UPDATED OFFERING The upgraded LS250 MiniSonic is wide track mounted and offers a low ground pressure of 28 bar for every 4 lb of force per square inch, which is suited for increased accessibility
Drilling services, equipment and performance tooling provider Boart Longyear’s product experts were on hand at this year’s Investing in African Mining Indaba to discuss its range of new solutions suited to the African mining market.
The company, which exhibited at the event in Cape Town, which ran from February 8 to 11, notes that it focuses on engineering and developing products to meet its clients’ productivity and safety needs.
The products on show at the Indaba were launched throughout last year and included Boart Longyear’s LS250 MiniSonic drill, rod handling solutions, drill control interface (DCi), BLH down-the-hole (DTH) hammers and S36 rock drill.
The drill head on the LS250 MiniSonic has been used in the field for more than ten years, with its recent upgrade launched last year by Boart Longyear drilling services. Featuring a patented airbag system that isolates the vibration from the rig and transfers it down the hole for more efficient drilling, the LS250 MiniSonic is wide track mounted and offers a low ground pressure of 28 bar for every 4 lb force per square inch, which is suited for increased accessibility.
Boart Longyear’s rod handling significantly reduces the risk of hand injuries. The handling of drill rods is one of the largest hazards to drillers’ safety on site, but the company’s range of patented rod handlers and rod presenters significantly reduces a driller’s exposure to this risk by totally or partially automating the rod tripping process.
The DCi provides drilling contractors with a fully electronic interface to safely and efficiently operate underground drilling equipment, such as the LM series, using an independent, lightweight control panel. The LM75, LM90 and LM110 rigs are compatible with the DCi system. When using a pulse width modulation rod handler, the DCi can control both the rig and the rod handler through an integrated control panel. The DCi increases safety on site by moving the driller away from moving parts and hydraulic hoses.
Further, the BLH DTH hammer series is the “cutting edge” of rock drilling technology offering high performance, reliability, simplicity and low operating costs, boasts Boart Longyear. The BLH5 hammer’s design balances the piston and bit and transfers more energy into the face of the rock and less energy and vibration into the drill string and rig.
The Boart Longyear S36 rock drill is a powerful 114-mm-diameter bore drifter-type drill with independently controlled rotation. Designed for deep-hole drilling in both surface and underground applications, the S36 can be mounted to any suitable existing feed system and also on screw and chain feed cradles for development tunnelling, and fan hole and ring drilled blast holes. The drill features remote-controlled operation and is ideal for benching as well as general purpose civil contracting.
Boart Longyear is a significant supplier to global mining and drilling companies, and has a worldwide presence in aftermarket parts and service, energy, mine dewatering, oil sands exploration and production drilling.
The global drilling services division operates in over 30 countries, with a mining customer base spanning a range of commodities, including copper, gold, nickel, zinc, uranium and other metals and minerals. The global products division designs, manufactures and sells drilling equipment, performance tooling and after-market parts and services to customers in over 100 countries.