Category: Top Hammer Drilling

DWARSRIVIER CHROMIUM MINE IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY WITH ROBIT’S TOOLS

Posted on by Jari Silver

BIC is an acronym most geologists are familiar with. It stands for Bushveld Igneous Complex, situated in South Africa. It’s one of the world’s most significant geological features due to its size, age – and mineral wealth.

BIC is the largest layered igneous intrusion within the Earth’s crust. Put simply, a layered intrusion is an underground formation of rock formed from magma that cooled down and solidified in layers, much like a layered cake. Each layer can have different types and concentrations of minerals, making these formations especially interesting for geologists and mining companies.

The Bushveld Complex contains the world’s largest known resources of platinum group metals, chromium, and vanadium. Most of the chromium resources are concentrated on the eastern limb of the Complex, which runs across Limpopo, the northernmost province of South Africa. One of the major producers of chromium ore in Limpopo is the Dwarsrivier mine, located some 130 km southeast of Polokwane, the provincial capital.

The Dwarsrivier mine has been in operation since 1999. Since 2015, it has been run by Assore South Africa. The mine produces more than a million tonnes of chromium ore yearly.

Mining is a competitive industry, and cost control plays an important part – and this applies to drilling tools as well. Recently, the Dwarsrivier mine began to use Robit’s Top Hammer drilling consumables.

“Drilling requirements are essential to ensure that face holes for blasting are drilled fast, efficiently, and within budget. Quality and cost are the top priorities”, says Dewet Pretorius, Mining Manager at Dwarsrivier.

In addition to cost and quality, Dwarsrivier were on the lookout for a supplier with effective after-sales service – something that had been lacking up until then.

“With Robit, our overall costs have decreased, production has improved, and the Robit team is providing us with good after-sales service as well”, Mr Pretorius says.

South Africa holds about 70% of the world’s chrome reserves and is the largest producer of ferrochrome in the world. Dwarsrivier will continue to contribute to this effort for a long time: the current plan extends the mine life well into the 2040s.

In the picture from left: Babra Shai, Site supervisor, Robit – Dewet Pretorius, Mine Manager, Dwarsrivier – Trevor Van Biljon, Area Sales Manager, Robit

WESTAUZ CHOSE ROBIT FOR THE NORSEMAN GOLD PROJECT

Posted on by Jari Silver

In the late 19th century, gold fever was running high in certain southern parts of Western Australia. Among the prospectors were two brothers from the Shetland Isles, Lawrence and George Sinclair. They finally struck gold some 20 km north of Dundas, an already established find, and quickly realized the gold deposit was very prosperous. The Sinclair brothers founded a town on the site and named it Norseman – after their horse.

Today, that corner of Western Australia is known as the Goldfields region. The Central Norseman Gold Mine was founded there in 1935 and ran until 2014, making it Australia’s longest continuously-running gold mining operation. During that time, it produced over 5.5 million ounces, or more than 150 tonnes, of gold.

The gold reserves in the area were far from depleted, though. A few years later, Australian gold producer Pantoro Limited acquired 50% ownership of the Norseman Gold Project and, in 2022, brought back online three mines: the OK underground mine, the Scotia open pit and the Green Lantern open pit.

Underground operation at the Norseman OK mine is contracted by Westauz Mining, headquartered in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. At the proposal of Robit’s Sales Manager Steve Tedge, Westauz agreed to run a development bit trial at Norseman OK in December 2022. Since Robit’s bits outperformed the competition by far in terms of cost-per-meter, Westauz awarded the drilling consumables business to Robit in early 2023.

“Throughout 2023, volumes have only grown at the OK mine site as the decline has been rehabilitated and access gained to the gold ore. Westauz is now using our Top Hammer underground bits, rods, shanks, and couplings”, says Steve Landreth, Robit’s Vice President Australasia.

Westauz have expressed their satisfaction with Robit’s can-do attitude and willingness to work with their customer. “In the early stages of the agreement, Westauz requested Robit make a design change to the development bits. Our engineering team was happy to oblige, and the bit now provides productivity gains in the drilling process. We are receiving very positive feedback, ranging from the Managing Director, General Manager, Project Manager, Mine foreman and operators”, Steve Landreth says.

For Westauz, the Norseman project has marked a significant growth in business. Plenty of excavating remains to be done at the site for years to come: according to current estimates, the remaining mineral resource in the area is around 4.8 million ounces, or some 136 tonnes, of gold.

Picture: Westauz jumbo at work & Norseman the horse has a statue in the town that was named after him.

GIANT PROJECT IN SAUDI ARABIA TAKING FIRST STEPS

Posted on by Jari Silver

One of the world’s largest construction projects is currently underway in Saudi Arabia near the northern end of the Red Sea. It is the future site of Neom, an ambitiously futuristic city planned to cover a total area of 26,500 km2 – more than twice the New York metropolitan area.

