Tolgoi Operations Rodney Lacy.
148
Australia, new south wales & queensland
Coal mining in eastern Australia

Hunter Valley
Shipping 260 million tonnes in
2008, Australia is the worlds largest exporter of black coal. Roughly
one third comes from coalfields in
New South Wales, two thirds from
those in Queensland. Pit Viper
275 rigs are contributing to production from the Hunter Valley in
New South Wales and the Bowen
Basin in Queensland.
Multi-seam,
multi-pit mining
Coal production and export is a very
serious business in the Hunter Valley,
New South Wales. Normally one train
passes through Muswellbrook carrying
coals to Newcastle, Australias major coal
shipping port in 2008, every 20 minutes,
said Robert (Rob) Swan. Muswellbrook
(pronounced Musselbrook) lies pretty
central to the main Hunter Valley coal
mines; it is where the Atlas Copco office
and service facilities for the area are located and where Rob, who is the Regional Manager Eastern New South
Wales, is based. It is also quite close to
the Hunter Valley Operations (HVO)
which has proved very convenient for
us, said Dale Radnidge, the HVO Maintenance Supervisor, whom we met at
an office complex known as Cheshunt
Bathhouse located in the southern section of the HVO.
Located 24 km northwest of Singleton, the Hunter Valley Operations, are
100% owned by Coal & Allied Industries Ltd, which in turn is managed
by Rio Tinto Coal Australia. Rio Tinto
describes the Operations as a multiseam, multi-pit open cut mining operation. HVO comprizes: part of the
Howick mine, now known as the West
Pit, which started operating in 1968; the
Hunter Valley No. 1 mine, where production began in 1979, and the Lemington mine, which commenced coaling in 1971. Coal & Allied merged the
Howick and Hunter Valley mines in
2000 to create Hunter Valley Operations
In the Hunter Valley, New South Wales, Coal and Allied Industries mines a multi-seam, multi-pit operation.
and included Lemington when it was

acquired in 2001. The company will
approximately produce between 10.5
and 13.5 Mt/y.
In addition to the Hunter Valley Operations, the Coal & Allied portfolio includes the quite new Bengalla strip mine
4 km west of Muswellbrook and the
integrated Mount Thorley Warkworth
open cut mines 15 km southwest of
Singleton.
Purchase factors
Dale Radnidge explained that there had
been various reasons why Coal & Allied
(C&A) wanted to buy the Pit Viper 275.
For one thing, it would be fitted with the
Cummins QSK 19 Tier 2 compliant engine that will meet the relevant Australian environmental impact regulations
for some time to come. C&A had good
previous experience with the Pit Vipers
predecessor rig, the DM-M2, which
was bought in 1995. This has always
been a very cost effective machine
for the company, with very good life
cycle costs despite the fact that the
rig has had to operate for periods in
ambient temperatures of over 50 C.

Dale had also had positive feedback
from Pit Viper owners concerning the
steps taken by Atlas Copco Drilling
Solutions to improve features that had
been weak points on the older rigs.
At the crunch, Atlas Copco quoted a
competitive purchase price and the component life cycle costs were acceptable.
Atlas Copco also offered to provide a maintenance technician for 12
months: previously an Ingersoll-Rand
Drilling Solutions rig owner himself,
this technician has also helped the Atlas
Copco team at Muswellbrook to identify maintenance issues.
Regulatory issues
However, life is not too simple for equipment purchasers in Australia, especially in New South Wales where the
government guidelines on equipment
specifications, primarily designed for
machinery operating in coal mines,
are the most stringent in Australia. Rio
Tinto Coal Australia management also
has very strict rules covering equipment
specifications and it was necessary to
workshop. They could therefore make

recommendations as to the changes to
be made in addition to those modifications necessary for regulatory reasons.
These additional alterations were intended to make it easier to maintain
the PV-275.
Meeting NSW electrical equipment
requirements necessitated taking out
the whole electrical system and installing a different one. Some of the hydraulic system components also had to be
changed.
Operation
HVO Maintenance Supervisor Dale Radnidge (right) with Atlas Copcos Rob Swan.
have the standard version of the PV-275

modified in a number of respects. Dale
Radnidge, the maintenance electrician
and maintenance fitters at HVO were
involved and so was the units production trainer.
The order was placed late in 2007,
not too long after the AIMEX mining
equipment show in Sydney, and Atlas
Copco was able to deliver the PV-275
that had been displayed - in yellow
and gray livery to the Muswellbrook
workshop.
C&A also ordered a new Atlas Copco
DML rig that required rather more
modification than the Pit Viper. Mr
Radnidge explained that a major aim of

purchasing these two rigs was to start
to create a unified fleet of different size
drills with a common cabin design so
that each operator can easily switch
from one model to another when necessary. The DML rig has replaced an existing competitor machine, whilst another elderly competitor machine had
been put on stand-by when the PV-275
started work.
Modifications
The HVO maintenance team were able
to inspect the Pit Viper at the Atlas Copco
The Coal and Allied Ltd Pit Viper 275 is fitted with a Cummins QSK 19 Tier 2 compliant engine.
150
The mines presently use a walk meter

and laser depth indicator in conjunction
with mine survey data for drill positioning as the hardware needed to use
the GPS system on the PV-275 is not in
place yet. The DML has the Aquila system fitted for use with HVOs Modular
Mining Dispatch f leet management
system. Dispatch is also being used to
monitor the availabilities being achieved
by the two new Atlas Copco drilling
rigs. At the time of the visit, the Pit
Viper was being used with five rods
to drill 54 m holes in overburden for
blasting and stripping by either dragline or shovel. However, the drilling
requirements range from 10 60 m
depth although the bulk of the benches
are drilled with 30 40 m vertical
holes. Hole size is 7 in for coal and
partings and 10 in for overburden.
Pre-split holes are drilled at either 10
m or 80 m spacing, in both cases at a
15 angle. Approximately 20 25% of
drilling time is spent on the pre-splits.
All nine drilling rigs working at HVO
use Secoroc tools provided through a
separate supply and service contract
that has been in force for six years.
HVO has two Bucyrus International
draglines (1 x 1370, 1 x 1570), six P&H
electric shovels and a Terex-O&K RH70
hydraulic excavator. As well as the Atlas
Copco drilling rigs there are six older
ones from other manufacturers. Mr
Radnidge explained that this mixed fleet
was built up as a result of the merging
of the mines that are now part of the
Hunter Valley Operations. C&A has
been using the maintenance planning tools in the SAP software portfolio since May 2008.
C&A intends to create a fleet of different size drills with a common cab design so that each operator can
switch easily from one model to another.
Summarizing, Dale Radnidge said

that not only was the deal which Atlas
Copco offered sound but the working
relationship that C&A has established
with the Atlas Copco team has been
good too. C&A is comfortable with the
purchase. Indeed, HVO had planned
to buy two more rigs, which had been
shipped to Australia. However, in
the current economic climate this will
not be possible during 2009.
Queensland Drillpro
Services
The vast Bowen Basin coal deposits in
mid-Queensland extend from the area
west of the coastal city of Bowen to
south of the Tropic of Capricorn in an
area which lies west of Gladstone. The
mines are connected by rail lines to
five major ship loading Coal Terminals:
Abbott Point near Bowen, Hay Point and
Dalrymple Bay near Mackay, and the
RG Tanna and Barney Point terminals
near Gladstone. The Bowen Basin accounts for roughly half the worlds seaborne trade in metallurgical (coking)
coal.
Drillpro Services is a drill services and
drilling contracting company formed
by John Anderson, who had previously
worked in a senior position for a major
Australian equipment dealer handling
machines competing with the Atlas
Copco Drilling Solutions range. Having
started out selling drill rig parts and
doing rig rebuilds, Drillpro bought its
first rig for contract drilling in 2001,
followed by two more each year after
that. For some time the company used
the rigs John Anderson had previously
sold, but later Drillpro experienced
problems with a particular model so
Mr Anderson decided to try the equivalent Pit Viper 275. He is now an enthusiastic customer and advocate. Currently the company has two Pit Vipers
working at widely separated mines in
the Bowen basin. The first to be delivered
The HVO Pit Viper was being used to drill 54 m

holes in overburden, using five rods.
Hole sizes are 7 7/8 in for coal and partings, 10 5/8 in

for overburden.
Drillpro Services deploys one of the companys two PV-275 rigs at the Wesfarmers Curragh Pty Ltd Curragh
North extension.
is at the Curragh operation between

Blackwater and Emerald, one of several
mines lying close to the Tropic, and the
second about 300 km further north at
the Coppabella mine.
Phil Smith finds the Curragh Pit Viper easy to use.
152
Curragh North
Operated by Wesfarmers Curragh Pty
Ltd, which is wholly owned by Wesfarmers Ltd, the Curragh mine was first
developed by an ARCO-led consortium

mainly to supply thermal grade coal to
the Stanwell power station near Rockhampton in Queensland. Subsequently
metallurgical coal production has grown
and the company exports this grade
together with surplus thermal coal.
Target export tonnage for the Financial
Year July 2008 June 2009 was 7.0 Mt
while 4.0 Mt would go to Stanwell.
Production from the original Curragh mine has been supplemented
by the development of the Curragh
North extension. There are three draglines working at Curragh and two at
the extension, where there are also hydraulic excavators loading Caterpillar
trucks (793 and 789 models). Both types
of coal are mined from this extension:
one grade is taken to the coal preparation plant at the original mine by a belt
conveyor, the other is hauled by large
high-sided truck-trailer units. The plant
also washes coal from Yarrabee, some
25 km to the north.
Thiess has the overburden stripping
contract at Curragh North, with Drillpro
doing the drilling and other specialist
firms, including Orica, carrying out the
blasting. The overburden is mainly sand
and gravel. John Anderson explained that
Drillpro Services has worked at Curragh
for 11 years. Under the current threeyear contract the company operates and
maintains two drills that belong to the
mining company as well as the one
PV-275 and one DM-M3 that Drillpro
owns itself. The Pit Viper is working at
the Curragh North extension.
From January 5 to January 18, 2009
Drillpro had drilled 51,000 meters, as
compared to the mines target of 25,000
m/week. This requires a penetration
rate of 850 m per 10 hours drilling per
shift. However, Curragh was looking
to increase the rate to 30,000 m/week.
From early August 2008, when the
PV-275 started work, up until the time
of our visit on January 20, 2009, the rig
had drilled 130,000 meters. The rig was
still using the original drill rods and
had thus far achieved 98% availability,
Mr Anderson said. Both this Pit Viper
and the one at Coppabella drill 270 mm
holes. However, the Curragh machine
has a Cummins QSK engine while the
Coppabella PV-275 has the Cat C27
option.
Usually Drillpro uses a DM-M3 for

drilling 25 pre-split holes and 20
bench holes for cast blasting. Sometimes, commented John, Drillpro gets
held up because the pre-split holes are
not blasted soon enough. However, the
area we visited had a soft wall so pre-split
drilling was unnecessary. We watched
Phil Smith operating the PV-275. He
drilled the A/O hole to 51m and the holes
H11 to A11 to between 47 and 50 m.
Phil Smith has 17 years experience
in exploration drilling followed by 3
years of production blasthole work,
including drilling with the DM45 and
the Driltech D75 rigs. He told us that
the PV-275 is better than both of them: it
is easier to use and has more feel for the
drilled rock. The cabins perforated
blinds were very helpful in the bright
Australian sun, eliminating glare but
providing sufficient visibility for Phil
to move the rig from one hole to the
next drilling position. John Anderson
remarked that he would like to have a
window in the cabin roof to provide
a view of the mast, but the design of
the FOPS cab makes this impossible.
Instead there is a camera system which
the operators took some time to get
used to, but now find perfectly satisfactory.
Modifications
As in New South Wales, though to a
slightly lesser extent, some modifications
are essential to meet the Queensland
government guidelines, explained Don
Emery, who is Atlas Copcos Regional
Manager, Mackay. And although John
Anderson could not have his roof
window, he did get several substantial
modifications that he asked for.
The Curragh Pit Viper was shipped
into Brisbane, trucked to the Mackay
workshops where it was modified,
trammed into the Queensland Mining
Exhibition held from July 24-27, 2008
and then delivered straight to the
mine site. In carrying out the alterations Atlas Copco was considerably
assisted by an adjacent firm of boilermakers which could generate the
required drawings and do some of the
fabrication.
In addition to rewiring according
to Queensland standards, the main
The second Drillpro PV-275 works at the Coppabella & Moorvale JVs Coppabella mine.
modifications and additions included:

a modified walk-up ladder; one platform in front of the cabin and another
to provide high level access to the
mast; a Hiab crane, with its own power

supply mounted under the cabin, to
help with drill tools handling; addition
of a Chubb fire suppression system on
a rail around the engine; two lifting

hooks; and a microwave and fridge.
Several of the standard features were
relocated for greater convenience, such
as the isolators, which were moved to
the back end of the frame to be within
reach from ground level, the Wiggins
fast fill unit and the lube drums. Phil
Smith was particularly enthusiastic
about the Hiab crane which makes his
life a good deal easier, he said.
The Coppabella machine was delivered with the lift hooks pre-fitted,
an upgraded engine fire suppression
system and greasing access for the
driveline to the pump. In addition, extra
tanks were fitted for dust suppression
so that refilling is required after two
shifts. As well as a Hiab crane and extra
platforms like those on the Curragh Pit
Viper, there is an access to the mast and
the camera on the mast via the top of
the cabin.
Coppabella
The overall operation and the mining
operation at Coppabella are managed by
Macarthur Coal (C & M Management)
Pty Ltd working on behalf of the Coppabella and Moorvale Joint Venture. The
Joint Venture comprizes Macarthur Coal
Ltd (73.3 % stake held via Coppabella
Coal Pty Ltd); CITIC (via CITIC Australia Coppabella Pty Ltd), Marubeni
Corp. (via Mapella Pty Ltd), and Sojitz
Corp. (via Winview Pty Ltd) each holding a 7 % interest; JFE Shoji Trade Corp.
(3.7 % held via KC Resources Pty Ltd);
and Nippon Steel Trading Co. Ltd 2.0 %
held via NS Coal Pty Ltd. The coal handling and preparation plant has a capacity in excess of 6 Mt/y raw coal and is
operated by the Sedgman Coppabella
Joint Venture.
The mining lease was granted on
June 1, 1998, overburden removal started in July 1998 and the first coal was mined in October 1998. By April 2007
Coppabella had yielded 40 Mt of run
of mine coal. Macarthur Coals attributable production in 2008 was 2.57Mt.
Proven and probable reserves totalled
67 Mt as at 30 June 2008.
The operation is located adjacent
to the Peak Downs Highway, 140 km
southwest of Mackay between Nebo and
Moranbah. It mainly produces a 9% ash,
154
Drillpros Pit Viper 275 rig at the Coppabella mine, seen here in the Johnson Pit South, is equipped with the
Caterpillar C27 engine option. The machine drills 20 angled pre-split holes and either 20 or more often
vertical main bench holes.
low volatile PCI grade metallurgical

coal that is railed to the Dalrymple Bay
Coal Terminal near Mackay. But, in
response to market trends, Coppabella
has revised its mine plan in order to
mine thermal coal and reduce PCI
grade output, demand for which has
fallen sharply. This also meant that 140
people were laid off in mid-December
2008.
John Andersons son Matt joined
Drillpro Services in 2003 and now manages four contract sites in the area. Of
these Coppabella, where Neal Torresan
is the companys site supervisor, is the
largest but the other clients are prestigious BHP Billiton Mitsubishi
Alliance (BMA), whose Poitrel mine
is operated by the contractor Leighton;
Vale Australias Broadlea; and Peabodys
Eaglefield, where the main contractor is
Macmahon. Drillpro was also bidding
for work at BMAs South Walker Creek
mine, where Thiess is the mining contractor.
At Coppabella, overburden removal
is primarily by dragline, coal mining by
large excavators loading trucks. Orica
is responsible for blasting the holes
Drillpro drills under the terms of an 18
month contract. There are presently three

producing pits; East, Southern and
Johnson. Drillpro has the PV-275 and
one other rig operating, one spare
machine and one parked unit, all of these
being of other make. (When bidding for
new contracts having idle machines can
help, commented Matt Anderson.)
The Coppabella PV-275 rig drills
20 angle, 18 meter pre-splits and 12-18
meter main bench holes, of which some
are angled at 20 but most are vertical.
The coal is 13-14 m thick in places at
a depth of approximately 37 meters
below surface. Jason Camielleri was
operating the drill during our visit to
the Johnson Pit South.
Routine servicing of the Coppabella
machines Cat C27 engine is done by
Drillpro but any guarantee work is
done by the Caterpillar dealer. At the
time of our visit the machine had done
about 1000 hours.
Acknowledgements
Kyran Casteel, a Contributing Editor for
Coal Age and Engineering & Mining
Journal, visited the New South Wales and
Queensland coalfields in January 2009.
Australia, brisbane, Queensland
The fuel cost killer of Queensland

New technology
improving drilling
economy
Mining contractor DDQ of Queensland, Australia has slashed fuel
costs dramatically since adding
a new Atlas Copco Pit Viper 235
rotary drill rig to its fleet. The secret is the Atlas Copco patentpending automatic clutch system.
Also the new breakout system
and the 12.2 m single-pass capacity make the rig a lot quicker and
smoother to operate. DDQ has
been operating at the New Acland
coal mine for about four years and
introduced the PV-235 there in
February 2012.
Drilling contractor
About 75,000 dollars in three months,
1,000 liters every 24 hours, and half a
million dollars per year: these are the
kind of fuel savings now being experi
enced by Australian mining contractor
Deveth Drilling Queensland (DDQ)
after adding a new drill rig to its fleet.
DDQ is benefiting from the first class
economy of Atlas Copcos Pit Viper
235 rotary rig, and is passing its sav
ings on to its client, the New Hope
Corporation and its New Acland coal
mine.
Nigel De Veth, owner and founder of
DDQ, says: In the first three months
alone weve saved the mine 75,000
(AUD) in fuel, and that was through
a trial period, really just phasing the
machine into the work. The potential
savings are over 1,000 liters every 24
hours so youre looking in the vicinity
of half a million dollars a year.
The low fuel consumption was a
decisive factor behind the companys
decision to purchase the PV-235. De
Veth adds: Were now getting about
50 to 55 liters an hour with this rig and
the main contributor to that is the wet
clutch technology on the compressor.
The Pit Viper 235 was introduced to the New Acland coal mine in February, 2012.
The fuel cost killer of Queensland
Nigel De Veth, owner of DDQ, is delighted with the fuel savings and other advantages of the Pit Viper 235.
Push-button economy
The hydraulically operated patentpending automatic clutch is an out
standing feature of this hydraulic
tophead drive rig, which can be config
ured to perform a range of rotary and
DTH drilling operations.
With the PV-235 you dont get air
unless you ask for air, so if you want air
for drilling, you press the button and
the clutch engages and the compressor
throws in. So the compressor is only
ever used when you want it, explains
De Veth.
He continues: Atlas Copco has
replaced all the rod greasers and air
greasers, etc, with electric pumps
so they are not reliant on air. Theres
nothing on the machine that relies on
air other than your drill bit.
DDQ has been operating at the New
Acland coal mine for about four years
and introduced the PV-235 there in
February 2012, drilling mainly 229 mm
blastholes to a depth of 50 m.
156
The best that weve drilled so far is

close to 1,200 meters in 10 hours and I
think theres much better to come yet,
says De Veth. The guys have only just
finished getting used to it and things
are starting to happen. Were probably
looking at 10 meters an hour more with
this machine.
Key to the efficient operation of the
compressor and other functions of the
high-tech rig is the Atlas Copco Rig
Control System (RCS). This system
also facilitates wireless remote tram
ming, auto-levelling, auto-drilling,
remote reporting functions and GPS
navigation.
Other factors underpinning De
Veths confidence in the Pit Viper
includes the single-pass drilling capa
bility. Just the advantage of being able
to drill a 12.2 m clean, single hole with
the lead rod has been very advanta
geous to us with some of the interbur
den shots, he says. The new breakout
system on the machine is unbelievable
it is better than anything weve seen
before. The drill is just a lot quicker

and smoother to operate.
But theres also another important
benefit, De Veth says. The operators
dont get tired. Everything is easy and
accessible from the seat so you come
out of the drill still fresh and alert. And
thats a big thing on the night shift.
Besides the PV-235, the drill fleet
consists of two DM25 rigs and one
DML HP. Two bigger PV-275 units are
on order for delivery in 2013.
Atlas Copco has supplied more than
a dozen Pit Viper rigs to customers
in Queensland, all equipped with the
computerised RCS automation technology.
Acknowledgements
Mining & Construction No. 2 2012.
Russia, Kuznetsk Basin, Siberia,
Boosting Siberian energy

Standfirst
Economic growth in southern Siberia is increasing year-on-year
and at the Kuznetsk Basin coal
field, new mining enterprises are
appearing and existing operations
are introducing the latest equipment to boost their productivity.
The DML expectance

The Kuznetsk Basin (Kuzbass) is well
known for its huge coal resources, half
of which, some 693 million tons, are
coking coals, the main commercial fuel
for smelting iron. Today, more than 100
underground coal mines and open pits
are in production with, 17 coal cleaning plants producing different grades.
Annual production of power station and
coking coals is some 1.5 billion tons.
Drill-and-blast contractor AzotCher nigovets Ltd. offers blasted
material preparation for the open pit
Chernigovsky mine with an annual
production of some 6 Mt.
In our f leet there are only foreign rotary blasthole drill rigs, says
Vladimir Bornev, site supervisor.
We drill blocks with five rigs, three
of which are Atlas Copco DML rotary
blasthole rigs.
The plan for 2007 was to achieve
1.1 million drillmeters and by the 11th
month, the company was well on track
to meeting this goal. Comparing the
DML rigs, the most popular in Kuzbass,
with their domestically manufactured
counterparts, Bornev says that the Atlas
Copco rigs are very productive and
maneuverable, with the powerful diesel
engine and compressor productivity
among the main benefits. Local rigs
achieve a maximum of 10,00011,000
drillmeters per month, while the plan
for our DML is 20,00022,000 drillmeters per month, he says. In fact,
one of our drill rigs has broken all
records at the mine; in August it drilled
30,500 meters. The DML rigs are built
much better, quality-wise, and the
design is more sound and reliable.
The successful Azot-Chernigovets team at the Chernigovsky open pit: (From left) Vladimir Klimov, operator,
Oleg Grebenshikov, operator assistant; Dmitry Kuznetsov, foreman; Vadim Khlebunov, deputy chief
engineer; Vladimir Bornev, drill site supervisor; Victor Yarkov, operator and team leader; with
Yury Dolgov of Atlas Copco.
Victor Yarkov, operator of the recordbreaking DML, says, The cabin is well
insulated, with good visibility and operating lights. Also, the control levers
are comfortably located. Yarkov has
worked here for almost 20 years and
says good teamwork also contributes
to the successful drilling.
At Chernigovsky, tricone drill bits
are used for the 203 mm and 270 mm
blastholes with 9-meter pipes to depths
of 5-15 meter. The performance of the
rotary head is 100 rpm at 10.575 Nm and
the compressor capacity is 34 m3/min at
758 kPa.
Water in the coal beds is about
50 percent, and in some sectors even
more, says Vadim Khlebunov, deputy
chief engineer of Azot-Chernigovets.
This, combined with fissuring, often
makes drilling and blasting a problem.
However, the rig performance is excellent and if you follow the manufacturers recommendations, there will be
no problems at all.
The contractor produces and uses
two types of emulsion explosives for
dry and wet holes. We provide a complete technology process, comments
Khlebunov. We sell fully prepared
cubes of rock mass and run operations
both at Chernigovsky and at a number

of other open pits. The set task per
shift for the DML is 400-500 drillmeters, so it achieves 800-900 drillmeters per day over two shifts. Says
Khlebunov, We hold a record of 1,300
drillmeters per day. Our success is
the result of co-ordinated efforts by
all those involved. We want to prove
what the drill rig and the enterprise is
capable of.
Bachatsky open pit

At the Bachatsky open pit, owned by
Kuzbassrazrezugol, the average thickness of the coal seams is 32 meters. Here,
too, the main goal is to increase productivity at minimal cost. The rig fleet
has been completely renewed; the previous 14 electric drill rigs have been
replaced with four diesel and two
electric rigs. Two DM-M2 and two Pit
Viper 271 rigs are in use and the miners
are happy with the equipment.
Alexander Bogatiriov, deputy technical director, says, Though the rigs
belong to different classes, I think they
are equal in terms of productivity. Operators hold the same opinion; the
DM-M2 is not second to the Pit Viper.
Boosting siberian energy
Competition between the rig operators

produces such great results with the
DM-M2 as 30,600 drillmeters per
month and with the PV-271 37,000 drillmeters per month, which can be compared with a performance of some
8,000 drillmeters per month for the
conventional Russian drill rigs.
Single-pass capability
The first drill rig was commissioned
in 2004 and was the second such drill
rig in Kuzbass. To increase productivity, the management decided it wanted
single-pass drill rigs and the Pit Viper
proved to be the ideal choice. We have
practically reached the maximum theoretical productivity capabilities of the
rigs, says Bogatiriov. As for maintenance, we observe Atlas Copco factory
recommendations. Earlier, the lifetime
of the locally manufactured machines
was five to seven years, but with the new
machines, we expect 10 to 12 years.
Atlas Copcos local distributor, Mining Solutions, is responsible for staff
training and maintenance of the rigs.
Engineer Vladislav Grebnev, deputy
general director, says, We have had
people on this site from the start, working hand-in-hand with the customer to
steadily boost the productivity of the
equipment.
The operators traditionally believe
that productivity increases depend solely on torque. Pulldown force was not
taken into account. We worked together
as a team and the rigs started achieving
18,500 meters per month. That was the
start of the productivity increase.
The company provides three types
of service contracts: a complete service, including night duty; setting up,
diagnostics, parameter monitoring; and
emergency call-out. Today, 40 units of
Atlas Copco equipment are covered by
the service contracts and practically
all customers extending their contracts
choose the full-service option. Service
contracts are applicable to all rotary drill
rigs including DML, DM45, DM-M2
and Pit Viper 271s in the region.
Acknowledgements
A winters day at the Bachatsky open pit: The Atlas Copco drill rigs DM-M2 and Pit Viper 271 help
to produce coal for both the domestic and international markets.
158

Mining & Construction No. 1 2008
USA, powder river basin, Wyoming
Hidden treasure beneath

America's western prairie
Multi-pass drills
meet demand
Much of the world relies on coal
for electricity generation. This is
especially true in the United
States, where coal is responsible
for over 50 percent of the power
produced. To meet this need, over
1 billion tons of coal is mined on an
annual basis. The proven DM-M3
and now the PV-275 are the drills
of choice in large scale mining operations in Wyoming. These robust
drills, with their ability to drill large
deep holes at an angle, have become the standard in the Powder
River Basin.
Powder River Basin

Under the rolling grasslands of northeast Wyoming, massive seams of lowsulfur, sub-bituminous coal are mined
on a scale unmatched anywhere on earth.
The Powder River Basin (PRB) is home
to 13 major open-pit coal mines, all of
which would be considered large in
their own right. Combined, these mines
tallied 451 million short tons (410 million metric tons) of coal production in
2008. Individually, the PRB is home to
the 10 largest coal mines in the United
States, and quite possibly the five largest in the world. Two mines, Peabody
Energys North Antelope/Rochelle
Mine and Arch Coals Black Thunder
Mine, each produced over 88 million
short tons (80 million metric tons) in
2008.
The key to the success of these mines
is the thick coal seams, which can exceed 80 feet (24 meters) high. While the
geology may seem very favorable, strip
ratios continue to increase as mining
progresses. Many of the mines now
average 3 cubic yards of waste to 1 ton
of coal. This translates to overburden
cover in excess of 300 feet (91 meters)
in many areas. Therefore, to meet the
Massive amounts of overburden - up to 300 ft (91 m) - are removed to reach the seams of coal that can
exceed 80 ft (24 m) thick. Powder River Basin coal is treasured because of its low sulfur content.
high coal production, an enormous

amount of overburden must be moved.
Dragline operations
When moving this amount of material,
mines turn to the lowest cost equipment
available. Many of the PRB mines utilize large walking draglines as their
primary stripping tool. Draglines are

very cost-efficient earthmovers as they
utilize massive buckets (up to 160 cubic
yards, or 122 cubic meters), and deposit
their material directly without need for
haulage units or conveyors. Unlike a
shovel or loader, which has a limited
digging height that dictates the bench
height (usually less than 60 feet, or
Draglines are effective earthmovers, removing overburden and depositing directly into spoil piles as shown here. In the foreground, casted material can be seen
filling the empty pit, while dozers work to build a dragline bench.
A dragline digs on the spoil side of the pit. Draglines move in small steps via a cam-type walking mechanism.
160
18.3 meters), a dragline is capable of

deep digging depths beyond 100 feet
(30.5 meters).
While the dragline is a very effective
earthmover, the overall cost of overburden removal can be reduced through
cast blasting. Cast blasting is a method
of drilling and blasting that uses high
explosive energy to throw a sizeable
portion of the bank into the adjacent
empty pit where the coal was previously
removed. This method often results in
casting 30 percent or more of the bank
overburden material to its final resting
place, known as the effective cast or
cast to final.
As dragline operations require a flat
bench, large track dozers with special
wide blades (sometimes referred to as
carrydozers) push the cast material
down and build a bench at a set height
above the coal seam. The dragline will
then uncover the coal seam. This mining
method allows for the excavating of a

large vertical block of material ranging
from 100 feet (30.5 meters) to 200 feet
(61.0 meters) or more in depth, compared to the 50-foot to 60-foot (15.2 to 18.3
meter) vertical benches taken by truck/
shovel methods. A challenge of the dragline method is maintaining stability of
the face (known as the highwall) after
excavation, especially when water is
present in the material.
Drilling for cast blasting applications
generally involves deep depths (up to
235 feet or 71.6 meters), large diameters
(up to 12 1/4 inches, or 311 mm) and
angles up to 30 degrees from vertical.
Large diameters result in wider drill
patterns, reducing the number of holes
drilled. Because of the size of the dragline buckets, large fragmentation size
from the blast is not a concern. However, some operations have found that
smaller diameters such as 11 1/4 inches
(286 mm) yield better blasting results
with the tighter spacing.
Deep blasthole drilling has its challenges. Foremost is the amount of cuttings generated by the large diameter,
deep holes. A 12 1/4-inch (311 mm) hole
to 200 feet (61.0 meters), assuming a
swell factor of 30 percent, would yield
7.9 cubic yards (6.0 cubic meters) of
cuttings. This is a very large pile that
smaller drills simply cannot contain
under their dust hoods. Even though a
small unit might have sufficient pulldown, rotary torque and air to drill
a hole, it wouldn't be effective due to excess cuttings falling back down the hole
after the hood area is filled.
Most of the drilling for dragline operations is done at angles between 20
and 30 degrees. The angle drilling
serves two purposes. First, the angle
can be set to roughly the same angle as
the desired highwall. This is done to
help keep a consistent face-row burden
to improve the effectiveness of the cast
shot. In simple terms, the burden at the
top of the highwall (the crest) should be
similar to the burden at the bottom of
the highwall (the toe). Second, angle
drilling can help shape the direction
of the cast shot. As the blast projects
perpendicularly from the bore hole, an
angled hole gives a vertical component
to the blast, helping lift the material and therefore throw it further. It is
Drilling at an angle then blasting the bank into the adjacent empty pit results in casting 30 percent or more
of the bank overburden material.
important to remember that the drilling

depth increases as the angle increases.
For example, if mining a 200-foot
(61.0 meter) bench, the drilling depth
at 30 degrees would be 231 feet (70.4
meters).
Some mining regions are fortunate
to have soft material, which yields extremely fast drilling rates and less wear
on buckets, tires and truck beds. The
PRB is in this class, with much of the
material having a compressive strength
of less than 5,000 psi (34 MPa). The
material is so soft that tricone bits are

rarely used. Instead, aggressive clawtype bits are the standard. Contrary to
the general belief that soft material calls
for as high a rotation speed as possible,
these claw bits rotate at lower RPM (100
or less), but their design allows them
to shear through the material at rates
exceeding 1,000 feet/hour (305 meters/
hour).
To handle the high penetration rates,
large air compressors must be used. This
is especially true in the PRB as these
Drillers on the DM-M3 appreciate the clear view of the breakout wrench and easy access to controls.
The 235-ft drill depth of the DM-M3 allows the

dragline access to the deep coal in one blast. The
DM-M3 can drill at an angle of 30 degrees, which
maintains the angle of the highwall and helps
shape the direction for the cast shot.
Good highwalls are a result of proper drilling and blasting and bench preparation. The dragline seen here is using
the spoil side stripping method as this pit nears completion.
drills often use smaller diameter drill

rods to increase the annular area (the
gap between the wall of the hole and
the drill rod) to allow the larger cuttings
generated by the claw bit to exit the hole
without having to be reground to a
smaller size. High volume compressors
of up to 2,600 cubic feet per minute are
used, and it is important to have sufficient air pressure (100 psi, or 6.8 bar, or
more) available to prevent plugging bits.
Because of the light weight of the overburden (approximately 3,000 pounds
per cubic yard, or 1.04 tons per cubic
meter), bailing velocities may dip below
the 5,000 feet per minute (1,524 meters
per minute) recommendation that the
industry would normally prescribe, yet
still effectively clean the hole.
162
Building drills for the PRB

Atlas Copcos DM-M3 and Pit Viper
275 (PV-275) are ideal for coal mining in
the Powder River Basin and the DM-M3
was, in fact, first designed for mining
the overburden in the PRB. Jon Torpy,
a regional manager for Atlas Copco,
said, The DM-M3 is in a class of its
own with the right balance of air, rotary
head performance, bit load, and depth
capacity. The PV-275 has taken these
strengths and added to them. The DM-M3
was designed to drill the Powder River
overburden so it can drill the deep angle
holes required to reach the coal.
Walt Schroeder is a product support
sales representative for Atlas Copco,
but prior to working for Atlas Copco,
Schroeder was a driller. He has operated

many drills including seven years on a
DM-M3. Schroeder said, I have never
had a bad word to say about the DM-M3
and its always the truth. Ask anyone
who has operated one. There is no other
drill that can mast over to 30 degrees
and drill 240 feet all day, every day
and never even grunt!
Schroeder added, When this rig was
designed there were definitely miners
involved. There isnt a more comfortable rig to operate; they got it right when
they engineered this rig. Id say this is
the most ergonomic drill on the planet
and Ive never run a rig that I like more.
Schroeders confidence speaks to
durability, too. Availability is critical
according to Schroeder. There is not
a drill made that has the air, power and
overall drilling performance at this
depth and angle that can match the availability of the DM-M3. I know guys
you wouldnt let operate your lawnmower who are drilling with the DM-M3
this rig is tough!
Acknowledgements
Story and pictures by Brian Fox and Scott
Ellenbecker. Portions of this article first
appeared in Mining & Construction USA,
No. 1, 2009.
USA, gilette, wyoming
Finding a perfect balance

Dry Fork balances
ecology and mining
As one of the newest coal-fired power plants in the nation, Dry Fork
Station is a testament to how
nature and progress can coexist.
In fact, technological advances in
drilling equipment, coupled with
ecology-conscious coal-mining
management, ensure that a responsible and mutually beneficial
relationship between all stakeholders will continue well into
the future.
Award-winning mining
operation
Dry Fork Mine is a surface coal mine
located in the Powder River Basin
approximately seven miles northeast
of Gillette, Wyoming, on Garner Lake
Road. Constructed in 1989, commercial operation began in 1990. Approximately 70 employees work in the mine,
which is well known for its safety and
environmental achievements. In 2009
the mine celebrated having gone nearly
seven consecutive years without a lost
time injury, and it recently received
three prestigious environmental awards, including the Office of Surface
Mining (OSM) Excellence in Surface
Mining Award; the Wyoming Game,
Fish Industry Reclamation and Wildlife
Stewardship Award; and an Excellence
in Surface Coal Mining from the
Wyoming Department of Land Quality.
Wester n FuelsWyoming, Inc.
(WFW) is owned by a collective of cooperative power companies. The mine
primarily supplies coal to the utilities
associated with those rural cooperatives. Dry Fork is an industry showcase
representing how mining, energy production and nature can realize sustainable success. Dry Fork balances mining
operations with conservation practices.
The mines 24/7 operation produces
an estimated 5 to 6 million tons of
coal annually, of which 1.5 to 2 million
The mine has won several prestigious environmental awards for achievements. Reclamation at the award
willing property includes returning the land back to its original contour and elevation. Wildlife is abundant
in the area. A herd of dear graze in the distance at the edge of the newly scalped landscape.
tons will be used in the new Dry Fork

Station, a 385 megawatt power plant located adjacent to the mine.
The Dry Fork Mine is a truck and
loader operation with Le Tourneau
1850 and 1400 loaders and Cat 793D
240 ton and 789B 190 ton haul trucks.
The drilling is done with a new Atlas
Copco DML blasthole rig with the
new Atlas Copco Secoroc Grizzly Paw
10 inch (270 mm) bit. In the past, the
mine drilled 9 inch (229 mm) holes with
an older rig, but with the new DML
they were able to increase hole size,
which allowed them to expand their
pattern by nearly 30 percent.
As good as new
Every element is part of the mines reclamation plan. Animals, trees, surface
rocks it is all documented in the permitting process. Director of Regulatory
Affairs Beth Goodnough is the keeper
of the permit. Its a constantly evolving permit. Currently its 25 volumes
long and growing.
Goodnough sited specifics to the remediation plan: We make efforts to

replace wildlife microhabitat impacted
by mining by replacing shrubs, building rock piles, planting trees and bushes, and installing rock and bluff type
ledges in the reclamation. The permit
requires us to restore one shrub per
square meter on 20 percent of the reclamation.
The seed mixes are rather complicated and include the Wyoming big sagebrush, silver sagebrush and a variety of
native grasses and forbs. The mixes are
tailored to grassland areas, wetlands,
bottomlands, shrub patches and mixed
sagebrush/grassland post mine areas.
To support habitat, rock outcrops are
also replaced where the integrity of the
rock makes it possible. Another recently
constructed feature is a 4 acre alluvial
valley floor that was recreated in a reclaimed area to look similar to the one
that had been present prior to mining. In
another area, the mine has succeeded
in establishing a wetlands channel and
has three restored wetlands ponds. In
Finding a Perfect Balance
This DML drill rig uses the new Secoroc Grizzly Paw bit to drill through coal and overburden. The coal is
drilled at a 20 degree angle.
addition to reclamation, all climate and

sub terrestrial elements are examined
and monitored. Wetlands, hydrology,
air quality, climatology, archeology,
wildlife everything is monitored,
documented and reported monthly or
annually. I see different in-spectors
once or twice a month, federal and state,
we have a variety of folks with different focuses watching what we do, said
Goodnough.
As for how close reclamation efforts
are to pre-mining conditions, Goodnough said, Were trying to do in 10
years what it took nature hundreds of
years of evolution to accomplish. In
total the mine manages approximately
10,000 acres (40.5 km2) of land. Of the
mined area, nearly 20 percent of what
has been disturbed has been reclaimed to
what it was, before any mining activity.
Goodnough said the goal is to restore disturbed land right behind mined
land. We want a one to one ratio as
we go forward an acre reclaimed for
an acre disturbed. Dry Fork isnt alone
in its efforts to keep the Powder River
Basin sustainable. The region is known
for following thorough reclamation processes.
164
The right machine

