Modern Quarrying July-August 2015

ON THE COVER

hammer market around

Diagram shows the five hydraulic pumps. No 1 and 2 are piston pumps. No 3, 4 and 5 are gear pumps.

The DCT 200 dust collector provides strong dust suction capacity and excellent dust suppression. There are 20 filter elements with a total filter area of 20 m 2 .

with the mining and quarrying industry for other orders. Our aim is to supply 15 machines within the next 12 months and 25 units to the local industry by 2017,” Birnie says. The straight-forward modular design includes simplified hydraulic and electrical systems for easier operation and maintenance. “What makes the drill rig particularly attractive, especially in this tough economic climate, is its extremely fuel- efficient capability,” he confirms. “The machine’s effective management system allows for low fuel burn at full production, giving fuel burn as low as 27 ℓ/hour on large holes; something that is unmatched by similar-sized machines in the industry.” The machine’s Tier 3 diesel power pack delivers 261 kW at 1 800 rpm, providing more tons per litre of fuel with a direct positive result on productivity. “We have found a seamless balance between effi- cient operation and high performance while also caring for the environment by conforming to emis- sion standards,” he adds. Discussing the drill rig’s high penetration capa- bility, Birnie says this comes from the powerful COP 3060 30 kW hydraulic rock drill – a proven high performance unit in the Atlas Copco range. “While output is dependent on mineral type and location, the drill rig/rock drill combination’s output capa- bilities are impressive ranging from 200 m/hour in medium rock (coal) to 70 m/hour in hard rock. Even in the most extreme environments and the hardest of material, the machine is capable of a remarkable 40 m/hour.” In terms of hole diameter, the machine is capa- ble of remarkable power and output, drilling holes ranging from102-152mm in size and 35m in depth.

tests we carried out at operations around the coun- try.” ( See Table 1, 2 and 3 ). The drill rig was supplied to drill and blast spe- cialist Eire Contractors based in Durban, KwaZulu- Natal. It was also tested in quarrying and opencast mining applications in Pietermaritzburg and Piet Retief in Mpumalanga in September and October last year.” “Eire was extremely happy with the savings on diesel, and reported that the rig easily drilled holes between 140 mm and 152 mm in diameter with the rig’s power, speed and fuel efficiency meeting the company’s objectives.” At the coal operation in Piet Retief, Birnie says the drill achieved about 200 m/hour during the practical applications. John Moffat, founder and Eire Contractors CEO confirms that the rig’s power, speed and fuel effi- ciency more than meets the company’s objectives of achieving maximum productivity with minimum input. “In addition to substantial savings on diesel, the rig drilled the holes with ease.” Company MD Matthew Moffat agrees: “Choosing the right equipment can be a tough decision, but the resultant low maintenance and extended life delivered by Atlas Copco equipment for optimum uptime and production levels, makes the decision an easy one.” In the hard rock test applications at the Pietermaritzburg quarries, which included granite and quartzite, the PowerROC T50 achieved a drill- ing capacity of between 42 m/hour and 44 m/hour. “Eire Contractors has not only purchased the demo model, but an additional five more units with Anglo American placing an order for three machines for its Kumba iron-ore facility at Sishen in the Northern Cape. We are also in negotiations

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MODERN QUARRYING

July - August 2015