Still mostly on the drawing board, Neom is planned to comprise various high-profile regions, each catering to different needs. By late 2022, the plans for four regions have been publicized. Sindalah, a luxury island resort on the Red Sea, is expected to be the first physical showcase of Neom, scheduled to open in early 2024. Trojena will be a mountain destination for year-round skiing, while Oxagon is going to be a coastal clean industry hub.

The region that has attracted the most press coverage and provoked discussion worldwide, is called The Line. It is planned to consist of a single structure that is 500 m tall, 200 m wide – and no less than 170 km long, stretching from the Red Sea coast deep into the desert.

The Line is planned to house nine million residents, all with access to their basic services within a five-minute walking distance. Eliminating the need for cars, it is planned to use high-speed trains for transport within the city.

The transport system of The Line will consist of two separate railroads: one for the high-speed passenger trains and the other for freight services. The rail system will require the excavation of some 28 km of tunnels.

The tunnel construction bid was won by the Korean consortium of Hyundai E&C and Samsung C&T. The value of the order is estimated at no less than US$1 billion.

In the summer of 2022, the bidding for jumbo drilling and rock tools in the tunnel project was won by Jinyang R&S, one of the largest jumbo drill rental companies in Korea. Jinyang manages some 35 jumbo drill units, renting them with operators to tunneling and mining sites, mostly within South Korea.

Rock tools for the tunnel jumbos will be supplied by Robit. Since their distribution deal struck in 2017, Robit has supplied Jinyang with rock tools for several domestic job sites in Korea; the Neom deal, however, is unprecedented in scope.

“This is a huge project and a major deal for Robit for the coming years”, says Sales Manager Sunyong Choi of Robit.

At the future tunneling job site, the first test drillings using Robit’s tools started in November 2022. Still in its infancy, the entire Neom project is guaranteed to keep drawing widespread attention.

Read more about the project here: NEOM

PROBLEM-SOLVING IN THE DEPTHS OF A GOLD MINE

Posted on by Jari Silver

In the winter of 1986, a road construction job was underway in Kittilä, Finnish Lapland. Some rock was blasted, and out of curiosity, a geologist working nearby decided to examine the boulders – and found something. Today it is the site of the largest gold mine in Europe.

Gold was found in several boulders, and the Geological Survey of Finland began prospecting the site. The deposits turned out to be quite rich. More than twenty years passed until gold mining finally began in the Kittilä mine; first in an open pit in 2008, and underground a couple of years later.

Since 2012, mining in Kittilä has been exclusively underground. Today, Agnico Eagle Finland extracts some two million tonnes of ore each year, with annual gold production of around 7,000 kilograms.

Since May 2021, Robit has been supplying drilling tools to the Kittilä mine under a long-term contract. This includes, among other things, a turnkey drillmaster service, including a sharpening service. Robit supplies the products from their consignment stock, located 350 metres underground in the mine.

In Kittilä, Robit is dedicated to finding ways to cut costs per drill meter in cooperation with the customer. When the need arises, tailor-made products can be developed to meet the customer’s needs. A case in point is cable bolting, a common method used in underground mining to reinforce the rock before extraction.

“Cable bolting posed some problems. The drilling gear did not work properly in broken rock; the flushings escaped into the rock fractures and the drill bit would get stuck,” says Kimmo Kangas, Sales Manager at Robit.

“We suspected that the problem was caused by the side flushing of the bit. Our customer tried what would happen if you welded the side flushing shut – and it helped. We then made a series of bits at the Lempäälä factory that were modified in the same way,” says Kimmo.

Robit’s R&D Engineer Mika Koskinen was closely involved in the development work. “The results improved, but not quite enough. We discussed this with the bolting rig operators, trying to figure out what to do next. Based on the mining company’s views and our own design ideas, we developed the second iteration of the bit, which was substantially different. It finally solved the flushing problems, and drill meters began to reach excellent levels,” says Mika.

The new high-performance drill bit has been in use at the Kittilä mine since early 2022. Plenty remains to be drilled, as the mine is expected to operate until 2034 with the current ore reserves and production volumes. By then, new deposits may well be discovered in the course of prospecting.

 

Read more new stories in the latest Bulletin!

DISTRIBUTION DEAL CREATING SYNERGIES IN CENTRAL ASIA

Posted on by Jari Silver

As far as mineral reserves go, Kazakhstan is in the top twenty in the world, and mining comprises almost one-third of the country’s export earnings. No wonder then that the competition in the sales of all mining-related goods, including drilling tools, is very tough. Robit secured a distribution deal with a key player in the region.

As a major global exporter of minerals, Kazakhstan benefits from its central geographical location between Europe and Asia. This is also reflected in the name of the largest company supplying machinery and equipment for mining and construction in the area: Eurasian Machinery LLP.