The DML is a new drill for Dry Fork,
but drill operator Mark Lindsey said,
It didnt take but a couple weeks to get
comfortable with the controls. I like the
carousel system: its very user friendly.
There are good safety features on this
rig, too, keeping you from screwing up.
Lindsey thinks the drill has lots of
air power and drills fast overall. The
DML is outfitted with a 1900 cfm air
compressor.
As for the technology factor Lindsey
said, I wasnt too sure Id like the drop
GPS, but now Im spoiled because the
depth is always right on the money.
Now I really like it.
Mine Superintendent John Barnes
said, Its an advantage with the larger diameter hole because we dont
have to shoot daily. He likes that the
driller, Mark Lindsey, can be doing
other things and they can stay ahead.
Each blast usually requires 35 to 40
holes. When overburden is less than
Deeper than 30 feet and they drill on
a 60-feet (18 m) deep, 20-degree angle.
The overburden is generally 60 feet
deep. He said, The Grizzly Paw bit
performs well when drilling through

rock. The drills penetration rate is typically around 25 to 32 feet per minute
(7 to 10 m/min).
Dry Fork is toward the north end
of the Powder River Basin producing
higher moisture, low sulfur, sub-bituminous coal at 8,000 to 8,200 btu per
pound. The mine has two pits with coal
of different properties, which allows
the mine to mix loads to a power plants
specifications.
Coal depth is a varying factor in the
Powder River Basin coal region. This
makes reclamation a bit more difficult
too. Barnes said, We map everything
to ensure post-mining contours coincide with pre-mining elevations. This
includes setting topsoil aside during
initial excavation so it can be replaced
after reclamation. Basically the reclaimed land will look just like it does
before, just lower because the coal has
been removed.
The coal in this part of the Powder
River Basin exists in two layers. Barnes
said, The coal deposits came in two
events. The mineable Anderson layer
is on top, which is about 18 feet (5.5 m)
thick and the lower Canyon deposit
is generally 55 feet (16.7 m). A sedimentary stratum about 6 feet (2 m)
thick separates the two coal seams.
When drilling in coal, Lindsey said,
The Grizzly bit drills like a hot knife
in butter and its easy drilling. It wont
plug up either. When drill hole depths
allow, both overburden and coal are
drilled in a staggered pattern at a 20
degree angle.
To be successful here, a mine has to
employ efficient and intelligent people
and equipment. Getting the coal is
just one part of a process that ends in
reclaimed land.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine No 3 2010. Story and photos
Communications.
USA, Vansant, virginia
Moving mountains
Virginia Drilling now has over 50 Atlas Copco drill rigs in its fleet.
A focus on the
coal industry
In the southern Appalachian range
of West Virginia, Kentucky, and
Virginia, known as the Blue Ridge
Mountains, the seam of coal flows
through the ground at varying
depths, sometimes just at the
base of the mountain. To get the
coal Virginia Drilling Company
works with their coal company
partners to shave off the mountains one 30-ft to 40-ft lift at a
time. Virginia Drillings business
philosophy has developed over
time but has remained simple,
says said founding partner and
company president Verlo Stiltner.
We grow the business by focusing on what you do best and surround yourself with experts.
Virginia drilling
In 1998, partners Verlo Stiltner, David
Hale and Mike Sheets started the
contract drilling company Virginia
Drilling to diversify the existing blasting business, Austin Sales, owned by
Hale and Stiltner.
The company began as a contract
driller on construction applications with
Ingersoll-Rand ECM 490 and ECM
690 crawler rigs. Today the company
has grown to include 28 Atlas Copco
DM45s, nine Atlas Copco DMLs and
seven Atlas Copco crawler drills in
various sizes, including one ECM 490
and one ECM 470 and two ECM 690s
and three ECM 720s.
Virginia Drilling is the largest, if
not the only, contract driller in the world
focused primarily on the coal industry.
Even the smaller construction crawler
drills are dedicated to road, reclamation and underground mine face-ups to

a point that 85 percent to 90 percent of
the work is for the coal mining companies.
Two years ago, the companys cofounder David Hale passed away, but
the business has continued to grow with
strong leadership and committed employees. Today the company has 18
drills on order and has a steady business
growth plan slated for years to come.
Getting started
Because of the existing blasting business, Virginia Drilling knew everyone
in the area. Founding partner and construction drilling manager Mike Sheets
summed it up, the coal industry in the
region is a real fraternity. Just over a
year after starting the business, which
Moving Mountains
until that time had focused on construction projects, Virginia Drilling partners
were approached by a coal company
who knew their blasting expertise and
asked them to drill in the coal field.
The premise was to not waste blasting material on the bench, to work efficiently and maximize outside resources.
The goal was to get costs below industry average and have higher drill utilization.
Partner responsibilities
Two Atlas Copco DML drill rigs prepare for the next shot that will lower the bench to the coal seam.
166
From the beginning Virginia Drillings

partners accepted that they were not
drill experts. Admittedly, Virginia Drilling Chief Operating Officer Clinton
Evans pointed out they had lots to learn
and wanted to work closely with drill
dealer Brandeis Equipment to develop
a maintenance program.
When choosing a drill it was really
a no-brainer, said Evans. They went
with Atlas Copco because if its product reputation, but also they needed a
strong dealer that would support every
aspect of the drill including parts and
support.
According to Brandeis branch manager, Barry Justice, 40 percent of their
parts inventory is for Atlas Copco Drills.
If the drills dont run, the whole mining process stops, said Justice.
Brandeis has 19 service trucks in the
field, running its parts department on
a double shift and supplying 24/7 service to Virginia Drilling. All that attention equates to a higher performance
on the drills. The oldest drill in the fleet
is a 1999 DML with 22,000 hours. Typically on a mine site the cost of drilling
equipment is approximately 5 percent
to 10 percent of the total expenditures.
This is another reason why some mining
companies dont focus on their drilling.
Virginia Drilling knows that the excavation equipment can catch up to them
but cant pass them.
Atlas Copco regional sales manager
Tom Borer said, Virginia Drilling has
drills with 20,000 hours on them that
run better than drills owned by others
that have 10,000 hours.
There is no big secret here; its all in
the preventative maintenance (PM) program. The main pumps, for example,
average 7,000 to 8,000 hours for most,
Moving Mountains
Shouldering the burden for the coal companies. From left: Mike Sheets, Clinton Evans and Verlo Stiltner of Virginia Drilling.
while Virginia Drilling averages 11,000

to 12,000 hours. Its not uncommon for
Virginia Drilling to get 40 percent greater life out of their drill components because of the PM program.
Mike Sheets said, Its all about taking away problems. Brandeis takes
the burden of maintenance away from
Virginia Drilling and Virginia Drilling
takes away the burden of drilling and
blasting from the coal companies.
He emphasized that his customers
focus is to move material. They dont
want to worry about getting the shot
right or all the liability that comes with
explosives.
Sheets said, If everyone focuses on
the part of the business that makes them
money everyone wins, and if were not
drilling holes, were not making money.
To ensure they are drilling holes they
follow the PM program religiously. If a
drill is close to a scheduled PM and a
Brandeis truck is in the area, they will
perform the service rather than let it get
behind. As a contract driller for many
mining operations in the area, Virginia
Drilling takes total responsibility for

the drilling and blasting operation. The
agreement with its customers is a winwin for everyone.
When this part of the business began
and the deal was laid out for the customer, he didnt believe it. He told us it
seemed too good to be true, said Sheets.
They proposed a sliding scale based
on 50,000 to 1 million yards of shot
material with discounts built in for volume. Virginia Drilling guaranteed the
product amount in the customers timeframe. They absorb most costs related
to putting the product on the ground,
from equipment to human resources to
blasting material.
When we finished making our
proposal the first response was where
do I sign, said Sheets. Today Virginia
Drillings client list is long and growing.
Training equals success

People are a critical part of making this
work. At any one time Virginia Drilling
has seven to eight drill trainees, with
that number going as high as ten. The

training program has developed over
time to what it is today, a well executed
system. For the first two weeks they
mostly watch and listen. They learn
how to set up on the bench, put the mast
up and down and terminology. They
learn by watching and listening.
We prefer they dont even come in
with experience, said Evans.
They dont want new employees to
have bad habits and to learn drilling
according to the companys operation.
After they have a couple weeks with
the best drillers they come in for classroom work. They learn down pressure,
rotation, penetration rates, bit performance and compressor and engine operation, everything they need to know
about the drill and what its responsibility is for drilling the hole.
Then the trainees go back in the field
with the experienced driller again to
apply the classroom work. Every month
drillers are evaluated to make sure they
are getting optimum production,
maximum penetration and bit life
Moving Mountains
Blasting off the top benching down to the coal that can be seen at the base of the mountain.
and overall efficiency. But, all the aspects of training come right back to
keeping the drill working at its maximum performance rate.
We expect to get 30,000 hours from
our drills, said Evans.
The drillers have to be doing their
job correctly to ensure that level of
equipment life.
168
Performance for results

Drill performance also factors into how
Virginia Drilling bids a job. Everything is evaluated when looking at the
cost per foot, said Sheets. Because we
look at all aspects of the drilling and
blasting process, we know how to find
our efficiencies.
One drill site may run into five different layers of sandstone in a mine.
Laminated charts plot out the geology
of the mine. The goal is to get the maximum penetration in relation to the time
in the hole.
The bit is an integral part of the operation, said Evans. Bits give you the
data as to how the drill is performing.
Weight and rotation is applied to the bit
according to the situation. In this area a
driller may expect to get a penetration
rate of 6 feet a minute at 165 rpm and
15,000 lbs.
Although bits have an optimum rotation rate its only half the equation.
We are not willing to sacrifice a drill
to drill faster, said Clinton Evans. Virginia Drilling looks to maximizing the
relationship of down pressure to rotation rpm to ensure the life of the drill.
Using 7 -inch to 9-inch bits on
its DMLs and 6 -inch to 7 -inch
bits on its DM45s, operating between
2,500 to 4,000 hours a year, Virginia
Drilling projects 2 million yards of
rock a month. It is expected that each
drill is responsible for 500,000 yards.
The DMLs are equipped with 6 -inch
x 30-ft pipe, while the DM45s run 5
-inch x 30-ft pipe.
Virginia Drilling can move drills if
needed, and to meet the required tonnage they will run three to four drills
per site at one time with a maximum
of five.
Evans prefers the DML because it is
beefier from the frame up, but the performance and hole sizes dictate what
drills will be used. It goes back to
blasting try to make the pattern smaller but get the most value from the caps,
primers and explosives.
Generally, hole spacing is on an 18-ft
x 18-ft pattern. The 7 -inch hole can
support 16-ft to 18-ft spacing, while
the 9-inch hole can do a 19-ft to 21-ft
spacing. Virginia uses a 70/30 ANFO
emulsion blend as an explosive.
Acknowledgements
Copco Mining & Construction magazine No 2 2008. Story and pictures
Communications.
USA, london, kentucky
Cost busting
Ron Johnson, Atlas Copco Regional Sales Manager for Eastern U.S. coal region, and driller, Kevin Maggard.
Controlling drill
pipe erosion
keeps drill steel
costs down
Sixteen-year veteran driller Kevin
Maggard proudly lis ted several reasons he rates his tenure
with James River Coal Service
Company (JRCSC) so highly. At
the top of his list is the way they
keep their equipment up. Their
maintenance program is second
to none, he said. One look inside
Maggards blasthole rig cabin
leaves no doubt that he cares
about his equipment. He keeps it
so clean it looks brand new.
Maggard is also proud of his current

role in the companys field testing of
Atlas Copco Secoroc Teamalloy
drill steel to bring drill steel cost per
hour at JRCSCs Montgomery mine
back down. Regulations two years ago
caused changes in the mines blasting
plan that took its mild steel drill pipe
from 400 hours of life down to just

130. Operations such as this in eastern
Kentucky have limited their blasthole
diameter to 6 inches and brought
their blast pattern in from 18 by 18 to
16 by 16 feet.
Reducing bit size, however, completely reconfigured a highly productive drilling formula that had evolved
over years of careful engineering and
practical experience with these drills in
this mines ground conditions. In effect,
maintaining regulatory compliance
doubled and in some instances tripled
the drill steel cost per hour drilled.
So JRCSC has been working with
Atlas Copco to come up with a solution to get drill steel cost per foot
drilled back down to reasonable levels.
Maggard has been central to the team
effort, which uses his rig and his drilling skills as their test bed.
Because drill pipe can run so long
between changes, JRCSC finds it best
to calculate the drill steel cost per
hour by dividing the total cost of the
drill pipe by the total air compressor
hours logged between installing the
pipe and removing it. This gives them

a reliable and simple basis on which to
make a comparison.
Less costs more

The cost increase affects JRCSC across
its entire drill fleet, which represents
a variety of manufacturers. When the
large blasthole crawlers were drilling
with 7 -inch rotary bits on 5 -inch
mild steel drill pipe, bailing velocity
(BV) was almost ideal at 6,000 feet per
minute (fpm). Glenn Sharpe, JRCSC
drill mechanic in the Montgomery
mine, said, The drill made little volcanoes at the hole made of chips the
size of your fingernail.
Sharpe explained that putting 6 inch bits on the same 5 -inch pipe
decreased the annulus so much that
it doubled the BV to 12,000 fpm. The
increased velocity mashed the sandstone into grit that scoured the mild
steel drill pipes so aggressively they
lasted only one-third of their normal
life compared to when they were used
to make 7 -inch holes.
Cost Busting
Above: Driller Kevin Maggard pointed out that by resisting erosion, TEAMALLOY drill steel maintains its stiffness, spinning true with less vibration. This increases bit life
and prevents premature bearing failure. (Top right) Ron Johnson compares bearing play of a bit used before drilling with TEAMALLOY against a new bit to show how
the cost of mild steel was more than just replacing pipe. (Bottom right) Johnson indicates how little the steel has worn after nearly 400 hours of use, maintaining its
relationship to the deck bushing. Mild steel did not often last more than 130 hours in the same conditions.
Their tricone bits also suffered in

these holes, their inserts shearing in
half in the various sandstones of the
Montgomery site.
But the rate at which drill steel wore
down posed a new problem. The gap
that quickly widened between the steel
and the deck bushing gave dust an
escape-way. There was a risk it would
not be captured effectively by the rigs
dust control vacuum. To operate a rig
with uncontrolled dust would put the
mine in jeopardy of violating dust
level limits. So the mine had to switch
drill steel out frequently to keep that
gap tight. The result was that JRCSCs
rigs were now going through drill steel
three times faster than before.
The solutions
Sharpe complimented Maggards skill
as a driller. While Sharpe has seen
some drillers go through a top sub in as
little as six months, he said Maggards
drill string is still topped by the original, 6-year-old top sub. It is a certainty
that JRCSC isnt seeing drill steel cost
rise from operator fault or poor drilling technique. Its solely the physics
involved in a change of bit size. Ron
Johnson, Atlas Copcos Regional Sales
170
Manager for the 11-state eastern U.S.

coal region, performed a complete drill
audit, which included an air compressor
capacity test. This audit showed that
there was much more air than required
for adequate bailing, due to the smaller
annular area.
One solution was to decrease drill
steel diameter, so they replaced the
5 -inch steel with 5-inch. But this
created its own problems. The 5-inch
drill steel was not as rigid. Its flexing
caused drill string vibration and chatter. Inefficient drilling will also tend to
shorten tool life.
Sharpe then addressed the air issue.
Rather than choke the compressor intake to reduce the volume, they
not only regulated it down but vented
excess volume up the mast to decrease
air volume in the hole. As finely tuned
as they could get it, the sandstone still
rapidly eroded their drill steel.
Teamalloy
Thats when Johnson suggested Teamalloy drill steel. Almost every coal
company in the eastern U.S. would be
keenly interested if Teamalloy were to
work for JRCSC. So far it has. While
mild steel lasted only 130 hours, the
Teamalloy drill steel was indistinguishable from new at 300 hours. Approaching 400 hours, the steel was
starting to show only minimal wear.
The wear was controlled and predictable, showing the embedded alloy wear
strips slightly more prominently than
when new. Johnson predicted they
would likely see 500 hours before they
changed it out.
Maggard said that while drilling he
could sense that the Teamalloy pipe
offered greater stabilization and perfect
rotation.
It would seem that JRCSC has found
a successful formula once again. Dust
is down. Drill steel cost per hour is
down. Production is up. And Atlas
Copco Secorocs Teamalloy drill
steel is living up to its billing in their
Montgomery mine, the bet that it will
beat mild steel in cost per hour in any
application, anywhere, every single
time.
Acknowledgements
This article first appeared in Mining
& Construction USA No. 1, 2012,
written and photographed by Joe
Bradfield, senior writer at Ellenbecker
Communications.
Kazakhstan
Mining in Kazakhstan
rig, although the rigs have the capacity
to operate at 20,000 to 25,000 meters
per month.
The DML drills a 228 mm hole, while
the DM45 drills a 200 mm hole using
Secoroc EpsilonTM bits lasting 15,000 to
18,000 meters. Borly also has the distinction of having received the worlds
first electric DML drill rig. Meanwhile,
the recent delivery of the countrys first
Atlas Copco RD20 drill rig for oil and
gas, has paved the way for exploration
of the huge Karaganda methane field.
Rich mineral resources

The electric-powered DML rig with hydraulic tophead drive.
Gearing up
for growth
The Republic of Kazakhstan, that
vast country south of Russia between the Caspian Sea and China,
is on the move. Its infrastructure
is improving and its mining industries are being reborn through
new methods and modern equipment. It will take time, but the
aim is clear: to become a prime
example of Central Asias growing prosperity. Atlas Copco equipment and service is playing a
central part in this modernization.
Expansive coal reserves

Few countries have such expansive reserves of coal, oil, uranium, methane
and natural gas as Kazakhstan. And in
this land, characterized by vast open
plains, Atlas Copco drill rigs have become the rigs of choice among coal
producers.
Beneath the surface of the Kazakh
Steppe in the north of the country, there
are massive coal reserves. Here, Atlas
Copco has been working with a number
of mining companies to upgrade their
drilling technology to meet productivity targets and lower their costs.

Two such operations are Bogatyr
Komir and Borly Coal that both operate
a mix of Atlas Copco DML and DM45
blasthole drill rigs. Bogatyr, located
in the Ekibastuz coal basin, has total
reserves of 4.5 billion tonnes and produces nearly 40 percent of the countrys
coal (46 million tonnes mined in 2008).
The mine has a fleet of five drill rigs
on site, three DMLs and two DM45s.
Each DML drills around 14,000 meters
per month, while the DM45 achieves
about 20,000 meters per month. Both
types are operating on 25-meter benches. The DML rigs use 228 mm tricone bits, while the DM45 uses 171 mm
tricone bits. All of the rigs are capable of producing more drill-meters if
required.
With a 7-meter burden and 5-meter
spacing, each blast consists of 400 holes
to produce more than 100,000 tonnes
of coal and 60,000 cubic meters of
waste per day.
Borly, located in the Karaganda region, produces about 7 tonnes per year
from the Molodezhniy and Kulchek
mines. It uses both DML and DM45
rigs on 45-meter benches, drilling
around 17,000 meters per month per
Kazakhstan also has gold, copper, iron

ore and manganese open pits. Here too,
Atlas Copco drill rigs are well represented. DM45 and DML blasthole rigs
are used by Kazakhmys Copper Company and Aktobe Copper Company in
the countrys western copper region.
The multi-pass DM30 for hole diameters of 127 mm to 171 mm, is the rig of
choice for Polymetals Varvarinskoye
Mine, whereas the single-pass Pit Viper
275, for hole diameters up to 270 mm,
is used by Kazzincs VasGold mine.
We have introduced blasthole drilling equipment to Kazakhstan that can
increase productivity and lower operating costs, explains John Stinson,
Global Business Manager, Atlas Copco,
but it was not a straightforward task.
From the start, Atlas Copco advanced new ideas into Kazakhstan. The
region traditionally used a common
hole diameter, bench height and annual
meterage using electric-powered rotary
drilling methods.
Atlas Copco converted the country
to diesel-powered hydraulic drills, as
well as high-pressure down-the-hole
(DTH) hammer drilling. Today, the
time-tested technology of DTH drilling
has proven itself at Varvarinskoye Gold
as well at the Aktobe Copper Companys 50 Years October copper mine.
This change-over to DTH drilling was
not always successful initially, but with
time and cooperation, they were able to
achieve its full benefit.
Coal and Gold Mining in Kazakhstan
On site at the Vararvarinskoye Mine, owned by OJSC Polymetal of Russia, where five Atlas Copco DM 30
rigs and one T3W are used for mining gold.
Progress in October
Production at the 50 Years October
deposit, located some 200 km from
Aktobe, started in 2006. During the
initial planning stages, they produced
a 215 mm blasthole in the overburden
through rotary drilling. Once the overburden was removed, they studied
DTH drilling for use on harder rock
formations.
Following these studies, the mine
selected eight Atlas Copco rigssix
DMLs and two DM45 high pressure
blasthole rigs for DTH drilling with
Secoroc QL60 and DHD 360 hammers
to drill 171 mm holes on a 12-meter
bench with a 5-meter burden and
6-meter spacing. The central pit has a
14-year life and satellite pits are under
development.
While the owner, Aktobe Copper
Company, was impressed with the penetration rate, overall production levels
had not reached expectations, so the
company turned to Atlas Copco for a
way to increase the rigs productivity.
GRT, a sister company of Atlas Copcos
distributor Ken Group, an experienced
contractor, had been getting good results with rotary drilling at other copper mines and wanted to duplicate that
success by employing DTH drilling at
the 50 Years October site.
The company operated a DM45HP
rig during a four-month test period. Of
172
the total meters drilled the rig achieved

60 percent of the total productivity rate
of all three rigs in operation at the site.
According to Alexander Merzlikin,
Deputy General Director, Special Projects, Ken Group, there were no technical problems and the drill rigs all
achieved the same penetration rate. Ken
Group/GRT also coordinated all supplies and service to keep the rigs running at maximum efficiency, including
all lubricants, drilling consumables,
parts, maintenance and repairs.
Merzlikin continues: When you manage the bench, you need to plan for
up to three months. Our success comes
from teaming experienced operators
with an equivalent service organization
and supply chain. Ken Group/GRT has
a single focus and that is to provide the
maximum meters at the lowest possible
cost.
Moving forward, Ken GroupGRT
will either expand the contract drilling or offer a structured training and
drilling program for Aktobe Coppers
operators.
Developing metals
Varvarinskoye Gold Mine in Varvarinka was developed in the 1990s
when European Minerals conducted
exploration, followed by pit work with
overburden removal in 2006. Gold production began in December 2007 with
copper-gold concentrate following in

March 2008.
Varvarinskoye is located on the northwestern plains close to the Russian
border. Recently acquired by OJSC
Polymetal of St. Petersburg, Russia, the
mine is a good example of the equipment used for mining development in
Kazakhstan. To date, the mine has been
moving 3 tonnes per year. It operates
five Atlas Copco DM30s and one T3W
high pressure blasthole drill for DTH
drilling. Three DM30s were acquired
when the mine opened, and two more
were recently purchased, expanding the
fleet to meet ore demands.
The mine will be developed to produce 4.2 tonnes of ore per year for the
processing facility over the projected
15-year life span of the mine. Each
rig is expected to drill 20 meters per
hour to produce 10,000 drillmeters per
month. The drilling pattern consists
of a 4-meter burden with 3.5 meter
spacing (or 4.5 by 3.7 meter, depending on the rock) with a bench height
of 5 meters and sub-drilling of up to
one meter. The rigs operate at 24 bar,
each applying 55 bar of pulldown with
70-bar rotation.
The mine uses 152 mm hammers,
with the 165 mm bits averaging 1,0001,200 meters per bit and 10,000 meters
on the hammers before they are rebuilt.
Vladymir Sterlyagov, Mine Manager
at Varvarinskoye Gold, is satisfied
with the overall success of the DM30
blasthole rigs. One of these is nearing
12,000 hours. Sterlyagov credits drill
supervisor Pavel Bobylev for keeping
the rigs at a high rate of productivity.
It is Bobylevs working and drilling
knowledge, gained in many different
environments, that has allowed this
team to get the most out of the DM30
and make them successful.
Varvarinskoye has demonstrated the
probability for resources of 3.1 million
ounces of gold and 313 million pounds
of copper.
Acknowledgements
Mining & Construction No. 1, 2010
Story and pictures by Scott Ellenbecker.
VIETNAM, HA LONG BAY
Drilling for coal in Vietnam
Within the Vietnamese mountains overlooking Ha Long Bay's karst formations lie the country's largest coal reserve.
Coal mining in
Ha Long Bay
Coal production is a vital part of
the Vietnamese economy, and
the countrys largest field has
turned to modern drilling technology to optimize productivity
and efficiency. Atlas Copco is working with many of the regions
companies, providing them drill
rigs of various sizes to meet their
specific excavation needs.
A world wonder
With its thousands of limestone karst
formations that begin in the surrounding mountains and continue to the sea
where they stand out as lush, domeshaped islands, Ha Long Bay is recognized as one of the wonders of the
world. In those mountains that overlook
the bay lies Vietnams largest coal
reserve.
The coal region in Vietnam is centered in Cam Pha in Quang Ninh province, one of the two towns of Ha
Long Bay. Geographically the region

is 130 kilometers long, varying from
10 to 30 kilometers wide, or approximately 1,300 square kilometers. Reserves here total 2.5 billion tonnes of
sustainable supply. Last year the regions 70 or more enterprises produced
43 million tonnes, representing 90 percent of the coal burned in Vietnam and
100 percent of the countrys exported
coal.
Diverse needs
Atlas Copco supplies the mines of the
region with rigs matched to the size of
their various pits. With a complete product line offering a full range of equipment, and with a staff of technicians
there onsite, Atlas Copco meets the specific needs of each of its customers.
The majority of drilling in the area
is performed by its DML and DM45
blasthole drill rigs. A variety of surface crawlers, including ROC F7, ROC
F6 and ROC L7 CR COPROD drill
rigs, work in smaller operations. The
following is a look at three mines and
the drilling operations that make them

successful.
Dong Bac
Coal Exploration Enterprise-Dong Bac
Corporation produces 140,000 tonnes
of coal per year running two rigs. The
mine has operated drills from several
manufacturers but found its greatest
success with the Atlas Copco ROC L7
COPROD drill rig because of its availability. Mr. Vu Van Tan, Chief Operator
at Dong Bac, says, The Atlas Copco
drill rigs have similar penetration rates
with our other rig, but its the uptime of
the ROC L7CR that makes it the mines
most productive rig.
At this mine the ROC L7CR drills
a 165-millimeter (6 inch) hole to
depths of approximately 8 meters (26
feet). The 6-meter (20-foot) deep coal
seam rests at an angle from the surface,
which results in drilling to depths that
end at varying degrees along the coal
seam. Mr. Tan likes the size and mobility of the ROC L7 and thinks its the
best rig for this size operation.
Drilling for coal in Vietnam
Ptam Trung Kien, Technical Manager for Nui Beo Coal Company in front of their DM45.
Nui Beo
Nui Beo Coal Company is a much larger operation working adjacent to the
Dong Bac mine. In 2009 the mine produced 5.1 million tonnes of coal using
four blasthole drills. Two of those are
Atlas Copco diesel-powered rigs.The
others are Russian-made electric models. The mobility and faster penetration of Atlas Copco DM45 and DML
blasthole rigs significantly out-drill the
competitors models.
The two Atlas Copco rigs drill 8,500
meters per month, whereas the other two
rigs drill only 3,000 meters per month.
The mines three shifts produce 22 million tonnes of waste annually from a
pit 4 kilometers long by 1.1 kilometers
in width. The projected life extends to
the year 2015, with a new property
already planned and scheduled for
development.
Pham Trung Kien, the electro-mechanical department technical Engineer,
oversees the drill fleet for the mine. Of
all these drills, Kien likes the DML the
most. With its Cat engine, he thinks it
offers more power than the DM45, but
both are more productive and efficient
174
than other drills they have operated.

Although he has had no major problems
with his Atlas Copco drills, he likes the
fact that Atlas Copco and Caterpillar
have support people in the area to assist
if he should need them.
The DML and DM45 blasthole rigs
in the area use 230-millimeter (9-inch)
Secoroc tricone bits and 7-meter (23foot) rods. At Nui Beo, operations are
currently 100 meters (328 feet) below
sea level on 20-meter (60-foot) benches.
Drilling is done at an angle of 10 to 20
degrees at an incline of 5 to 10 percent.
Tay Nam Da Mai

In comparison, Tay Nam Da Mai Joint
Stock Corporation also operates the
DML, currently drilling at bench
elevations 40 meters (130 feet) above
sea level. The coal seam is about 40
meters below sea level. Benches are 16
meters (52 feet) in depth on a 6 by 5
meter pattern (16 by 20 feet), which is
common in this the area.
Measuring 1.8 kilometers long by
1.5 kilometers wide, this mine produces
1 tonne of coal for every 9 to 10 tonnes
of waste. It yielded one million tonnes
Tay Nam Da Mai prefers the DML drill rig.
of coal last year and will produce 1.5

million tonnes this year. Here the DML
drills 5,000 to 6,000 meters per month
in the mines harder rock and 8,000 to
9,000 meters per month in the softer
formations, with another 15 years of
life at the current production rate.
Mr. Hoa, Deputy Manager Electro
Mechanical department says, I like
the durability of the Atlas Copco rigs
and their ability to drill more meters.
Because the competitive rigs have less
availability and drilling performance
is less, It takes the (competitive rig) a
year to drill the same meters the DML
will drill in three months.
Because of the variations in pit size
and desired production, the Quang
Ninh province is well served by Atlas
Copcos product line, with the DML as
a leader in the class.
Acknowledgements
Mining & Construction No. 3, 2010.
Story and pictures by Scott Ellenbecker.
DRILLING METHOD GUIDE
Drilling method guide

Different applications and rock conditions need different kinds of drilling equipment and performance. This guide is
an attempt to start a discussion around the method and equipment that might provide the ultimate solution for an
application. Below, we compare six different drilling methods on offer from Atlas Copco.
The tophammer method
In percussive tophammer drilling the

impact energy is generated when the
piston is striking the shank adapter.
This energy is transmitted from the
rock drill via the shank adapter, drill
steel and drill bit to the rock, where it
is used for crushing. The entire
system of rock drill, drill steel, drill
bit, rotation, feed force and flushing
must harmonize for maximum
drilling economy. The tophammer
method is primarily used for drilling
in hard rock for hole diameters up to
5 inch (140 mm), and the main
advantage is the high penetration
rate in good solid rock conditions.
Handheld pneumatic rock drills are
used for small hole diameters while
rig mounted hydraulic rock drills are
commonly used for hole diameters
above 15/8 inch (41 mm). Heavy
hydraulic rock drills with an impact
power of up to 40kW are used for
large hole diameters up to 5 inch.
To maintain good drill steel economy
and hole straightness heavy extension
rods or rigid guide tubes with large
outer diamer have to be used.
176
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.
The down-the-hole method
The down-the-hole method is a

reliable way to drill in various
formation from hard to soft,
competent to broken or abrasive to
non abrasive rock. The rock drill
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 hole wall
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 particular advantage when
drilling in densely populated areas.
Hole diameter:
7
8" - 5" (22-140 mm)
Hole diameter:
3916" - 6" (90-165 mm)
Hole diameter:
358" - 9" (90-229 mm)
Principle: In the
simplest of terms, the
tophammer drilling
method goes back
to manually hitting
the end of a drill
steel with a sledge
hammer. As recoil
makes the rod jump
back it is rotated
to ensure that the
hole is round. In
a similar way the
impact energy of
the rock drill piston
is transmitted to the
drill bit in the form
of shock waves. Drill
cuttings are removed
from the hole bottom
by air or water
flushing.
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.
Principle: The
hammer is situated
down the hole in
direct contact with the
drill bit. The hammer
piston strikes the drill
bit resulting in an
efficient transmission
of the impact energy
and insignificant power losses with the
hole depth. The
method is widely
used for drilling long
holes, not only for
blasting, but also for
water wells, shallow
gas and oil wells,
and for geo-thermal
wells. In mining it is
also developed for
sampling using the
reverse circulation
technique (RC drilling).
The Reverse circulation method
Dual tube reverse circulation (RC)

drilling is a method used for
collecting rock chips to the surface
for subsequent analysis.The air and
rock chips are then blown past the bit
and up through the centre of the
drillstring. to the surface. Normally
the air exhausts through a centrifugal
classifier so that the rock chips and
dust will be captured in a sampler. A
sample of the rock chips can be
collected in bags. The RC method is
used for mineral exploration as an
alternative to diamond core drilling.
Special RC hammers were developed
to improve the productivity and also
to reduce the degree of sample
contamination. With the RC hammer
the cost of drilling is much less than
diamond drilling and the penetration
rates are an order of magnitude
greater than diamond drills. For this
reason, may drill campaigns start
with reverse circulation drills. When
drilling deep holes, below 200 m
(660 ft) it is common to use a
booster compressor.
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
order to drive the teeth (commonly
tungsten carbide type) into the hole
bottom as the three cones rotate
around their respective axis. The softer
the rock the higher the rotation speed.
The drill rigs need to be heavy to
provide sufficient weight on bit.
Generally, drilling below 152 mm
(6 inches) is best accomplished by
percussive drilling unless prevailing
rock conditions are suited for rotary
cutting. Rotary crushing is the prime
choice for large diameter holes, above
254 mm (10 inches) in open pit mining,
overburden stripping at coal mines,
and deep well drilling.
The PARD method
The Percussion Assisted Rotary

Drilling system combines percussive
power and rotational force. The high
frequency impacts provides significant increases in the rate of penetration (ROP), when drilling in medium to hard rock. The Secoroc PARD
system consists of a high frequency,
low impact energy DTH hammer and
a specially designed tricone drill bit
that is mounted onto a standard
rotary drill and drill string. The system is operating at the conventinal
low pressure used for rotary drilling,
50100 psi (3.57 bar). The PARD
hammer is featuring a leightweight
piston with a short stroke, and a
unique parallell air flow system,
which distributes the air proportionally between the hammer and
the tricone bit.
TONS
TONS
Hole diameter:
41516" - 6" (125-165 mm)
Hole diameter:
434" - 16" (120-406 mm)
Hole diameter:
978" - 12" (251-311 mm)
Principle: The
hammer is situated
down the hole in
direct contact with
the drill bit similar
to the down-thehole method. The
difference compared
to DTH drilling is
that the RC-hammer
collected the exhaust
air and the rock chips
through an inner
centre tube of the
hammer and inside
the drill string up to
the surface where
samples can be
collected in bags.
Flushing of the
cuttings is done up
through the chuck
sleeve.
Principle:
Rotation is
provided by
a hydraulic or
electric motor
driven gearbox,
called a rotary
head that moves
up and down
the tower via
a feed system,
generating
the pulldown
required to give
sufficient weight
on the bit.
Flushing of
drill cuttings
between the
wall of the hole
and the drill rods
is normally made
with compressed
air.
Principle: By combining a low impact

DTH hammer with the
high feed pressure and
torque of rotary tricone
drilling, a higher level
of energy can be provided for rock drilling,
than what a DTH
hammer or rotary
drilling can create
alone. The lightweight
hammer piston strikes
the tricone drill bit
resulting in a transmission of the impact
energy to the drillbit.
The impact energy
from the hammer
is supporting the
spalling and rock
cutting process and
is increasing the
penetration rate.
Specification guide
Specifications guide
From a pure technical point some readers may find the
definitions and units used on the following pages confusing. Several of the terms and units have a history dating back to the early days when drilling was based more
on practical experience than on advanced engineering.
Feed Force
For many users and equipment manufacturers feed force
is commonly referred to as Weight on bit(WOB), and
expressed in lb (pounds) or kg. Since this term WOB is commonly used by many drillers, we decided to include it in the
specifications pages. The Weight on bit is defined as the
downward force on the drill bit, generated by the force from
the pulldown cylinders combined with the force generated
by the weight of the drill string.
From a pure technical point mass and weight are different
properties and a force can not be measured in pounds since
that is a unit for measurement of mass. Since the 18th century pound-force (lbf) has been used for low precision measurement of a force. A more precise definition is the newton
(N), the amount of force required to accelerate a mass of one
kilogram at a rate of one meter per second per second.
In the specifications tables you will also find the force generated by hydraulic cylinders expressed as Hydraulic pulldown
and Hydraulic pullback specified in lbf and kN units.
Conversion table
This unit
Times
Equals
Length
This unit
Times
Equals
This unit
Times
Ounce (US fluid oz)
x 29.57
= ml
mph (mile/hour)
x 0.45
Equals
= m/s
x 0.4732
=l
mph (mile/hour)
x 1.61
= km/h
mm (millimeter)
x 0.001 (10-3)
=m
Pint (US liquid)
cm (centimeter)
x 0.01
=m
Quart (US liquid)
x 0.9463
=l
ft/s (foot/second)
x 18.29
= m/min
dm (decimeter)
x 0.1
=m
yd3 (cubic yard)
x 0.7646
= m3
ft/min (foot/minute)
x 0.3048
= m/min
km (kilometer)
x 1 000 (103)
=m
Force
in (inch)
x 25.4
= mm
kN (kilonewton)
x 1 000
=N
blow/min
x 0.017
= Hz
ft (feet)
x 0.305
=m
kp (kilopond)
x 9.81
=N
kHz (kiloHertz)
x 1 000
= Hz
yd (yard)
x 0.914
=m
kgf (kilogram force)
x 9.81
=N
rpm (rev/min)
x 0.01667
= r/s
mile
x 1609
=m
Ibf (pound force)
x 4.45
=N
degree/second
x 0.1667
= r/min
Power
Frequency
Torque (moment of force)
Pressure
J/s (joule/second)
x1
=W
kpm (kilopondmeter)
x 9.81
= Nm
bar
x 100
= kPa
Nm/s (newton meter/second)
x1
=W
Ibfin (pound-force inch)
x 0.11
= Nm
bar
x 100 000 (105)
= Pa
kW (kilowatt)
x 1 000
=W
Ibfft (pound-force foot)
x 1.36
= Nm
kp/cm2
x 0.98
= bar
hk (metric horse power)
x 735.5
=W
Mass (commonly but incorrectly called weight)
atm (atmosphere)
x 1.01
= bar
hp (horsepower UK, US)
x 745.7
=W
g (gram)
psi (pounds/in2)
x 6.895
= kPa
t (tonnes, metric)
x 1 000
= kg
psi
x 0.06895
= bar
l (liter)
x 0.001
= m3
grain
x 0.0648
=g
Area
ml (milliliter)
x 0.001
=l
oz (ounce)
x 28.35
=g
mm2 (square mm)
x 0.000001 (10-6) = m2
dm (cubic decimeter)
x 1.0
=l
ozt (troy ounce)
x 31.10
=g
cm (square cm)
x 0.0001 (10-4)
= m2
cm (cubic decimeter)
x 1.0
= ml
lb (pound)
x 0.4536
= kg
in (square inches)
x 645
= mm2
mm (cubic millimeter)
x 0.001
= ml
ton (long, US)
x 1 016
= kg
ft (square feet)
x 0.0929
= m2
in (cubic inch)
x 16.39
= ml
ton (UK)
x 1 016
= kg
yd (square yard)
x 0.8361
= m2
ft (cubic feet)
x 28.316
=l
ton (short)
x 907
= kg
Acre
x 4 047
= m2
Imperial gallon
x 4.546
=l
Speed (velocity)
Square mile
x 2.590
= km2
US gallon
x 3.785
=l
km/h (kilometer/hour)
x 0.2777
= m/s
ha (hectare)
x 10 000
= m2
Ounce (Imp. fluid oz)
x 28.41
= ml
m/s (meter/sec)
x 3.6
= km/h
Equals
Divided by
This unit
Equals
Divided by
This unit
Equals
Divided by
This unit
Volume
3
3
178
x 0.001
= kg
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Rotary blasthole drills

