Epiroc’s latest drilling tools are optimized for the quarrying and construction industries. According to Epiroc, its Grey line drill bits were developed for European quarrying and surface construction drilling conditions. As the company describes, the drill bits are ideal for less demanding rock conditions, and they help to increase rock drilling efficiency. The drill bits are compatible with Epiroc’s T-thread drill string. They can be used on the Epiroc Yellow line rods and on other manufacturers’ rods using the same common thread type. The Epiroc Grey line drill string will be manufactured in four different locations, improving availability while making it more accessible to customers around the world.
Simple system design with elevated features
JET series hydraulic drifters were recently added to Soosan America’s Rock Commander line of rock drills. The series includes the JD800E-II featuring the JET-9 and the JD1400E-II featuring the JET-12. The JET-9 is capable of drilling 3 in. to 4.5 in. in diameter while the JET-12 is capable of drilling 3.5 in. to 5 in. in diameter. According to Soosan, the new JET hydraulic drifters allow drillers to complete more footage per day. The JET-9 and JET-12 drifters boast dampening and a newly shaped piston that improve several aspects of the drifter’s performance. The dampening enables more of the impact to be absorbed, reducing vibration and lengthening the life of the hammer parts and drill steel. The reduced vibration limits wear on the boom and slide plates, Soosan adds.
Centralized system addresses blasting efficiency, safety
BME added a centralized electronic blasting system (CEBS) to its AXXIS electronic detonation range, providing a solution for use in underground mining environments. The CEBS is a digital detonator system to initiate explosives, augmenting the company’s AXXIS Titanium system for large deep-hole surface operations. The AXXIS CEBS system allows for two-way communication to take place in real time, BME says, as an electronic device initiates each blast by means of an electronic starter. AXXIS CEBS includes a logging device that’s used underground at the blasting face to log the detonators and conduct the necessary test functions. BME says information from the logger is transferred to a blasting box and on to the control box, which manages the entire blasting process from the surface.
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