With more than 600 employees, Eurasian Machinery provides customers with high-quality technical services through ten centers in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. Besides being the official distributor of Hitachi Construction Machinery – their spearhead product line – they also supply the industry with machinery and equipment from a host of other high prestige global brands. As of August 2021, these include Robit.

George Apostolopoulos, Robit’s VP, Global Sales, is thoroughly familiar with the Central Asian market and sees great synergies for Robit in the exclusive distributor agreement with Eurasian Machinery.

“Eurasian Machinery have a strong reputation in the Kazakh market. They have done an excellent job with the Hitachi Construction Machinery brand and have placed themselves among the preferred suppliers for the country’s mining industry. They are present with equipment and service contracts in most of the mines in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan”, George says.

“Customer satisfaction is driving their efforts and they are providing high-quality services to the industry. A high-tech Component Repair Center in Karaganda serves the purpose very well.”

“This is a very significant deal for Robit as the Kazakh mining market is among the biggest in the world. It’s the 2nd largest within our East sales area after Russia. It could provide significant leverage for our sales; big opportunities exist for our Top Hammer products both underground and surface, as well as our Down the Hole offering.”

“There is some tough competition in this market not only from the traditional players but also from low-cost suppliers. This makes it particularly important for us to have a renowned and well-represented distributor in this market”, George concludes.

Picture: A view over the steppes from a chalk mountain in northern Kazakhstan.

NEW AFTON SWITCHED BACK TO ROBIT TOP HAMMER TOOLS

Posted on by Jari Silver

Two branches of the Thompson River run through the ruggedly picturesque landscapes of south-central British Columbia, to meet at the eastern end of Kamloops Lake. The town of Kamloops was founded there as a fur trading post 200 years ago. Today, Kamloops is a thriving city with rich copper and gold deposits nearby.

Afton mine, situated 10 km west of Kamloops, was originally an open-pit gold and copper mine, in operation throughout the 1980s and 90s. New Gold,a Canadian mining company, acquired the mine and restarted production in 2012, now as an underground mine called New Afton. Last year, New Afton produced 64,000 ounces (some 1,800 kg) of gold and about
33,000 tons of copper.

New Gold had been using Robit’s Top Hammer (TH) tools in New Afton for years. However, in early 2019, through ownership changes at the supplier, New Afton switched to another brand of TH consumables. Over the course of the year, it became evident that the performance of the TH Tools did not meet the Mines expectations. In 2020, Ryley Renneberg and Cody
MacLeod from the Sales Division of Pinnacle Drilling Products (Pinnacle), Robit’s Canadian distributor, decided it was an opportune time to reach out to New Gold.

“We arranged an in-person meeting with New Gold’s production mine manager. We listened to their problems with their new brand of TH tooling and discussed how we might be able to help out. New Gold had been happy with Robit before and they knew the production performance well, so this really helped progress things forward. It turned out to be the start of a great relationship between Pinnacle and New Gold”, Ryley reminisces.

“We reassured we could have a seamless transition and were able to support New Gold through the ramp-up period, not to mention this pandemic situation and the global supply chain crisis.”

For Robit, the first purchase order in the spring of 2021 meant a need for a serious production ramp-up of TH tools.

Says Mikko Vuojolainen, Robit’s Vice President, North America: “It’s always a critical period when a customer switches supplier. The new supplier must be able to deliver 100% availability. In this case, our TH production lines were already fully booked so we needed to get creative. We divided the products into two groups: those we can start delivering two months post order, and those we can start delivering four months post order. It worked out perfectly.”

Since August 2021, New Afton is back to using Robit’s TH tools in their underground operations. The New Afton deal can also help propel the Pinnacle-Robit business partnership forward.

“It brings us leverage into the mining industry within North America. I believe it’s going to open many other opportunities for us to challenge the ‘big three’ in the market”, says Ryley Renneberg.

Picture: Kamloops Lake on a frosty winter day.

SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT PERFORMANCE AND SEAMLESS COOPERATION AS A BASIS FOR FURTHER BUSINESS COLLABORATION IN OMAN

Posted on by Jari Silver

Robit is supplying consumables for development of two gabbro quarries in Khatmat Malaha, Sultanate of Oman. The tools are being supplied by Robit’s distributor, Pioneers For Mining Trading. The customer is Oman-based Al Sarh JV Int LLC.

The customer is using two drill rigs in the gabbro quarries and has just changed over to Robit drilling consumables. According to the customer, Robit consumables are performing well in the very hard and abrasive rock formation as the products are clearly cost effective in the comparison of different suppliers. The drilling consumables in use are 89 mm button bits with a thread of C51. The gabbro quarries of Khatmat Malaha are one of those toughest and challenging areas among Oman rock formation.