Atlas Copco offers the most comprehensive line of rotary blasthole drills in the industry. With a multitude of
configurations to choose from, you can find the perfect
solution for your needs. Many models can be configured
for either rotary or DTH drilling, and our blasthole products will drill holes from 4 inches to 16 inches in
diameter.
On the following pages, you will find basic specifications
and brief descriptions of the standard and optional equipment available for each model. The different configurations of drill rigs and drill strings make it possible to find
high-performing solutions for a variety of applications.
Safety and ergonomic design with operator comfort and
well-being in mind, as well as simplicity in maintenance,
have been a focus for many years and are still top
priorities.
When selecting your drill rig, you may have a choice
between high-pressure compressors for DTH drilling or
low-pressure units for rotary drilling, and between diesel

or electric power units. Depending on the drilling pattern
and bench height, you can select between drills suitable
for angle drilling or single- and multi-pass drilling.
Some rig models, like the T4BH and the DM series
that use conventional control systems, are well known
throughout the mining community for their rugged and
reliable designs.The newer Pit Viper series, with its more
advanced designs, can be equipped with the RCS computerized network control system which offers possibilities for different levels of drill automation and communication.
This is only a basic guide. Our product specialists around
the world are prepared to provide you with the information you need to select the best drill and drill string
package to suit your specific application.
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
180
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DM25-SP
Technical data
The Atlas Copco DM25-SP is a crawler mounted, selfpropelled, hydraulic rotary table drive, single-pass rotary
drilling rig specifically designed for 4 in. to 6 in. (102
mm to 171 mm) blasthole applications to depths of up to
40 ft. (12.2 m) or 50 ft. (15.2 m) of clean hole, depending
on tower selection with either rotary or down-the-hole
drilling. Feed pressure generates a pulldown force of up
to 25,000 lbf (111 kN). The optional angle drilling package
allows the tower to be positioned up to a maximum of
15 from the vertical in increments of 5. All controls for
positioning are located at the operators control console
inside the cab. The package includes a drill pipe support.
Standard equipment
Spacious, thermal insulated and sound-attenuated cab

Cab pressurizer/heater
Hydraulically retractable dust hood with skirting
Nine quartz halogen night lighting package
Cooling package rated up to 125F (52C) ambient
temperature
Heavy duty engine silencer/muffler
Separate air intake filters for engine and compressor
Remote hydraulic tower pinning
Hydraulically powered auxiliary chain wrench
(Down-the-hole units only)
230 Gallon (870 Liter) fuel tank
Hydraulic spur gear and planetary drive rotary table
with 0 to 170 RPM and a maximum torque of 3,500 lbfft
Three 48 in. (1,219 mm) stroke leveling jacks with 18 in.
(457 mm) pads
68,000 lb. (30,845 kg) GVW rated excavator-type
undercarriage
19.7 in. (500 mm) wide triple bar grousers
Separate air intake filters for engine and air compressor
Reinforced rectangular steel track frame with
oscillation yoke mounting
Full length kelly bar and kelly sub
Deck service catwalk with railings
Back up alarm
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH - Single pass
Hole Diameter
4 in - 7 in
102 mm - 178 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
25,000 lbf
111 kN
Weight on bit
25,000 lb
11,300 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
25,000 lbf
111 kN
Single pass depth
40 ft or 50 ft 12.2 m or 15.2 m
Maximum hole
depth
40 ft or 50 ft 12.2 m or 15.2 m
Feed speed
72 ft/min
0.36 m/s
Rotary table, torque
3,500 Ibfft
4.7 kNm
Estimated weight
62,000 lb
28 tonnes
Dimensions tower up (50 ft tower)

Length
30 ft 6 in
9.3 m
Height
74 ft
22.6 m
Width
12 ft 8 in
3.9 m
Dimensions tower down (50 ft tower)

Length
72 ft
21.9 m
Height
13 ft
4.0 m
Compressor range
Low pressure, Rotary 900 cfm@110 psi 25.4 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
900 cfm@350 psi 25.4 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier III)

C15
425HP / 317 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
425HP / 317 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Caterpillar
C15
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
525HP / 391 kW @1800RPM (HP 900)
Caterpillar
Kelly specifications
Hole depth*
Kelly
diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread**
size and
type
40 ft (12.2 m)
2 7/8" (73 mm)
4" - 5 1/2"
2 3/8" IF
3 3/4" (95 mm)
5 1/2" - 7"
2 7/8" API
4 3/4" (121 mm)
5 7/8" - 7"
3 1/2" API
2 7/8" (73 mm)
4" - 5 1/2"
2 3/8" IF
3 3/4" (95 mm)
5 1/2" - 6 1/4"
2 7/8" API
4 3/4" (121 mm)
5 7/8" - 7"
3 1/2" API
50 ft (15.2 m)
* Clean hole ** All kellys have pin connections on both ends
High pressure DTH drilling

Up to 6" DTH hammer and max. 7" bit diameter
DM25
Visit www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills for more information
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
182
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DM30
Technical data
The Atlas Copco DM30 is a crawler mounted, hydraulic

tophead drive, muliti-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
designed for production blasthole drilling to depths of
90 ft. (27.4 m) with a 30 ft. (9.1 m) drill pipe change.
A four-position drill pipe changer is optionally available
to achieve drilling depths of 150 ft. (57.7 m). Nominal
hole size is 5 in. to 6 in. (127 mm to 171 mm). The
DM30 generates a bit load force of up to 30,000 lbf
(133 kN). The optional angle drilling package allows the
tower to be positioned up to a maxuimum of 20 from
the vertical in increments of 5. Designed for quarrying
and small mining operations, this versatile drill can be
easily loaded onto a trailer and moved from one
location to another.
Standard equipment
Spacious, thermal insulated and sound-attenuated cab

Cab pressurizer/heater/ventilator
Hydraulically raised dust hood with skirting
Auxiliary hoist for drill pipe and accessory handling
Heavy-duty engine silencer/muffler
Power indexed carousel for two 4, 4 , or 5 in.
OD x 30 ft. drill rods
Remote hydraulic fork chuck for drill pipe breakout
250-gallon (946 l) fuel tank
Rotaryhead with single fixed displacement motor with
0 to 100 RPM available, and a maximum torque of
5,400 lbfft
Three 48 in. (1,219 mm) stroke leveling jacks
undercarriage
Back-up alarm
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH - Multi pass
Hole Diameter
5 in - 6 3/4 in
127 mm - 171 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
30,000 lbf
133 kN
Weight on bit
30,000 lb
13,600 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
10,000 lbf
44 kN
Single pass depth
26 ft
7.9 m
Maximum hole depth 150 ft
45 m
Feed speed
100 ft/min
0.5 m/s
Rotary head, torque
5,400 Ibfft
7.3 kNm
Estimated weight
60,000 lb
28 tonnes
Length
24 ft 4 in
7.4 m
Height
44 ft 4 in
13.5 m
Width
11 ft 10 in
3.6 m
Dimensions tower up
Dimensions tower down

Length
42 ft 2 in
12.9 m
Height
14 ft 6 in
4.4 m
Compressor range
Low pressure, Rotary
900 cfm@110 psi 25.4 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
900 cfm@350 psi 25.4 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier III)

Caterpillar
C15
425HP / 317 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
425HP / 317 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Caterpillar
C15
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Drill pipe specification: 30 ft (9.1m)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters - rotary
Thread
4" (102 mm)
5" 6"
2 7/8" API
4 " (114 mm)
5 7/8" 6 3/4"
3 1/2" API
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4"
3 1/2" API or BECO

Up to 6" DTH hammer and max. 6 " bit diameter
DM30
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
184
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DM30 II
The Atlas Copco DM30 II is an improved and upgraded
version of the DM30. It is a crawler mounted, hydraulic
tophead drive, muliti-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
90 ft. (27.4 m) with a 30 ft. (9.1 m) drill pipe change.
A four-position drill pipe changer is optionally available
to achieve drilling depths of 150 ft. (45.7 m). Nominal
hole size is 5 in. to 7-7/8 in. (127 mm to 200 mm). The
DM30 II generates a bit load force of up to 30,000 lbf
(133 kN). The optional angle drilling package allows the
tower to be positioned up to a maxuimum of 30 from
the vertical in increments of 5. Designed for quarrying
and small mining operations, this versatile drill can be
easily loaded onto a trailer and moved from one
location to another.
Major upgrades

New larger, thermal insulated cabin mounted on the right

side of the carrier(seen from the drill end)
Electric over hydraulic control system, similar to what is
used on other rigs in the DM-series
Optional walk way and enlarged deck area for
improved access to service and maintenance.
Improved optional angle drilling package, allows the
tower to be positioned up to a maximum of 30 from the
vertical in increments of 5
New long life main frame designed with I-beams, featuring
oscillation yoke mounting.
Enlarged hydraulically raised dust hood with skirting
provide more space for cuttings.
New design with hydraulic motor for carousel indexing.
Optional Atlas Copco screw type low and high pressure
compressor, with high air temperature shut down.
New 14 section directional valve system.
Standard central lubrication manifold
Standard equipment
Cab pressurizer/heater/ventilator
Eleven quartz halogen night lighting package6
Hydraulic indexed carousel for two 4, 5 or 5- in.
OD x 30 ft. drill rods
230-gallon (870 l) fuel tank
Rotary head with single fixed or variable displacement
motor with 0 to 160 RPM available, and a maximum torque
of 5,400 lbfft
undercarriage
Reinforced rectangular steel track frame with oscillation
yoke mounting
Back-up alarm
Technical data
Drilling Method
Drilling Method DTH - Multi pass
Hole Diameter
5 in - 6 3/4 in
127 mm - 171 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
30,000 lbf
133 kN
Drilling Method
Rotary - Multi pass
Hole Diameter
5 in - 7 7/8 in
127 mm - 200 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
30,000 lbf
133 kN
Weight on bit
30,000 lb
13,600 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
10,000 lbf
44 kN
Single pass depth
26 ft
7.9 m
Maximum hole
depth
150 ft
45 m
Feed speed
100 ft/min
0.5 m/s
Rotary head, torque
5,400 Ibfft
7.3 kNm
Estimated weight
70,000 lb
31.5 tonnes
Dimensions tower up
Length
28 ft 7 in
8.7 m
Height
45 ft 2 in
13.8 m
Width
16 ft 11 in
5.2 m

Length
44 ft 11 in
13.7 m
Height
16 ft 8 in
5.1 m
Compressor range
Low pressure
Rotary 1050 cfm@110 psi 29.7 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure
DTH 900 cfm@350 psi 25.4 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier III)

Caterpillar
C15
475HP / 354 kW@1800RPM (LP 1050)
Caterpillar
C15
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Drill Pipe specification: 30 ft (9.1m)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters rotary
Thread
4 1/2" (114 mm)
5 7/8" 6 3/4"
3 1/2" API
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4"
3 1/2" API or BECO
5 1/2" (140 mm)
7 7/8"
3 1/2" BECO

Up to 6" DTH hammer and max. 6 3/4" bit diameter
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
186
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
T4BH
Technical data
The Atlas Copco T4BH is synonymous with mobility,

power, performance, and productivity. Mounted on a
custom carrier, the T4BH is designed to perform in rough
terrain and has been the leading blasthole drill in its class
in the quarry and mining industries for over 35 years. The
T4BH is a truck mounted, hydraulic tophead drive, multipass rotary drilling rig specifically designed for production
blasthole drilling to depths of 150 ft. (45.7 m) with a 25 ft.
(7.6 m) drill pipe change. An optional 30 ft (9.1m) tower
is also available with the 8 x 4 carrier option.
Standard equipment
Spacious, thermal insulated sound-attenuated cab

Six quartz halogen night lighting package
Rectangular dust hood with skirting
Power indexed carousel for five 4 in OD x 25 ft pipe
225 Gallon (851 Liter) Fuel tank
4SV-2-10 spur gear 2-motor rotary tophead with
0 to 160 RPM, and maximum torque 6,500 lbfft
Custom designed 3-axle carrier with 380 hp (283 kW)
diesel engine, 10-speed transmission and 16 in.
(406 mm) wide flange H-beam frame
Remote tower pinning
Back-up alarm
Drilling Method
DTH or Rotary - Multi pass
Hole Diameter
5 5/8 in - 9 7/8 in
143 mm - 251 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
30,000 lbf
133 kN
Weight on bit
30,000 lb
13,600 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
22,000 lbf
97 kN
Single pass depth
22 ft 6 in or 27 ft 6 in
6.8 m or 8.4 m
Maximum hole depth*
147 ft 6 in or 177 ft 6 in
45 m or 54.1 m
Feed speed
60 ft/min
0.3 m/s
Rotary head, torque
6,000 Ibfft
7,165 Ibfft
8.8 kNm
9.7 kNm
Estimated weight
58,000 lb
26 tonnes

Length
28 ft 8 in
8.1 m
Height
36 ft 6 in
11.1 m
Width
8 ft
2.4 m

Length
35 ft 0 in
10.7 m
Height
13 ft 6 in
4.1 m
Compressor range
High pressure, DTH
900 cfm@350 psi 25.4 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1070 cfm@350 psi 30.3 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1250 cfm@350 psi 35.4 m3/min@24 bar
Engine ( TierII, Tier III)

2
Cummins
QSX153
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
600HP / 447 kW@1800RPM (HP 1070)
Cummins
QSK19C2
760HP / 567 kW@1800RPM (HP 1250)
Drill pipe specification: 25 ft (7.6 m)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit diameters Thread
4" (102 mm)
5 5/8" 6"
2 7/8" API
4 1/2" (114 mm)
5 7/8" 6 3/4"
3 1/2" API
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4" 7 3/8"
3 1/2" API
or BECO
5 1/2" (140 mm)
6 3/4" 7 7/8"
3 1/2" BECO
6 1/4" (159 mm)
7 7/8" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9"-9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO

* Maximum hole depth only achieved with certain pipe sizes and
wall thicknesses
T4BH
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
188
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DM45/DM50
The Atlas Copco DM45 and DM50 are crawler mounted,
hydraulic tophead drive, multi-pass rotary drilling rigs
specifically designed for production rotary or DTH
blasthole drilling to depths of 175 ft. (53.3 m) with a 30 ft.
(9.1 m) drill pipe change.
Standard equipment
Insulated cab with FOPS 80 dB(A)

Cab pressurizer / ventilator / heater
Dust hood with curtains and hydraulically raising
dust flap
Separate air intake filters with quick release dust drop
covers for engine and air compressor
Gear indexing carousel for five 4 in. x 30 ft. pipe
Sliding hydraulic fork wrench for drill pipe breakout
350-gallon (1,324 L) fuel tank
4SV-2-10 two motor high speed rotary head with
spline lubrication, 0 to 160 RPM, and a maximum
torque 7,200 lbfft
30 foot drill pipe change
No-bump rod changer
Ether injection
Jack-up indicator lights
oscillation yoke
Walkways and railings
Back-up alarm
Technical data
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH Multi pass
Hole Diameter
5 7/8 in - 9 in
149 mm - 229 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
45,000 lbf
200 kN
Weight on bit
45,000 lb
20,400 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
22,000 lbf
98 kN
Single pass depth
27 ft 5 in
Maximum hole depth* 175 ft

Feed speed
8.5 m
53.3 m
146 ft/min
Ibfft
0.7 m/s
Rotary head, torque
7,200
Estimated weight
77,000 lb 95,000 lb
35 tonnes 41 tonnes
Length
31 ft 10 in
9.7 m
Height
43 ft 7 in
13.3 m
Width
17 ft 2 in
5.23 m
9,76 kNm
Dimensions tower up

Length
43 ft 7 in
13.3 m
Height
18 ft
5.5 m
Compressor range
High pressure, DTH
900 cfm@350 psi 25.4 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1070 cfm@350 psi 30.3 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier III)

Caterpillar
C15
440HP / 328 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
425HP / 317 kW@1800RPM (LP 900)
Caterpillar
C15
475HP / 354 kW@1800RPM (LP 1050)
Cummins
QSX15
475HP / 354 kW@1800RPM (LP 1050)
Caterpillar
C15
540HP / 403 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)
Cummins
QSX15
530HP / 395 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)
Caterpillar
C15
540HP / 403 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Cummins
QSX15
530HP / 395 kW@1800RPM (HP 900)
Caterpillar
C18
630HP / 470 kW@1800RPM (HP 1070)
Cummins
QSX15
600HP / 447 kW@1800RPM (HP 1070)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
4 1/2" (114 mm)
5 7/8" 6 3/4"
3 1/2" API
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4" 7 3/8"
3 1/2" API or BECO
5 1/2" (140 mm)
6 3/4" 7 7/8"
3 1/2" BECO
6 1/4" (159 mm)
7 7/8" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9"
4 1/2" BECO
High pressure DTH drilling (DM45)

Up to 6 1/2" DTH hammer and max. 8" bit diameter
DM45
wall thicknesses
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
190
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DML-SP
The Atlas Copco DML-SP is a crawler-mounted, hydraulic
table drive, single-pass rotary drilling rig, specifically
up to 60 ft. (18.3 m) in a single pass without a drill pipe
change. Nominal hole size range is 6 to 9-7/8 in. (152 to
251 mm) for rotary bit applications. The DML-SP has the
option for a 50 ft (15.2 m) clean hole tower or a 60 ft
(18.3 m) clean hole tower.
Standard equipment
Insulated cab with FOPS

Cab pressurizer/heater
Nine-quartz, halogen night lighting package
Rectangular dust hood with skirting and hydraulically
retractable front curtain
Cooler package rated up to 125F (52C) ambient
temperature
Heavy duty engine silencer/muffler
350-gallon (1,324 l) fuel capacity
Single motor rotary table with variable hydraulic
motor (0-100 RPM) and a maximum torque of 7,500 lbfft
Hydrostatic motor feed system
Three 48 in. (121.9 cm) stroke leveling jacks
yoke mounting
Walkways and deck railings
Full depth kelly bar
Kelly RPM tachometer on console
Back-up Alarm
Ether injection
Technical data
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH - Single pass
Hole Diameter
6 in - 9 7/8 in
152 mm - 251 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
54,000 lbf
240 kN
Weight on bit
54,000 lb
24,500 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
54,000 lbf
240 kN
Single pass depth
50 ft or 60 ft
15.2 m or 18.3 m
Maximum hole depth
50 ft or 60 ft
15.2 m or 18.3 m
Feed speed
100 ft/min
0.5 m/s
Rotary table, torque
7,500 Ibfft
10.2 kNm
Estimated weight
90,000 -100,000 lb
41 - 45 tonnes
Length (50 ft tower)
37 ft 6 in
11.4 m
37 ft 6 in
11.4 m
Height (50 ft tower)
71 ft 7 in
21.8 m
82 ft 7 in
25.2 m
Width
13 ft 10 in
4.1 m
Dimensions tower up

68 ft
20.7 m
79 ft
24.1 m
19 ft 7 in
6.0 m
19 ft 7 in
6.0 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,200 cfm@110psi / 34.0 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
1,600 cfm@110psi / 45.0 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,250 cfm@350psi / 35.4 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (2TierII, 3Tier III)

525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)
Caterpillar C153
Cummins
QSX15
Cummins
QSX153
QSK19
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (HP 1250)
QSK19C2
760HP / 567 kW@1800RPM (HP 1250)
Caterpillar C27
Cummins
600HP / 447 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)

800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar C27
Cummins
525HP / 391 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)

630HP / 470 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)
Caterpillar C183
Kelly specifications
Hole depth*
Kelly
diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
50 ft. (15.2 m)
or
60 ft. (18.3 m)
4 3/4 in. (121 mm) 6" 6 3/4"
3 1/2 in. Reg.
6 1/4 in. (159 mm) 7 7/8" 9"
4 1/2 in. Reg.
7 in. (178 mm)
5 1/2 in. Reg.
9" 9 7/8"
Thread**
size and type
* Clean hole ** All kellys have pin connections on both ends.

bLASTHOLE dRILLS
192
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DML
Technical data
Drilling Method
The Atlas Copco DML is a crawler mounted, hydraulic

tophead drive, multi-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
175 ft. (53.3 m) with a 30 ft. (9.1 m) drill pipe change. An
optional 35-ft. (10.7 m) steel change is also available to
handle single pass drilling requirements. Various carousel
capacities are also available for the 35-ft. (10.7 m) option.
Hole Diameter
5 7/8 in - 10 5/8 in
149 mm - 270 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
60,000 lbf
267 kN
Weight on bit
60,000 lb
27,200 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
22,000 lbf
98 kN
Single pass depth
27 ft 5 in or 32 ft 5 in 8.5 m or 10 m
Maximum hole depth*
175 ft or 205 ft
Standard equipment
Feed speed
146 ft/min
0.7 m/s
Rotary head, torque
7,200 Ibfft
9.76 kNm
Estimated weight
87,000 - 110,000 lb
39.5 - 50 tonnes
Insulated cab with FOPS

Dust hood with curtains and hydraulically raising dust flap
Gear indexing carousel
350-gallon (1,324 L) fuel tank
4SV-2-10 two motor high speed rotary head with spline
lubrication, 0 to 160 RPM, and a maximum torque
of 7,200 lbfft
30 foot drill pipe change
No-bump rod changer
Ether injection
yoke
Back-up alarm
53.3 m or 62.5 m

Length
31 ft 10 in
9.7 m
Height
43 ft 8 in
13.3 m
Width
16 ft 6 in
5m

Length
43 ft 7 in
13.3 m
Height
17 ft 8 in
5.4 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,200 cfm@110 psi / 34.0 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
1,600 cfm@110 psi / 45.0 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH

(electric motor)
1,050 cfm@350 psi / 29.8 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,250 cfm@350 psi / 35.4 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (2Tier II, 3Tier III )

Caterpillar
C153
540HP / 403 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)
Cummins
QSX153
530HP / 395 kW@1800RPM (LP 1200)
Caterpillar
C183
630HP / 470 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)
Cummins
QSX15
600HP / 447 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)
Caterpillar
C272
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Cummins
QSK192
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (HP 1250)
Cummins
QSK19C2
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (HP 1250)
Caterpillar
C272
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
Weg motor
6808
700HP / 522 kW@50 60Hz

(LP 1200 or HP1050)
Drill pipe specification 30 ft (9.1 m) or 35 ft (10.7 m)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
4 1/2" (114 mm)
5 7/8" 6 3/4"
3 1/2" API
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4" 7 3/8"
3 1/2" API or BECO
5 1/2" (140 mm)
6 3/4" 7 7/8"
3 1/2" BECO
6 1/4" (159 mm)
7 7/8" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9" 9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO

wall thicknesses
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
194
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper PV-235
Technical data
Drilling Method
The Pit Viper series 235 blasthole drills offers several

advanced options, like the RCS control system, remote
tramming, auto levelling, and GPS navigation. The hydraulic system has been refined with load sensing and
other features to reduce horsepower demand. There are
several engine and compressor combinations available
for either rotary or high pressure DTH drilling. The
PV-235 can be supplied with two towers - to drill 35 ft
(10.7 m) or 40 ft (12.2 m) clean holes up to 10 58"
(270 mm) in diameter.
Hole Diameter
6 in - 9 7/8 in
152 mm - 251 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
60,000 lbf
267 kN
Weight on bit
65,000 lb
29,500 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
27,000 lbf
120 kN
Single pass depth
40, 35 ft
12.2, 10.7 m
Maximum hole depth*
240, 210 ft
73.2, 64.0 m
Feed speed
140 - 193 ft/min
0.7 - 1.0 m/s
Rotary head, torque
4,900 Ibfft
8,800 Ibfft
6.6 kNm
11.9 kNm
Standard equipment
Estimated weight
128,000 lb
58 tonnes
RCS Rig Control System, computerized network

Spacious thermal insulated cab with FOPS and noise
abated less than 80 dB(A)
Twelve quartz halogen night lighting package
Dust hood with curtains and hydraulically raising
dust flap
Heavy duty engine silencer / muffler
Separate air intake filters with rubber dust evacuator for
engine and air compressors
Gear indexing carousel for 5 in pipe
Hydraulically powered auxiliary breakout wrench
450 gallon fuel tank (1,700 l)
4SV-2-10 two speed spur gear rotary head with spline
lubrication, 0-180 RPM, and a maximum torque
of 8,200 lbfft
35 ft drill pipe changer
No-bump rod changer
Ground level battery and starter lockable master-switches
with jump start receptacle
Four 48 in (1.2 m) stroke leveling jacks
Triple bar grousers 33.5 in (850 mm) wide
yoke
Back-up alarm

Length
34 ft 2 in
10.4 m
Height
42 ft 6 in
19 m
Width
17 ft 4 in
5.3 m

Length
63 ft 5 in
19.3 m
Height
20 ft 4 in
6.4 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,600 cfm@110 psi / 45.0 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,250 cfm@350 psi / 35.4 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41.0 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH

(electric motor)
1,250 cfm@350 psi / 35.4 m3/min@24 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,300 cfm@435 psi / 37.6 m3/min@30 bar
Engine ( Tier III, Tier II)

3
630HP / 470 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)
Caterpillar
C183
Cummins
QSX15
Caterpillar
C272
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM

(LP 1900 or HP 1250)
Cummins
QSK192
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900 or HP

1250)
Caterpillar
C272
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
WEG
6808
800HP / 597 kW@50-60 Hz
600HP / 447 kW@1800RPM (LP 1600)
Drill pipe specification: 35 ft (10.7 m) or 40 ft (12.2 m)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
4 1/2" (114 mm)
6" 6 3/4"
3" BECO
5" (127 mm)
6 3/4" - 7 3/8"
3 1/2" BECO
5 1/2" (140 mm)
6 3/4" - 7 7/8"
3 1/2" BECO
6 1/4" (159 mm)
7 7/8" - 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" - 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO

PV-235
wall thicknesses
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
196
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper PV-271
Technical data
The PV-271 is designed to handle 6-" up to 8- " drill

rods. The cable feed system utilizes a dual rod/dual
piston cylinder and offers high feed speeds for increased
productivity. The PV-271 offers a 55 ft single-pass tower
with a total depth capacity of 105 ft through a 2-rod
carousel with 25 ft rods. It has an option to be delivered
with the RCS Computerized rig control system and a
new fully integrated cabin, incorporating functions like;
remote tramming, auto levelling, auto drilling, and GPS
navigation.
58
Standard equipment
Insulated, pressurized, air conditioned cab with tinted
glass and suspension operator seat
Caterpillar 345XL undercarriage with hydraulic track
tensioners
Hydraulic cylinders driven cable feed system
Hydraulic motor driven rotary head with spline lubrication,
maximum 8,700 lbfft torque; speed range 0 - 150 rpm
Rotary head tachometer on operator console
Two-rod carousel for 6 " to 8- 58" drill rods
"No-bump" rod changer
Hydraulically powered breakout wrench (fork chuck)
Hands Free auxiliary hydraulic chain wrench
8,000 lb (3,629 kg) capacity auxiliary hoist
Hydraulically retractable dust curtains
Cooling package
Wide flange structural steel beam frame with oscillation
yoke mounting
Hydraulic Test Station
13-light night lighting package-70 watt halogen
Full deck service catwalks and railings
Two 48" (1.2 m) and one 60" (1.52 m) stroke leveling jacks
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH Single pass
Hole Diameter
6 3/4 in - 10 5/8 in
171 mm - 270 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
70,000 lbf
311 kN
Weight on bit
75,000 lb
34,000 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
35,000 lbf
156 kN
Single pass depth
55 ft*
16.8 m*
Maximum hole depth
105 ft
32 m
Feed speed
127 ft/min
0.6 m/s
Rotary head, torque
8,700 Ibfft
11.8 kNm
Estimated weight
185,000 lb
84 tonnes
Length
41 ft 3 in
12.6 m
Height
87 ft
26.5 m
Width
18 ft 4 in
5.6 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
83 ft 7 in
25.5 m
Height
22 ft 1 in
6.7 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
2,600 cfm@110 psi / 73.6 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41.1 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Cummins
QSK19
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar
C32
950HP / 708 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
Weg motor
6808
700HP / 521 kW@ 50 or 60Hz
Weg motor
6811
900HP / 671 kW@ 50 or 60Hz

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
6 1/4" (159 mm)
6 3/4" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9" 9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8"
6" BECO

* There is also a 65 ft (19.8 m) clean hole tower option
(see page 76 - 77)
PV-271
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
198
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper 271 RCS

The PV-271 Rig Control System (RCS) is designed to
handle 6-" to 8-58" drill rods. The cable feed system
utilizes a dual rod/dual piston cylinder and offers high
feed speeds for increased productivity. The PV-271 RCS
offers a 55 ft single-pass tower with a total depth capacity of 105 ft through a 2-rod carousel with 25 ft rods.
This version of the machine comes standard with a new
cab that fully integrates the RCS with the option to fully
incorporate the following functions: wireless remote
tramming, auto leveling, auto drilling, and
GPS navigation.
Standard equipment
abatement to less than 70 dB(A)
Excavator style chair and controls for increased comfort
and visibility
Standard Cab pressurizer/ventilator/heater with the option
to upgrade the pressurizer
Caterpillar 345XL undercarriage with hydraulic track
tensioners
Hydraulic cylinders-driven cable feed system
maximum 8,700 lbf-ft torque; speed range 0 150 rpm
Rotary Head tachometer integrated into the RCS system
Two-rod carousel for 6-" to 8-58" drill rods
No Bump rod changer
Hands-free auxiliary hydraulic chain wrench
Cooling package
yoke mounting
14-light night lighting package 70 watt halogen
350 US gallon (1,325 L) fuel tank w/option to upgrade to
larger tanks.
Technical data
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH Single pass
Hole Diameter
6 3/4 in - 10 5/8 in
171 mm - 270 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
70,000 lbf
311 kN
Weight on bit
75,000 lb
34,000 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
35,000 lbf
156 kN
Single pass depth
55 ft*
16.8 m*
Maximum hole depth
105 ft
32 m
Feed speed
127 ft/min
0.6 m/s
Rotary head, torque
8,700 Ibfft
11.8 kNm
Estimated weight
185,000 lb
84 tonnes
Length
54 ft
16.4 m
Height
87 ft
26.5 m
Width
23 ft 8 in
7.2 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
86 ft 4 in
26.3 m
Height
23 ft 3 in
7.0 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
2,600 cfm@110 psi / 73.6 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41.1 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Cummins
QSK19
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar
C32
950HP / 708 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
Weg motor
6808
700HP / 521 kW@ 50 or 60Hz
Weg motor
6811
900HP / 671 kW@ 50 or 60Hz

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
6 1/4" (159 mm)
6 3/4" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9" 9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8"
6" BECO

* There is also a 65 ft (19.8 m) clean hole tower option
(see page 76 - 77)
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
200
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper PV-275
Technical data
The PV-275 is designed to handle 6-" up to 8- " drill

rods. The cable feed system utilizes a dual rod/dual
piston cylinder and offers high feed speeds for increased
productivity. The PV-275 offers a multi-pass tower with
195-ft depth capacity through a 4-rod carousel with
40-ft rods. It has an option to be delivered with the
RCS Computerized rig control system and a new fully
integrated cabin, incorporating functions like; remote
tramming, auto levelling, auto drilling, and GPS
navigation.
58
Standard equipment
Insulated, pressurized, air conditioned cab with tinted
glass and suspension operator seat
Caterpillar 345SL undercarriage with hydraulic track
tensioners
Hydraulic motor driven rotary head with spline
lubrication, maximum 8,700 lbfft (11,800 Nm) torque;
speed range 0 150 rpm
Rotary head tachometer on operator console
Four-rod carousel for 6 " to 8-58" drill rods
"No-bump" rod changer
Hands Free auxiliary hydraulic wrench
Hydraulic Test Station
Cooling package
350 U.S. gallon (1,325 L) fuel tank w/option to upgrade to
larger tanks
yoke mounting
12-light night lighting package- 70 watt halogen
Drilling Method
Hole Diameter
6 3/4 in - 10 5/8 in
171 mm - 270 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
70,000 lbf
311 kN
Weight on bit
75,000 lb
34,000 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
35,000 lbf
156 kN
Single pass depth
37 ft
11.3 m
Maximum hole depth
195 ft
59.4 m
Feed speed
127 ft/min
0.6 m/s
Rotary head, torque
8,700 Ibfft
11.8 kNm
Estimated weight
185,000 lb
84 tonnes
Length
41 ft 6 in
12.6 m
Height
67 ft
20.4 m
Width
18 ft 4 in
5.6 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
63 ft 6 in
19.4 m
Height
22 ft 1 in
6.7 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
2,600 cfm@110 psi / 73.6 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41.1 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Cummins
QSK19
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar
C32
950HP / 708 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
Weg motor
6808
700HP / 521 kW@ 50 or 60Hz
Weg motor
6811
900HP / 671 kW@ 50 or 60Hz

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
6 1/4" (159 mm)
6 3/4" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9" 9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" 11"
5 1/4" BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8"
6" BECO

PV-275
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
202
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper 275 RCS

The PV-275 Rig Control System (RCS) is designed to
handle 6-" up to 8-58"drill rods. The cable feed system
utilizes a dual rod/dual piston cylinder and offers high
feed speeds for increased productivity. The PV-275 RCS
offers a multi-pass tower with a total depth capacity
of 195 ft through a 4-rod carousel with 40 ft rods. This
version of the machine comes standard with a new
cab that fully integrates the RCS with the option to
fully incorporate the following functions: wireless
remote tramming, auto leveling, auto drilling, and
GPS navigation.
Standard equipment
abatement to less than 70 dB(A)
Excavator style chair and controls for increased comfort
and visibility
Standard Cab pressurizer/ventilator/heater with the option
to upgrade the pressurizer
Caterpillar 345SL undercarriage with hydraulic track
tensioners
maximum 8,700 lbf-ft torque; speed range 0 150 rpm
Rotary Head tachometer integrated into the RCS system
Four-rod carousel for 6-" to 8-58" drill rods
No Bump rod changer
Hands-free auxiliary hydraulic chain wrench
Cooling package
yoke mounting
14-light night lighting package 70 watt halogen
350 US gallon (1,325 L) fuel tank
Technical data
Drilling Method
Hole Diameter
6 3/4 in - 10 5/8 in
171 mm - 270 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
70,000 lbf
311 kN
Weight on bit
75,000 lb
34,000 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
35,000 lbf
156 kN
Single pass depth
37 ft
11.3 m
Maximum hole depth
195 ft
59.4 m
Feed speed
127 ft/min
0.6 m/s
Rotary head, torque
8,700 Ibfft
11.8 kNm
Estimated weight
185,000 lb
84 tonnes
Length
54 ft
16.4 m
Height
67 ft
20.4 m
Width
23 ft 3 in
7.0 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
67 ft 7 in
20.6 m
Height
23 ft 3 in
7.0 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
1,900 cfm@110 psi / 53.8 m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
2,600 cfm@110 psi / 73.6 m3/min@7.6 bar
High pressure, DTH
1,450 cfm@350 psi / 41.1 m3/min@24 bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Cummins
QSK19
755HP / 563 kW@1800RPM (LP 1900)
Caterpillar
C32
950HP / 708 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Caterpillar
C27
800HP / 597 kW@2100RPM (HP 1450)
Weg motor
6808
700HP / 521 kW@ 50 or 60Hz
Weg motor
6811
900HP / 671 kW@ 50 or 60Hz

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
6 1/4" (159 mm)
6 3/4" 9"
4" BECO
7" (178 mm)
9" 9 7/8"
4 1/2" BECO
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" 11"
5 1/4" BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8"
6" BECO

bLASTHOLE dRILLS
204
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
DM-M3
Technical data
The Atlas Copco DM-M3 is a crawler-mounted, hydraulic

tophead drive, multi-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
designed for the blasthole drilling of 9-78 in. (251 mm)
to 12- in. (311 mm) diameter holes. The on-board depth
capability is up to 240 feet (73 m) when using 8-58 in.
diameter (219 mm) drill pipe and a 5-rod carousel.
Standard drill pipe length is 40 feet (12.2 m). Hydraulic
pulldown is featuring a patented hydrostatic, closedloop system acting through twin, double-rod hydraulic
cylinders and cable.
Standard equipment
Insulated, pressurized FOPS cab with heater

