Drilling a test core at the Hyperion Drilling facility near Pretoria
A specially adapted Sumitomo excavator is making light work of drilling operations on coal mines in Mpumalanga where its speed and stability is raising productivity by nearly 20% compared with traditional methods.
In addition, says Andrew Honey of production drilling company, Limpopo Drilling, the excavator mounted drills are a safer option providing operators with a longer reach which means that the rig can be position further away from the highwall of the mine face for safety reasons.
Costing approximately the same price as truck mounted drills, the excavator mounted alternative is currently drilling approximately 2000 metres per month more than the 10 000m averages currently being achieved by his fleet of wheel drill rigs. At a rough market price of R38 per metre drilled the excavator drills earn approximately R76 000 more per month than the trucks.
Balanced drill platform
“Sumitomo excavators are quick and agile and are perfect to move quickly into position to drill the next set of holes. But, more importantly, the reliability of the machine is unsurpassed which means that we are able to maintain the highest possible uptime and reliably meet our clients production requirements.
“In this type of work there is no room for misguided loyalty – rather it is about finding the right machines that have the ability to do the job properly and efficiently without unnecessary and costly interruptions. In Sumitomo we have found the right balance with world-beating performance in an easy-to-operate and efficient package.
“What’s more, with the technical support and design input received from Sumitomo in Japan, as well as from ELB Equipment, the local suppliers of Sumitomo excavators, we are assured that the integrity of both the machine and the drill fittings are properly matched and that the machine remains within its intended operating ranges with no undue stresses that may cause problems later on. Their input also means that we maintain our full warranty on the machine,” says Andrew.
Orders flowing in
Keith Smith, ELB Equipment area sales manager for Gauteng, says the success of the Limpopo Drilling rig has already led to further orders from other drilling companies wanting to emulate the success of the first production model.
“Andrew came to see us to discuss our machines’ capabilities and to investigate our after sales service offering which are of critical importance to maintain his fleet of production drills in top working condition. Satisfied that both our company and the Sumitomo excavators met his strict requirements we set about working together with Andrew and local drill manufacturers, Hyperion, to build a rig that best suits Limpopo Drilling’s requirements.
“For a company where time and production is critical, it was reassuring for Andrew to know that ELB Equipment has the kind of round-the-clock service and support that he requires, as well as extensive parts holdings countrywide to support his machines wherever the next contract may be undertaken. The fuel efficiency of our Sumitomo machines will also ensure that his operations are more profitable in the long run.
“This is precisely the kind of job we like to be involved with. ELB Equipment’s team is always happy to work with customers as this is where our technical expertise comes into its own and we can ensure that we supply them with the right solution to meet requirements and make them profitable.
Drill specialists
Kenny Truter, of Hyperion Drilling is also impressed with the ruggedness and performance of the Sumitomos. The company manufactures and repairs drill rigs for clients throughout Africa. Although the company has manufactured and fitted drills onto many different types of machines, he found the Sumitomo’s to be particularly well suited and equipped for drilling purposes.
“We fitted our Raptor 2000 drill onto Limpopo Drilling’s excavator to meet their requirement. It is a hydraulically driven drill with a pneumatic compressor boasting a ten ton pull back on a Staffa B80 drill head. It is capable of high production rates and will easily be able to maintain a rate of over 700 metres per day in the Mpumalanga coal mining regions.
“We have done a lot of homework on fitting drills to excavators and this one is the first cylinder-type drill that does not have pulley and cable system to extend the drill core. This allows us to exclude wear parts and improve service intervals of the drill to match the kind of up-time of the ultra-reliable Sumitomo machine.
“In 20 years of business we have perfected our offering. The Sumitomo provides an easy to mount solution and together with service engineers from Japan. We have worked out a perfect solution that works best with Sumitomo machines. With technical support and high-level cooperation also coming from ELB Equipment we are confident that this is a perfect solution for all high production drilling operations,” concludes Kenny.
Drilling is not for sissies
Production drilling on coal mines is a tough business where rigs are required to drill hole sets or benches to allow blasting and clearing of materials.
Mines making use of contract blasters require absolute precision drilling and 100% achievement of production targets in order to meet their own output requirements. It is a tough environment for machines with drilling taking place in hard earths and in often hot, dusty environments.
The newfound popularity of excavator mounted drill rigs stems from their rugged construction with comparatively lower maintenance requirements. On site the excavators can travel with the drill boom up (as opposed to having to place it in a horizontal position as is required by tyre mounted rigs). This means the rig simply drills and moves to the next location drills and moves again.
Traditional tyre drills have many other limitations, including the requirement to drill at a fixed 90 degree position which requires the truck to be level, horizontal and on jacks. By comparison the tower of the excavator mounted drill is moveable and the bulk of the excavator needs no further anchoring.
Although it is a tough business, each excavator drill rig can earn in excess of R450 000 per month whereas plant hire companies at full capacity earn about R189 000 per excavator per month. Drillers regards the earnings as due reward for a job that requires high levels of technical skill, as well as absolute reliability of both man and machine.
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