In addition to the good performance, Al Sarh JV Int LLC is happy with the delivery times as well as all the technical support regarding Robit drilling consumables. Pioneers For Mining Trading is maintaining a good inventory and technical engineer to meet the customer’s demands.

Al Sarh JV Int LLC has confirmed that they are pleased with the performance of Robit drilling consumables as well as the support received from Robit’s distributor, Pioneers For Mining Trading, and thus they will continue business cooperation with Robit and Pioneers For Mining Trading.

Despite the current travel restrictions due to COVID-19, the seamless cooperation between Robit, Pioneers For Mining Trading as well as the customer including continuous follow-up on Robit product quality and support, enables a strong sales development in Sohar region. Pioneers For Mining Trading has been awarded as a New Distributor of the year 2020 in Robit’s annual Distributor Days.

Dhofar Mining Company LLC. – the new satisfied user of Robit’s rock drilling consumables

Posted on by Jari Silver

Dhofar Mining Company LLC. is the manufacturers of high quality natural gypsum at present Dhofar Mining Co having a production of 1,200,000 MT per annum. Company operates including Thumrait near Salalah in southern Oman.

“We are really excited about Robit’s C45-76mm Drop Center button bit performance and penetration rate. Average life for the button bit is around 19,000 m in this Gypsum quarry, which is much more better than we have seen earlier.” says Mr. Hari Kumar, Quarry Manager.

Mr. Akhil Muralidharan, Sales Manager from Pioneers for Mining Trading company (Robit’s distributor in the Middle East) is convinced of successful cooperation with Dhofar Mining Company LLC.

In the picture from left: Mr. Kabeer, Drill Rig Operator and  Mr. Hari Kumar, Quarry Manager from Dhofar Mining Company LLC. and Mr. Akhil Muralidharan, Sales Manager from Pioneers for Mining Trading.

World’s #1 copper producer chooses Robit

Posted on by Jari Silver

Copper mining has been a key driver of Chile’s economy for centuries. Among the country’s mining companies, the state-owned Codelco is the crown jewel. It’s the world’s leading copper producer with immense mineral reserves, and a driving force for the entire country’s development.

Codelco’s major mining sites include El Teniente, “the Lieutenant”, the world’s largest underground copper mine which has been in operation for 200 years and currently has a capacity of 400,000 tonnes.

The second largest mine is the century-old Chuquicamata, or “Chuqui”, as the locals call it. Since its open pit operations had grown increasingly uneconomic over the last years, Codelco made a huge investment switching to underground cave mining in 2019. Chuqui’s current capacity is 377,000 tonnes. Andina, the third largest mine nested at the dizzying height of 3,700–4,200 metres on the Andes, consists of the Rio Blanco underground mine and the Sur Sur open pit.

As of late 2020, Robit will be the main supplier of Top Hammer and Down-the-Hole drilling tools for Codelco’s three largest mines. This is a result of decisive cooperation between Robit and their Chilean distributor Full Safety.

Founded in 2010, Full Safety had focused on dealing in clothes and footwear for special target groups such as armed forces, law enforcement, health professionals – and the mining industry. The last-mentioned seemed like a promising sector for new business opportunities, and in 2015 they contacted Robit.

“We were looking for new strategies, and we met Robit at the right time. After consulting with them we restructured our business model over the next few years by opening a new office and recruiting sales personnel as well as drillmasters for field support. In turn, Robit offered us training and technical-commercial support on client visits, and participated in mining fairs with us”, recounts Cesar Cornejo, General Manager of Full Safety.

Getting a foot in the door of a global giant like Codelco is not a simple thing. Despite persistent efforts, discussions on arranging a comparison test to prove the quality of Robit’s consumables led nowhere. As a change of plan, Full Safety approached Astaldi, the main contractor at El Teniente – and they agreed to a head-to-head test between Robit and their then-current brands.

The February 2020 tests, involving bits, drifter rods and couplings, did not disappoint: Robit outperformed the competition by some 30% in terms of lifetime and penetration rate. A letter of certification by Astaldi opened the door to participate in a tender for Codelco. Full Safety and José Antonio Rodríguez, Sales Manager for Robit SAC, then carefully fine-tuned an offer that proved the most competitive.

This major achievement, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. The Chilean mining sector has vast growth potential for the Robit-Full Safety partnership, and several other tenders and product tests are already underway across the country.

Picture from left: Alberto Castillo (Sales Manager, Full Safety),Rafael Rojas (Drillmaster, Full Safety), José Antonio Rodríguez (Sales Manager, Robit), and Cesar Cornejo (General Manager, Full Safety).