Rotary screw 2600 CFM @ 110 psi air
compressor
Caterpillar C32 diesel engine (950 HP at 1800 rpm)
13-light, 70 watt quartz-halogen night lighting system
Cab and ladder access lights plus dust curtain light
Cooling package
Auxiliary hoist of 8,000 lb (3,600 kg) capacity with lifting bail
Hydraulically-actuated, drill pipe carousel internal to tower
for 4 drill pipe or 5 for 8- 5/8 in. diameter 40 ft.
Hydraulic sliding fork chuck breakout with auxiliary
hydraulic wrench
650 U.S. gallon (2,460 L) fuel capacity
Wide flange structural steel "I" beam main frame with
Separate three-stage air intake filters for engine and
compressor
Rotary head tachometer
Three hydraulic leveling jacks and "jacks-up" indicator in cab
Hydraulically actuated rod support arm to align drill pipe
during rod changing operations and when using the angle
drill option
Full walkways and railings
35.5 in (900 mm) wide, triple bar replaceble grouser pads
Rotary head with spline lubrication
Drilling Method
Rotary - Multi pass
Hole Diameter
9 7/8 in - 12 1/4 in
251 mm - 311 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
90,000 lbf
400 kN
Weight on bit
90,000 lb
40,800 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
41,500 lbf
185 kN
Single pass depth
37 ft
11.3 m
Maximum hole depth*
200 - 240 ft
61 - 73.2 m
Feed speed
144 ft/min
0.7 m/s
Rotary head, torque
10,183 Ibfft
13.8 kNm
Estimated weight
230,000 lb
104 tonnes
Length
40 ft 5 in
12.3 m
Height
67 ft
20.4 m
Width
18 ft 11 in
5.8 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
66 ft 6 in
20.3 m
Height
23 ft 9 in
7.2 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
2600 cfm@110 psi / 73.6 m/min@7.6 Bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C32
950HP / 709 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Cummins
QST30
950HP / 709 kW@1800RPM (LP 2600)
Weg motor
6811
900HP / 671 kW@ 50 or 60Hz (LP 2600)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9 7/8" 10 5/8"
5 1/4" BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8" - 11"
6" BECO
9 1/4" (235 mm)
11" 12 1/4"
6" BECO
10 3/4" (273 mm)
12 1/4"
8" BECO
*Maximum hole depth only achieved with certain pipe sizes and
wall thicknesses.
DM-M3
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
206
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper 311

The Pit Viper 311 is a crawler-mounted, hydraulic
tophead drive, single-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
designed for the blasthole drilling of 9 in.(228 mm) to
12 1/4 in (311 mm) diameter holes. It has a single-pass
depth capability of 65 (20 m) with total depth capability
of 135 (41 m). Its hydraulic driven cable feed system is
capable of 110,000 lbf. (490 kN) of bit loading. Due to
the light weight of the cable feed system the PV-311
can operate with a live tower. A patented automatic
tensioning system eliminates down time for cable
adjustments. It has several advanced options like an
auto drilling system, auto levelling, remote tramming,
and GPS navigation.
Standard equipment
RCS rig control system, computerized network

New large insulated cabin with integrated A/C, large
electrical cabinets housing computers, and a training seat.
3000 CFM (84.9 m3/min) @ 110 psig (7.6 bar) air compressor
Atlas Copco 375 class under carriage with two speed
hydraulic propel and automatic track tensioning.
Optional: Caterpillar 350 Custom undercarriage with hydraulic
propel and automatic hydraulic track tensioning
Fuel saving automatic hydraulic clutch
Dual Hydraulic cylinder driven cable feed system
Dual Hydraulic motor driven rotary head with spline
lubrication
Two rod carousel for 8-58" to 10 " diameter x 35' drill pipe
No-bump rod changer
Four 72 inch (1.83 m) stroke leveling jacks
Cooling package
1400 U.S. gallon (5,300 liter) fuel tank
Wide flange structural steel I-beam frame with oscillation
yoke mounting
Automatic lubrication system
Nordic Night light package
Attention horn, propel alarm
Ground level shutdowns
Decking in tower (when horizontal) above rod changer
35.5 in (900 mm) wide, triple bar replaceble grouser pads
Technical data
Drilling Method
Rotary or DTH - single pass
Hole Diameter
9 in - 12 1/4 in
228 - 311 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
100,000 lbf
445 kN
Weight on bit
110,000 lb
49,895 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
50,000 lbf
220 kN
Single pass depth
65 ft
19.8 m
Maximum hole depth*
135 ft
45 m
Rotary head, torque
12,900 Ibfft
13.8 kNm
Estimated weight
310,000 lb
140 tonnes
Length
48 ft
14.6 m
Height
100 ft 6 in
30.6 m
Width
25 ft 4 in
7.7 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
99 ft
30.2 m
Height
29 ft
8.8 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
3000 CFM@100 psi / 84.9 m3/min@7.6 bar

3800 CFM @100 psi / 107.6 m3/min@7.6 bar
Engine (Tier ll)

Caterpillar
C32
1125 HP / 839 kW@1800RPM
Cummins
QSK 38
1260 HP / 940 kW @1800RPM
Caterpillar
3512
1500 HP / 1118 kW@1800RPM
MTU
16V2000
1205 HP / 899 kW@1800RPM
Engine (Tier IV)

Caterpillar
C32
1125 HP / 839 kW
MTU
16V2000
1300 HP / 969 kW

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
7 5/8" (194 mm)
9" - 9 7/8"
6" BECO
8" (203 mm)
9 7/8" - 10 5/8"
5 " BECO
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8"
6" BECO
9 1/4" (235 mm)
12 1/4"
6" BECO
10 3/4" (273 mm)
12 1/4"
6" BECO
*Maximum hole depth only achieved with certain pipe sizes and
wall thicknesses.
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
208
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
Pit Viper PV-351

The Pit Viper 351 is a crawler-mounted, hydraulic
tophead drive, single-pass rotary drilling rig specifically
designed for the blasthole drilling of 10-58 " to 16 in
diameter holes. It has a single-pass depth capability of
65 (20 m) with total depth capability of 135 (41 m). Its
hydraulic driven cable feed system is capable of 125,000
lbf. (511 kN) of bit loading. Due to the light weight of
the cable feed system the PV-351 can operate with a
live tower. A patented automatic tensioning system
is eliminating down time for cable adjustments. It has
several advanced options like an auto drilling system,
auto levelling, remote tramming, and GPS navigation.
Standard equipment
RCS rig control system, computerized network

Insulated, air conditioned cab
3000 CFM (84.9 m3/min) @ 110 psig (7.6 bar) air compressor
Caterpillar 385 Custom undercarriage with hydraulic
propel and automatic hydraulic track tensioning
Hydraulic cylinder driven cable feed system
Hydraulic motor driven rotary head with spline lubrication
Two rod carousel for 8-5/8" to 13-3/8" diameter x 35 drill pipe
No-bump rod changer
12,000 lb (5440 kg) capacity auxiliary hoist
Four 72 inch (1.83 m) stroke leveling jacks
Cooling package
1200 U.S. gallon (4545 L) fuel tank
Wide flange structural steel I-beam frame with oscillation
yoke mounting
Automatic lubrication system
Nordic Night light package
Attention horn, propel alarm
Ground level shutdowns
Decking in tower (when horizontal) above rod changer
Technical data
Drilling Method
Rotary - Single pass
Hole Diameter
10 5/8 in - 16 in
270 mm - 406 mm
Hydraulic Pulldown
120,000 lbf
534 kN
Weight on bit
125,000 Ib
56,700 kg
Hydraulic Pullback
60,000 lbf
267 kN
Single pass depth
65 ft
19.8 m
Maximum hole depth
135 ft
41.1 m
Feed speed
127 - 158 ft/min
0.6 - 0.8 m/s
Rotary head, torque
19,000 Ibfft
25.7 kNm
Estimated weight
385,000 lb 415,000 lb
175 tonnes 188 tonnes
Length
53 ft 10 in
16.4 m
Height
103 ft 9 in
31.6 m
Width
26 ft 8 1/2 in
8.1 m
Dimensions tower up

Length
98 ft
29.9 m
Height
27 ft 11 in
8.5 m
Compressor range
Low pressure rotary
3,000 cfm@110psi / 84.9m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary

(electric motor)
3,200 cfm@110psi / 90.6m3/min@7.6 bar
Low pressure rotary
3,800 cfm@110psi / 107.6m3/min@7.6 bar
Engine (Tier l)
1650HP / 1230 kW@1800RPM (LP 3800)
Caterpillar
3512
Cummins
QSK45
1500HP / 1119 kW@1800RPM (LP 3000)
Weg motor
6811
1400HP / 1044kW@ 50 or 60 Hz (LP 3200)

Drill pipe diameter
Suggested bit
diameters
Thread
8 5/8" (219 mm)
10 5/8" - 11"
6" BECO
9 1/4" (235 mm)
11" 12 1/4"
6" BECO
10 3/4" (273 mm)
12 1/4" - 13"
8" BECO
12 3/4" (324 mm)
15" 16"
8" BECO
13 3/8" (340 mm)
16"
10" BECO
bLASTHOLE dRILLS
210
RCS DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Rig Control System (RCS)

The RCS creates an automated platform for the next
generation of technologically advanced machines.
Bulky equipment panels have been replaced by sleek,
ruggedized, and easily accessible left and right operator
panels with push buttons, joysticks and a touch panel
screen. Through these panels, all rig functions can be
controlled. By affixing these control devices to the chair,
the operator will continually remain in full control of the
machine no matter which way the operator turns to
perform their duties.
Providing the backbone for the system is the time proven
yet remarkably agile Controller Area Network-bus (CANbus) standard. All sensors, control devices, and actuators
are cabled into multiple strategically placed Input/Output
(I/O) Modules.The I/O Modules, left and right operators
panels, (optional) navigation system (GPS or GLONASS),
and (optional) CCI module are connected into the back of
the operators display which houses the central computer.
All cabling is built off the latest CAN-bus Open standard
utilizing molded cables.
RCS
RCS is the common platform shared throughout Atlas Copcos

equipment.
RCS is standard on: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS,

PV-310 and PV-351
RCS Basic
The RCS design provides many qualities that are advantageous to not only the operator, but also service technicians, mine planners, and mine management such as:
Flexibility
Modularized system allows for easy add-ons, modifi-

cations, and upgrades equating to minimal downtime
Onscreen calibration and adjustment of system
parameters
RCS provides ease of operations even in toughest of

environments.
Increased Productivity
Computer display of all drilling pressures

On-screen display of powerhead position
Rock formation analysis and data logging
Learning curve dramatically decreased from drill-to-drill
with standardized approach to controls and hardware
Auto-features provide optimal, consistent and predict able results
Ease of Maintenance
Each I/O Module and sensor is equipped with LEDs to

denote differing levels of performance. Quick deduction
of variables aids decisive troubleshooting, ultimately
decreasing MTTR
Adjustable automatic identification and display of
system warnings and faults
Diagnostic menus and troubleshooting capabilities
Multiple interchangeable parts meaning less overhead
and inventory
Display of engine J1939 data
(C) Sensors, control devices, and actuators are all cabled into
five strategically placed (B) I/O Modules which are in turn
connected into the (A) cab where the main computer is
housed behind the operators screen.
Built-in
Clean operating environment (The cab is sealed elimi nating hydraulic hoses, bulkhead connections, or leaks
in the cabin)
Reduced noise
Automatic safety interlocks
The RCS has controls, instrumentation buttons, and
graphical user interfaces (GUI) that are common across
other Atlas Copco RCS machines. The GUI provides
multi-language support, built-in diagnostic system,
controlled levels of access and menu based settings. The
screen and joysticks are attached to the operators seat,
so, as the seat swivels the joysticks and screen swivels
in conjunction with the operator (they are always in an
optimal and ergonomical location).
Leveling screen.
Add on Features
Auto-Level System
The auto-leveling/de-levling option closes the gap

between an average and expert operator, increasing
the quality of setup. This feature reduces wear and tear
on the machine structure by limiting torsional effect on
the mainframe and tower during leveling. In normal
conditions, this takes less than 35 seconds and is done
to an accuracy of 0.2 degrees in pitch and roll.
From the settings screens, varying levels of access privileges

allow for quick customized rig functions, creating a fine tuned
comfortable drilling environment.
Auto-Drill System
When activated, this function will detect the rock when

the bit touches the ground and start your air, dust
suppression, rotation and feed to collar the hole. After
the collared distance has been met, this control will
adjust air, dust suppression, rotation and feed to a
drilling setting. This feature will apply optimal pulldown
and rotation to drill as fast as possible without stalling
the rotation or getting stuck. Once the target depth has
been reached, the auto-drill will clean or flush the hole,
shutoff the air and dust suppression, and then return
the bit to a tramming safe position. This feature provides
the consistency of drilling to the correct hole depth,
including water flow to maintain the hole so it does
not collapse. Currently this is available for single pass
drilling and multi-pass drilling, although a manual rod
change must be made at this time.
Drill dashboard - drilling screen.
CCI Common Communications Interface
The Common Communications Interface, or CCI, allows

RCS to communicate to other entities and also allows
data transfer to and from the RCS system. In order
for the CCI to wirelessly communicate, the mine must
provide the wireless communications device for their
network. The optional CCI comes complete with the
needed software and Ethernet cable.
GPS navigation screen.
212
RRA Rig Remote Access System
The Rig Remote Access (RRA) software, which is

loaded on a mine server, gives a customer the ability
to wirelessly send files to and from the drill rigs in
conjunction with the CCI and the mines wireless
network. Utilizing a type of encoding, similar to a
standard File Transfer Protocol (FTP) server, a number
of working processes in the mine are simplified,
saving valuable man hours. By having a direct link to
the machines, work orders and log files can now be
distributed on demand.
GPS Global Positioning System
GPS hole navigation ensures each blast hole machine

is precisely positioned per the mine engineers design.
GPS antennas are mounted on the tower rest and radio
antennas on the cab to produce an accurate bit position.
Drill plans, designed with the local mine coordinates, are
imported to the RCS in the International Rock Excavation
Data Exchange Standard (IREDES) format, and the bit
position is provided in real time. The bit position is
calculated by taking into consideration the variability of
the bench, providing the operator with correct depth to
drill each hole. While tramming, the operator views a
moving map display with zoom functions as the rig gets
closer to the desired blast hole location. The dominant
system for the precise positioning of a rotary drill on a
blast hole drill plan is with satellite navigation based on
GPS or GLONASS. Accuracies up to 10 cm are possible
to reach, depending on installation and the number of
satellites. After each hole is drilled a new entry is
created on the Quality Log file.
Surface Manager
Surface Manager is a software tool to view and create

customized decision based metrics, graphs, and charts
for a mines Pit Viper fleet. It utilizes the production logs
created by RCS and is transmitted by USB or wirelessly
through the RRA server. This reporting tool provides:
Drill usage
Consumable metrics
Planned vs Drilled Analysis (with AC HPGPS)
Rock hardness information
Utilizing the High Precision GPS option, drill operators can

ensure near perfect and predictable hole positioning.
Each of the charts and graphs provide highly

configurable options, allowing the user to view the
precise information they require. Additionally, each chart
and graph is exportable to both Excel and PDF, enabling
the user to have a customized drill report. Centralized
management of operator lists and delay codes is also
contained in Surface Manager.
For customers running the RCS GPS system, Surface
Manager provides drill plan management. The system
will take the mines CSV files and convert them into an
IREDES drill plan for the Pit Viper.
Surface Manager is flexible to either run in a centralized
environment (SQL db with multiple client) or as a
standalone client application.
Surface Manager provides new tools to manage your drill fleet.
Production Logging
The Production Logging option enables the drill to create
and transmit three types of logs (Event, Status and
Measure While Drilling (MWD)). These logs document a
variety of drill parameters and events while the machine
is running. Data is transferred from the RCS, either
through the Common Communications Interface to the
RRA server or by USB memory device connected during
operations. The mine can use the gathered logs for a
variety of reporting to build efficiencies and achieve
greater results in operations the drills are a part of.
Atlas Copcos required format for data interaction is
in the International Rock Excavation Data Exchange
Standard (IREDES) format.
Production Logging Data Includes:

Date and time stamp
Depth tag
Penetration rate
Rotation Speed Torque
Air Pressure
Feed force
Hole information: ID, name, plan ID
Drill Information: Type, serial number, hours, state
Operator log-ins
214
Quality Log File includes:
GPS accuracy and quality (number of satellites available)

Average penetration rate
Total drill time
Hole number
Start hole position
End hole position
Drill rig info
Remote Propel System
The remote propel option allows the operator to

wirelessly maneuver the drill using a handheld remote
control within a 60-meter distance on the bench. This
function will allow an operator to safely tram the rig;
avoiding any potentially dangerous blind spots, prevent
any damage next to a high wall or berm, or loading onto
a lowboy. The remote control is equipped with safety
triggers to ensure that the rig will not move unless the
operator has full control to tram the machine. Featured
on the device are an emergency stop button, engine
speed control, dust curtain control, jack control, and
cable reel control (electric units only). The system can
be equipped with additional functions when available.
Teleremote
The teleremote operator panel has the same look, feel,

and buttons as being onboard the drill. The package
includes a four camera system with a one pan/tilt/zoom
camera operated remotely and visible on a 32" screen.
This compact system can be mounted on a table top or
in a trailer. The teleremote system is to be operated over
the mine network with capacity of 8 Mb/s dedicated per
drill. The remote operator will have full confidence and
awareness of what actions are taking place onboard the
rig as well as in near proximity.
Remote propel handheld device.
Desktop Viewer
Through a simple software load on a mine networked

computer, the drills current state can be accessed
through our Desktop Viewer. The user will be able to view
all of the RCS screens available to an operator as
if they were in the cab using the touch panel. The drill
will be required to be online via a CCI module.
The teleremote package is small in size, yet large in capability.
Technology...All in a days work

Data Transfer
Production
Blast Decisions
Planning
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Electric power pack

As an alternative to a diesel engine as the main source
of power, several drill models can be configured with
an electric power package, consisting of an electric WEG
motor, starter and transformer. Electric versions are
usually less costly to operate due to fewer lubricants,
having an integrated cooling system, and no diesel fuel
costs. In some cases, the operating cost advantage will
in one year cover the additional investment cost for
ordering an electric version. The service life of an electric
motor is considerably longer than for an equivalent
diesel engine, and has quieter operation.
Weg motor options are available for: DML, DM-M3,
PV-235, PV-271, PV-275, PV-310 and PV-351
Stainless steel battery &

electrical boxes
The Stainless Battery Boxes and/or Stainless Steel
Electrical Boxes is now an available option. The Battery
Box lid flips up, enabling the batteries to be easily pulled
out on a roller tray. The Electrical Boxes
all have a NEMA-4 Rating.
Stainless Steel Battery Boxes available for: PV-271 RCS
and PV-275 RCS
Stainless Steel Electrical Boxes available for: PV-235,
PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS, and PV-310
260-amp alternator
This option is an upgrade from the standard option that
comes on the machine to a larger alternator to suit each
mines different requirements.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS and PV-275 RCS and
PV-310
216
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Ground level battery isolation

& Jumpstart
This option provides the mine with the ability to isolate
all power on the machine with the turn of a switch. You
can lock each switch in addition to the box to prevent anyone from accidentally returning power to the machine
This option provides an easy access place to jump start
dead batteries from ground level.
The lockable stainless steel box has a see through door
so that all persons can easily see the power status of the
machine based on the LED lights.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS and PV-310
Four jack configuration

Stability in the set up of the drill rig is important for
the drilling operations. All drill rigs are provided with
hydraulic leveling jacks, as a basic tripod arrangement
some models have an option of a four jack arrangement
where the two non-drilling end jacks are tied together
acting as one outrigger.
Available for: DML, DM-M3, PV-271, PV-275
Standard equipment for PV-235, PV-310 and PV-351
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Cold weather operation

To secure trouble-free operation and a pleasant
operators working environment, there are several
cold weather options available including: additional
cab heater, hydraulic oil and diesel engine heating,
tank heaters, arctic hoses and cold weather fluids.
A well insulated and heated water injection system is
available.
Gen-sets are available for some models of drill rigs.
Fully utilized these options allow the drill rigs to
operate in arctic conditions.
Angle drilling package

The Atlas Copco advanced angle drilling package
allows the tower to be positioned from the vertical in
increments of 5 degrees. All controls for positioning
are located at the operators control console inside the
cab. This system changes the pivot point on the tower
to drill-deck level and ensures that the hole will always
collar within the dust hood. This design also provides
stability and ensures that a minimum length of the drill
pipe will be unsupported between the centralizer and
the collar. Good stability and guidance of the drill string
during collaring and drilling will reduce hole deviation.
High precision in drilling and blasting will improve
fragmentation and contribute to lowering overall
production costs
Variations of the angle drill package are available on all
other models
Available for: All rigs
218
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Optional wrap around decking

New decking options offer 360 complete access around
the machine. The combination of the Cab Decking and
the Extended Cooler Access Decking provide complete
access to all components on the machine. The extended
non-cab side decking adds approximately two feet of
walking space, enabling you to access the back of the
coolers.
Cooler Access Ladder: only available on PV-271 RCS and
PV-275 RCS
Hammer sub holder

This option will allow for the storage of two spare DTH
hammer units on the rig for easy availability of spare
parts on a mine site. They are located on the drill-end
on the dust collector side. The extended non-cab side
decking must be selected on the PV-270 RCS machines.
Available for: PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS and PV-310
Tool holder
An optional tool holder to securely carry brooms and
shovels on the rig is available.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Cranes
An optional crane located on the drill end of the rig
for loading bits is available. We offer either a HIAB or
Auto Crane brand cranes. The Auto Crane comes with a
remote control.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS
Lower rod catcher

There is the option for an additional rod catcher located
towards the bottom of the tower.
Available for: PV-271, PV-271 RCS, PV-275, PV-275 RCS,
PV-310 and PV-351
Hydraulic rod catcher

An optional hydraulically operated lower rod catcher is
available for the PV-270 RCS series. When closed, it will
contain the drill rod within the tower and prevent it from
falling out should one ever come loose. It can then be
opened from inside the cab to allow the old drill rod to
come out and a new drill rod to go in when it is time for
drill rod replacement.
Available for: PV-271 RCS and PV-275 RCS
220
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Auto-level system
For the DM-M3, an AutoLevel system is offered as a way
to achieve reliable and predictable leveling equating
to speed and safety. This option has adapted the same
proven hardware and software from our RCS equipped
drills. Key points on the system:
Safety interlocks: Pitch and Roll limits
Auto-leveling/de-leveling times < 60 seconds
Auto-leveling pitch and roll within 0.2 degrees
View: 6.5 screen in cab for operator awareness,
central computer and maintenance awareness
Control: Toggle switches integrate into existing panel
for ease of turning feature on-and-off
Available for: DM-M3
Under deck misting system

Another option available is the misting system. This
option provides the front of the machine, under the dust
curtain, with a fine spray of mist to assists in suppressing
dust created during tramming and drilling.
Delayed turbo shutdow timer

This option can be installed to help protect the turbo in
the engine. Typically when you turn off the machine there
is still some oil in the turbo that does not have time to
cool off. This option keeps the machine running for about
five minutes after you turn off the key. This allows the
turbo and engine sufficient time to cool off. Once the
five minutes has passed, the machine fully shuts down.
Note when the Emergency Stop is activated this is
by-passed and the machine shuts down immediately.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Water injection system

The water injection system injects a regulated quantity
of water into the air flow going to the drill pipe. The
water content in the air-flushing suppresses the dust
created by the drilling operation. The water injection
system has a hydraulic motor drive, and is operated
from the cab control system.
There are several sizes of water injection systems
available, and the injection tanks are either mounted
within the frame or on the deck to ensure the drilling
water requirements are met.
Dust collector
Different sized no visible emission dry dust collectors
are available. The design features a pleated paper
element type fan/filter unit. Interval flushing is controlled
by an electronic timer. A vacuum hose allows the fan/
filter unit to draw the dust out of the collection area.
The dust is removed from the air stream as the air flows
through the pleated paper filter elements. Heavy cuttings
are contained around the hole. Operation of the dust
collector is controlled from the cab control system.
222
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Hydraulic ladder
This Atlas Copco option allows the operator or maintenance personnel an easy approach onto the machine.
Instead of having to hoist themselves up a vertical
ladder, this enables hands to be free for other needs,
such as carrying tools. There are integrated safety
interlocks* built into the ladder that will prevent the
drill from moving if the stairs are deployed, as well
as isolation and lockout features.
*Tramming Isolation on RCS Machines only
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS, PV-310
and PV-351
Tower support infill option

The newly designed tower infill is to provide mine
personnel with a dedicated and secure spot to stand
when access to the gear box, the valve bank, and under
the tower support is required. The infill is made of
sturdy slip-resistant decking and also helps with hose
management.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Oil centrifuge system option

This option siphons off about 10% of the engine oil
delivered by the engine oil pump before it reaches the
normal engine oil filter. The oil then is returned to the
sump. There is no physical FILTER to change or clean;
maintenance has to remove the lid and the rotor, and
scrape out the dirt that has formed. The results vary
depending on environment and ensuring that regular
samples are taken.
Available for: Depends on engine configurations
Engraved hydraulic schematic

This option provides the machine with an engraved
schematic of the hydraulic system that is then adhered to
the hydraulic tank for easy reference during maintenance
and troubleshooting on the machine
Available for: PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS, PV-310 and PV-351
Live sampling
The Live Sampling System has the ability to take samples
for hydraulic oil, engine oil, and compressor oil.
This system continually circulates through this area
so samples are fresh and not stagnant.
Note: Have to select Fast Service Box in order to get
this option
224
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Tower restraint system

The tower restraint system is a dedicated resource
providing a safe means of conducting maintenance in
our towers. A specially designed staircase consists of
individuals steps that are made of sturdy steel grating.
The Stairway also consists of two signed gates at both
the bottom and the top, handrails, and a spacious work
platform. The Tower Fall Restraint system incorporates
a set of cables and harnesses. Once inside the tower
you have access to the cables that are permanently
anchored to the tower cords and include a shuttle on
each side on which to hook the harness. These shuttles
are an integral part of the structure and include a
double-locking mechanism for safety purposes and are
specially designed to withstand the vigors of a mining
environment. They allow the operator full access to the
tower, as well as being able to smoothly move over
transition pieces without the hazardous practice of
having to unhook from the cable, allowing the individual
to keep their hands free for tools and the task at hand.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271, PV-275, PV-310 and PV-351
Additional NDE water tank

An additional 1600 l (422 gal) NDE water tank is now
available for the PV-271 and PV-275 machines. This water
tank mounts onto the newly redesigned tower rest on
the non-drill end of the machine.
Note: Diesel Machines Only
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Mesabi coolers
Mesabi coolers are special cooling fans specifically
designed to handle the cold weather environments.
These arctic coolers are available either from the
factory or as a field retro-fit.
They can operate in temperatures as low as -40F (-40C)
upwards to 125F (52C).
Available for: DM30, DM45, DML, PV-235, PV-271, PV-275,
and PV-310
Mesabi cooler.
Ground level shut down

All rigs are provided with a standard emergency
shutdown button mounted in the cab. As an option, one
or several additional ground level shutdown buttons can
be provided for mounting all over the machine. By pressing the ground level shutdown button, the power to the
engine is then disconnected.
Emergency ladders
In order to better prepare for the event of an emergency,
now offered are either one or two emergency ladders on
the non-drill end of the machine. These ladders flip out
with a quick release and provide a swift means of escape
in the event that they are needed. When theyre not in
use, the ladders fold up onto the rig and re-latch.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, PV-275 RCS
and PV-310
226
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Engine roof
The Engine Roof fits over any engine configuration.
It helps protect the machine from a possible fire by
providing a physical barrier between a leaky hose
and a possible ignition source.
Available for: PV-235, PV-310, PV-271 RCS and PV-275 RCS
Extended non-cabside
decking and bit basket
Two integral parts of our 360 deck access are the drill-end
extended decking with a bit basket and the extended
cooler decking.
The drill-end decking extension is an option that includes a built-in bit basket on the drill-end of the machine.
By adding this decking option, you not only gain complete
access to the machine, but also have a safe, secure, and
dedicated spot to store bits. This option inhibits bits from
being laid unsecured on the deck, opening up a possibility
for them to shift and move during tramming.
By choosing the additional extended cooler decking, you
add approximately 2 feet (61 cm) to the non-cab side of
the machine. This allows uncon-strained access to the back
of the coolers for cleaning, maintenance, or a walkway to
other areas of the machine.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS and PV-275 RCS
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Auto-thread lubrication system

The system includes a cab-activated button that initiates
flow of grease through either pneumatic or electric pump
to a nozzle. The nozzle is located on the drill table, and
sprays the grease at the pipe joint threads. This helps to
extend the life of your pipe threads when changing rods.
Pneumatic only available for: T4BH, DM25 and DM30
Electric only available for: DM45/50, DML, PV-235, PV-271,
PV-271 RCS, PV-275, PV-275 RCS, PV-310 and PV-351
Central lubrication system

The Quicklube 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
lubricant 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 areas 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 pre-determined
amounts.
Delivers lubricant to the connected lubricant points in
a safe manner.
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,
propagation time and load time).
Can be used in cold weather applications if special low
temperature grease is used.
Option for: T4BH, DM25SP, DM30, DM45/50, DML and PV-235
Standard equipment for: PV-271, PV-271 RCS, PV-275,
PV-275 RCS, PV-310 and PV-351
228
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Remote tramming system

The optional remote tramming system offers the
operator the ability to move the rig from a drive pendant,
which can be worn on the operators shoulders. The
remote tram pendant is connected to the rig by a cord,
and is operated by similar joysticks as those used on the
operators panel in the cab.
Available for: DM45, DML, PV-235, PV-271, PV-271 RCS,
PV-275, PV-275 RCS, DM-M3, PV-310 and PV-351
Note: On RCS rigs this option is wireless, see page 215
Remote control unit with cord connections.
Central hydraulic test station

The central hydraulic test station allows for testing of
component pressures. A standard test fitting gauge can
be used and plugged into the desired port for reading
of the system pressure. The hydraulic test station is
mounted on the deck for easy accessibility.
Available for: T4BH, DM45, DML, PV-235, DM-M3
Standard equipment for PV-271, PV-275 and PV-310
(not required for RCS rigs - electronic sensors are
included in the RCS system)
Fire suppression system

A dry-chemical fire suppression system can be provided
with manual activation points. The system is provided
with canister(s) that are located on the deck of the
machine.
The fire suppression canister contain a dry chemical fire
suppressant which utilizes a nitrogen cartridge for the
pneumatic actuator. Several discharge nozzles located
throughout the machine will spray the suppressant when
the system is activated. This fire extinguisher agents
is rated for extinguishing type A (trash/wood), type B
(liquids) and type C (electrical equipment) fires. The fire
suppression canister can be recharged as needed.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Drain System
The Drain System is a centrally located box on ground
level where the mine can attach a drain hose to any port
and quickly evacuate any and all fluids on the machine.
Standard equipment for: PV-310
Fast Service System

Fast Service system with ground level, quick connect
fittings for quick fill of fuel, hydraulic oil, engine oil, engine
coolant, water (if water injection installed), and bit lube (if
bit lube is installed) is an available option. Each different
fluid port comes with a different sized connection point to
avoid accidental cross contamination of liquids, as well as
a matching set for the mine to use on their refilling hoses.
There is also an additional upgrade to option to the HydrauFlo system which is a safer, cleaner and more reliable
fuel filling valve arrangement which removes the risk of
overfilling, spillage and tank rupture while minimizing
safety and environmental hazards associated with fuel
and water transfer.
Standard equipment for: PV-310
Racor fuel filter

The Racor fuel filter is specifically designed to separate
any water that may be in the fuel lines, and a Racor fuel
filter with the heater option, as shown, is available for
some models and engine configurations.
230
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Stereo with CD player

The operators cab can be equipped with a stereo system
with AM/FM radio, CD player, mp3 jack and speakers. The
package also includes a battery equalizer for 24V to 12V
DC conversion.
Engine pre-lube system

Special engine pre-lube assembly systems are available
both for Cummins and CAT diesel engines. The engine
pre-lube, lubricates the valve zone prior to engine
startup, giving the benefit of less wear and tear on
the engine over time
PV-275, PV275 RCS, PV-310, DM-M3 and PV-351
Standard equipment for PV-351 (Cummins)
Towing package
Tow hooks or a tow bar mounted on the non-drill end
of the rig allow for towing.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
High intensity discharge

lights
The high intensity discharge (HID) night light package consists of upgrading the standard halogen lights to Xenon
24V, 35 Watt lamps. With this upgrade the HID lamps will
be mounted in the standard lamp locations. The HID
lamps have great luminous intensity and a color mimicking
natural daylight. These lamps are designed specifically
for forestry, mining and earth moving applications, and
are designed to have low power consumption. Lights
can be turned on when the engine is on or off.
Available for: DM30, DM45, DML, PV-235, PV-271, PV-271
RCS, PV-275, PV-275 RCS and PV-310
Sodium 240 Volt night light

package
The 240 VAC night light package consists of additional
400 Watt high pressure sodium lights and additional
150 Watt high pressure sodium lights. These lights are
installed in addition to the standard light package on the
rig and require power from an external 240 VAC power
source (like an optional gen-set).
Available for: DM45, DML, PV-271, PV-275 and DM-M3
Standard equipment for PV-351 Electric
LED Lights
The LED night light package consists of upgrading from
the standard halogen lights to LED lights (quantities
vary per machine). With this upgrade the LED lights
will be mounted in standard lamp locations plus a few
additional locations. The LED lights have great luminous
intensity, enough bright color to light up any bench.
LED lights tend to typically consume less power.
Lights can be turned on when the engine is on or off.
Tower light marker

There is also an option to place two amber lights on
either side of the top of the tower. The purpose for these
lights are to notify surround machine operators of where
the tower is when it is in the down position.
232
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Buddy seat
If an additional seat is required in the cab, a fold-up
buddy seat can be mounted inside the cabin.
(in addition to the standard bench)
Available for: DM45, DML, PV-271 and PV-275
(different version than pictured)
Torque limit control

Rotational torque limit control is standard on high
pressure drill rigs, and is an option available for low
pressure rigs. The torque limit gauge and controller are
mounted in the cab and operate an electrically controlled
remote valve. Torque limit control is used to limit the
rotation pressure within the closed loop rotation circuit.
Available for: DM25, DM30, DM45, DML, PV-235, PV-271
and PV-275
Cab sunshades
Pull down, sunshades located on all windows are
available.
Available for: DM30, DM45, DML, PV-235, PV-271, PV-275,
DM-M3, PV-310 and PV-351
Drill window guard

An optional guard over the cab window closest to the
drill tower is available. The guard will protect against
any objects that could potentially fall from the tower. The
guard will protect the window and absorb the impact of
the fall.
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
EARS
The optional Electronic Air Regulation System (EARS)
is designed to deliver variable air volume control, while
still maintaining constant air pressure. This allows for
savings in power and fuel consumption.
Available for: DM45, DM50 and DML
Standard equipment for: T4BH, PV-271,PV-271 RCS,
PV-275, PV-275 RCS, PV-310 and PV-351
Video camera system

For improved safety and visibility around the drill rig,
an optional video camera system can be installed.
The system consists of three or four rig mounted
video cameras and a LCD display screen mounted
inside the cab.
Each camera has a motorized lens cover for protection,
and contains a heater which automatically turns on when
the temperature falls below 50 F (10C). The cameras
are installed in water resistant housings, complete with
illuminators for low light conditions. The camera image
device is an interline transfer 0 type CDC, with a picture
resolution of 270,000 pixels (horizontal resolution of 380
TV lines and a vertical resolution of 350 TV lines).
The monitor is a 6.8 LCD screen with an auto dimmer.
Screen resolution is 270.000 pixels, and screen controls
include: bright, contrast, color, tint, image selectable,
auto scan time and scale (on/off)
Available for: DM30, DM45/50, DML, PV-235, PV-271,
PV-271 RCS, PV-275, PV-275 RCS, PV-310, PV-351
and DM-M3
Microphone mute
There is the option available on the PV-271 to have a
mic-mute system installed with the stereo. This system
will mute the stereo when the radio mic is cued.
and PV-351
234
DRILL RIG OPTIONS
Secondary air conditioning unit

The option to have a secondary air conditioning unit
is available. This unit mounts at two positions on the
outside of the cabin and is electrically run-off of 24VDC.
It also consists of three additional vents inside the cab.
Cab map lights

Another option available is for the addition of three
map-reading lights located in the cab. One is located
on the dash by the door going to the powerpack, one is
mounted on the chair, and the third is mounted in
the corner of the windows above the buddy seats.
Available for: PV-235, PV-271 RCS, and PV-275 RCS
Optional bit-viewing hatch

Another option available is a bit-viewing hatch installed
in the decking just outside the cab, which will allow the
operator the ability to view the cuttings coming under
the dust flaps. The hatch can be controlled from inside
the cab.
Floor window available for: PV-235
Optional XIR glass

XIR Glass is a laminated glass that is stronger than the
standard laminated glass. It uses an infrared heat layer
to reflect heat away. The XIR Glass is also approximately
50% thicker, due to the middle plastic safety layer being
twice as thick than the standard glass, making it significantly stronger.
and PV-351
Air compressors and Boosters
Hurricane B4-41/900 booster

A stand-out that meets T4 emission standards
Atlas Copco Hurricane has embraced the challenge of the
new EPA Non-road Regulation Tier 4 emission standards
to create the B4-41/900 booster model with a Cummins
QSB4.5 Tier 4i diesel engine. Based on the B7-41/1000
boosters proven design concept, the B4-41/900 provides
additional flexibility in drilling applications, with models
available for exploration, mining, oil and gas and constructionwherever there is a need for a 900 psi
single-stage booster in a more compact package.
The B4-41/900 features a flat base frame and single-point
lifting, with optional bolt-on protection frame. Oversized
forklift pockets and small overall footprint increases
maneuverability.
A pre-cooler bypass system supports cold weather
operation.
Standard Features
Automatic load/unload system
Double-acting concentric valves
Watercooled booster and diesel engine
Precooler (a+15F / 8C) & suction scrubber tank
Aftercooler (a+50F / 28C)
Open skid with single point lifting and fork lift slots
Low-pressure switch at booster inlet
Suction, interstage and discharge safety relief valves
Full-function instrument panel monitoring all pres
sures, temperatures and controls with full-protection
shutdown and fault indicators
Other B4-41 options, pressures, and capacities are
available upon request.
Specifications
236
Booster type
Model 276 4 cylinders, reciprocating
Booster stages
1 stage operation
Max suction pressure
350 psi / 24 bar
Overall dimensions, L x W x H
98 x 70 x 68 inches / 249 x 178 x 172 cm
M-41/1000 Booster Module