Louhintaliike Ylimäki Oy – A specialist in large blasting operations

Posted on by Jari Silver

Louhintaliike Ylimäki Oy, headquartered in Lapua, is a family business that specialises in large-scale blasting and quarrying operations covering the areas of Pirkanmaa, Western and Central Finland and North Ostrobothnia. With more than 40 years of experience in the industry, the company guarantees its customers efficient and flexible service, helping it become one of the biggest quarrying operators in Finland.

Aatos Ylimäki founded Louhintaliike Ylimäki Oy in 1983. The company started out with rented equipment, but soon acquired its own manual drill and tractor-mounted air compressor. The company’s first contract was foundation work for a vocational school (Hervannan ammattiopilaitos) in Tampere. Over the years, the company’s fleet of equipment and number of personnel has grown. In 2012, the family company was transferred to the next generation, and since 2015 it has been headed by Matti Ylimäki.

Picture: Louhintaliike Ylimäki’s fleet includes six Sandvik open-pit drill rigs. According to Managing Director Matti Ylimäki (centre), head charger Matti Pitkäjärvi and driller Markku Viitanen, Louhintaliike Ylimäki has relied on the quality of Robit’s consumables, such as drill bits, rods and shanks, in its drilling operations for more than 20 years.

Quarrying with a large capacity
Today, Louhintaliike Ylimäki is known for carrying out large-scale blasting operations. With a staff of 20 and a fleet of 18 machines, the company performs rock extractions amounting to 7 million tonnes a year in a range of sites.
“Among our customers are aggregate suppliers, crushing companies and earthworks companies. We blast rock in open-pit mines in roughly 70 different sites every year; in recent years, we have also carried out a number of contracts for wind farms. We have numerous long-term customer relationships, which helps us in planning our operations in advance. Our services include crushing extractions and other large-scale quarrying, excavation of building foundations and road alignments, rock-breaking using a hydraulic rock hammer, per-metre drilling, rock slope scanning and hole straightness measuring,” lists Managing Director and head charger Matti Ylimäki.

Top-notch machine performance
Louhintaliike Ylimäki’s fleet of drilling equipment consists of six mid-range Sandvik drill rigs for open-pit mining and two Doosan excavators equipped with an ExcaDrill rock drilling attachment. The company also extensively uses rock-breaking equipment: 14 primarily Atlas Copco rock hammers mounted on ten 30–35-tonne excavators, most of which are from Doosan’s range. A wide array of other equipment used in quarrying contracts, from dumpers to vibration meters, is also in the company’s fleet.
Drill rigs are replaced after roughly 5 to 6 years of use; in one year, a single rig drills around 60 to 70 kilometres of holes in rock. The equipment is maintained at our own workshop in Lapua and of course we also use the equipment supplier’s maintenance services,” says Ylimäki.

Decades of co-operation with Robit Louhintaliike Ylimäki has relied on the quality of Robit’s consumables, such as drill bits, rods and shanks, in its drilling operations for more than 20 years. “Robit is a very important partner to us. As a Finnish operator, their service and products are always nearby, they listen closely to customer feedback, and perhaps most importantly for an operator of our size, their service is flexible – Sales Manager Esa-Matti Polvi is very pro-active, always on the lookout for new solutions to further enhance our operations. And of course the products are in top condition, which enables efficient drilling and well as a good price/quality ratio. Robit’s continuous product development brings better solutions to market and if we need, say, a few dozen special bits, they will be produced in Lempäälä just the way we want them and on a tight schedule,” praises Ylimäki.

A container with drilling products on site
A year ago, Robit set up a consignment stock at Louhintaliike Ylimäki’s location in Lapua.
“The products stocked in the container include all the drilling consumables we need, meaning bits, rods and shanks, as well as coupling sleeves and bit adapters, to name a few. Robit invoices us for the products we use, and we place orders to ensure the shelves are always stocked with what we need. The container itself was made to be user-friendly, so picking products and, for instance, using a forklift to lift drill rods onto the rack is easy. Drillers bring the products to the worksite with them in their vehicles, and they always have enough for one or two weeks’ worth of work on the rig,” says infrastructure engineer and head charger Matti Pitkäjärvi.
Robit’s consignment stock has significantly improved Louhintaliike Ylimäki’s logistics:
“It makes things easier for drillers when they can pick up the consumables they need from a single location straight off the shelf, without having to order them separately,” says Pitkäjärvi.

Picture: A year ago, Robit set up a consignment stock at Louhintaliike Ylimäki’s location in Lapua. The products stocked in the container include all the required drilling consumables, i.e. bits, rods and shanks, as well as coupling sleeves and bit adapters, among other things. Robit invoices for the products used, and orders are placed to ensure the shelves are always stocked as needed.

Strong Co-Operation with Amak, the Pioneer Mining Company of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Posted on by Jari Silver

Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Co (AMAK) is the pioneer private mining company of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, producing copper, zinc in concentrate as well as gold and silver in doré since 2012.

Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Co (AMAK) is the pioneer private mining company of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, producing copper, zinc in concentrate as well as gold and silver in doré since 2012.

The main mining camp (Al Masane) is in the southwest region (Najran) of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1620 mRL and approximately 640 km southeast to Jeddah. AMAK is committed to establish and sustain the highest safety standards with a zero-harm target and international best practice environmental standards with zero discharge to ambient environment. AMAK’s motto is “Every Incident Is Preventable”.

AMAK is continuously seeking investing in mining opportunities in the KSA and the region, including East African countries. Exploration continues at its nearby concessions as well as deeper levels of Al Masane and Guyan orebodies, which are still wide open at depth and extensions, with additional satellite pit development opportunities at Al Masane, Guyan and Al Aqiq mineralization zones.

AMAK is using Robit’s drilling consumables for face development, ground support and DTH drilling for underground operations. Robit consumables are performing well and thus, getting positive feedback from AMAK: “We are satisfied and happy for working with Robit. We appreciate the full support during the contract meaning quick responses for deliveries and shipping as well as providing technical services support in case of any problem”.

Case report by: Kadir Uslu, Drill & Blast Engineer, Al Masane Al Kobra Mining Co and James Keenan, Distributor Business Manager, Middle East and Turkey, Robit Group

Photo: Jumbo Operators, Mr. Mustafa Tufekci and Mr. Roger Junas

ROBIT SUPPLYING DRILLING CONSUMABLES FOR THE BIGGEST COPPER MINING COMPANY IN TURKEY, ETI BAKIR A.S.

Posted on by Jari Silver

Robit is supplying rock drilling consumables for face drilling, long hole drilling, ground supporting operations for underground mines as well as surface drilling for open pit mines for ETI Bakir A.S. in Turkey. The consumables are being supplied by Robit’s distributor, Guris Is Makinalari Endustri A.S.

Guris Is Makinalari Endustri A.S. and ETI Bakir A.S. made a contract for supplying Top Hammer drilling tools and as a result, the first shipment was MADE during the first quarter of 2020. Guris Is Makinalari Endustri A.S. supplements Robit quality and good performance by giving the best after-sales, shipping, and technical services support for the valued customer.

ETI Bakir A.S., which was operated by state from 1930’s to 2004, is the biggest copper mining company in Turkey. ETI Bakir A.S. was incorporated into Cengiz Holding in 2004 and the company carries on production activities by growing up day by day within the structure of Cengiz Holding.

ETI Bakir A.S. is operating both on several Turkish mine sites as well as abroad. In addition to this, the biggest smelter and electrolysis plant in Turkey is being operated by ETI Bakir A.S. in Samsun City. The company is known for nature conservation while operating on the mine sites. – These mines are operating fully mechanized with the newest technologies.

 

Case report by:

Ahmet Oğuz Dikmen, Mining Equipments Service Engineer, Guris Construction Machineries Industry Co Inc

James Keenan, Distributor Business Manager, Middle East and Turkey, Robit Group

 

Photo:

Caner Topal, Drilling & Blasting Engineer, ETI Bakir A.S.

Ahmet Oğuz Dikmen, Mining Equipments Service Engineer, Guris Construction Machineries Industry Co Inc

Tayfun Kabaloglu, Mine Captain, ETI Bakir A.S.

 

ROBIT PERFORMING WELL IN HARD ROCK FORMATION IN SOHAR, OMAN

Posted on by Jari Silver

Robit is supplying consumables for gabbro quarrying in Sohar, Oman. The tools are being supplied by Robit’s distributor, Pioneers For Mining.

Robit consumables are performing well in the hard rock formation, in the North Oman, and thus, getting positive feedback from the customer. The gabbro quarries are one of the toughest and challenging areas among Oman rock formation.

Despite the current travel restrictions, the seamless cooperation between Robit, Pioneers For Mining and the customer including continuous follow-up on Robit product quality and support, enables a strong sales development in Sohar region. 

Facts – Gabbro Quarry in Sohar, Oman 

Machine: Furukawa HCR 1200

Rock Formation: Hard and Abrasive

Button Bit Size: C45–89mm

Excellent performance with Robit button bit in Turkey

Posted on by Jari Silver

On July 2020, Robit’s Turkish distributor Guris Is Makinaları Endustri A.S. organized a drilling test at Ozkoyuncu open pit iron mine. The head-to-head test between Robit and globally well-known brand.

The test was conducted on a Sandvik DX800 Ranger with an HL700 drifter. The testing conditions were identical for each brand. The procedure was a simple wear test: To measure how deep each tool will be able to drill without sharpening or replacing. The ground condition is quite difficult and abrasive. It contains high quartzite and silica rate is around 90%. There is fragmented rock, water and spacing in ground.