Large power in a small footprint
Built with the same values as the new B7-41 and B4-41
models, the Atlas Copco Hurricane M-41 has a capacity
of 2,440 scfm (69 m3/min.) at maximum 1,000 psi (69 bar)
discharge, but its small footprint is compatible with
installation on water well and reverse circulation drill
rigs, as well as on mobile drill platforms. Its compact size
and light weight give customers, even in high pressure
markets, increased flexibility in their applications.
The M-41 features fork lift pockets in the base frame, a
remote mount control panel, and a digital temperature
scanner.
The M-41 offers several options for the units prime
mover, including hydraulic or electric motor, PTO/belt
drive, or diesel engine.
Standard Features
Automatic load/unload system
Double-acting concentric valves
Watercooled booster block
Precooler (a+15F / 8C) & suction scrubber tank
Aftercooler (a+50F / 28C)
Open skid with fork lift slots
Low pressure switch at booster inlet
Remote mounted instrument panel monitoring
all pressures, temperatures and controls with full
protection shutdown and fault indicators
Other options, pressures, and capacities are available
upon request.
Specifications
Booster type
Model 276 4 cylinders, reciprocating
Booster stages
1 stage operation
Max suction pressure
350 psi / 24 bar
Overall dimensions, L x W x H
54 x 57 x 65 inches / 137 x 145 x 165 cm
Atlas
Copco
Some nice
picture of XRVS 476/1000
Quantum leap hamPortable

Diesel Oil-flooded Compressor
mers to put here
With normal operating pressure 25 bar (363 psi), this
Atlas Copco rotary screw compressor is designed for
continuous duty in harsh conditions. The ability to vary
pressure outputs from lower to higher makes it ideal for
a wide variety of applications a wide variety of applications where auxiliary air is needed. Leak-free chassis
and central fluid drain system protect the environment.
Easy access to all service points reduces maintenance
time and operating costs. And Zincor-treated canopies
with powder coat paint finish mean improved resistance
to corrosion for long life and high resell value.
Standard Features
Quiet operation 72 decibels at 7 meters
Tier-III/Stage-III compliant Caterpillar 6 cylinder,
317 kW (426 hp) engines
Fuel consumption 75 l/h at full load.
Guaranteed free air delivery of 975 cfm (460 l/s)
Maximum operating pressure 392 psi (27 bar)
Minimum starting temperature 14 F (-10 C)
Maximum ambient temperature 113 F (45 C)
238
drill string
Secoroc rotary drill strings

A complete rotary drilling system
In rotary drilling, the selection of each purpose suited
drill string component is vital to achieve accurate holes
and operational efficiency parameters which affect
operational costs.
When developing a rotary drilling system, most of the
attention is given to the drill rig the capital equipment
that requires significant investment and hence a planned
payback. The second priority in the system tends to be
choice of rotary tricone drill bit. However, to utilize the
full power and capacity of the rig and the bit and at the
same time increase service life and productivity, serious
consideration should also be given to each component
within the drill string.
The optimal drill string includes a shock absorber at the
top, a rotary deck bushing to centralize the drill string
as it passes through the deck of the drill rig, strong and
straight drill pipes and finally a hole stabilizing roller
stabilizer or bit sub-adaptor to optimize the performance.
Giving the necessary attention to every part of the drill
string will lead to the lowest total drill operating costs.
The primary purpose of the drill string is to transmit
the rotational torque and weight from the rotary head
power source to the rock breaking drill bit. As in every
rock drilling method, the power must be transmitted as
efficiently as possible, and return as few vibrations as
possible, as these cause unnecessary wear on the drill
rig and reduces penetration rates.
When selecting components for the drill string, attention

must be given to the different roles of the support tools
in the string.
With the Secoroc rotary drill string the aim is to always:
Absorb damaging vibrations from the bit.
Reduce wear on the drill rigs rotary drive, mast and
power train.
Improve transmission energy from the rotary head to
the drill bit.
Centralize drill string within the hole, ensuring axial
alignment top to bottom.
Longer and more effective bit life.
Compliment performance potential of the drill rig and
drill bit.
Reduce friction as the drill string passes through the
drill rig deck.
Increase penetration rates, lowering total drilling costs.
Achieve blasthole accuracy for improved blasting
efficiency.
Improve the end result the correct fragmentation of
the blasted rock for lower downstream operating costs!
Visit www.atlascopco.com/secoroc and
www.atlascopco.com/blastholedrills
for more information
Secoroc drill strings for the Pit Viper series

Diameter
PV-235
PV-271
PV-275
PV-311
PV-351
4 " (114 mm)
5" (127 mm)
5 " (140 mm)
6-" (159 mm)
7" (178 mm)
7 5/8" (194 mm)
8" (203 mm)
8 5/8" (219 mm)

9 " (235 mm)
9 " (248 mm)
10 " (273 mm)
12 " (324 mm)
13 /8" (340 mm)
Rotary drilling TOOLS
Introduction
Tricone drilling can move much more material in a given

amount of time than DTH drilling due to the generally
larger diameters used, but Tricone drilling may be a less
ore grade sensitive method due to larger bit diameters
and therefore greater hole burden and spacings used.
Ultimately, the mines production cost is the economic
driver: at the end of the day, which method gives the
lowest COST PER TON of material blasted?
An impressive legacy
Atlas Copco Secoroc LLC traces its beginnings back to

Howard Hughes, Sr., inventor of the first two-cone rotary
drill bit for rock in 1909. Our purpose is to never be
satisfied but will continue, with the help of our experienced engineers, to anticipate the requirements of the
drilling industry. The words spoken by Mr. Hughes are
valid at Atlas Copco Secoroc LLC today. Howard Hughes,
Sr. left behind an impressive inventors legacy, having
held 73 distinct patents. The company continued to be a
leader in development, with the introduction of the first
TriconeTM rock bit with inter-fitting teeth in 1933, and the
first Tungsten Carbide Insert rockbits in 1951.
Lowering our Customers Total Drilling Cost (TDC)
Atlas Copco Secoroc LLC is dedicated to reducing the

customers total drilling costs while maintaining the
highest standards of quality. Atlas Copco Secoroc LLC
has repeatedly shown customers that a better bit, though
more expensive, actually reduces the cost of the drilled
hole. When a mining engineer or a purchasing group
takes into account the total cost of operating a drill, it is
easy to see that the best way to cut costs is to drill the
hole faster.
Our goal is not to just meet your expectations, but to
exceed them. As part of our commitment to continuous
improvement, we constantly look for ways to make our
products drill faster and more efficiently.
Tricones or DTH?
How do you decide on which drilling method to use,

Rotary Tricone drilling, or Down The Hole hammer drilling? Each has several factors in its favor. DTH drilling in
hard ground generally has higher penetration rates than
Tricone drilling, and exerts less wear and tear on the drill
because heavy pulldown forces are not used with DTH.
But it is much more labor, consumables, and inventory
intensive than tricone drilling. In soft ground, DTH drilling tends to be problematic. DTH loses its penetration
rate advantage at 9 to 10 inch diameter (229 - 254 mm) in
hard rock.
240
Lets consider this example, for a straight forward rock

removal scenario:
12 1/4 Tricone bit and suitable drill
100 feet (30.5 m) per hour penetration rate
50 foot (15.2 m) bench height, plus subdrill
US$300/hour drill operating cost
9 DTH and suitable drill
50 foot (15.2 m) bench height, plus subdrill
125 feet (38.1 m) per hour penetration rate
US$200/hour drill operating cost
Which method has the lowest cost per ton?
Using the Hustrulid blasting calculations presented in the

various Atlas Copco Academy sessions (which calculate
burden, spacing, subdrill, and stemming based on hole
size, face height, and rock and explosive SG), we see the
following production costs:
12 "
Tricone & Big drill
9"
DTH & Small drill
$300
CPH
$200
100
ROP
125
5676.9
Tons per hour produced
3970.2
Drill required for tonnage
1.430
$0.053
Op cost/ton/drill
$0.050
$0.053
Actual cost/drilled ton
$0.072
In this example, DTH drilling is almost 50% more costly

than using Tricones. In fact, it takes another 17% increase in Rate of Penetration, to 146 feet/hour, for the
DTH method to equal the Cost per Drilled Ton of the
Tricone method.
Depending on the commodity mined, the geometry of
the mining benches, the tonnage production rate needed,
etc., it is advised that rotary Tricone drilling always be
investigated as a more cost effective way to correctly
serve the customer.
Elements of a rock bit
Bit elements
Cones
Carbide Insert Rows
Cones make up the cutting elements of the rock bit and

are comprised of the following:
A. Nose
B. Inner
C. Next to Gage
D. Gage
E. Gage Bevel
1. Tungsten Carbide Inserts - which are pressed into

the softer steel material with interference fit to hold
item in place.
2. Cone Thrust Button - Made of a wear resistant
material used to take axial bearing loads.
3. Outer Cone Shell - Insert lands and cone grooves.
4. Cone Bore - Internal ball and roller bearing races.
242
Bit elements
Lugs
Coupled in threes, by 120 to form the bit body and the
pin connection, the lugs are machined to hold the nozzles
and a journal-bearing surface.
Nozzles
Nozzles are used to create back-pressure in the bit to
force air through the bearing airways and increase
the air-blast force to remove and flush cuttings
from the bottom of the hole. Too large of a nozzle will
cause insufficient volumes of air to be delivered to
the bearings, while too small of a nozzle will increase
the back-pressure above the compressor modulation
setting. When the compressors modulation setting is
reached, it will then reduce its volume output causing
a decrease in (air?) volume going to the bit.
Tricone bit inserts
Inserts are the actual physical elements that spall and break the rock. Inserts are made from tungsten carbide powder and a cobalt binder material, which is pressed into the designed shape then sintered. Depending on the application, the tungsten carbide inserts in a given bit will have a shape and physical properties best suited for the rock
being drilled.
Conical
90 Chisel or trimmer
Chisel
Wedge crested chisel
Ogive
Serrated flat top
Super Scoop
Double Angle Conical
The conical insert is used primarily in medium/medium-hard rock.

It is designated in the bit nomenclature with a C.
The chisel insert is used in soft/

medium-soft rock. It is the standard insert in soft bits (40s &
50s) and is designated with an
F in the bit nomenclature.
The ogive insert is used in areas

where the aggressiveness of the
conical insert is required with
additional toughess. The ogive is
designated as an O in
the bit nomenclature.
The super scoop is used in very

soft rock. With the patented offset
tip, digging and gouging help
penetrate in sticky materials. The
super scoop is designated with
an S in the bit nomenclature.
The trimmer is used specifically in the MAGNT product

line. It enhances the gage rows
ability to cut the bore hole wall.
The MAGNT feature is used
in soft to medium brittle rock
formations.
Wedge crested chisel inserts

are used exclusively on the
gage rows of very soft to hard
bits (40s through 60s). This
shape gives a fracture resistant
insert that is much tougher
than concial or regular chisel
inserts on gage.
Serrated flat top inserts are
used on shirttail lips and along
the lug as armor to protect
against shirttail and lug wear.
Double angle concial inserts

with hardmetal retard erosion
and provides for increased
ROP.
Round top
The ovoid or round top insert is used in the hardest formations. Its blunt geometry gives
it the most fracture resistant design. The round top is the standard insert in hard bits
(60s 70s & 80s) and is designated with an N in the bit nomenclature.
244

Atlas Copco Secoroc LLC uses the IADC (International
Association of Drilling Contractors) code along with
the product line and added bit features to help describe
the bit. The IADC code is a three numbered system to
classify the hardness and type for all roller cone rock
bits.
First digit Identifies the bit type and

major hardness class:
1 Steel Tooth for soft formations
2 Steel Tooth for medium formations
3 Steel Tooth for hard formations
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
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.
Third digit Designates the bits features:

1 Roller bearing
2 Roller bearing air-cooled
Product lines:
eM epsilon technology evolved from the MAG

product line. Wide variety of drilling applications
using streamlined lugs for greater bailing area and
allowing rapid evacuation of cuttings. Balanced cut
ting structures for improved bearing loading, lowered
carbide stress and higher capacity bearings for longer
life.

eH epsilon technology evolved from the HD product

line. Wide variety of drilling applications using
streamlined lugs for greater bailing area and allowing
rapid evacuation of cuttings. Balanced cutting struc
tures for improved bearing loading, lowered carbide
stress and higher capacity bearings for longer life.
Om - Omega Sealed Bearing Products

Current sizes are 9 7/8" (251 mm), 10 5/8" (270 mm),
12 " (311 mm) and 13 " (345 mm). Selected bit
types in each size from IADC class 4-2 bits up to
IADC class 6-4. Sealed journal bearing or sealed
roller bearing, depending on bit diameter. Bit
cones designed for erosion resistance with high
insert retention aspects, to prevent loss of inserts
in erosive/abrasive conditions. Streamlined epsilon
style lug to maximize cuttings removal from bit and
hole bottom. Proprietary carbide grades to maxi-
mize both insert toughness and resistance to
abrasion.

3 Roller bearing with gage bevel inserts
Insert/Tooth Type:
4 Sealed roller bearing
5 Sealed roller bearing with gage bevel inserts

6 Sealed friction bearing
7 Sealed friction bearing with gage bevel inserts
8 Directional
9 Other
Nomenclature
C Conical
D Double Angle Conical
N Round Top
O Ogive
S Super Scoop
F Chisel
In Steel Tooth (or Mill) Bits: 1 to 5
Example:

IADC 6-3-2
This is a medium/hard air-cooled roller
bearing.
Example:

12 eH63CA
12 Size
eH - Product Line: e = epsilon;
H = harder drilling Product Line
63 First two digits of the IADC code
(rock class "6" subclass "3")
C Insert type (Conical inserts)
A Full armored lug
1 Conventional Gage Tooth

2 Tapered Gage Tooth
3 T Gage Tooth
4 L Gage Tooth
5 Web Gage Tooth
Ovoids are standard inserts

and do not have suffixes.
Lug Features:

A Armor
B Backreaming
ST Shirttail protection in tooth bits
R Regular circulation
Other Features:

H Hard Nose on cones

G Gage bevel on tooth bits
T Tough carbide (breakage resistant)
W Wear resistant carbide
Steel tooth bit selection

Soft formation bits
The Type S, regular circulation steel tooth bit is designed
for optimum performance in formations of low compressive strength, such as soft sand rock, calcite, shale and
clay. These formations quite often contain abrasive materials such as sharp sand and may be interspersed with
layers of medium and hard formations.
Soft formation bits are designed with long slim, strong
teeth to permit deep penetration into the formation
with comparatively light weight. Also, bit geometry is
adjusted to give maximum desirable scraping action on
bottom. So specific range of footage or penetration rates
can be used as a yardstick for determining when to stop
using this type bit, due to wide variation in weight, rotary
speeds and formation variations encountered. However,
if excessive tooth breakage occurs, you might safely
assume that either the combination of weight and rotary
speed is too great or formation is too hard for this type
bit.
Normally, these bits are run with relatively light weights,
ranging from 1,000 pounds to 3,000 pounds per inch of
bit diameter. Rotary speeds usually range from 120 to
170 revolutions per minute, depending upon the weight
applied to the bit.
Medium formation bits

The Type M and regular circulation steel tooth rack bits
are designed for abrasive and non-abrasive medium formations. Note that this design differs from the softer
types principally in the progressive strengthening of
the teeth and change in bit geometry to provide more
chipping-crushing action. These bits have more closely
spaced teeth with a large included angle and more gage
surface to resist the wear in harder and more abrasive
formations. They are particularly efficient in formations
where shales, sandy shales, and limestones alternate.
Weight can be applied very effectively to these bits due
to the more rugged construction of the cutting structure
and bearings. However, excessive rotary speeds should
be avoided to reduce the shock loads inherent in drilling these harder formations. This is especially important
when formations are broken, causing rough operation.
You should avoid combinations of weight and rotary
speeds which promote rough running to prevent premature failure of bearings and cutting structure. Drilling
weights commonly range from 1,000 to 5,000 pounds
per inch of bit diameter, with rotary speeds from 60 to
100 revolutions per minute, depending upon the relative
weight on the bit.
Hard formation bits

Type H, regular circulation steel tooth rock bits are designed to drill hard formations which contain amounts
of abrasive materials. Formations requiring the use of
this bit type are those having:
1. High compressive strength with low abrasive content
such as dolomite.
2. High compressive strength with high abrasive content
such as dolomite and trap rock.
3. Medium compressive strength with high abrasive
content such as quartz, sandstone and the copper
ores.
Compared with the soft and medium formation bits, this
bit has higher capacity bearings and more closely spaced
teeth with increased tooth angles to allow the use of
heavier weights required to effectively drill hard formations. The geometry of this bit provides maximum chipping and crushing action with minimum scraping action.
The outermost row of teeth on each cone is the driving row; that is, this row generates a rock gear pattern
on bottom, which in the case of these strong rocks, is
not easily broken up. Because of this, a webbed gage
surface is generally used on heel rows of teeth to keep
the patterns broken down.
Tungsten carbide hardfacing is applied to the webs to
strengthen the gage against abrasive wear.
Type H bits are commonly run with weights ranging
from 4,000 to 7,000 pounds per inch of bit diameter with
rotary speeds decreasing from 40 to 80 revolutions per
minute as weight is increased.
Steel tooth Tricone rock bit type vs. rock hardness
Rock UCS (PSI)
Steeltooth Tricone bit series
Rock Type
2,000
Unconsolidated Sands
S series
Limestone, Siltstone
Clay Stone, Mudstone
4,000
Marl, Chalky Limestone
M series
6,000
Soft Shales
8,000
10,000
H series
Consolidated
Sandstones
Soft Marble, Dolomite
12,000
Tuff, Soft Schist
14,000
Rock UCS hardness (Unconfined Compressive Strength) is only one factor contributing to the drillability of any rock. Other
factors influencing drillability are fracture toughness, shear strength, Youngs modulus of elasticity, Poissons ratio of stress
vs. strain & internal angle of friction. Any particular bit may be used in harder or softer rock than this chart indicates.
246
Steel tooth bits
Bit specifications
S Series
The S series has widely spaced, long tapered teeth with broad, axial crests for
the bottom-hole action necessary to achieve high penetration rates. Inter-fitted
rows of teeth prevent formation packing and facilitate the cleaning action. The
gage bevel is hardfaced for wear resistance. Tungsten carbide hardfacing on the
other critical areas of the S series cutting structure provides superior abrasive
wear resistance and allows the teeth to self-sharpen.
Applications: Softer formations such as clays, shales, soft sandstones, and soft
limestones.
Suggested Operating Parameters:
Weight on Bit 1,000 to 3,000 lbs per square inch of diameter
RPM 70 to 120
IADC range 1-1-2 to 1-4-2
M Series
M series bits are designed with shorter, stronger teeth to withstand the
weight required for these formations. The M series shirttail is overlaid
with tungsten carbide hardfacing for abrasive wear resistance.
Applications: Medium formations, such as limestones, sandstones, and
dolomites.
RPM 60 to 100
H Series
H series bits have a heavy gage bevel and short, closely spaced teeth to withstand heavier impact loads. Tungsten carbide hardfacing on the shirttail offers
superior wear resistance. The H series has proven successful in drilling operations in which excessive gage wear must be avoided.
Applications: Hard shale formations, limestones, sandstones, and dolomite
formations.
RPM 60 to 80
TCI bit selection

Five basic classifications of Atlas Copco Secoroc rock
bits are available for TCI (Tungsten Carbide Insert)
blasthole drill bits. These are divided into the 40, 50, 60,
70 and 80 series rock bits. The principal design differences are in tailoring the cutting structure of each type to
most efficiently drill specific formations. For example, 60
series bits are designed for drilling medium-hard to hard
formations, the 70 series for hard formations and the 80
series for the hardest formations.
The modifications in cutting structure design from series
to series are:
1. The spacing of inserts or teeth is greatest for the
softer or weaker formations and decreases as the
formation hardness increases.
2. The number of rows and/or the total number of
inserts or teeth per bit increases as formation
hardness increases.
3. The groove depth and amount of intermesh is
decreased as formation hardness increases.
4. The insert or tooth projection above the cone
shell is greatest for the softer formations and is
decreased as the formation hardness increases.
Bit specifications
50 series
The 50 series bits are

typically characterized by more densely
spaced chisel or conical inserts. This configuration promotes
maximum penetration
rates in soft/medium
formations that are
fractured or have varying degrees of hardness.
Applications:
Soft/medium
formations such as
sandstone, shale, granite
and some marble.
Suggested operating parameters:
Weight on bit - 3,000 to 6,500 lbs/inch of diameter
Rotations speed - 50 to 150 RPM
Specifications
40 series
60 series
Applications:
Soft formations such
as shale, siltstone, soft
limestone and alluvials.
Applications:
Medium/hard formations such as hard
limestone, hard
shale, basalt and
quartzite.

typically characterized by large diameter
widely spaced super
scoop, chisel or conical
inserts. The configuration promotes maximum
penetration rates in
softer formations that
have a tendency to stick
and ball up the cutting
structure.

Rotation speed - 50 to 150 RPM
248

typically characterized by more densely
spaced, shorter projecting chisel, concial
or ogive inserts.
This configuration
promotes maximum
medium/hard formations.

Rotation Speed - 50 to 120 RPM
TCI (Tungsten Carbide Insert) bits

70 series
Bit specifications
80 series
The 70 series bits

are typically characterized by densely
spaced, shorter
projecting conical
or ogive inserts with
a conical or ovoid/
round top gage insert.
This configuration
promotes maximum
hard formations.

typically characterized by very densely
spaced, short projecting ovoid/round top
inserts. This configuration promotes
maximum penetration
rates in extremely
hard formations.
Applications:
Extremely hard
formations such as
chert, hematite ore
and quartzite.
Applications:
Hard formations such
as taconite, banded
iron and quartzite.

Technical Data
Pin connection sizes and make-up torques
Bit size range
Connection size
Torque range
kilogram force meter
pound force foot
277-346
2,000-2,500
2 3/8
415-484
3,000-3,500
73
2 7/8
622-760
4,500-5,500
89
3 1/2
970-1240
7,000-9,000
mm
inch
mm
73
2 7/8
95-114
3 3/4-4 1/2
60
117-137
4 5/8-5 3/8
143-171
5 5/8-6 3/4
inch
N-Rod* N-Rod*
194-229
7 5/8-9
114
4 1/2
1660-2210
12,000-16,000
251-349
9 7/8-13 3/4
168
6 5/8
3870-4420
28,000-32,000
381-445
15-17 1/2
194
7 5/8
4700-5530
38,000-40,000
*Non-standard API
Sealed bearing tricone bits represent a technological leap

forward over standard air bearing roller cone bits. Very
high precision machining to very close tolerances, innovative seal technology, premium lubricants, and proprietary materials and processes make these bits more expensive to purchase. These same qualities also provide vastly
superior service life and cost savings for the customer.
Air bearing bits have existed for the mining industry since
the mid 1950s, when Hughes Tool Company introduced its
series of RotoBlast air bearing tricone bits. Built with larger
fit tolerances and much rougher surface finishes on all
bearing surfaces, air bearing bits are therefore significantly
less expensive to produce. However, these qualities necessarily give lower service life. Normally between 15% and
30% of the air from the air compressor is diverted into the
bit bearings to keep them cool and clean.
Bearings are still subject to contami-nation, even while
drilling, and therefore may wear rapidly. Sealed bearing
bits on the other hand, are made with very close tolerances and extremely smooth bearing contact surfaces.
An outer excluder keeps contamination (cuttings, grit,
and water) out of the bearings under virtually all circumstances, while an inner seal keeps grease in the bearings to lubricate the bearing elements. The result is a tricone bit with
superior service life without sacrificing productivity (ROP).
250
Sealed bearing
The Atlas Copco Secoroc Omega sealed

bearing product line:

Exceeds air bearing bit performance by a factor of at

least 2X, in properly applied situations.
Provides a lower Total Drilling Cost where TDC is used
as a value standard.
Provides a lower Cost/Distance where that is the
value standard.
Patents granted on the most recent competitors sealed

bearing bit were very broad and difficult to work around.
Their most important patent was on the excluder, the
outer element that is designed to keep contamination out
of, and away from, the actual grease seal. As a result,
extensive research into excluder design, and extensive
field trials under many different geologic and drilling
conditions, resulted in Secoroc being awarded a patent
for its excluder design.
One result however, of greatly increased bit life, is a
natural tendency for the ROP to fall below acceptable
standards because the bit teeth become increasingly dull
with time. Harder grades of carbide are required to keep
teeth sharp over time, but, harder carbide is more likely to
break if drilling conditions become difficult. Atlas Copco
Secoroc has developed proprietary carbide grades for
tungsten carbide inserts used in Omega bits.
Sealed bearing
A second problem inherent to operating sealed bearing bits

is cone erosion. The longer a bit runs, the more cone shell
erosion takes place, increasing the likelihood of carbide insert losses. Secorocs bit cones are designed for erosion resistance where abrasive conditions are expected.Insert retention is insured with projection ratios being considered
in all designs.
Product benefits
The Secoroc Omega sealed bearing bit provides better

overall value for customers. Lower TDC, higher ROP, longer
bit life and the ability to use in variable drilling conditions
all contribute to cost savings and profit increases that vary
from mine to mine depending on drill depth and patterns.
Product features provide cutting structure longevity allowing
our customers to significantly reduce bit inventory levels
which also effectively reduces shipping, ordering and
logistics costs.

Customers will experience less drilling down time due

to fewer bit changes as a result of longer bit life.
Customers will achieve a higher rate of penetration
with minimal insert breakage, thereby reducing TDC.
Sealed bearings last longer than air bearings resulting
in more life to the bit and less bit changes.
Sealed bearings are not adversely effected by water
and corrosion like air bearings.
Sealed bearings allow for higher loads of weight and
a higher RPM directly effecting TDC.
Secoroc Omegas streamlined lug design occupies
less volume in the hole. This increases the total area
available at the bit for cuttings to pass through, allowing cuttings to be cleared from the bottom of the hole
more efficiently.
Secoroc Omega is ideal for drilling conditions where
ground water is present in holes or from injected water into air streams, which can be acidic and can nega
tively effect bit bearings.
Best Applications
The Secoroc Omega bits have been designed for the most
common drilling applications: copper and coal. 44 type
testing has taken place in Australia coal mines, while 53,
54 and 61 types have been tested in copper mines in
Peru, Chile, and the United States. 13 " Omega bits are
being tested in Canada.
Sealed bearing bit application must, by nature, be
selective.
Sealed bearing bits are not appropriate for all drilling
applications.
Sealed bearing bits are best applied where bearing
failure is the major mode of bit failure.
Secoroc Omega is ideal for drilling conditions where
ground water is present in holes or from injected water
into air streams, which can be acidic and can negatively
effect bit bearings. At mines where carbide insert breakage, or cone erosion leading to carbide tooth loss, are the
major cause(s) of air bearing bit failures, sealed bearing
bits will be of little value.
*International Association of Drilling Contractors
Sealed bearing case study
Newest iteration of bit at 7248 feet with less tooth wear.
US Copper - Largeporphyry deposit drilling
This mine is a large porphyry deposit with extremely

varied ground conditions. The mine groups the rock into
eight main categories with rock sub-types within each
category. What makes the drilling conditions vary so much
is not necessarily the parent rock, but the alteration suites
that were imposed on the parent rock in the pre-mineral,
mineralization and post mineral processes.
The Basin and Range type geology of the area is rather
simple, stacked and layered sediments of the usual
kind, with crustal extension to break things into valley
basins and mountain ranges, but then volcanic activity
introduced hot, molten, igneous material into it, and
varied the geology all together.
This mine is a porphyry deposit that has remained more
or less intact over the eons, without having a lot of the
original deposit eroded away over time. The ore bodies
are mostly quartzite and quartz monzonite formations.
Many areas of this mine contain high percentages of iron
pyrite which has a substantially negative effect on bit life
due to its highly abrasive nature.
Testing of the 12 OM54CA has been occurring at this
property since the conceptual stages of the Secoroc
Omega bits almost a decade ago. Three different bit types
are cur-rently used to drill the varying formations at this
mine. A 53 type bit is used for a majority of the drilling
with 62 type bits being the next most used bit type. A
small percentage of their drilling utilizes 72 type bits, but
that is usually less than 10% of the total drilling.
A 54 type hybrid cutting structure has been developed
over the past 5 years that is successfully drilling different
areas where both 53 and 62 type bits are utilized. This is
very important, because if a 53 type bit is installed and the
drill then moves to an area in which a harder 62 type bit is
needed, the more aggressive bit can be dulled quickly due
to cutting structure damage.
252
Case study
Previous iteration of bit at 7318 feet. Note the high wear on the
tooth projection.
As is customary in most surface mining environments,

the drills at this property frequently move between
formations, so it was imperative to develop a cutting
structure tough enough to drill a wide range or rock types
without sacrificing speed or Rate of Penetration.
Omega bit testing in late 2009 yielded results in the range
of 2 to 3 times the life of epsilon air bearing direct offsets.
The overall, mine wide result was 2.4 times the average
air bearing bit life with longer runs in the 20,000 to 30,000
foot range. Even though the overall objective for bit life
was achieved, the overall Rate of Penetration, or ROP, was
5% less than the offset bits due to the longer runs.
The major factor in the reduced ROP was wear on the
insert or tooth projection. A follow up iteration was
produced to address this and is currently testing with early
results looking promising. None of the bits in recent tests
have dulled due to bearing failure as the primary dulling
characteristic. The few bearings that have failed are
attributed to bit body wear resulting from cutting structure
damage.
Many times, new bits will start off with a high ROP then
begin dropping off as it progresses through its life. The
goal for this bit is to have an ROP that is more sustainable
over the entire life of the bit. The Secoroc Omega bits can
start with a slightly lower ROP than the more aggressive
53 type bits, but has an overall equivalent or higher ROP
sustained over the entire bit life providing value to the
customer.
A study was done in 2008 to determine the annual cost
savings associated with fewer bit changes. The study
assumed an average bit life for the Omega bit at 2.25 X
the standard bit life. This reduces the overall bit usage by
55.6% saving the customer around $51,000 / year in labor
costs alone, plus eliminates 340 hours of lost production
time per year due to bit changes.

Many times, new bits will start off
with a high ROP then begin dropping
off as it progresses through its life.
The goal for this bit is to have an
ROP that is more sustainable over
the entire life of the bit. The Secoroc
Omega bits can start with a slightly
lower ROP than the more aggressive
53 type bits, but has an overall
equivalent or higher ROP sustained
over the entire bit life providing
value to the customer.
A study was done in 2008 to
determine the annual cost savings
associated with fewer bit changes.
The study assumed an average bit
life for the Omega bit at 2.25 X the
standard bit life. This reduces the
overall bit usage by 55.6% saving
the customer around $51,000 / year
in labor costs alone, plus eliminates
340 hours of lost production time per
year due to bit changes.
Case study
Cost reduction estimates due to decreased bit changes.

Condition being
measured
Estimated rotary bit
usage
Current Mine Usage

/ Costs
Secoroc Omega
Projections
Bit Reduction Usage /

Cost Savings by using
Secoroc Omega
270 bits
120 bits
150 bits
Average estimated
time for bit change
2.25 hours
Average number of
employees involved
in bit change
2-3
Estimated employee
hourly cost
$60
Estimated cost
for employees to
change a bit
Estimated costs to
change out a bit
$337.5
$91, 125
$40,500
$50,625
Figures used in this chart are preliminary estimates for reduction in cost due to decreased bit changes. Testing was
actually conducted at a US mine using estimations only and does not take into account the cost of the bit.
Testing does not take into account that bits removed for size changes can be used again with better performance, since
sealed bearing bits do not rust, improving overall performance.
TCI (Tungsten Carbide Insert) bits
Bit selection
Tricone carbide insert rock bit series vs. rock hardness

Rock UCS
(psi)
0
4,000
Tungsten carbide insert Tricone bit series
Rock type
Claystone, Mudstone
40
series
4-1
to
4-4
Chalky Limestone
Soft Shale
Loose Sandstones
8,000
Limestone, Siltstone
Solid Sandstones
12,000
16,000
50
series
5-1
to
5-4
Medium Shales
MAG NT
series
Tuff, Soft Schist

Andesite, Rhyolite
Quartzite (Sand, Silt)
Omega
series
20,000
Limestone, Marble
Monzonite, Granite
24,000
28,000
32,000
Gneiss
Epsilon
series
Diorite, Diabase
Hard Shale, Slate
60
series
6-1
to
6-4
Limestone, Dolomite
Basalt
Tactite, Skarn
36,000
Granodiorite
HD NT
series
40,000
Taconite
Quartzite
Syenite
44,000
48,000
70
series
7-1
to
7-4
Gabbro
Banded Iron Formation
Taconite
52,000
Chert
56,000
Quartzite
60,000
64,000
80
series
8-1
to
8-4
Amphibolite
Hornfels
68,000
Hematite Ore
Higher
Lava, Basalt, Biwabic,

Quartzite
Rock UCS hardness (Unconfined Compressive Strength) is only one factor that contributes to the drillability of any rock. Other factors strongly influencing drillability are: fracture toughness, shear strength,
Youngs modulus of elasticity, Poissons ratio of stress vs. strain, internal angle of friction. Any particular bit may be used in harder or softer rock than this chart indicates.
254
When to change a bit

At most mines the decision when to change the bit is
typically left up to the driller, with very little guidance
given. This results in most bits being changed only after
they have been completely worn out. We believe that a
typical operation can save $000s annually by applying
some simple rules.
Tricone bits
Analyzing a typical bit run
Rig cost: $200
Bit cost: $3,550
At the end of a Tricone bits life the cutting structure

becomes ineffective either through breakage or wear,
resulting in reduced penetration rate. Using the TDC formula, cost effective bit life can be calculated and
related to penetration rate, giving the drill operator a
guide as to when to change the bit.
This bit has too many broken teeth to be effective any longer.
Date
Meters
Hours
ROP
TDC/m
9-Oct
727
80.8
$7.36
10-Oct
1,597
20
80.7
$4.70
11-Oct
2,308
29
80.2
$4.03
12-Oct
3,106
38
81.6
$3.59
13-Oct
3,573
46
77.6
$3.57
14-Oct
4,078
54
76.1
$3.50
15-Oct
4,431
58
76.5
$3.42
16-Oct
4,753
62
76.7
$3.35
17-Oct
5,251
70
75.0
$3.34
18-Oct
5,662
76
74.7
$3.31
19-Oct
6,174
83
74.5
$3.26
20-Oct
6,774
91
74.6
$3.21
21-Oct
7,162
99
72.7
$3.25
22-Oct
7,459
107
69.9
$3.33
23-Oct
7,893
117
67.4
$3.41
24-Oct
8,295
127
65.2
$3.51
Analyzing a typical bit run, as shown in the table above,

the optimum point in time to pull a bit can be identified.
It is seen that had the bit been removed on the 20th of
October, the run would have been $0.30 per meter more
cost effective than on the 24th October.
Based on 250,000 meters drilled annually, the projected
savings would be $75,000 per annum.
TDC
Penetration Rate
$7.00
- 80.0
- 75.0
$6.00
$5.00
- 70.0
$4.00
$3.00
Optimum time to change bit.
Lowest TDC = $3.21 per meter
$2.00
- 65.0
$1.00
- 60.0
8295
7492
7893
7162
6174
6774
5662
5251
4753
4431
4078
3106
3573
2308
727
Worn teeth cannot penetrate the rock, therefore productivity

diminishes.
1597
Meters Drilled
Penetration rate (m/hr)
$8.00
Rock failure
Rock cutting, abrasion - vergy small cracks, insert grinds surface.
Rock cutting, spalling starts - enough weight applied to hard rock

deeper. Cracks connect. Chips will come free with air blast.
Abrasion
Spalling
This is an illustration of the first phase of rock failure,

called the abrasion phase. This is the result of insufficient weight on the bit. The inserts are contacting the
rock under very low weight and the resulting action is
very similar to placing a knife blade against a grinding
stone. The driller can very easily tell when he is in the
abrasion phase because the cuttings coming out of the
hole will be fine dust.
Here, rotation speed (RPM) is still the same but sufficient

weight has been applied to the bit for most effective
insert penetration into the formation. Note that the shell
of the bit is not against the formation.
Rock cutting, deeper abrasion - deeper cracking, but does not

connect. Next cone must crack rock between these teeth.
Rock cutting, deep spalling - cracks connecting at deeper levels.
Cracks connect bertween teeth and between rows.
Fatigue
Here, more weight has been added to the bit with RPM
the same as in the previous illustration. The additional
weight has caused some penetration of the inserts into
the formation, but not actual failure of the rock. This is
called the fatigue phase and again, the driller can easily
recognize this phase by checking the returns. Small chips
and a high percentage of dust will be coming out of the
hole.
In this second illustration, the inserts are loaded under

the proper weight to cause the formation to spall. Chips
are removed by the circulating air, allowing the cutting
structure to advance. Under load condition, the bit
will drill at maximum efficiency. The driller will note a
large amount of chips with very little dust or fines in the
returns.
It should be pointed out that rock failure can be accomplished with this type of loading and insert penetration.
However, it may require many impacts on the formation
to cause the rock to fail. The penetration rate will be considerably less than desired.
256
Cutting efficiency
RPM vs ROP
ROP
RPM
Rock cutting, overpenetration - cuttings trapped betwween cone

shell and rock. Cannot be blown out by air blast from nozzles.
Excess weight
Once the spalling phase has been achieved, applying additional weight to the bit will only be harmful to drilling
efficiency. The additional weight will cause the inserts to
bury themselves in the formation. The result is a decrease in penetration rate.
Maximize ROP
With the bit drilling in the spalling phase, it is possible

to increase the penetration rate by maintaining the
proper weight, while increasing the rotation speed
(RPM). The amount of increase possible in the penetration rate is variable and will be determined by the
experience of the driller, the capabilities of the drill
and the formation characteristics.
Maximum Drilling Efficiency
WOB vs ROP
RPM
ROP
ROP
Weight on Bit (Pulldown)
Maximum cut efficiency
With rotation speed (RPM) fixed, this illustration shows

the effect of weight increases on the rate of penetration.
After the formation has been spalled additional weight
will reduce or not increase the drilling rate.
Weight on Bit
Maximum drilling efficiency
The preceding charts illustrate: spalling weight plus

rotation speed equals penetration rate. Therefore, optimum drilling efficiency may be reached as follows:
At a set RPM, determine best weight on bit (WOB) to
produce maximum cut efficiency.
At the WOB that gives maximum cut efficiency,
RPM should be determined to produce best rate
of penetration.
Note: High rotary speeds do not necessarily produce
high penetration rates.
Tricone bits
Drilling hours
Bit selection
Keeping complete and accurate records of blast hole

bit performance cannot be stressed too much. A careful study of bit records can be of considerable help in
determining the proper bit types and best operating
conditions to use. The meters drilled by a bit and the
penetration rate have long been accepted yardsticks
for evaluating the performance of a rock bit. However,
these are two different units of measure and many erroneous conclusions have been drawn from these two
factors alone. It is therefore necessary to combine these
two units of measure into one, known as Total Drill Cost
per meter or TDC/meter.
A careful study of bit performance records can be of

great help in reducing operation costs through selection
of the most economical bit types and operating conditions. An actual case in which the performance records
and bit selection were given full attention is illustrated in
the following example:
Summary of average performance data

Bit type
Bit cost
Standard product
Premium product
US $2500
US $2875
The Total Drilling Cost is then, the cost of the bit plus the
cost of operating the drill.
Meters/bit
5400
5000
Meters/hour
28
32
The simplistic cost/m would use bit cost/meters drilled,

indeed this makes up one half of the TDC/m equation.
The speed at which the bit drills is included by dividing
the cost of the drill/hour by the penetration rate of the
bit.
Rig cost/hour
120
120
25000 kg
25000 kg
80-100
80-100
4.75
4.33
Hence: TDC $/m = Bit cost

Bit meters
+ Rig cost/hour
Bit drilling speed
It may be seen in the Table below that three bits of type

A were run alternatively with three bits of type B. The
record indicates that the formation drilled was relatively
uniform. Type A average 1418 meters in 27.8 hours; type
B averaged 1577 meters in 33 hours. Which bit was most
economic if bit costs were the same at US $3000 and rig
rate per hour was US $120/hour?
Weight
RPM
TDC/meter
Analysis of the standard product, indicated that gage row

cutting structure was worn, leading to shirttail wear and
failure. The premium product, with enhanced tungsten
carbide insert features to allow maximum penetration
rate was tried.
Using the TDC $/m equation introduced earlier and
performance data from above, a breakeven graph can
be constructed.
Type A bit TDC $/m = $4.47

Type B bit TDC $/m = $4.57
Now the bits can be compared and Type A is the better
bit with the lower TDC$/m.
Typical bit performance record

Bit
type
Meters Hours Rate Weight Rotary

drilled run M/hr in Kg
RPM
Premium product
Soft Med. Hard
1907
38.1
50.1
40000
70/90
1913
39.5
48.4
40000
70/90
1303
23.9
54.5
40000
70/90
1485
32.3
46.0
40000
70/90
1044
21.3
49.0
40000
70/90
1334
27.3
48.9
40000
70/90
Avg. A
1418
27.8
51.1
Avg. B
1577
33.0
47.7
258
Tricone bits
Drilling hours premium bit breakeven

performance
5500
5000
Meters drilled
4500
Step 1

Breakeven Costs
4000
3500
156 hours
3000
2500

2875

120

3000
Premium bit cost

Rig cost/hour
= Hours (point A)
= 24
*Plot to the left of zero on the X axis
1500
1000
500
-25
Step 2 Premium bit cost = Meters (point B)

Standard TDC $/m
605 m step 2 (point B)

25
50 75
100
125
150
175
-24 step 1 (point A)

2875

4.75
= 605
Hours
Step 3
Draw a straight line through points A and B
Bit performance above the line will return a profit for

the additional investment in the premium product.
Rotary Tricone Blasthole Drilling

Rock Type
All rock types, all rock strengths
Hole Sizes
5 5/8" - 17 1/2" (143 mm - 445 mm)
Hole Depth
10 ft - 250 ft (3.04 M - 76.2 M)
Rate of Penetration, Hole-to-hole
Soft (coal overburden): 100 - 300 M/hr
Hard (iron ore): 20 - 60 M/hr
Straightness of holes
Very good in typical 10 - 20 meter benching

operations
Suggest using drill string roller stabilizer in long

holes for casting or deep benching operations
Production Capacity, Typical Tons/

Shift per drill (10 hrs.)
Coal overburden, 7 7/8" (200 mm) bit: 75,000 tons
Iron Ore, 12 1/4" (311 mm) bit: 30,000 tons
Low Fuel Consumption, Ltr/Hr
75 - 90 l/hr small to medium drill (0.01 - 0.012 ltr/t)
100 - 120 ltr/hr medium to large drill (0.03 - 0.04 ltr/t)
Economic Drill String Life, M
300,000 meters/pipe, non abrasive rock
40,000 meters/pipe, highly abrasive pipe
Low Drill String Investment
Yes, relative to size and hole depth
Suitable for Difficult Drilling Conditions
Yes
Suitable for Good Drilling Conditions
Yes
Operator Friendly
Yes, larger drill cabs, more room, more available amenities
Flushing Flexibility
1000 to 4000 CFM, (28.3 - 113.3 cuM/min) depending on drill and bit size. Able to adjust bit air pressure
with different nozzles. Compatible with high pressure (350 psi/24 bar and higher) air compressors.
Air practices
Air is a critical factor in tricone rotary blasthole drilling
performance. Without proper air flow, tricone rotary
blasthole bits cannot be operated efficiently. Bit bearings
are not kept clean and cool. Cuttings are not blown away
from the cutting face of the bit and moved up and out of
the hole. The operating cost of drilling a hole increases.
Key Concepts
Standard Air
Air is a compressible gas. In air compressor design, air

compressor work and air flow calculations, the standard
unit of volume is the cubic foot. The standard temperature is 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and the standard elevation
is 0 feet, or sea level. Standard atmospheric pressure
at sea level is 14.7 psia. The Standard Cubic Foot (SCF)
of air has a standard mass of 0.07494 pounds. (Standard density is .07494 lb./cu. ft.) All engineering air flow
calculations are based on the Standard Cubic Foot and
standard conditions: standard air mass, standard air temperature, and standard atmospheric pressure.
Introduction
Whenever standard air volumes are calculated, sea
level atmospheric pressure, 14.7 psia, must be added to
gauge pressure.
Gas Law Physics
Boyles Law states that at a constant temperature, the

volume of a gas varies inversely with the absolute pressure: P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
Charles Law states that at a constant pressure, the volume varies directly with the absolute temperature: V1 x
T2 = V2 x T1
Amontons Law says that at a constant volume, the absolute pressure varies directly with the absolute temperature: P1 x T2 = P2 x T1
In our work, Boyles, Charles, and Amontons laws all
interact through the Combined Gas Law equation:
P1 x V1 = P2 x V2
T1 T2
Air Density and Atmospheric Pressure
Actual Air
Actual air is the free air outside of the drill bit that
does the work in drilling. Compressed air does not move
cuttings away from the cutting face of the bit. Compressed air does not move rock particles up the blasthole
from the bit to the surface. Compressed air must be
released to atmospheric or ambient or actual site
specific conditions before any work can be done.
Actual air is derived from standard air by applying
the Altitude/Temperature factor:
Absolute vs. Gauge Pressure
Pressures are variously reported as psia and psig.

The ending letter, a or g, refers to whether the pressure being discussed is absolute pressure or gauge
pressure.
Absolute pressure is the sum of the local ambient atmospheric pressure plus any pressure reading on a pressure gauge. Gauge pressure is the pressure indicated
by a pressure gauge in the air system.
As altitude increases, the ambient (local) atmospheric

pressure decreases. The column of air above that
particular point on the earths surface is not as deep,
therefore it weighs less, and exerts less pressure on that
point. This allows the contents of a SCF to expand
until equilibrium with the new atmospheric pressure is
reached. What starts out as one (1.00) standard cubic
foot of air becomes larger, because the atmospheric
pressure confining it is less.
At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psia. At 5000
feet, atmospheric pressure drops to 12.23 psia. This
allows the same weight of air, .07494 lb. (contained in
one cubic foot) to expand into a larger volume. Because
it now has a larger volume, the density is less. At 5000
feet, and 70 Deg. F, one (1) ambient cubic foot of air
weighs .0623 pounds. The original SCF, weighing .07494
pounds has expanded into 1.202 cubic feet: .07494 lb /
.0623 lb = 1.202.
Temperature has the same effect on air as does confining
pressure (altitude). As temperature increases, the density
of air decreases. This can be seen from the gas laws.
Conversely, as altitude decreases, air becomes more
dense. 1.000 SCF becomes 0.89 SCF at -2,000 feet, and
has a density of .0834 pounds per cubic foot.
At sea level and 70o F, a Cab gauge pressure of 37 psig is

therefore equivalent to 51.7 psia: 37 psig + 14.7 psi
ambient atmospheric pressure = 51.7 psia. At 5000 feet,
and 70o F the same cab gauge reading would be equivalent to 49.23 psia: 37 psig + 12.23 psia (atmospheric
pressure at 5,000 ft, 70o F) = 49.23 psia. If no a or g
appears after psi, the pressure is taken to mean gauge
pressure.
260
Air practices
Altitude/Temperature Factor
The A/T factor is used to adjust (derate) air compressor intake ratings in response to changes in local altitude
and ambient temperature; and to expand the calculated compressed air output to local conditions. The A/T
factor also helps to calculate the % Capacity of the air
compressor during an air compressor volume test; and
using the measured delivered SCFM (which may be quite
different from the specification volume rating) calculates
the Bailing Velocity, Chip Settling Velocity, and the Chip
Exit Velocity.
For example, the A/T factor for 5,000 feet and 70o F is
1.202. (14.7 psia standard atmospheric pressure at
0 feet /12.23 psia ambient atmospheric pressure at
5,000 feet = 1.202.)
Bailing Velocity
The speed of the actual air moving up a blasthole.

A geometrical calculation dependent on bit diameter,
drill pipe diameter, and the volume of air circulated
through the hole. Bailing Velocity must be higher than
Chip Settling Velocity or cuttings will not be transported.
Chip Settling Velocity

The velocity a rock chip falling through air wants to
achieve. Theoretical values are calculated from an
adaptation of Stokes Law. Dependent on cuttings
diameter and rock specific gravity.
Chip Exit Velocity

The speed the cuttings (chips) move up the hole. The
difference between Bailing Velocity and Chip Settling
Velocity: CEV = BV - SV.
Tricone rotary blasthole drill air

requirements
There are two things that clean cuttings from a rotary blasthole and must be combined to make drilling efficient:
air pressure and air volume.
Air pressure determines the force of the jet nozzle air
blast blowing against the bottom of the hole to move
cuttings away from the face of the bit.
Air requirements
Two other factors that affect the air requirements are
the moisture content of the rock and cuttings, and the
incidence of fractures and joints. Wet rock, due to ground
water or excessive water injection, will be heavier than
the same rock when dry. Cuttings from wet rock tend
to stick together, making larger particles to be blown
from the hole. Fractured or jointed ground will rob air
from the blasthole, causing the actual bailing velocity to
be lower than the calculated bailing velocity. In both of
these instances, the actual air volume required may be
much higher than what straight theoretical calculations
indicate. Experience is the best guide.
Recommendations:
Bailing Velocity
Bailing Velocity is dependent on three things: ACFM (free

air), hole diameter, and drill pipe outside diameter. The
value normally calculated is a geometric and theoretical
value that assumes a perfectly drilled straight hole with
no air losses out the side of the holes through cracks and
fractures. We must assume this because no one ever
measures a blasthole specifically for its diameter.
Under normal conditions of dry rock, very light water
injection, little or no ground water, and few if any joints
or fractures, minimum bailing velocities of 5,000 to 7,000
feet per minute (FPM) can be used. In situations where
the rock is a denser, heavier material, velocities up to
9,000 FPM could be used with little problem.
In situations where the rock is wet, or dense, or there is
a high penetration rate (above 180 feet per hour), bailing
velocities of 9,000 FPM or more may be needed. Again, it
will depend on individual situations.
The overriding recommendation for bailing air is to have
a minimum of 1,000 feet per minute Chip Exit Velocity
with drill pipe worn to replacement diameter. If this condition is met, bailing performance will be good under all
other conditions.
Annular pressure calculations will not be discussed here.
Once the reader understands the basics of compressed
air use in blasthole drilling, they should pursue an advanced knowledge of rotary blasthole annular pressures
by obtaining those materials from Secoroc in Grand
Prairie, Texas, USA.
The following discussion of Particle Settling Velocity is
intended to illustrate the problems of varying rock densities and chip sizes, and how they affect the rate of chip
removal from the drill hole.
Air volume, as bailing velocity, lifts cuttings up out of the

hole once they are moved away from the bit face.
Air practices
Particle settling velocity
Particle Slip (or Settling) Velocity
Cuttings particles fall through air at velocities dependent

on particle density, particle diameter and shape, and air
density. Large, heavy particles fall faster than small, light
ones. Slip velocity is the speed at which a particle falls
through still air. It is also called settling velocity. Slip
velocities in air may be much higher than one would
expect.
If the bailing velocity in a hole is not greater than the
slip velocity of a given size particle, that particle will not
be carried from the hole. It will be reground until it is of
a small enough size to be carried out by the air stream.
Remember: bigger chips indicate more efficient drilling,
and yield faster penetration rates. The following particle
slip velocity equation is from Walker and Mays, Journal
of Petroleum Technology, July 1975.
Particle Slip Velocity
Vt = {(2G x dp x (DenP - DenF)) / (1.12 x DenF)}.5

Where:
Vt = Terminal Slip Velocity of particle, ft / sec

G = Gravity, 32 ft / sec2
dp = Diameter of Particle, feet
DenP = Density of Particle, lb / cubic foot
DenF = Density of Fluid, lb / cubic foot
Sufficient air pressure at the bit must be present to

insure that plenty of air is going through the bit bearings.
Bearing air is necessary to: 1) keep the bearings cool,
and 2) keep the bearings clean. Hot and/or dirty bearings
will cause early bit failure.
With air pressure systems whose minimum operating
pressure is greater than 35 psig, Atlas Copco Secoroc
generally recommends bit pressures of 40 psig to 45 psig
minimum. This range has been found to provide enough
pressure in the bearings to keep them clean and cool,
and still direct plenty of air through the nozzles for good
bottom hole cleaning.
The Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions blasthole drill air compressor is normally capable of generating 110 psig at the
receiver tank. Because of the higher level of air pressure
available on these drills for tricone drilling, Secoroc suggests that tricone bit pressures can be in the 60 - 65 psi
range without causing any problems. Full volume will
be delivered as long as the air compressors are properly
adjusted, and operating to their specified parameters.
Nozzle Selection
Bearing Life
Given:
Chip diameter = .125, .25, .50
DenP =

145 lb / ft3 for Sandstone

168 lb / ft3 for Granite
181 lb / ft3 for Dolomite
DenF =
.07651 lb / ft3 for air at sea level and 59o F
Terminal Settling Velocity, feet / minute:

Also take into consideration that as altitude increases,
air density decreases; thus, particle slip velocity will
increase. Moving from sea level to 5,000 feet, air density
drops to .0637 lb/cu ft. The settling velocity of a 1/2 inch
chip of granite increases from 4330 ft to 4755 ft. It can
now be seen that chips do not leave the hole at the calculated bailing velocity, and that loss of air from any part of
the hole can reduce the actual bailing velocity to below
the settling velocity of the chips the bit actually generates. Recommended bailing velocities of 5,000 FPM are a
minimum recommendation!
Chip
Diameter
Sandstone
Granite
Dolomite
1/8
2013
2166
2249
1/4
2847
3064
3181
1/2
4031
4339
4503
262
Bit Pressure Drop
Bearing life can be increased by using smaller nozzles

in the bit. With smaller nozzles, proportionally more air
is forced through the bearing system, providing more
cleaning and cooling. Dulling characteristics of bits
should be determined. If shirttail erosion and exposure or loss of outer bearings is common, increased air
through the bearings will probably help bearing life by
keeping the cone backface and shirttail lip cleaner.
If bit failure is not due to an erosive bearing failure (such
as described above), and the cutting structure is not
highly damaged or eroded, smaller nozzles could again
help by forcing more air through the bearings. In this
instance, however, it is the cooling of the bearings that is
being enhanced. As the bearings rotate under load, heat
is generated. Too much heat build up causes thermal
degradation of the bearing metal. The air in the bearings
still retains some of the heat gained during compression, and may not provide enough cooling capacity at
low pressures (and flow rates) for the bearings. At higher
pressures, the cooling capacity of the air is increased due
to the increased volume passing through the bearings,
so the bearings stay cooler, prolonging their life.
Bottom Hole Cleaning
Bottom hole cleaning is a function of the force or

power the air blast exerts on the bottom of the hole.
Two things must happen. First, there must be enough
power exerted on the cuttings to dislodge them from
their position on the hole bottom. Cuttings may be
Air practices
Force exerted by air
laying loose on the bottom, or they might be partially

or completely trapped under a layer of crushed material.
Second, the cuttings must be transported out from under
the bit. The first situation, freeing the cuttings, requires
more power than transporting the cuttings. Once cuttings are loose, they are relatively easily transported.
In the Force Exerted By Air Calculation to the right, the
force of air leaving a bit nozzle is calculated. Pressures
and temperatures are actual parameters found on a drill
equipped with a two-stage compressor.
Air volume is converted to weight. Air velocity at nozzle
exit is calculated. Multiplying the air discharge in
pounds per second by the air velocity in feet per second gives the quantity pound feet/sec2.This converts
to a measure of force, kg meter / sec2, the Newton.
The calculations are all at Standard Conditions.
In the Force Exerted by Air Calculation, it can be seen
that smaller nozzles will apply more force to the hole
bottom for cleaning. The added benefit is increased air
through the bearings, keeping them cleaner and cooler.
the variations of the coefficient of flow for the orifices.

The above flows were calculated with a .80 coefficient of
flow. If the coefficient was .78 for 1/2 and .82 for 5/8, the
flows would be virtually identical. The actual air test was
done with 7/8, 1, and 1 1/8 orifices. With a coefficient of
.78, calculated dSCFMs for the orifices were 796.9, 796.5,
and 797.2 SCFM respectively. No real change from small
to large.
Caution is advised. Although the volumes changed very
little, the amount of force increases with velocity. The
increased scouring action, if carried to an extreme, could
result in increased erosion of the bit. The increased blast
will carry cuttings at a higher velocity, possibly to the
detriment of the bit. This can be especially true if penetration rates are high and cuttings are abrasive.
Keep in mind that 30% to 50% of the air in a bit goes
through the bearings, and is not used to clean the bottom of the hole. Only with adequate pressure in the bit
can you move cuttings out before they can be reground.
Increased force on the bottom of the hole will give better
cleaning. Better cleaning equals higher ROP. Higher ROP
equals a lower Total Drilling Cost.
Force Exerted by Air Calculation

Given
1/2
9/16
5/8
Nozzle Diameter
79 psig
57 psig
42 psig
Tool Air Pressure
117 F
117 F
117 F
Tool Air Temperature
260 CFM
252 CFM
246 CFM
dSCFM
Calc./Nozzle
(CFM) / 60) x .07494 = lb per second
CFM / 60 / Nozzle area (sq. ft.) = Air velocity, ft/sec
lb/sec x ft/sec = lbft/sec2
Calculate
1/2
9/16
5/8
.3250 lb/sec
.3157 lb/sec
.3072 lb/sec
3089.5 ft
2470.5 ft
1952.6 ft
138 N
107 N
82 N
Nozzle Diameter
Air Weight
Delivered
Air Velocity
Newtons Force/
Nozzle
1 lb ft / sec2 = .1382 kg meter / sec2

1 kg meter / sec2 = 1 Newton
Something is seen in this calculation that runs contrary

to popular wisdom. As nozzle size increased, the volume
and weight of air delivered decreased. This can be attributed to inaccuracies in air temperature, air pressure, and
Air practices
Suggested nozzle sizes
Suggested Nozzle ID Sizes for Secoroc Tricone Rotary Blasthole Bits

Nozzle ID Calculations use the following as constants:
Suggested Bit Pressure of 65 psi for Atlas Copco Drills only (pressure at Cab Gauge will be higher).
110 F delivered bit air temperature
70 F air compressor intake temperature
Enter Altitude of Drill Site in Feet: 1000 Meters x 3.28 = Feet
A/T Factor: 1.057
Air Compressor Intake Rating - CFM

Bit Diameter
inches
mms
750
900
1050
1200
1400
1900
2600
3800
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
5 5/8
143
1/2
12
1/2
13
9/16
14
5/8
16
11/16
17
3/4
20
15/16
23
1 1/8
28
5 7/8
149
7/16
12
1/2
13
9/16
14
5/8
15
11/16
17
3/4
20
15/16
23
1 1/8
28
152
7/16
12
1/2
13
9/16
14
5/8
15
5/8
17
3/4
20
15/16
23
1 1/8
28
6 1/4
159
7/16
12
1/2
13
9/16
14
5/8
15
5/8
17
3/4
20
15/16
23
1 1/8
28
6 3/4
171
7/16
11
1/2
13
9/16
14
9/16
15
5/8
16
3/4
19
15/16
23
1 1/8
28
7 3/8
187
7/16
11
1/2
13
9/16
14
9/16
15
5/8
16
3/4
19
7/8
23
1 1/8
28
7 7/8
200
7/16
11
1/2
12
1/2
13
9/16
14
5/8
16
3/4
19
7/8
23
1 1/16
28
8 1/2
216
3/8
7/16
10
1/2
12
1/2
13
9/16
15
11/16
18
7/8
22
1 1/16
27
229
3/8
7/16
10
1/2
12
1/2
13
9/16
15
11/16
18
7/8
22
1 1/16
27
9 7/8
251
1/4
5/16
3/8
10
7/16
12
1/2
13
11/16
17
13/16
21
1 1/16
26
10 5/8
270
1/8
1/4
3/8
7/16
10
1/2
12
5/8
16
13/16
20
26
290 mm
290
1/4
5/16
3/8
10
7/16
12
5/8
16
13/16
20
26
11
279
1/4
5/16
3/8
10
7/16
12
5/8
16
13/16
20
26
12 1/4
311
1/4
5/16
3/8
10
7/16
12
5/8
16
13/16
20
26
13 3/4
349
3/16
5/16
3/8
10
9/16
15
3/4
19
25
15
381
3/16
1/4
3/8
10
9/16
14
3/4
19
25
16
406
3/16
5/16
1/2
13
11/16
18
15/16
24
17 1/2
445
3/16
7/16
12
11/16
17
15/16
23
CO
P
O ly
C
AS s On
L
AT ill
Dr
264
Air practices (other brand drills)
Suggested nozzle sizes
Suggested Nozzle ID Sizes for Secoroc Tricone Rotary Blasthole Bits

Nozzle ID Calculations use the following as constants:
Suggested Bit Pressure of 45 psi for other brand drills only (pressure at Cab Gauge will be higher).
110 F delivered bit air temperature
70 F air compressor intake temperature
Enter Altitude of Drill Site in Feet: 1000 Meters x 3.28 = Feet
A/T Factor: 1.019
Air Compressor Intake Rating - CFM

Bit Diameter
900
inches
1200
mms
inches
1600
inches
mms
mms
5 5/8
143
5 7/8
149
5/8
16
3/4
18
inches
2000
2500
3000
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
13/16
21
3600
3800
inches
mms
inches
mms
inches
mms
152
5/8
16
3/4
18
13/16
21
6 1/4
159
5/8
16
11/16
18
13/16
21
6 3/4
171
5/8
15
11/16
18
13/16
21
7 3/8
187
5/8
15
11/16
18
13/16
21
7 7/8
200
9/16
15
11/16
18
13/16
21
8 1/2
216
9/16
14
5/8
17
3/4
20
229
9/16
14
5/8
17
3/4
20
7/8
23
26
9 7/8
251
1/2
12
5/8
15
3/4
19
7/8
22
25
10 5/8
270
7/16
11
9/16
14
11/16
18
13/16
21
15/16
24
290 mm
290
7/16
10
9/16
14
11/16
18
13/16
21
15/16
24
11
279
7/16
10
9/16
14
11/16
18
13/16
21
15/16
24
12 1/4
311
7/16
10
9/16
14
11/16
18
13/16
21
15/16
24
1 1/16
27
1 3/16
30
31
13 3/4
349
5/16
1/2
13
11/16
17
13/16
20
15/16
23
1 1/16
26
1 3/16
30
31
15
381
5/16
1/2
12
5/8
16
3/4
20
15/16
23
26
1 1/4
29
30
16
406
1/4
7/16
11
5/8
16
3/4
19
7/8
23
26
1 1/4
29
15/16
30
17 1/2
445
1/4
3/8
9/16
14
11/16
18
7/8
22
25
28
15/16
29
nd
a
br nly
er s O
h
Ot rill
D
Air requirements and nozzle selection

In rotary blasthole drilling, there is always a concern
with delivery of air in sufficient volume and at the proper
pressure to assure optimum bit performance when drilling with recommended bit weight and RPM.
Sufficient air volume should be provided to produce an
annular return velocity of 5,000-7,000 ft./min. for light,
dry materials; and 7,000-9,000 ft./min. for materials that
are wet and/or heavy, and when drilling at penetration
rates of 35 m per hour or higher.
To determine volumetric requirements, the simple Flow
equation Q = AV may be used. Since friction losses in the
annulus of relatively shallow holes of blasthole drilling
are negligible, this becomes:
Q=
V
183.35
Air Volume requirements for various hole diameter and drill pipe
combinations - for 5,000 ft. and 7,000 ft. per min. annular velocity
D. hole diameter
(in)
D. pipe O.D. (in)
Q. - 5,000 CuFt/
min free air
Q. - 7,000 CuFt/
min free air
2 7/8
327
458
4 1/2
3 1/2
218
305
116
162
2 7/8
390
546
3 1/2
282
395
178
249
2 7/8
491
687
3 1/2
4
382
280
535
392
2 7/8
637
892
3 /12
530
742
426
596
1,025
4 3/4
5 1/8
5 5/8
(D2 - d2)
6 1/4
The table on this page shows volumetric requirements

in cubic feet of free air per minute necessary to provide
both 5,000 and 7,000 ft. per min. annular velocity for various possible combinations of hole size and drill pipe size.
6 3/4
The equation used is the simple flow equation: Q = AV.

7 3/8
With all constants combined and area expressed as

difference between hole and pipe areas, this equation
becomes: Q = 27.27 (D2- d2).
Q = cubic feet per minute free air necessary to obtain
5,000 feet per minutes annular velocity
7 7/8
d = drill pipe outside diameter, inches

D = hole diameter, inches
Should Q be desired for some annular return velocity

V other than 5,000 feet per minute, the result obtained
above or from the table should be multiplied by the factor: V/5000.
9 7/8
Example: A 9 7/8 hole being drilled with 7 3/4 drill pipe

at a desired annular velocity of 5,000 ft. per minute.
Solution: Q = 27.27 [(9 7/8)2 - (7 3/4)2]
= 27.27 [97.52 - 60.06]
= 1022 cu. ft. per min. (shown in table)
Had 7,000 ft. per min. velocity been desired:
Q = (1022)
V7000
5000
= 1431 cu. ft. per min.
The above equation may also be rewritten to solve for

annular velocity V when available compressor capacity, hole size and pipe size are known.
V (ft./min.) =
266
183.35Q
(D2 - d2)
Tricone bits
11
12 1/4
13 3/4
15
17 1/2
3 1/2
732
4 1/2
513
718
382
535
3 1/2
908
1,271
805
1,127
4 1/2
690
966
560
784
3 1/2
1358
1,900
4 1/2
932
1,305
5 1/2
658
921
3 1/2
1358
1,900
4 1/2
1138
1,503
5 1/2
867
1,214
6 1/2
625
875
6 5/8
493
690
355
497
4 1/2
1665
2,331
5 1/2
1383
1,936
6 5/8
1063
1,488
873
1,222
7 3/4
570
798
1323
1,852
7 3/4
1022
1,431
8 5/8
627
878
450
630
1964
2,749
7 3/4
1662
2,323
8 5/8
9
1272
1090
1,779
1,526
8 5/8
2063
2,888
1882
2,635
10
1365
1,911
10 3/4
941
1,317
3,400
10
2429
10 3/4
2004
2,806
10
3409
4,772
10 3/4
2985
4,179
12
2209
3,093
13
1527
2,138
10
3743
5,240
14
16
3007
1370
4,210
1,918

Nozzle size selection
Nozzles should be selected so that the pressure inside
the bit is 40-45 psi. The cab operating pressure will be
somewhat higher, depending on the type of drill and
CFM of air circulated. Typically, on compressors rated
at 65 psi, pressure inside the bit will be 8-15 psi lower
than what the cab gauge shows. On drills with 80-100 psi
rated compressors, bit pressures can be 25-50 psi lower
than the cab gauge reading.
The proper procedure for determining the correct nozzle
size is as follows:
1. Remove the bit and perform an air test. Record all
pressure readings. Be sure to use at least one orifice
plate in the air test that will give 40-45 psi at the tool.

2. Determine what the cab pressure is when the tool
pressure is 40-45 psi.

3. Re-install the bit with the original nozzles. Run the air
compressor and record the cab air pressure.

4. If you do not get the cab air pressure that you saw
with 40-45 psi tool air pressure during the air test,
continue to install and check different sets of nozzles
in the bit until you do get the cab pressure that cor-
responds to 40-45 psi in the tool.

5. Once you get the same cab air pressure with nozzles
that you got during the air test with 40-45 psi tool
pressure, you have found the correct size nozzles to
use in the bit.
Tricone bits
How to remove and install air blast

nozzles
Nozzle removal
1. Use a screwdriver to pry up the head of the nail
locking the nozzle into place.

2. When the nail head is pried up, grab the nail with
pliers and pull the nail completely out of the bit.

3. Remove the nozzle
Nozzle installation
4. Put the nozzle into the nozzle boss, with the
beveled edge to the inside, the flat end to the outside. Place a nozzle nail into the nozzle hole.

5. With a hammer, pound this nozzle nail down until
the nail head contacts the bit.

6. DO NOT flatten the head of the nozzle nail against
the bit.
The table on the previous page shows approximate bit

air pressure that can be expected with the listed nozzles
and CFM. This can be used as a starting point for determining correct nozzle size.

Procedure for using pressure drop tables
1. Establish maximum operating pressure and air

volume delivered for the air compressor being used.
Consideration should be given to altitude, volumetric
efficiency, ambient temperature and mechanical con dition of the compressor when establishing these val ues if actual volume in not known. NOTE: An air test
is the best way to determine actual delivery of air
volume and pressure.

2. From the table, choose the air volume delivered
column nearest the actual volume established
under item 1.

3. Proceed down the proper air volume delivered
column to the bit size range for the bit being
used.
4. Read the air pressure required for forcing air through
the bit. The pressure required depends on the size of
the air blast nozzles.

5. Select the smallest nozzle diameter available within
the given bit size range that can be used without
exceeding the maximum operating pressure of the
compressor. Note that 10-50 psi should be reserved
for a safety buffer and other pressure losses in the
system depending on drill type and manufacturer.
Example 1
a. Bit size: 7 7/8
b. Air volume delivered: 900 cfm
c. Maximum operating pressure rig: 65 psi
From the table, select 7/16 nozzle (49 psi), this allows
16 psi for safety buffer and system losses.
Bit size range
5 to 6
6 1/4 to 7
3/8
API Pin
size
2 7/8
3 1/2
3 1/2
Air
course
size 3
each
5/16
3/8
1/2
9/16
200
300
400
500
600
10
22
47
62
77
16
35
47
59
10
25
35
45
18
26
34
11
18
24
5/16
42
52
62
3/8
33
43
51
7/16
27
34
41
1/2
23
29
33
9/16
18
23
29
3/8
27
36
45
7/16
21
1/2
7 7/8 to 9
4 1/2
28
35
21
27
9/16
20
5/8
11/16
3/4
3/8
26
36
46
7/16
19
27
35
1/2
21
9/16
9 7/8 to 11
6 5/8
5/8
11/16
3/4
7/8
Example 2
a. Bit size: 9
b. Air volume delivered: 1200 cfm
c. Maximum operating pressure rig: 50 psi
From the table, select 11/16 nozzle (39 psi)
1
7/16
1/2
9/16
Actual air volumes delivered to the bit is a key factor in

preventing early bearing failure and providing proper
cleaning of the tool. Pressure drops listed above are approximate for use as guidelines only. Actual pressures
will depend on bit condition, bearing type, and air piping
conditions.
Please contact your Atlas Copco Secoroc representative
for assistance in determining the best nozzle size for
individual bits and mine site condition.
268
27
20
5/8
12 1/4 to 15
6 5/8
to 7
5/8
11/16
3/4
7/8
1
1 1/8
1 1/4
19
Tricone bits
Nozzle selection
Air pressure drop across Atlas Copco Secoroc blasthole bits with various nozzle size. Air volume delivered - cubic feet per minute
700
800
900
1000
1100
1200
1300
55
65
75
42
50
58
66
74
31
38
44
58
58
72
81
61
69
78
48
57
65
73
79
41
48
54
61
34
41
47
51
55
66
75
83
42
49
55
33
39
45
26
32
21
26
20
1400
1500
73
79
1600
1700
1800
64
71
67
73
79
56
62
67
63
69
75
81
51
59
67
76
84
37
43
49
55
61
67
73
80
31
36
41
47
52
57
62
25
29
34
39
44
50
21
25
29
34
37
41
1900
69
73
79
55
60
65
71
77
47
51
55
60
65
2000
2100
2200
70
75
79
2300
2400
2600
2800
3000
71
54
62
70
77
42
50
58
65
72
79
33
39
45
53
60
66
71
77
26
32
38
43
49
54
59
64
68
73
78
19
25
32
36
41
46
49
53
58
62
66
70
74
78
20
24
29
34
39
43
47
51
54
58
62
66
70
74
78
19
22
26
31
36
40
43
47
50
54
57
61
64
68
71
75
79
20
24
26
30
32
35
38
41
44
46
49
52
55
59
63
69
75
19
21
23
25
28
30
33
35
38
40
42
47
52
57
46
53
58
63
69
75
25
30
35
41
18
23
27
33
38
43
47
52
56
60
65
70
75
19
23
27
31
34
38
42
46
50
55
59
63
67
72
19
22
25
27
31
34
38
42
46
49
53
57
61
64
68
72
20
23
26
29
32
35
39
42
45
48
52
55
58
62
66
70
19
22
25
28
31
34
37
40
42
45
48
51
53
57
61
65
17
19
21
23
25
27
28
30
33
35
37
40
42
44
47
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
33
37
41
17
19
21
25
27
29
31
17
19
23
25
Above pressure drops are for bits without anti-backflow valves. For bits with anti-backflow valves, add 3 psi.