We are happy to report the results. Robit C51-102 mm drop center spherical bit completed the service life at 1269 meters and this result is 300 meters better than competitor’s same design bit. Given the rock quality at mine site this is an excellent result. Customer confirmed that Robit bit were superior to the other well-known brands’ consumables.

Test Location: Ozkoyuncu Open Pit Iron Mine, Kayseri/TURKEY
Test Dates: Jul 09-14, 2020
Test Objective: Measuring performance of Robit C51-102 mm bit vs. other well known drilling consumable brand.
Reported by: Ahmet Oguz Dikmen, Mining Equipments Service Engineer at Güriş İş Makinaları Endüstri A.Ş.

 

SUCCESSFUL TESTS CONDUCTED WITH ROBIT CONSUMABLES IN CHILE

Posted on by Jari Silver

Full Safety, the distributor of Robit Group, carried out a successful test with Robit consumables at El Teniente copper mine in Machalí, Chile. 

​The test was conducted for Jumbo drilling on a Tamrock Axera Jumbo with HLX5 drifter by using the following Robit consumables: R32x45S1 bits, HEX35 C38-R32 14′ drifter rod and coupling C38-C38.

The bits averaged out 315 meters without grinding. As for the drifter rod and couplings averaged out 1 724 meters. The meterage is always relative to the rock, the conditions of machinery and operator skills including pressure management.

Robit Part Numb​​er Description Meters
04-132-045-3805 HTG 32R45S 315
06D-07-0891 M/M Drifter Rod C38-HEX35-R32 4305 1 724
06E-07-0497 Coupling C38 D55 SB 1 724

 

As a result of the successful tests, Robit received a confirmation from the site contractor, Astaldi, that Robit consumables were superior compared to the other well-known brands’ consumables.

El Teniente is an underground copper mine in the Chilean commune of Machalí in Cachapoal Province, Libertador General Bernardo O’Higgins Region, near the town of Sewell, 2 300 meters above mean sea level in the Andes.

Mining at El Teniente is reported to have started as early as 1819. Today, El Teniente is operated by the state-owned copper mining company CODELCO. With over 3 000 kilometers of underground drifts, El Teniente is reported as the world’s largest underground copper mine. ​

Excellent job from our Robit SAC colleagues, and our distributor in Chile!

Top Hammer theoretical and practical training in Ecuador

Posted on by Jari Silver

Training organized by: Maqoperador S.A. (Ecuador) and Robit PLC
Objective: To give Top Hammer drilling tool customers theoretical knowhow and practical training to ensure maximum drilling performance
Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Date: November 22, 2019
Drill bits used: Robit HTG bit 45C76 DSR vs. a bit from another brand
Reported by: José Rodríguez, Sales Manager, Robit

Summary:

In ensuring maximum performance in Top Hammer drilling, one key element is selecting the optimal drill bit. To this end, a series of training sessions for our customers in Ecuador were organized jointly by Maqoperador, the distributor of Robit’s tools in Ecuador, and Robit.

In the theoretical part of the training we covered a wide range of topics such as drill string elements, energy flow through the drill string, correct drilling parameters, selection criteria for button bits, and total drilling costs.

For the practical training, Maqoperador arranged a visit to a quarry where the performance of two T45x76 mm bit designs was measured: a Robit Drop Centre Retrac bit vs. a bit from another brand. The other brand had overlarge 13 mm buttons whereas our bit was 11 mm. Typically customers see oversized carbides as a good feature, but our tests proved otherwise.

The difference in penetration rate was significantly in favour of Robit: 1,8 m/min vs. competitor at 1,06 m/min. In other words, Robit was faster by more than 70%.

Being able to drill faster with less effort also means a better energy flow from the drill string to the rock. This is why differences in overheating were also expected between the bits. If percussion energy is not correctly transmitted from the drill string to the rock, it will dissipate into heat, creating additional problems. Due to the overlarge buttons, the energy was not efficiently transmitted to the rock, so the competitor’s bit was overheating the shank adapter at 150 °C, while with the Robit bit, the shank adapter kept a much cooler temperature at 98 °C.

To ensure the reliability of the results, the testing was performed with the same drill rig, the same operator in the same quarry, using the same drilling parameters at a distance of 1 metre between the holes of each bit.

What was particularly rewarding for us to see was how actively the attendees participated in the training. Events like this are very rarely, if ever, arranged by other brands or distributors, so they truly add great value for our customers and help enhance the Robit brand. We will soon be organizing the same training in other parts of the world. Stay tuned!

Diamond button bits for Top Hammer drilling

Posted on by Jari Silver

Successful drilling consists of several factors: substrate knowledge, the right tools for the right time, and support when needed. But drilling consumables are always at the heart of operations – and Robit specialises in them.


As its latest innovation, Robit is launching diamond button bits for Top Hammer drilling.