General rock characteristics
From the stone age until the present time, man has
worked to improve his ability to drill holes in rock.The
term rock generally refers to all the material that forms
the essential part of the earths solid crust, and includes
loose, incoherent masses as well as the very firm, hard
and solid masses. Most rocks are aggregates of one or
more minerals and are most readily classed according
to their method of origin, as igneous, sedimentary or
metamorphic.
Tricone bits
periodotitie, are less abrasive, but because of the interlocking nature of the ferro-magnesium minerals, tend
to be tougher rocks to drill in spite of the fact they are
softer and less abrasive.
If silicified, (silica has been introduced into the rock
through alteration processes) igneous rocks of both extrusive and instrusive types can be very difficult to drill. It
is very common for extrusive igneous rocks (volcanics to
be silicified.
Sedimentary rocks
Igneous rocks
Extrusive igneous types: rhyolite, andesite, basalt, dacite,
latite, tuff, agglomerate
Intrusive igneous types: granite, monzonite, granodiorite, diorite, gabbro, peridotite, syenite
Igneous rocks form by solidification from a very hot,
molten mass called magma, either on the earths surface
or below it. Igneous rocks (where they have not been
altered after their formation by weathering or other
chemical action) can be very hard and tough and possess low porosity.
There are two main classes of igneous rocks: extrusive
and intrusive. Extrusive igneous rocks are those
rocks that are expelled onto the surface of the earth by
volcanic activity. Common rocks of this type are basalt,
andesite, rhyolite, and latite. Ash flows from the rock
type called tuff. Agglomerate is a volcanic rock
made up of fragments of other rocks that have been
picked up and transported by molten lava as it flows over
the land surface. Extrusive igneous rocks will generally
have a very fine crystalline structure due to the fact that
they cooled rapidly from the original molten rock.
Intrusive igneous rocks are those rocks that solidify
below the surface of the ground. They will generally
have a coarse crystalline structure. Intrusive rocks that
cooled very slowly will have the largest crystal structure,
while those that cooled more quickly will have a smaller
crystal structure.
Types: conglomerate, sandstone, siltsone, claystone,

mudstone, shale, graywacke, limestone, dolomite, coal,
phosphate rock, iron formation
Sedimentary rocks are formed by an accumulation of
sediments in water or air. These sediments may consist
of rock fragments or particles of various size, shape and
chemical composition to form conglomerate, graywacke,
sandstone, siltstone, shale, claystone and mudstone in
order of decreasing grain size and roughly in order of
decreasing rock hardness.
Coal and lignite are formed by the compaction and
decomposition of plants which accumulated in tropical
swamps. Certain limestones and dolomites are formed
from the underwater accumulation of animal remains
such as coral and shellfish.
Sedimentary rocks also form as the product of chemical action or evaporation. Rocks of this origin include
limestone, dolomite, phosphate rock and a variety of
salts. Chemically deposited limestone and dolomite can
be very tough rocks to drill.
Iron formation is a catch-all term for hard, layered,
tough, brittle, very fine grained iron bearing rocks that
include taconite, banded iron formation and cherty iron
formation. It is of sedimentary origin, occurring throughout the world, and is the source rock for most of the
words iron ore. Iron formations and their altered or enriched equivalents constitute some of the most difficult
of all rocks to drill.
Igneous rocks and their drillabilities

Igneous rocks are usually difficult to drill especially
where they are fresh and unaltered by weathering or
alteration. Low drill bit life and low penetration rates are
the general rule (as compared to most common sedimentary rocks). In general, igneous rocks high in quartz
contents, i.e., the granite-diorite group, are very hard,
brittle and abrasive. Those that contain less quartz and
more ferr-magnesium minerals, i.e., gabbro, basalt or
270
Tricone bits
Metamorphic rocks
Types: slate, quartzite, marble, hornfels, schist, gneiss
Metamorphic rocks are formed by the action of heat,
pressure, and chemical action on pre-existing rocks of
any type. Generally, some change in chemical composition has taken place from the original as a result of the
heat, pressure, and introduced chemical constituents.
Metamorphic rocks can range from very coarse grained
to extremely fine grained, depending on the degree of
metamorphism.
Argillite results from very mild metamorphism of shale,
mudstone or claystone. Slate results from an increased
level of metamorphism on those same rocks. Quartzite can be formed from sandstone, graywacke or arkose. Quartzite is formed when silica is introduced into
sandstone and/or siltstones, and cements the individual
grains together. Marble is derived from limestone or
dolomite, and is a recrystallization of the original structure. Hornfels is a term applied to fine-grained rocks
formed by intense contact metamorphosis (heat, pressure, introduced chemicals) at the borders of igneous
rock masses. Hornfels are massive rocks unlike schist or
gneiss described below.
Schist is a low grade regional metamorphic rock which
has foliated structure and can be split into thin plates.
Some of the original structure of the rock may still be
present. There can be mineral segregation, where some
minerals may occur in bands, where they did not occur
in bands and in the original rock.
Gneiss is a high grade to very high grade regional
metamorphic rock that is generally coarse-grained and
banded, in which the bands alternate between mafic
(iron rich) minerals and felsic (non iron) minerals.
Similar to various igneous rocks in that they are crystalline and have some of the same mineral constituents,
metamorphic rocks are usually difficult to drill. This is
caused not only by the hardness and character of the
various metamorphic minerals, but by the general interlocking character of mineral crystals which produces a
tough rock, difficult to spall.
Rock drilling characteristics General

Each of the many types of igneous, sedimentary and
metamorphic rocks has its own particular drilling characteristics produced by its mineral composition and grain
size. Other factors greatly affecting rock drillability are:
rock joints or fractures, bedding or other types of foliation and alteration, which may be simple surface weathering or very complicated chemical alteration processes
such as those which usually are associated with porphyry

copper ore bodies.
Rock joints occur in virtually every known rock type.
Essentially, it is a plane of weakness along which rock
tends to break. It can be seen in most quarries and
mines. Rock can also be fractured in locations adjacent
to blasted areas in mines and quarries.
Whatever the agency that causes them, fractures in rock
are detrimental to blast hole drilling. They can rob return air from the drill hole, thereby reducing ability of the
return air supply to remove cuttings from the drill hole;
secondly, fractured rock may need to be drilled with less
than optimum down pressure and/or rotation speed in
order to prevent tooth or insert breakage.
Rock drillability can be considerably affected by the
angle at which a drill bit intersects bedding or schistosity
planes. Drilling in directions parallel to bedding/schistosity planes will usually produce a higher drilling rate and
less bit wear than drilling at an angle to bedding/schistosity.
Alteration of rock by surface weathering can be seen in
most mines and quarries. This process can change a very
hard rock such as a granite into a crumbly sandstone. It
is caused largely by the action of oxygen, carried by surface water or ground water, on the component minerals
of rocks and can extend to depths of 100 m plus.
Alteration associated with metallic ore bodies can also
affect rock drillabilities by changing the mineral composition of the rock. In general, chemical alteration produces
a rock which is softer than the original rock.
Rock mechanics data

Rock
Amphibolite
Specific
gravity
Coompressive
strength, UCS
Psi
Mpa
3.07
61,335
Poissons
ration
stress vs.
strain
Tricone bits
Modulus of rigidity
Engineering classification
of intact rock
Youngs modulus of elasticity
Psi
Mpa
Psi
GPA
423
6,641,000
45,800
15,080,000
104.0
Based on UCS
strength
A, very high
Based Youngs
compressibility
1 - low
Andesite
2.81
26,535
183
3.944.000
27,200
9,367,000
64.6
B, high
2 - medium
Argillite
2.81
19,720
136
12,194,500
84.1
B, high
1 - low
Basalt
2.94
44,950
310
4,596,500
31,700
11,295,500
77.9
A, very high
2 - medium
Chert, dolomitic
2.67
29,290
202
3,436,500
23,700
8,149,000
56.2
B, high
2 - medium
Conglomerate
2.67
23,925
165
4,698,000
32,400
11,295,500
77.9
B, high
2 - medium
Diabase
2.94
46,545
321
5,408,500
37,300
13,891,000
95.8
A, very high
1 - low
Diorite
3.01
39,730
274
0.29
6,119,000
42,200
15,515,000
107.0
A, very high
1 - low
Dirorite, augite
2.74
48,285
333
0.25
4,886,500
33,700
12,194,500
84.1
A, very high
1 - low
0.14
Dolotmite
2.60
18,995
131
0.18
2,900,000
20,000
6,902,000
47.6
B, high
2 - medium
Gabbro
3.00
44,805
309
0.33
6,394,500
44,100
17,255,000
119.0
A, very high
1 - low
Granite
2.66
37,700
260
0.2
3,422,000
23,600
8,584,000
59.2
A, very high
2 - medium
Granite, aplitic
2.65
51,185
353
0.26
4,756,000
32,800
11,687,000
80.6
A, very high
2 - medium
Granite, gneissic
2.66
30,305
209
0.02
1,299,200
8,960
2,697,000
18.6
B, high
3 - high
Granite, pre-Cambrian
2.80
0.27
7,583,500
52,300
11,904,500
82.1
2 - medium
Granodiorite
2.74
36,540
252
0.24
4,060,000
28,000
9,947,000
68.6
A, very high
2 - medium
Greenstone
3.02
39,005
269
6,104,500
42,100
15,225,000
105.0
A, very high
1 - low
Hematite ore
5.07
88,015
607
29,000,000
200.0
A, very high
1 - low
Hornfels
3.19
77,285
533
5,930,500
40,900
13,891,000
95.8
A, very high
1 - low
Limestone
2.68
22,330
154
0.28
3,842,500
26,500
9,874,500
68.1
B, high
2 - medium
Limestone, chalky
1.89
4,205
29
0.02
780,100
5,380
1,609,500
11.1
D, low
3 - high
Limestone, dolomitic
2.78
28,710
198
0.29
5,452,000
37,600
14,094,000
97.2
B, high
1 - low
Marble
2.72
23,925
165
0.3
4,393,500
30,300
11,397,000
78.6
B, high
2 - medium
Marble, taconite
2.71
9,005
62
6,945,500
47.9
C, medium
2 - medium
Marlstone
2.31
21,895
151
0.11
1,609,500
11,100
3,610,500
24.9
B, high
3 - high
Meta-rhyolite
2.84
18,125
125
4,582,000
31,600
11,397,000
78.6
B, high
2 - medium
Monzonite, Quartz
2.68
22,475
155
10,498,000
72.4
B, high
2 - medium
Phyllite, green
3.24
18,270
126
4,756,000
32,800
11,092,500
76.5
B, high
2 - medium
0.22
Quartzite
2.65
54,230
374
0.13
4,466,000
30,800
10,150,000
70.0
A, very high
2 - medium
Quartzite, hematitic
4.07
42,485
293
0.2
5,887,000
40,600
14,195,500
97.9
A, very high
1 - low
3 - high
Sandstone
2.34
477
0.1
57,855
0.4
E, very low
Sandstone, argillaceous
2.80
15,225
105
0.05
2,146,000
14,800
4,509,500
31.1
C, medium
3 - high
Sandstone, calcareous
2.60
22,910
158
0.16
3,465,5000
23,900
8,018,500
55.3
B, high
2 - medium
Sandstone, ferriginous
2.60
19,140
132
0.22
2,189,500
15,100
5,553,500
38.3
B, high
3 - high
Sandstone, Navaho, cemented
2.15
12,601
87
-0.09
890,300
6,140
1,508,000
10.4
C, medium
3 - high
Sandstone, Navaho, cemented
2.31
13,094
90
-0.03
1,624,000
11,200
3,146,500
21.7
C, medium
3 - high
Schist, sericite
2.70
23,490
162
3,799,000
26,200
8,700,000
60.0
B, high
2 - medium
Shale
2.81
31,320
216
0.09
3,857,000
26,600
8,439,000
58.2
B, high
2 - medium
Shale, carbonaceous
2.30
16,240
112
949,750
6,550
2,015,500
13.9
B, high
3 - high
Shale, siliceous
2.80
33,495
231
0.12
4,422,500
30,500
9,874,500
68.1
A, very high
2 - medium
Siltstone
2.76
37,120
256
3,668,500
25,300
7,714,000
53.2
A, very high
2 - medium
Skarn, garnet-pyroxene
3.28
18,850
130
5,046,000
34,800
12,499,000
86.2
B, high
1 - low
Syenite
2.82
49,935
303
4,103,500
28,300
10,701,000
73.8
A, very high
2 - medium
Syenite, porphytric
2.70
62,930
434
4,393,500
30,300
10,295,000
71.0
A, very high
2 - medium
2.87
38,570
266
4,016,500
27,700
8,903,000
61.4
A, very high
2 - medium
Tactite, epidote
272
0.11

I. Exercise care in making-up and breaking-out the
drill bit to avoid damaging the bit threads and drill

steel.

A. After the connection is broken, avoid down
pressure on the bit breaker when unscrewing.
Hoist the drill steel high enough for the bit
to drop from the box connection into the bit

breaker.

B. Make sure the deck is clean and the bit breaker
is properly mounted in its holder.

C. Clean the threads on the new bit and on the
drill steel, make sure the mating shoulders are
clean and a quality anti-galling lubricant has

been applied.

D. Stab carefully - avoid excessive pressure on
high angle thread flank. Re-level the machine
if the drill stem box doesnt align with bit pin.

E. Always use low torque and slow RPM when
making up connection. Mating shoulders

should smoothly make up to 1/8 with low
torque.
II. When a new bit is installed, drill at reduced weight

for a short break-in period. Use the 1/3 - 2/3 rules:

1/3 of normal weight and RPM for 1/3

of the first hole

2/3 normal weight and RPM for the next 1/3rd
of the hole.

Normal drilling parameters to finish the hole.

A. After the break-in period, bit cones should
be checked to be sure that all are about the
same temperature. One hot cone generally
indicates that the air passage to that particular
bearing has become obstruction. If one cone
is hot the bit should be inspected before any
damage occurs.

B. Make sure that all assembly grease is blown
out of all three cutters. When the air is turned
on, air should blow out of the back of each
cone.
III. Provide adequate air to the bit to insure trouble

free bearing performance and reduced abrasion

wear on cones and shirttails.

A. The compressed air serves two functions:

Air to the bearings, to cool and clean the
assembly.

Hole cleaning to remove cuttings from the
blasthole.

To insure maximum bearing life, a 40 psi mini mum pressure drop across the bit is desirable.
Tricone bits

B. Hole cleaning is based on feet/minute of up
hole annular velocity.

Air volume should produce a minimum
of 5,000 linear feet per minute annular
return velocity for removal of light cuttings
and 7,000 feet per minute for heavy material.

Low up-hole velocity causes cuttings to fall
back to bottom until they are reground small
enough to be carried out of the hole.

An increase in torque, torque fluctuations,
either hydraulic pressure or amps, or an
increase in air pressure, are all indications
that the hole is not being cleaned.

C. Some indications that the hole is not being
properly cleaned are:

Increase in torque indication through higher
hydraulic pressure or higher amp meter

reading.

Increase in air pressure.

Excess of cuttings in the bottom of the hole
(more than one foot - after completion of
hole and after making a cleaning pass).

Heavy wear and/or damage indications on
shirttails.

D. Some reasons for an increase in air pressure
while drilling:

Fast penetration, not cleaning the holes.

Foreign material in the bit, coming from
inside the air system, or cuttings coming in
through the air nozzles or shirttails.

Air passages to the bearings becoming
plugged with cuttings.
IV. Turn the air on before lowering the bit to collar the

hole. Keep the air on until the bit is finished

drilling and is out of the hole. Always rotate the

bit when moving in or out of the hole.

A. Make sure the cab gage pressure is at its normal
reading and air is circulating through the
bit before starting to drill. Inadequate air to
the bearings is a principal cause of overheating
and early bearing failure.
B. Always rotate when coming out of the hole to:

Help clean cuttings from the hole.

Keep cuttings from entering the bearings
around the back face of the cone.

Eliminate the possibility of clogging and
jamming of the roller stabilizer rollers.
(If used.)

C. Always rotate when going in the hole to:

Decrease the possibility of damaging the bit
or stabilizer on a ledge or other protrusion in
the hole.

D. Never use the hydraulic down pressure on the
bit to aid in levelling the machine.
V. Maintain as high a pressure drop across the bit

as possible when in wet holes, or when water

injection is used.

A. The extra pressure drop helps to keep water
and cuttings from entering the bearings.

B. When adding extra drill steel in wet holes,
always make three or four cleaning passes to
get the bottom of the hole as clean as possible.

C. Never remove any device that the
manufacturer has installed from inside the bit.
VI.

Regularly inspect the bit and feel the cones

to be sure that all are about the same
temperature. One hot cone generally indicates
that the passages to that particular bearing have
become obstructed.

A. When making this inspection rotate the cones
and make sure the bearings are clean and not
locked with cuttings.

B. If the cones do not rotate freely, start the
air compressor and blow the cuttings from the
bearings, then repeat the inspection.

C. Any time the cones cannot be freed, the bit
should be taken off for inspection and cleaned.
VII. Never allow the bit to drop while on the end

of the drill steel, even for distance of a few

inches - dropping the bit can cause cracking of

the welds, and/or indentations in the bearing

races. Results will be premature bearing failure.
VIII. When a partially dull bit sits idle for a shift or

longer, rotate the cones by hand to insure that

they turn freely before drilling.
274
Tricone bits

A. If the bit sits idle for any length of time, in
freezing conditions, and where water
injection is used, water can freeze inside the
bearings and air passages. The air temperature
from compressor will normally melt the ice if
enough time is allowed before starting to drill.

B. The drill steel and bit should be warm before
the water injection is used. This will prevent
the water from freezing to the cold surfaces.

C. A partially dull bit should never be left down
the hole when repairs require lowering the
head assembly to the deck. This bit should be
substituted by a dull bit to protect the drill
steel threads.

D. Procedures for cleaning a bit that has been
taken off the drill and will be reused:

Flush the bearings with water making sure

the water is going though each bearing.
Force air through each bearing.
Oil bearings and submerge in non-detergent oil.
IX. Occasionally check the air pressure with the

bit off to insure that there are no obstructions

in the hole swivel or steel.

A. A pressure reading with the bit off can be
taken at each bit change and recorded on
the drill report. A change from the prior
reading will help determine if a new
obstruction or new leak has developed.

B. At each bit change any foreign material in the
dull but should be noted or investigated.
X. Properly maintain the drill steel and its threaded

connections. A bent steel will often cause early
failure.

A. A bent drill steel will cause excess loading on
one of two cones with resulting bearing
failure on those cones.

B. Wear patterns on one side of the drill steel and
stabilizer are also indications of the problem.
XI. Blasthole bits drill most economically when

sufficient weight is applied to cause spalling of

the formation.

A. When spalling occurs the cuttings are large
and the penetration rate is improved.

B. If a sufficient amount of weight is not applied,
the cutting structure will tend to skid along
the bottom causing early wear, thus reducing
penetration rate and shortening bit life.

C. If too much weight is used for the formation,
the cutting structure can be buried to full
depth, trapping cuttings beneath the bit. This
will cause erosion of the cone metal, prevent
the formation from chipping, and reduce the
penetration rate. If cuttings are forced into the
cone, bearings can lock up. Heavy weights will
also reduce hours of bearing life.
Tricone bits
XII. Selecting correct rotary speed is usually a matter

of trial and error, depending upon the formation

being drilled.

A. Slower RPMs will reduce the penetration rates
and generally increase bit life.

B. Faster RPMs increase the penetration rates
and if excessive RPMs are used, it tends to
shorten bit life.

C. Increased penetration rate is usually the result
of better spalling of large cuttings.
DTH HAMMER SPECIFICATIONS
Industry overview
The quarry and mining operations typically have high
equipment utilization, drilling 60%, even up to 80%, of
the working day. Companies drilling small to medium
blast holes between 85 to 152 mm (3 38" to 6") find that
performance and service life are critical.
For those operations drilling large blast holes (greater
than 152 mm), performance, reliability, fuel efficiency,
servicelife and support are critical. This is often the ideal
application for considering premium DTH (Down-TheHole) hammers with faster drill rates resulting in less
time in the hole. This not only reduces labor costs, but
lowers wear and tear on expensive drills. For surface
mining, pre-splitting is often carried out to improve slope
stability. The pre-splitting holes are often 115-140 mm
(4 " - 5 ") and can be made before the drilling of the
production holes.
Selecting the right hammer
The optimum range of hole size for blast hole drilling
with DTH is 90 mm to 254 mm (3 "10"). Smaller blast
holes are generally drilled using tophammer, and larger
holes generally use rotary machines.
In other applications, like foundation drilling, DTH hammers can be used with single bit in hole sizes up to 914
mm (36"). With multiple hammer units CD (Cluster Drills)
drill holes up to 70" or 1778 mm as standard. Larger
cluster drills can be delivered as per customer request.
As a rule of thumb, the smallest hole diameter a DTH
hammer can drill is its nominal size. A 4 inch hammer
276
will drill a 4 inch (102 mm) hole. The limiting factor is the
outside diameter of the hammer, because, as hole diameter reduces, airflow 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 evacuate the hole.
Secoroc hammers are purpose-matched for all rock types
and applications. Where high performance is the main
criterion, Secoroc COP Gold hammers are recommended
in blast hole drilling and Secoroc QLX hammers in deep
hole drilling applications. The QLX 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 QL hammers are known for their reliability and
longevity. They are practically bullet proof, making them
useful for production drilling in quarries, shallow water
well drilling, and underground blasthole drilling.
QM is similar to Standard, but with heavy duty chuck and
wear sleeve, and a back head fitted with tungsten carbide
buttons for wear protection in harsh and abrasive conditions. These also protect the back head from excessive
wear when rotating out of the hole through broken rock.
Economy kits
In hard and abrasive drilling condition the external parts
of DTH hammer is wearing out before the internal parts
reaches their fatigue limits. In these conditions the E-kit
can serve as a tool to reduce the total drilling cost. With
the E-kit the hammer can be rebuilt and the internal part
re-used for another run. The cost saving can be substantial as the cost for an E-kit is only 50% of a new hammer.
An E-kit contains all the needed parts for a rebuild and
will ease the logistic constrains as all needed parts can
be ordered under one product number.
A rule of thumb for use of E-kits

Rock formation
Hammer life Action
Highly abrasive < 5000 m
Use E-kit to rebuild the hammer

1-2 times
Medium abrasive
5-10 000 m
Consider E-kit to rebuild the

hammer 1 time
None abrasive
>10 000 m
Rebuilding not recommended,

risk that internal parts might fail
before E-kit worn out
Breakout bench
Reverse circulation
The threaded connections of the driver chuck and back

head may become very tightly tensioned during drilling. It is convenient to break the hammer threads on the
rig, but if the threads cannot be loosened or tend to get
stuck, a breakout bench is the solution.
Atlas Copco Secoroc's reverse circulation hammers are

specifically designed for all kind of exploration drilling
(deep hole and pit grade control applications).
This handy but powerful breakout bench can easily be

placed in a workshop or container and it breaks DTH
hammers between 3" and 8". Select right breakout bench
depending on voltage and power source.
Whether you are exploring potential sites or working an

existing mine, the Secoroc RC hammer will assure of
high performance, exceptional reliability and dependable
support.
Technical specifications
Model
COP 44 Gold
COP 54 Gold
COP 54 Gold QM
COP 64 Gold
COP 64 Gold QM
QLX 35
Bit shank style
TD 40
QL 50
QL 50
QL 60
QL 60
DHD 3.5
Product code
9704-03-34
9705-05-34
9705-05-36
9706-05-34
9706-05-36
9703-03-68-00
89001469
89001243
89001255
89000959
89000960
Product number
General specifications
English
Connection thread
API 2 3/8" Reg Pin
Outside diameter (in/mm)
Metric
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
89001572
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
API 2 3/8" Reg Pin
3.9
100
4.7
120
4.9
126
5.6
142
5.8
146
3.1
79
Length w/o bit shoulder to shoulder (in/mm)
40.8
1 037.5
51.5
1 194.2
51.5
1 194.2
49.5
1 258
49.5
1 258
31.4
799
Weight w/o bit (lb/kg)
89.3
40.5
145.0
65.7
167.0
75.6
211.0
96.0
240.0
109.0
65.0
29.5
Backhead across flats (in/mm)
2.6
65
3.7
95
3.7
95
102
102
2.5
63.5
Min bit size (in/mm)
4.3
110
5.3
134
5.5
140
6.1
156
6.5
3.5
90
Max bit size (in/mm)
5.1
130
152
152
178
178
4.1
105
Bore (in/mm)
3.2
82
3.9
100
3.9
100
4.7
120
4.7
120
2.52
64
17.4
7.9
33.0
15.0
33.0
15.0
45.0
20.5
45.0
20.5
12.0
5.5
Stroke (in/mm)
4.5
115
4.5
115
4.5
115
4.5
115
4.5
115
101.6
Max pressure differential (psi/bar)
508
35
435
30
435
30
435
30
435
30
435
30
Make-up torque (ft-lbf/Nm)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
3 000
4 067
Piston weight (lb/kg)
Air consumption / Bpm

*Estimated values 400-508 psi (27.6-35 bar)
150 psi / 10.3 bar (scfm / l/s)
150 psi (bpm)
200 psi / 13.8 bar (scfm / l/s)
200 psi (bpm)
250 psi / 17.2 bar (scfm / l/s)
250 psi (bpm)
300 psi / 20.7 bar (scfm / l/s)
300 psi (bpm)
350 psi / 24.1 bar (scfm / l/s)
350 psi (bpm)
400 psi / 27.6 bar (scfm / l/s)*
400 psi (bpm)
435 psi / 30 bar (scfm / l/s)*
435 psi (bpm)*
508 psi (bpm)*
215
101
311
147
311
147
334
158
334
158
219
103
1 540
1 540
1 389
1 389
1 389
1 389
1 303
1 303
1 303
1 303
1 509
1 509
321
151
425
201
425
201
509
240
509
240
288
136
1 677
1 677
1 497
1 497
1 497
1 497
1 447
1 447
1 447
1 447
1 699
1 699
427
201
557
263
557
263
688
325
688
325
348
164
1 842
1 842
1 614
1 614
1 614
1 614
1 548
1 548
1 548
1 548
1 858
1 858
533
251
719
339
719
339
862
407
862
407
400
189
1 973
1 973
1 750
1 750
1 750
1 750
1 691
1 691
1 691
1 691
1 987
1 987
639
302
891
421
891
421
1 072
506
1 072
506
444
210
2 095
2 095
1 886
1 886
1 886
1 886
1 817
1 817
1 817
1 817
2 087
2 087
745
352
1 009
476
1 009
476
1 326
626
1 326
626
645
275
2 218
2 218
2 022
2 022
2 022
2 022
1 962
1 962
1 962
1 962
2 293
2 293
819
387
1 081
510
1 081
510
1 504
710
1 504
710
847
340
2 303
2 303
2 118
2 118
2 118
2 118
2 063
2 063
2 063
2 063
2 500
2 500
6-19
1 300-4 120
6-19
1 600-4 400
7-20
1 600-4 400
7-20
1 500-2 000
957
452
2 462
2 462
Operational specifications
Feed Force (lb / kN)
Rotation (rpm)
278
1 100-3 300
25-100
5-15
1 300-4 120
20-70
20-70
15-60
15-60
9-7
70-100
Some nice picture of

Quantum leap hammers to put here
Technical specifications
Model
QLX 50
QLX 55
QLX 60
QLX 65
RC 50
Bit shank style
QL 50
QL 50
QL 60
QL 60
RC 50
Product code
9705-05-68-00
9705-05-68-14
9706-05-68-00
9706-05-68-14
9705-52-67-00
89010092
89010093
52352465
52352473
Product number
General specifications
Connection thread
Outside diameter (in/mm)
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
52292273
Metric
API 3 1/2" Reg Pin
English
Metric
4 1/2" Remet BOX
4.8
121.9
5.08
129.0
5.6
142.2
5.88
149.4
5.13
130
Length w/o bit shoulder to shoulder (in/mm)
41.76
1 060.7
41.76
1 060.7
41.67
1 090.7
41.67
190.7
45.4
1 152
Weight w/o bit (lb/kg)
153.0
69.5
178.0
80.9
205.0
93.2
235.0
106.8
72
158
Backhead across flats (in/mm)
3.7/4
95/102
3.7/4
95/102
101.6
102.6
102
Min bit size (in/mm)
5.25
133
5.5
140
6.13
155.5
6.5
165.1
538
136
Max bit size (in/mm)
152
152
8.5
215.9
8.5
215.9
6*
165*
Bore (in/mm)
3.95
100.25
3.95
100.25
4.75
120.65
4.75
120.7
4.48
113.7
Piston weight (lb/kg)
33.0
15.0
33.0
15.0
47.0
21.4
47.0
21.4
38
17
Stroke (in/mm)
3.75
95.3
3.75
95.3
3.75
95.3
3.75
95.3
2.5
64
Max pressure differential (psi/bar)
500
34.5
500
34.5
500
34.5
500
34.5
500
35
5 000
6 770
5 000
6 770
6 000
8 100
6 000
8 100
5 000
6 800
Make-up torque (ft-lbf/Nm)
* For setting casing
Air consumption / Bpm

*Estimated values 400-508 psi (27.6-35 bar)
150 psi / 10.3 bar (scfm / l/s)
150 psi (bpm)
200 psi / 13.8 bar (scfm / l/s)
200 psi (bpm)
250 psi / 17.2 bar (scfm / l/s)
250 psi (bpm)
300 psi / 20.7 bar (scfm / l/s)
300 psi (bpm)
350 psi / 24.1 bar (scfm / l/s)
350 psi (bpm)
257
121
257
121
360
170
360
170
N/A
N/A
1 426
1 426
1 426
1 426
1 500
1 500
1 500
1 500
N/A
N/A
374
177
374
177
502
237
502
237
466
220
1 547
1 547
1 547
1 547
1 616
1 616
1 616
1 616
1 744
1 744
508
240
508
240
655
309
655
309
N/A
N/A
1 668
1 668
1 668
1 668
1 732
1 732
1 732
1 732
N/A
N/A
657
310
657
310
818
386
818
386
648
306
1 788
1 788
1 788
1 788
1 847
1 847
1 847
1 847
2 026
2 026
822
388
822
388
993
469
993
469
792
374
1 909
1 909
1 909
1 909
1 963
1 963
1 963
1 963
2 238
2 238
400 psi / 27.6 bar (scfm / l/s)*

400 psi (bpm)
951
449
2 340
2 340

435 psi (bpm)*
508 psi (bpm)*
Operational specifications
Feed Force (lb / kN)
Rotation (rpm)
1 500-2 000
50-80
9-7
1 500-2 000
50-80
9-7
2 000-3 000
30-60
9-13.3
2 000-3 000
9-13.3
30-60
secoroc grinding
The right tools to get you back on the cutting edge
Every regrinding operation requires its own special tool. The wrong one can easily damage your bits.
With Secoroc grinding equipment complemented by a global service organization you neednt worry.
Your bits will soon be as good as new.
A machine for every occasion

Button
bits
Grinding machine
Secoroc BQ3
Secoroc Jazz
Secoroc Manual B
Secoroc HG
DTH/COPROD
bits
Reaming
bits
Integrals
Secoroc BQ3-DTH
Secoroc Manual B-DTH*
Secoroc Swing
Secoroc Senior
Recommended
280
Can be used
* Can be used for ODEX pilot bits and reaming bits.
A useful tip: use a Secoroc grinding

template, and youll see when its
time for a regrind.
secoroc grinding
Grinding
Secoroc BQ3
Secoroc BQ3-DTH
Secoroc Jazz
Semi-automatic grinding machine for

button bits.
Semi-automatic grinding machine for

DTH- and COPROD bits.
Rig-mounted, semi-automatic grinding

machine for tapered, threaded, DTH- and
COPROD bits.
Electrical specifications
400 V 3-phase 50 Hz
230 V 3-phase 50 Hz
400 V 3-phase 60 Hz
230 V 3-phase 60 Hz
440 V 3-phase 50 Hz
400 V 3-phase 50 Hz
230 V 3-phase 50 Hz
400 V 3-phase 60 Hz
230 V 3-phase 60 Hz
440 V 3-phase 50 Hz
Secoroc Jazz, standard

incl. main bit holder for threaded bits
Grinding capacity
Maximum height of drill bit
Maximum bit skirt diameter
Minimum distance
between buttons
Prod No.
87004800
87004801
87004803
87004805
87004806
200 mm (7 78")
127 mm (5")
120 mm (4.75")
3.5 mm (964")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air pressure, min.
5.5 bar (80 psi)
Air consumption
40 l/min
Capacity of cooling-fluid tank
22 l
1.50 kW
Output, driving plate motor
0.37 kW
Output, coolant pump motor
0.44 kW
Speed, spindle
14 900 r/min
Speed, table (50 Hz)
62 r/min
74 r/min
Voltage working lighting
24 V
Weight, excluding packaging
222 kg (490 Ib)
Transport dimension L 1 730 x W 1 030 x H 1 160 mm

(68.11" x 40.55" x 43.94")
Accessories included in delivery
Allen key, 4 mm (1 piece)
Centring cup, 11 mm
Centring device (1 piece)
Coolant concentrate, 0.5 l
Extractor
Filter key
Grinding wheel, uncoated for centering
Protective goggles
Operators instructions and spare parts list
Note:
Secoroc BQ3 must be completed with grinding
wheels, centring cups, bitholders (indicate button
size and thread dimension) and indexing templates.
Prod. No.
87004900
87004901
87004903
87004905
87004906
Grinding capacity
650 mm (2'1 58")
178 mm (7")
3.5 mm (964")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air pressure, min.
5.5 bar (80 psi)
Air consumption
40 l/min
Capacity of cooling-fluid tank
22 l
3.00 kW
Output, table drive motor
0.25 kW
Output, coolant pump motor
0.44 kW
Speed, spindle
14 900 r/min
22 r/min
26 r/min
Voltage working lighting
24 V
345 kg (760 lb)
Transport dimension L 1 200 x W 1 200x H 1 700 mm

(47.24" x 47.24" x 66.93")
Allen key, 4mm (1 piece)
Coolant concentrate, 0.5 l
Extractor
Protective goggles
Optional accessories
- Auxiliary set for grinding
threaded bits (excl.
bitholder and templates)
Prod. No.
87003939
NOTE:
Secoroc BQ3-DTH must be completed with
grinding wheels, centring cups and bitholders
(indicate button size, bit diameter and type of
hammer).
Prod. No.
87004100
Secoroc Jazz, DTH

Prod. No.
incl. main bit holder for DTH/COPROD bits 87004300
Grinding capacity
Maximum distance between bit holder
and grinding wheel
250 mm (9 78")
254 mm (10")
Minimum diameter of drill bit
35 mm (1 38")
3.5 mm (964")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air pressure, min.
6 bar (87 psi)
Air consumption
25 l/s
Coolant container
3l
1.00 kW
Speed, spindle
15 000 r/min
Voltage
24 V
90 kg (198 lb)
Transport dimension
L 800 x W 500 x H 700 mm
(2'7 " x 1'7 58" x 2'3 ")

Box wrench, 11 mm
Box wrench, 16 mm
Grinding gauge
Protective goggles
Operator's instructions and spare parts list
- Anti-freeze kit
- Main bit holder for DTH/ COPROD bits
- Main bit holder for threaded bits
- Mounting bracket for Atlas Copco drill rig
- with cabin
- without cabin
- 3-leg stand
- Centring tool
Prod. No.
87004315
87004268
87004214
87004628
87004456
87004450
87004465
NOTE:
Secoroc Jazz must be completed with grinding
wheels, centring cups, bitholders and indexing
templates.
281
secoroc grinding
Grinding
Secoroc Manual B
Secoroc Manual B-DTH
Secoroc HG
Hand-held portable grinding machine

for button bits.
Hand-held portable grinding machine for

DTH- and COPROD bits.
Hand-held grinding machine for button

bits.
Secoroc Manual B


Secoroc HG

Grinding capacity
Maximum diameter of bit skirt
Threaded bits, maximum diameter
Retrac, maximum diameter
Tube drilling, maximum diameter
* Large clamping device necessary
Prod. No.
87001890
90 mm (3 916")
127 mm (5")
*127 mm (5")
*152 mm (6")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air consumption
15 l/s
Coolant container
10 l
Idling speed of hand-held grinder
30 000 r/min
Speed of bit rotation
0-45 r/min
55 kg (121.3 Ib)
Weight, including packaging
90 kg (198.4 Ib)
Transport dimension
L 1 200 x W 800 x H 850 mm

(3'11 210" x 2'7 510" x 2'9 510")
Allen key, 4 mm
Centring fingers (4 pcs)
Grinding templates, spherical and ballistic
Hand-held grinder, 30 000 r/min
Open end spanner, 14 mm (2 pcs)
Protective goggles
- Vibration absorbing sleeve to fit the
hand-held grinder
- Set of 5 centring fingers
Prod. No.
87001931
87001935
NOTE:
Secoroc Manual B must be completed with
grinding wheels and bitholders.
282
Grinding capacity
Maximum diameter of bit shank
Prod. No.
87002300
506 mm (1'7 78")
203 mm (8")
170 mm (6 ")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air consumption
15 l/s
Coolant container
10 l
Idling speed of hand-held grinder
30 000 r/min
Speed of bit rotation
0-45 r/min
110 kg (253 lb)
Weight, including packaging
148 kg (326 lb)
Transport dimension
L 1 200 x W 800 x H 940 mm
(3'11 210"x 2'7 510" x 3'1 010")
Allen key, 5 mm
Allen key, 6 mm
Centring fingers (4 pcs)
Hand-held grinder (spherical, 30 000 r/min)
Open end spanner, 14 mm (2 pcs)
Protective goggles
Prod. No.
- Centring fingers (set of 5 pcs), 30 000 r/min 87001935
- Clamping device for threaded bits
87002401
NOTE:
Secoroc Manual B-DTH must be completed with
grinding wheels and bitholders.
Grinding capacity
Button size
Prod. No.
87002435
7-20 mm
(932"-2532")
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air consumption, unloaded
50 l/s
Air consumption, loaded (at 6 bar, 86 psi)
42 l/s
Hose dimension, air
12.5 mm (")
Hose dimension, water
6.3 mm (")
Idling speed
17 000 r/min
Water flushing pressure, max.
4.5 bar (65.3 psi)
Weight, excluding hoses
2.8 kg (6.2 Ib)
Adjustable angle connector
Allen key, 2 mm
Allen key, 3 mm
Allen key, 5 mm
Claw coupling (6.3 mm)
Grease gun
Hose (PVC 03)
Hose (PVC 6; L = 0.1 m)
Hose clamp (78.5 mm)
Hose clamp (1113 mm)
Hose clamp (2638 mm)
Nipple
Pipe (L = 0.3 m)
Seal kit
Seat
Support ring
- Lubricator
- Reconditioning tool for grinding cups
Prod. No.
87002750
87002810
secoroc grinding
Grinding
Secoroc Swing
Secoroc Senior
Grinding machine for integrals.
Grinding machine for integrals.
Secoroc Swing

Prod. No.
87002482
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Air consumption (at 6 bar, 86 psi)
25 l/s
Cutting-edge angle
110
Cutting-edge radius
80 mm (3 532")
Gauge grinding arrangement included
Hose connections:
- Air
12.5 mm (")
- Water
6.3 mm (")
Idling speed
4 080 r/min
Power output
1,10 kW
Size of grinding wheel
- D x T x H
125 x 63 x 32 mm (47/8" x 215/32" x 1")
- DI x TI
80 x 50 mm (3 5/32" x 2")
Spindle diameter
16 mm (5/8")
Weight incl. grinding wheel and
1.5 m water hose
27.5 kg (61 lb)
Grinding template
Grinding wheel, soft
Pin wrench
Protective goggles
- Grinding wheel, hard
- Grinding wheel, soft
- Chuck bushing wear gauge
H19 (0,75")
H22 (0,85")
H25 (1")
Prod. No.
87002589
87002811
90002667
90002668
90002669
220 V 3-phase 50 Hz
220 V 3-phase 60 Hz
380 V 3-phase 50 Hz
380 V 3-phase 60 Hz
415 V 3-phase 50 HZ
415 V 3-phase 60 Hz
440 V 3-phase 60 Hz
Prod. No.
87002485
87002493
87135402
87002494
87002488
87002495
87002496
Technical data
Air pressure, max.
7 bar (101.5 psi)
Cutting-edge angle, adjustable
90-130
Grinding wheel
-DxTxH
200 x 102 x 32 mm (7 78" x 4" x 1 )
- DI x TI
150 x 80 mm (5 78" x 3 532")
- Cutting-edge radius, adjustable 80-130 mm (3 532"-5 18")
Idling speed, electric 50 Hz
2 840 r/min
Idling speed, electric 60 Hz
1 690 r/min
Output 3-phase
1.50 kW
Rod hex. max.
25 mm (1")
Weight excluding packaging
105 kg (232 lb)
Weight including packaging
120 kg (265 lb)
Transport dimension
L 800 x W 600 x H 650 mm

(2'7 " x 1'11 58" x 2'1 58")
Secoroc Swing.

Grease gun
Grinding template
Grinding wheel, hard
Protective goggles
Socket wrench
Wrench
- Grinding wheel, hard
- Grinding wheel, soft
- Spacer plate for H19 integral
- Chuck bushing wear guage
H19 (0.75")
H22 (0.85")
H25 (1")
Prod. No.
87002591
87002813
87000519
90002667
90002668
90002669
Secoroc integral equipment.
283
secoroc grinding
Profiled diamond grinding wheels for button bits

Secoroc BQ3/BQ3-DTH
Secoroc Jazz/Jazz-DTH
Secoroc Manual B/Manual B-DTH
Grinding wheel for

spherical buttons
Dimension,
mm
Product No.
Grinding wheel for

ballistic buttons
Product code
Spherical
Grinding wheel for

full-ballistic buttons
Dimension,
mm
Product No.
Product code
Dimension,
mm
Product No.
Product code
19
87003966
9500-3966
18
87003965
9500-3965
19
87003967
9500-3967
87001028
9500-1028
Ballistic
87001026
9500-1026
87003407
9500-3407
Full-ballistic
87001389
9500-1389
87003408
9500-3408
87004720
9500-4720
10
87001023
9500-1023
87003409
9500-3409
87004721
9500-4721
11
87003406
9500-3406
10
87003410
9500-3410
87004722
9500-4722
12
87001024
9500-1024
11
87003411
9500-3411
10
87004723
9500-4723
13
87001339
9500-1339
12
87003412
9500-3412
10,95
87004724
9500-4724
14
87001025
9500-1025
13
87003413
9500-3413
12,7
87004725
9500-4725
14,5
87004708
9500-4707
14
87003414
9500-3414
14,5
87004726
9500-4726
15
87001384
9500-1384
14,5
87004717
9500-4717
15,83
87004727
9500-4727
16
87001027
9500-1027
15
87003415
9500-3415
18
87003964
9500-3964
16
87003416
9500-3416
Centering cups*
Grinding wheels
for steel grinding
Dimension
Product
No.
Product
code
Button
size
Product No.
Product
code
Button
size
Product No.
Product
code
1014 mm
87001530
9500-1530
7,0 mm
87001040
9500-1040
13,0 mm
87001385
9500-1385
Spacer for 10 mm button
87001631
9500-1631
8,0 mm
87000842
9500-0842
14,0 mm
87001043
9500-1043
87001632
9500-1632
9,0 mm
87001047
9500-1047
14,5 mm
87001443
9500-1443
87001633
9500-1633
10,0 mm
87001041
9500-1041
15,0 mm
87001386
9500-1386
87001634
9500-1634
11,0 mm
87000840
9500-0840
16,0 mm
87001387
9500-1387
87001635
9500-1635
12,0 mm
87001042
9500-1042
18,0 mm
87003943
9500-3943
12,7 mm
87000839
9500-0839
19,0 mm
87003944
9500-3944
* NOT needed for Manual B/Manual B-DTH
284
secoroc grinding
Bitholders for button bits

Secoroc BQ3/Jazz
Secoroc BQ3-DTH/Jazz-DTH
Type
Secoroc BQ3/Jazz Threaded bits*

R25
R28
SR28
R32
SR32
SR35
TC35
R38
T38
SR38
SR38 retrac, guide
TC42
T45
TC45
T51 and retrac
T60
Secoroc Manual B/Manual B-DTH
Product No.
Product
code
87003475
87003476
87003960
87003477
87003962
87003956
87005007
87005005
87005006
87003978
87004081
87004641
87003479
87004569
87003521
87004562
9500-3475
9500-3476
9500-3960
9500-3477
9500-3962
9500-3956
9500-4685
9500-4686
9500-4687
9500-3978
9500-4081
9500-4641
9500-3479
9500-4569
9500-3521
9500-4562
Product No.
Product
code
R25
87000792
9500-0792
R28
87000793
9500-0793
SR28
87003961
9500-3961
R32
87000794
9500-0794
R32
87001848
9500-1848
SR32
87003963
9500-3963
R35
87003360
9500-3360
SR35
87003957
9500-3957
R38/T38
87000795
9500-0795
SR38
87003979
9500-3979
T45
87000796
9500-0796
T51
87000802
9500-0802
7 taper
87001044
9500-1044
12 taper
87001045
9500-1045
ST58
87001726
9500-1726
ST68
87001573
9500-1573
64, 76, 89 mm
87000798
9500-0798
89, 102, 127 mm
87000799
9500-0799
Type
Secoroc Manual B Threaded bits
Secoroc BQ3/Jazz Tube bits*

ST58
ST68
87003522
87003523
9500-3522
9500-3523
Secoroc BQ3/Jazz Tapered bits*

7 taper
12 taper
87003524
87003525
9500-3524
9500-3525
Secoroc BQ3/Jazz Reaming bits*

64, 76 and 89 mm
89,102 and 127 mm
87003526
87003527
9500-3526
9500-3527
Secoroc BQ3/Jazz Guide bits*

R32
SR35
87003992
87004056
9500-3992
9500-4056
Secoroc Manual B Tapered bits
Secoroc Manual B Tube bits
Secoroc Manual B Reaming bits
Secoroc BQ3-DTH/Jazz-DTH/Manual B-DTH

DTH and Coprod bits
COP 32
87002420
9500-2420
COP 34
87003691
9500-3691
DHD 3.5
87004514
9500-4514
DHD 340, TD 35
87002391
9500-2391
DHD 350
87002390
9500-2390
DHD 360
87002389
9500-2389
DHD 380
87004523
9500-4523
TD 40
87004604
9500-4604
QL 40, TD 50
87004515
9500-4515
QL 50, TD 60
87004033
9500-4033
QL 60, TD 80
87004002
9500-4002
QL 80
87004516
9500-4516
TD 90
87004517
9500-4517
RC 50
87004605
9500-4605
COPROD 76
87004414
9500-4414
COPROD 89
87003155
9500-3155
COPROD 102
87004415
9500-4415
COPROD 127
87002396
9500-2396
* To be able to grind tophammer bits on Secoroc BQ3-DTH, the clamping

device with Product No. 87003939 / Product code 9500-3939 must be used.
Bitholder type A
Bitholder type C
Bitholder type B
285
secoroc grinding
Diamond grinding cups

Secoroc HG
For sperical buttons
For ballistic buttons
For steel removal around buttons
286
Dimension, mm
Product No.
Product code
7,0
87002566
9500-2566
8,0
87002567
9500-2567
9,0
87002568
9500-2568
10,0
87002569
9500-2569
11,0
87002570
9500-2570
12,0
87002571
9500-2571
13,0
87002572
9500-2572
14,0
87002573
9500-2573
15,0
87002574
9500-2574
16,0
87002575
9500-2575
18,0
87002576
9500-2576
19,0
87004558
9500-4558
20,0
87002577
9500-2577
7,0
87002579
9500-2579
8,0
87002580
9500-2580
9,0
87002581
9500-2581
10,0
87002582
9500-2582
11,0
87002583
9500-2583
12,0
87002584
9500-2584
13,0
87002585
9500-2585
14,0
87002586
9500-2586
15,0
87002587
9500-2587
16,0
87002588
9500-2588
78
87002700
9500-2700
910
87002701
9500-2701
1112
87002702
9500-2702
1314
87002703
9500-2703
1516
87002704
9500-2704
1718
87002840
9500-2840
1920
87002841
9500-2841
secoroc grinding
Ceramic grinding wheelss

Cross-type bits, X-type bits and chisel bits
Grinding machine
Bit size,
mm
Grind Matic X
Sandvik RG 300
Sandvik RG 320
Sandvik RG 340
Sandvik RG 360
Bit
angle
Wheel
angle
Dimension
(DTH), mm
Dimension
(DITI), mm
Product No.
Product
code
35
90
132
300 x 23 x 32
87002594
9555
3841
90
132
300 x 26 x 32
87002595
9556
9558
45
90
132
300 x 29 x 32
87002597
4851
90
132
300 x 32 x 32
87002616
9577
76
90
132
300 x 52 x 32
87002603
9564
76
75
126
300 x 42 x 32
87002608
9569
76
105
139
300 x 58 x 32
87002609
9570
Secoroc Swing
Sandvik RG 100
Secoroc Senior
Grind Matic Junior
125 x 63 x 32
80 x 50, hard
87002589
9550
125 x 63 x 32
80 x 50, soft
87002811
9500-2811
125 x 63 x 32
80 x 50,
hard endurance
87004700
9500-4700
125 x 63 x 32
80 x 50,
soft endurance
87004701
9500-4701
200 x 102 x 32
150 x 80, hard
87002591
9552
200 x 102 x 32
150 x 80, soft
87002813
9500-2813
150 x 83 x 32
100 x 64, hard
87002590
9551
150 x 83 x 32
100 x 64, soft
87002512
9500-2812
Grinding templates
Integral rods and bits
10
10
15
3/4" 1/2" 1/4"
5
10
15
1/4"
1/2"
3/4"
Min.
0,5
3/4"
Grinding template
1"
,5
1/2"
For integral rods
1 1/2"
Regrind when flat

is 173 of button dia.
14
1/4"
3/32"
1/8"
3 mm
2,4 mm
r= 80 mm 3,5/32"
,95
10
10
20
12,7
30
Skivvinkel
Wheel
110
110
40
D/3
For button bits
For cross-type bits
Dimension, mm
Product No.
Product code
90002610
9101
Button bits, spherical
7 - 14,5
90002944
9104
Button bits, ballistic
7 - 14,5
90503414
9105
Button bits, spherical
10,95 - 19,1
90510753
9129
Button bits, ballistic
10,95 - 19,1
90510758
9130
90002611
9102
Integral rods
Cross-type bits
287
DrillCare
Parts and Services

Wherever you are in the world, as an Atlas Copco customer your service experience will always be the same. Its all
about our commitment, our service promise, our capability and our quality. Furthermore, we aim to increase your
productivity. This is the difference that is Atlas Copco Parts and Services. Its not just about our promises, its
about delivery.
Extended warranty
Peace of mind for three years with no small print. Let us protect your investment.
Features Benefits
Three years, unlimited operating hours
Focus on your production
Follow Atlas Copco maintenance schedule
Preventive maintenance
Atlas Copco genuine parts and selected oils and lubricants
Meet warranty conditions
Planned audits
Assures rig reliability
Service agreements
Best-in-class maintenance to ensure reliability and highest availability of your drilling equipment.
Features Benefits
Total maintenance
Minimize unplanned repairs
Preventive maintenance
Lowest operating cost
Fixed-price repair
Extended warranty period
Parts-only plans
Genuine Atlas Copco parts and selected lubricants
Preventive and corrective maintenance kits

Atlas Copco genuine parts are manufactured to the same exacting quality standards as your drill rig.
Features Benefits
Guaranteed performance
Warranted between scheduled services
Quality inspected and tested
Ensured reliability and highest availability
Available through our state-of-the-art distribution system
Quick, accurate order fulfillment
Atlas Copco Fluids

Atlas Copco Fluids are produced to the exacting specifications required to meet the demands of your
drilling application.
Features Benefits
Designed for the toughest environment
Protect your investment
Performance tested
Optimize service life
Ensure extended warranty
Save money, minimize breakdowns
288
DrillCare
Fluid Management
Safer, cleaner reliability.
Features Benefits
Hydraulic hose first aid kit
Limit downtime
Hydraulic filter cart
Maintain clean, efficient systems
Atlas Copco premium air hose
Safety and reliability
International expertise
Superior productivity
Hydraulic hose first aid kit

Each kit provides an immediate replacement for every hydraulic hose on your drill rig.
Features Benefits
Drill rig specific hoses and adaptors
Fastest possible fix
Complete instructions and accessories
First time fix at the jobsite
Environmenatally friendly
Spillage control
Wheel or truck mountable
Highly mobile
Diesel fuel filter cart

A portable fuel cleaning system designed to protect your investment.
Features Benefits
Controls particulate ingression
Maximize usable life of engine components
Prevents water contamination
Minimize downtime
Easy spin-on replacement elements
Lower maintenance cost
Hydraulic filter cart

A superior contamination control device designed with maximum protection in mind.
Features Benefits
Multi-stage filtration
Prevents secondary failures
Highest quality components
Safety and reliability
Flexible configurations
Matched to your specific needs
Easy spin-on replacement elements
Save time, save money
Service
Our presence marks The Difference

Atlas Copco equipment is built to last. Delivering superior performance in the most efficient and cost effective manner, our equipment is the driving force in your business. At Atlas Copco Service we are committed to delivering
superior service to all customers in the Mining and Rock Excavation industry whenever, wherever.
We act as the most competent speaking-partner regarding the operation of your equipment. We enhance your productivity,
profitability, and peace of mind, ensuring successful and sustainable business relationships. We always put safety and
environmental considerations first in everything we do.
Technical support
that stands out
Safety and
environment
We know that the moments-of-truth are at delivery, upon

start-up and in operation.
The concern for safety and the environment is more

prominent today than ever before.
It is here that the difference between those who keep

their promises and those who do not comes to light.
Atlas Copcos concern for safety and the environment are

essential components of our commitment to
sustainable productivity.
Our dedication to providing the best possible support

comes from recognizing the impact this has on success
or failure. Wherever you are in the world, we strive to
ensure that your service experience will be consistent.
290
Our equipment and genuine parts are designed to

maximize the safety of personnel and mining operations,
and to minimize environmental impact.
service
Reliability and the highest availability

Service agreements
Service kits
Remanufactured Components
Atlas Copco provides several types

of service agreements to meet
operational requirements and to
secure your productivity.
To ensure your equipment

remains fit for purpose, two things
are needed: a good preventive
maintenance schedule and a strict,
genuine parts policy. Atlas Copco
genuine parts help preserve the
superior quality of the products
throughout their entire life-cycle.
When you use Atlas Copco remanuactured compo-nents, you can rest
assured that we will have the part you
need in stock when you need it.
Extended warranty Peace of mind,

protecting your investment
Parts-only plan Genuine Atlas
Copco parts and lubricants,
guaranteed performance
Preventive maintenance programs
Lower life cycle cost ensuring
availability
Quality tested and inspected to

ensure reliability and highest
availability
All required parts in one kit to
minimize service time
Genuine OEM parts Safe, reliable

performance
Superior warranty Peace of mind
Lower operating cost
Components readily available
Sustainable productivity
Recycle Reduce environmental
impact
Total maintenance programs

minimize unplanned repairs
Reliability centered maintenance
products Non-intrusive equipment
health check
Service
Optimization through
tailored technology
solutions
Healthy equiment
through remote
monitoring solutions
Atlas Copco has been acknowledged as one of the worlds

most innovative companies. Our culture encourages
creativity and passion to deliver energy-efficient and
sustainable products and solutions.
Atlas Copco offers an advanced remote monitoring

solution that enables our customers to identify problems
prior to failure.
The Atlas Copco technology and energy efficiency

product portfolio offers a wide range of application
conversions, modifications and system and component
upgrades for all equipment ranges.
With a deep understanding of your operations, we
provide tailored solutions that enhance and improve
safety, performance and the environmental impact of
your equipment.
Benefits:
Extended equipment life cycles
Maximized equipment efficiency
Optimized equipment configuration
Guaranteed regulatory compliance
292
The Atlas Copco Remote Monitoring system integrates

real-time monitoring, alarms, trends and production
data. This data is filtered, analyzed and transformed into
useful information regarding health and performance of
your equipment based on the original manufacturers
specifications.
Some of the potential gains include:
Shift from emergency to planned maintenance through
early detection of equipment degradation
Reduced maintenance costs through rationalized
scheduled maintenance
Increased production through increased equipment
reliability and performance
service
Trained people
perform
Atlas Copco provides the very best training as part of
our customer service, and appreciates the difference
between operators who are already experts at handling
our equipment and those who need additional training.
We are more than willing to share the benefits of our
long experience in the market and our complete toolbox
of best practices, to the benefit of all our customers.
Thanks to well-trained staff we are able to offer you
Atlas Copcos premium service support. Our service
technicians go through a rigorous certification process,
ensuring that you always get the best possible technical
support close-by, readily available, whenever needed.
Just what you need,

right when you need it
Atlas Copco aims for a highly efficient supply chain
enabling fast, demand-driven distribution.
Together with our customers and our international
supply chain network we continuously strive to supply
through the most economic and environmentallyfriendly mode of transportation.
Complete, accurate, on-time delivery of your order,
every time, thats our aim. Just what you need, right
when you need it.
Anyplace, Anywhere,
Anytime
Atlas Copco is a world leading supplier in the Mining
and Rock Excavation sector.
The Group delivers sustainable solutions for increased
customer productivity through innovative products and
services. Atlas Copco was founded in 1873. Today it has
a global reach spanning more than 170 countries.
We are committed to sustainable productivity which
means that we do everything we can to ensure reliable,
lasting results with responsible use of resources;
human, natural, and capital.
293
simulator training
Drill simulator training

Training drill rig operators with the aid of simulators is gaining in popularity, rapidly becoming the method of choice
for mines around the world. Atlas Copco is a forerunner in driving this trend and now offers simulators for most of
its surface and underground equipment, the latest of which is a new simulator for training operators of Pit Viper
blasthole drills.
These modules provide extremely realistic and effective

training for operating such large rigs as the new Pit Viper
235 in a safe and controlled environment.
The simulator will be used as part of our Master Driller
program, says Peter Lawrence, Technical Services Manager Parts and Services.
The opportunity to learn in a realistic environment will
allow operators to thoroughly familiarize themselves
with these rigs before taking the controls in the real
thing. This means new operators can contribute more
rapidly to a companys operations.
Simulator training has proven to have a positive impact on performance and reliability as operators learn
to avoid causing unnecessary wear and stress on key
components. In addition, it enables training to take place
away from the site so that working rigs can continue to
focus on production.
294
Specification
Measures
Length
5m
197"
Width
4m
157.5"
Height
2.97 m
117"
Weight
2,500 kg
5,500 lbs
Electrical motion platform

3x3VAC-10% - 3x480VAC+10%, 50 Hz, Fuse 20AT
3x3VAC-10% - 3x480VAC+10%, 50 Hz, Fuse 20AT
Computer rack cabin
110VAC 230VAC, 50-60HZ, Fuse 10AT
Humidity in operation
Rel. humidity 85%, no condensation
glossary
Glossary of terms
A
Actuator A motor or cylinder that is being

put into motion by the flow of a hydraulic
pump.
Adapter-Adaptor (both spellings are
accepted) A device used to connect two
different sizes or types of threads. It is used
to connect rotary head spindles to drill pipe,
drill pipe to stabilizers and stabilizers to drill
bits.
ANFO Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil mixture:
explosive most commonly used in blastholes.
Angle Drill Drilling a hole at a 0 to 30
degree angle from vertical (in five degree
increments).
Annulus The space between the drill pipe
and the outer diameter of the hole made by
the bit.
Annunciator An electrical signaling device
on a switchboard.
API American Petroleum Institute.
ASME American Society of Mechanical
Engineers.
Bit, Roller Also called a tricone bit. It usually

has three conical rollers fitted with steel
or tungsten carbide teeth that rip the rock
loose using down pressure.
Bits Tools that pulverize formations so that
material can be removed from the hole, generally three-blade, three-cone or percussion.
Blasthole A drilled hole used for purposes
of excavation rather than exploration, geological information or water wells. Holes are
used to load explosives for open pit mining,
and are usually limited to 200 feet.
Blasting The act of igniting explosives in
a borehole to produce broken rock.
Blowdown Term used when releasing
compressed air from the receiver tank on
a compressor when the drill is stopped.
Blowdown Valve The valve that opens
when the drill is stopped and releases all
the air pressure in the receiver tank.
Bore To make a hole in the ground with a
drill.
Borehole The hole made by a bit.
ASTM American Society of Testing Materials.
Box End Fitting on the female end of a drill

pipe. See Pin End.
Auto Lube System A pump that provides

grease to various components of the drill
through hoses. It can be manual or computer controlled.
Breakout Refers to the act of loosening

threaded pipe joints, and of unscrewing one
section of pipe from another, while coming
out of the hole.
Bank Vertical surface of an elevation; also

called the face.
Beco Thread A coarse type of thread used
on drill pipe.
Bench Work area on the top edge of an
elevation. The work area for blasthole drills.
Bit, Auger A type of bit used to drill soft
formations. It usually has a series of flutes
on the outside.
Bit, Claw A wing-type bit that has multiple
flukes. Sometimes called a drag bit.
Bit Breaker A device installed in the
centralizer table to hold a bit stationary
while the drill pipe is being removed from
the bit by reversing the rotation. Also called
bit basket.
Bit, DHD A solid, one piece bit with shaped
tungsten carbide inserts in the face. Used in
percussion drilling.
Breakout Wrench A wrench, connected

to a hydraulic cylinder, used to turn the
upper piece of pipe while the lower pipe
is being held by the fork chuck or sliding
wrench.
Bridge An obstruction in the hole. Usually
caused by a caving formation or something
falling in the hole.
Burden Distance from the blasthole to the
nearest face. Distance measured from the
face to a row of holes. The material to be
displaced.
Buttons Short, rounded teeth of sintered
tungsten carbide inserts which serve as
teeth in drill bits used for drilling very hard
rock.
Butterfly Valve The adjustable inlet valve
of the air compressor.
Cable A strong, heavy steel, wire rope.

Also known as wire rope. Used for pulldown
and pullback in the tower. Also used in hoisting. May be rotating or rotation resistant.
Cable Reel A device that holds the electrical power cable on electric driven blasthole
drills.
Carousel A rotating device that holds
extra drill pipe. It can be moved under the
rotary head to add and remove drill pipe
from the string, or the rotary head moves
over it.
Carbide, Tungsten W2C. A very hard
compound used in inserts in rock bits.
It has a very high melting point. It is very
strong in one direction but very brittle in
another.
Catwalks Walkways around a working
area of a drill.
Cavitation The pitting of a solid surface
by the formation of low pressure bubbles
formed in the fluid. Air being allowed into
the inlet of pumps.
Centralizer Bushing A circular ring
installed around the drill pipe in the drill
table to keep the pipe aligned properly with
the rotary head. It usually has a replaceable
insert in the center.
Chain Wrench A special wrench, consisting
of a chain section and a metal vee section,
with jaws, that grips the drill pipe and/or the
DHD to tighten or loosen the connections.
Collar the Hole Opening at the top of the
blasthole; the mouth where rock has been
broken by blasting. Usually the first few
feet of the blasthole that are cracked
and broken.
Compressor An asymmetrical rotary screw
driven device for compressing air. May
be single- or two-stage, depending on the
discharge pressure.
Console The panel that contains most of the
drills controls. Also called the operators panel.
Conveyor Equipment used to carry material to crushers and screens for reduction
and separation.
Cooler (Hydraulic oil Cooler (HOC),
Compressor Oil Cooler (COC)) All drills
have a cooler or coolers for the hydraulic
fluid and the compressor oil. The engine
radiator is also sometimes referred to as
an engine cooler.
Coring The act of procuring a sample of
the formation being drilled for geological
information purposes.
Glossary
Coupling A connector for drill rods, pipe

or casing with identical threads, male or
female, at each end.
Cribbing A set of wooden ties or metal
plates used to add surface area to the jack
pads to prevent the pad from sinking into the
ground. Also called blocking.
Crown Sheaves The upper sheaves in a
tower that supports the cable that connects
to the rotary head.
Crosshead The outer metal can surrounding the leveling jack cylinders. The
crosshead slide is the lower portion that
connects to the bottom of the cylinders and
the crosshead cap is the flanged piece on
top of the crosshead.
Crusher Device used to reduce broken
rock to a smaller fragment size.
Cut (verb) Process of excavating material
to lower the level of part of an elevation.
Cut (noun)
Part of an excavation of a specified depth
and width.
Cuttings Particles of formation obtained
from the hole during drilling operations.
Decking Process of alternating explosives

with inert material in a blasthole to properly
distribute explosives or reduce vibrations.
Also refers to the metal catwalks around the
outside of the drill.
Delay Interval Elapsed time between detonation of individual blastholes in a multiple
hole blast.
Derrick A tall framework over a drilled
hole used to support drilling equipment.
The part of the drill that contains the feed
system and the rotary head. See Tower
and Mast.
Dressing a Bit Sharpening DHD drill bits

with a grinder to shape the carbides.
Drifter An out-of-the-hole drill that rotates
the drill rod and provides a percussive force,
by means of a striking bar, through the rod
to the bit.
Drill A machine for drilling rock or
unconsolidated formations. Also called
a rotary drill. The act of boring a hole
in the ground.
Drill Collar A heavy, thick-walled section
of pipe used to add drilling weight to the bit
and stabilize the drill string.
Drill Rod See Drill Pipe. Hollow, flush-jointed, coupled rods used on small percussion
type rock drills.
Drill Pipe Hollow tubing, specially welded
to tool joints.
Drill/Propel Valve A switch that shifts
the diverter valves to allow pump flow
to go from drill functions to propel
motors.
Drill String The string of pipe, including
subs, stabilizers, collars and bit, extending
from the bit to the rotary head, that carries
the air or mud down to the bit and provides
rotation to the bit.
Driller (Operator) The employee directly in
charge of a drill. Operation of the drill is their
main duty.
Drill Table The area at the bottom of the
tower that contains the centralizer bushing
or master bushing that the drill pipe travels
through.
Dust Collector A vacuum device with a
hose attached to the dust hood that pulls
cuttings away from the hole and deposits
them to the side of the drill.
Fish An object accidentally lost in the hole.

Fishing Operations on the drill for the
purpose of retrieving the fish from the
hole.
Fishing Magnet Magnet run in the hole
on non-metallic line, to pick up any small
pieces of metal.
Fishing Tools Tools of various kinds run in
the hole to assist in retrieving a fish from the
hole. Overshots fit over the pipe while taps
fit inside the pipe.
Flats Machined areas on the side of drill
pipe or other components where wrenches
can be installed to hold or break the joints.
Some pipe have two flats, others have four
flats.
Floor Level area at the base of a bank or face.
Fork Chuck The handheld or flop-down
wrench used to hold the top of the pipe
on the drill table while adding or removing
other pipe.
Hammer A different name for a Down

Hole Drill.
Hammer Bushing Split bushings installed
in the drill table to allow the DHD to start
the hole in a straight line. It is removed once
the DHD is below the table. Also called DHD
bushings.
Haul Distance Distance material has to be
moved, such as from a cut to a fill.
Hauling Equipment Trucks and other conveyances for moving material. Also called
haul trucks.
Hazard Any condition of the drilling equipment or the environment that might tend to
cause accidents or fire.
Hoist Device used to pick up drill

pipe and other heavy objects.
See Winch.
Feed Cable Cables, anchored on the

top and the bottom of the tower, that pass
through the traveling sheave block and
connect to the top and bottom of the rotary
head. They are adjusted by tightening the
threaded rods on each end.
Hoist Plug A lifting device installed in

the box end of a tool. Opposite of lifting
bail.
Dip The angle between a horizontal plane

and the plane of the ore vein, measured at
right angles to the strike.
Feed Chain Heavy duty chain links connected to the rotary head through upper
and lower sprockets and the traveling
sheave block. They are adjusted similar
to a cable.
Hose, Drilling Connects rotary head to top

of hard piping to allow movement of rotary
head. Also called standpipe hose.
Diverter Valve A two position, three-way,

valve that allows one hydraulic pump to
perform two separate functions.
Fill Process of moving material into a

depression to raise its level; often follows
the cut process.
DHD Down Hole Drill. An air driven, piston

powered device for drilling hard rock. It is also
called a hammer.
DHD Bushings The split bushings used to
maintain alignment of the DHD while passing
through the drill table. See Split Bushings.
Differential Pressure The difference in
pressure between the inlet and outlet of a
component, i.e., a cooler.
296
Face Vertical surface on an elevation. Also

called bank.
Hole A bore made by rotating a bit into

the ground.
Hydraulic Cylinders Double acting

cylinders that are extended and retracted
to perform various functions on a drill.
They are powered by hydraulic fluid
from a pump.
glossary
Hydraulic Motors Piston or vane type motors, driven by hydraulic pumps, that rotate
various devices on a drill.
Hydraulic Pumps Piston, vane and gear
type hydraulic pumps that provide flow for
the various actuators on the drill.
Hydrostatic Head The pressure exerted
by a column of fluid, usually expressed in
pounds per square inch.
Inclinometer An instrument for measuring

the angle to the horizontal or vertical of a
drill hole or vein.
I.W.R.C. Abbreviation for Independent
Wire Rope Center. This refers to the type
of construction of wire rope. This wire rope
center is in effect a separate wire rope in
itself that provides a core for the line and
prevents it from crushing or breaking.
Interstage Pressure The air pressure
present between stages of a two-stage
compressor while the compressor is
making air.
J Wrench Specially shaped wrench to fit

the backhead of a DHD. Used to hold a DHD
on the table or to remove the backhead from
the wear sleeve.
Kelly Bar A fluted or square drill pipe that

is turned by a rotary table using a set of pins.
Leveling Jacks Hydraulic cylinders

mounted in a crosshead that raise and lower
the drill. Also referred to as outriggers or
stabilizers.
Lifting Bail A threaded cap for picking up
pipe, bits, DHDs and stabilizers. It screws on
the pin end. Some bails have a swivel hook
while others have solid tops. Opposite of
hoist plug.
Loaders Large, front end bucket equipment used to pick up material for loading in
various types of hauling equipment.
Main Frame The welded component of a

track mounted drill. The truck frame on a
wheeled drill.
Main Shaft (axle) The tube connecting the
tracks of a blasthole drill to the main frame.
Makeup The act of tightening threaded
joints. Making a connection.
Making Hole The act of drilling.

Making Up a Joint The act of screwing a
joint of pipe into another joint or section of
pipe.
Manifold A pipe or chamber that has
several openings for hose connections.
Pipe Dope Special lubricant used to protect

the threads on pipe joints. See Thread Lube.
Pipe Support A device that holds the lower
section of pipe in place while connecting
to the next joint with the rotary head when
angle drilling. Also called rod support.
Mast A vertical structure. See Derrick.
Pit An excavation in the ground for the

removal of mineral deposits.
Micron -:- Mu A unit of length equal to one

millionth of a meter, or one thousandth of a
millimeter. About 4/100,000 of an inch.
PLC Programmable Logic Controller. A device that monitors many aspects of a drills
operation.
Mid-Inlet Swivel Device for removing

cuttings from the hole while drilling with
reverse circulation equipment.
Potable Water Water that is safe to drink.
Mine Plan Plan for making cuts and

creating elevations, benches for efficient
removal of material. The mine plan considers a variety of factors, including the
type and location of material, the size and
number of shovels, loaders, and hauling
equipment, haul distances, blasthole
patterns, etc.
Powder Factor/Specific Charge Relationship between the weight of explosives in

a blasthole and the volume of materials to
be displaced. It is measured in pounds per
cubic yard or kilograms per cubic meter.
Power Pack Base The welded channel
frame that contains the prime mover, the
compressor and the hydraulic pumps and
gearbox.
Power Pack The complete sub-assembly

of base, engine, compressor, and hydraulic
drive.
Open Hole Any uncased portion of a hole.
Presplitting Process of drilling a line of

small diameter holes spaced relatively close
together, generally before drilling a production blast, and loaded with light explosive
charges to create a clean, unbroken rock
face.
Oscillation Yoke The beam connecting

each track of a blasthole track drill with the
main frame that allows the tracks to move
independently up and down.
Operator The person who performs the

drilling operation with the drill. See Driller.
Overburden Any unconsolidated material
lying on top of the bedrock or the coal seam.
Parasitic Load The load imposed on the

engine by the direct connection of the
compressor and main pump drive during
starting.
Pattern Layout and distances between
blastholes, specifically including burden
and spacing.
Penetration Rate Speed at which a bit
advances while drilling, usually measured
in feet per hour. Instantaneous or drilling
penetration rate is the rate only while drilling. Overall penetration rate is the same as
the production rate (see production rate).
Production Rate Penetration during a

given reporting period. This rate includes
all lost time including maintenance,
breakdowns, long moves, inclement
weather, etc.
Propel To cause to move forward or
onward. To drive or tram.
Protectors, Thread Steel or plastic covers
to cover the box and pin ends of drill pipe
when they are not being used.
Pump, Water Injection Pump used to
pump water into the drill air stream to
keep the dust settled and to assist in
flushing the hole.
Pullback The force available to remove
the drill string from the hole.
Percussion Drill Drill that chips and penetrates rock with repeated blows.
Pulldown Force exerted on the drill bit by

the thrust of the drill rig and from the weight
of the drill string.
Pin End Fitting on male end of drill pipe.

See Box End.
Pioneer Work Drilling in rough, broken or

inclined areas. Removing the original layers
of dirt and rock.
Quick Fill A centralized service station

that connects to various systems on the
drill to allow remote filling of engine oil,
compressor oil and hydraulic oil.
Glossary
Raise A mine opening, like a shaft, driven

upward from the back of a level to a level
above, or to the surface.
Sliding Fork A wrench that slides around

the flats of the drill pipe to hold the section
lower. Controlled by hydraulic cylinder(s).
Used in place of a fork chuck.
Reamer Bit-like tool, generally run directly

above the bit to enlarge and maintain a
straight hole.
Slips Used in the rotary table to hold and

break out drill pipe. Also used to hold casing
in the table.
Reservoir The tank used for storing the

hydraulic oil used in the hydraulic system.
Spacing Distance between blastholes

measured parallel with the face.
Reverse Circulation Drilling Using a

double wall pipe to force air/water down the
hole and removing the cuttings between the
two pipes. See Mid-Inlet Swivel.
Spear Tools of various design that are

screwed or wedged inside of bits, pipe, etc.,
that are lodged in the hole. See Fishing
Tools.
Rod Changer A device that holds extra drill

rod (pipe). See Carousel.
Spindle The short section of pipe that

rotates within the rotary head, and
protrudes out.
Rotary Drilling The method of drilling

that depends on the rotation of a column
of pipe to the bottom of which is attached
a bit. Air or fluid is circulated to remove
the cuttings.
Speed Switch An electronic device that

changes states when the engine reaches
a certain speed. Used to control dual oil
pressure switches.
Rotary Head A movable gearbox used to

provide rotation to the drill string. It is connected to the feed chains or cables on each
end and to the drill string through the spindle.
Split Bushings The removable bushings

that allow the DHD or Stabilizer to pass
through the drill table while drilling
a straight hole. See DHD Bushings.
Safety Hook Attached to the end of a hoist

line to secure the hoist plug or lifting bail.
Has a safety latch to prevent the load
from slipping off the hook.
Scales Equipment used to determine the
weight and value of material being transported from a quarry.
Screens Devices used to separate broken
material into groups of similar size.
Shock Sub A device used to isolate the
shock of drilling from the rotary head. It is
made of hard rubber layers mounted inside
of steel outer rings.
Single Pass Drill Drill rig with a long tower
that permits drilling a blasthole without stopping to add drill pipe (rod). Uses a Kelly in
place of regular pipe. Uses a rotary table to
turn the Kelly instead of a rotary head.
Stemming Material of a specified depth
added on top of a powder column to confine
the blasthole and make the explosion more
efficient.
Strip Mine A large section of land used to
remove coal deposits.
Stabilizer, Drill Pipe Heavy -walled pipe

having special spiral or fluted ribs extending around the diameter, within 1/8 to 1/4
of hole size. Most stabilizers are fitted just
above the bit, while in-line stabilizers keep
the hole straight.
Standpipe Part of the circulating system.
The hard and flexible piping from the main
valve to the flexible hosing leading to the
rotary head. Water injection, DHD oil and
foam are injected into this line.
Static Water Level The distance from the
top of ground down to the standing water
level.
Strike The bearing of the outcrop of an
inclined bed or structure on a level surface.
See Dip.
Stuck In The Hole Refers to drill pipe inadvertently becoming fastened in the hole.
Subdrilling Bottom portion of a blasthole
drilled below the floor level to permit
upward displacement of material and
thereby prevent a toe at the bottom of
a face.
Swivel A coupling on top of the rotary

head to allow the spindle to rotate while the
main hose remains stationary.
Table Drive Drill design that locates the

drill pipe rotation mechanism on the drill
deck in a stationary position instead of using
the rotary head.
Threaded and Coupled Casing (T&C)
Steel casing using a coupling between
each section of pipe. Thread style is right
hand, fine thread.
Thread Lube A special compound used to
lubricate the threads of drill pipe. See Pipe
Dope.
Tongs A type of wrench used to make
up and break out drill pipe using external
forces, such as hydraulic cylinders or
cables.
Tool Joint A drill pipe coupler consisting
of a pin and box of various designs and
sizes. Deephole drills normally use API style
threads, while blasthole drills normally use
Beco style threads.
Top Head Drill Drill design that locates
the drill pipe rotation head in the drill tower.
It moves up and down with the drill string.
See Rotary Head.
Torque A turning or twisting force.
A moment caused by force acting on an arm.
A one pound force acting on a one-foot
arm would produce one lb-ft of torque.
Tower A tall, slender structure used for
observation, signaling or pumping. Term
used to indicate the derrick on a blasthole
drill. See Derrick and Mast.
Turning To The Right Slang term for
making a hole.
Tram A cable car or a four-wheeled open
box in a coal mine. See Propel.
Trammed To move in a tram.
Tramming Process of moving a drill.
See Propelling.
Traveling Sheave Block A series of
sheaves, connected to the feed chains or
cables, that are moved up and down the
derrick by the feed cylinders.
Shot A charge of high explosives deposited in a series of holes to shatter the rock.
Sub A coupling with different type or diameter of threads at either end. The term pin
denotes a male thread, and box, a female
thread. To connect two components with
different threads. See Adapter.
Twist Off To twist a joint of pipe in two by

excessive torque applied by the rotary head
or rotary table.
Shutdown A term that can mean the end

of the shift or workday or an unplanned
stopping of the drill due to a system failure.
Supercharge Pressure Inlet oil pressure to

the main pump(s) that has been pressurized
to prevent cavitation.
UL88 The pneumatic valve that controls

pressure and volume on a high-pressure
compressor system.
298
glossary
Undercarriage The means of moving a

track type vehicle. It contains the track
frame, rollers, grousers, rock guards, drive
sprocket, propel motors and planetary drive.
Uphole Velocity The speed (in feet per
minute) that the cuttings travel out of the
hole. This is dependent on the bit size, the
compressor size and the pipe size.
Washpipe Hard surfaced steel tubes

inserted in swivels to allow rotation of drill
string and prolong life of packing. They are
replaceable in most swivels.
Weight On Bit In rotary drilling, a specified

weight is required on the bit for maximum
performance. A gauge on the console is
calibrated to correspond to the drill string
weight.
Winch A stationary hoisting machine
having a drum around which a rope is
wound.
Wiper, Pipe An annular rubber disk for
wiping drill pipe clean of cuttings when it is
being withdrawn from the hole.
Wire Rope Rope made of twisted strands
of steel wire. Also called cable.
Water injection A method of rotary drilling

where water is dispersed in the air while
drilling.
Atlas copco
Where to find us
Please contact your local Atlas Copco CustomerCenter.

or visit www.atlascopco.com and select country, or contact:
Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions LLC, Garland, Texas, USA
Telephone: +1 (972) 496 7400
300
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Atlas Copco

Advantage Pit Viper

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining

Interested in increasing your productivity?

Printed matter no. 58 388 351

Third edition 2012

Foreword by Brian Fox

From gunpowder to Pit Viper

Aitik eyes top three efficiency Copper/Sweden

Penasquito powers up Gold/Mexico

Drilling methods guide

For latest updates contact your local Atlas Copco Customer

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 1

Open pit mining technology continues its evolution, as seen everywhere

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining

From gunpowder to Pit Viper

Drilling with sledgehammer was the established

eighteenth century. This physically

In 1851 James Fowle, who had

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 3

In 1871, a number of patents were issued to the

The new compact rock drill launched by

it was very heavy for manual use.

In 1909 the company bought the A.S.

Rock drilling tools

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining

with development of heat treated drill

the best alternative. However, as drillers

The Secoroc Omega sealed bearing tricone bits

A parallel development of the tricone bits made it possible to use these

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 5

to establish downhole drilling on a truly

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining

Secoroc COP64 Gold downhole hammer.

OD, and was extremely heavy. Since

very useful in supplying straight rotary

The truck mounted T4BH was introduced in 1968.

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 7

The DM50 could use bit loads up to 50,000 lbf

cut drill and blast mines. In turn this

The designers also used the power unit,

Rotary table and Kelly bar concept.

form rotary drills in the 6 - 8 inch

diesel engine drove the hydraulic power

components on the deck. It was equipped with a rotary screw compressor

The DM-H, launched in 1979, could be used with

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 9

The first Pit Viper 351 was launched in 2000 and

in large coal mines, the first production

The launch of the Pit Viper

The Pit Viper 235 was launched at MINExpo 2008.

rock recognition and a GPS navigation

The new Pit Viper 311.

for removal of the overburden. This first

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining

Ergonomics and safety

Ergonomics and safety for

Reference dust management improvement.

Not only does the manufacturer look

Operator cabins and

Blasthole Drilling in Open Pit Mining 11

allows an operator to watch the areas

Operator survived rock fall.