“Traditionally, bits have had hard metal buttons, but in the new Robit Diamond Button Series bits the buttons have an industrial diamond coating, which lasts many times longer than a regular bit and does not need to be sharpened,” explains Robit Plc’s Niko Ojala, R&D Engineer and Materials Specialist.

Unique production method

The diamond coating is made on the buttons in the same way as diamonds are also created, namely by subjecting it to high pressure and heat, which makes it even more durable than natural diamond.

“The coating has several layers, which ensures adherence and enables the diamond bit to withstand the shocks and heat fluctuations of Top Hammer drilling. Robit Group has previously used the diamond coating with success in oil and gas operations in softer substrates. Now the durability of diamond is offered for the first time for shock drilling in hard rock,” says Ojala.

“Traditionally, bits have had hard metal buttons, but in the new Robit Diamond Button Series bits the buttons have an industrial diamond coating, which lasts many times the lifetime of a regular bit and does not need to be sharpened,” says Robit Plc’s Niko Ojala, R&D Engineer and Materials Specialist.

The coating has several layers, which ensures adherence and enables the diamond bit to withstand the shocks and heat fluctuations of Top Hammer drilling.

Backed by in-depth development work

Robit has been developing the Diamond Button Series products for five years.

“Field tests have been conducted extensively with ever-improving results and great success, and now the 0 series products are available to customers. Mass production and deliveries will begin during the latter part of the year; initially 89 mm and 102 mm diamond bits will offered. We have also already signed the first extensive agreement in the mining sector with Agnico Eagle Kittilä mine, Finland, which will start using the Robit Diamond Button Series this autumn,” says Robit Plc’s Kimmo Kangas, Sales Manager.

“Test cooperation with Robit in these new innovative products has been productive. The goal is to use diamond bits to make remote drilling more efficient in terms of use of resources and productivity than drilling using regular bits,” says Agnico Eagle’s Jari Kolehmainen (Production Manager) and Janne Saukko (General Supervisor).

Drilling metres multiply

In test use, the new diamond bits have yielded outstanding results:

“When drilling hard granite you may have to sharpen – i.e. change – a traditional hard metal button bit, for example after 80 metres, while with the diamond button bit you can drill nearly one kilometre. And as the diamond buttons do not, in practice, wear out, then their penetrating ability does not deteriorate like regular hard metal buttons. Drilling speed therefore remains the same throughout the bit’s time of use. Similarly, the diameter of the borehole does not decrease as the bit ages, resulting in a more consistent and predictable end result in production drilling. The many times longer change interval of the bit saves time and is particularly important for remote-controlled drill rigs in fully automated mining environments where people are not present during the process,” says Ojala.

Building Spain’s infrastructure since 2001

Posted on by Jari Silver

17 years, 240 tunnels, 2 million metres of forepoling: the shared history of Robit and Hard & Wear Technologies in a nutshell.

Spain is a mineral-rich country with a vibrant mining industry. It is also a country crisscrossed with several mountain ranges, which means road and rail construction often involves the excavation of tunnels. Ever since 2001, these industries have been served by the dynamic duo of Robit and Hard & Wear Technologies. During that time they have been involved in more than 80 % of all tunnels executed in Spain.

Geologically, the Iberian Peninsula is very diverse, and in tunneling work you need to deal with many kinds of complicated terrains: volcanic ash, sand, clay, gypsum, and granite, to name just a few. Advancing a tunnel in a soft ground or broken rock requires forepoling, also known as the tube umbrella method.

Hard & Wear Technologies SA, a leading supplier of forepoling tools, is the distributor of Robit casing systems in Spain. The Robit umbrella casing system allows easy driving of the casing tubes into the ground.

2018 was another busy year for the dynamic duo in Spain. It included the completion of two tunnels along the Madrid–A Coruña high-speed rail line: one in Padornelo in the Zamora province, and one in Cerdedelo in the Ourense province, adding up to a total of 40,000 metres of forepoling.

Late in the year, contracts were signed for two joint ventures concerning work on two metro stations in the city of San Sebastián, in the Basque Country in northern Spain. Initially the contracts cover a total of 3,000 metres, but this figure is expected to increase greatly.

The outlook for 2019 shows no sign of slowing down. Robit and Hard & Wear Technologies have signed Letters of Commitment for the supply of materials for six more tunnels in the Basque Country, serving a new high-speed rail line between Madrid and the French border.

ALL DRILL AND ROBIT: a partnership bearing fruit in Argentina

Posted on by Jari Silver

The Andes, the longest mountain range in the world, have been an abundant source of mineral riches for centuries – so much so that the largest Spanish-speaking nation in the world was actually named after a metal (argentum). Over the last ten years, the mining industry has seen a massive boom in Argentina.

Gold and copper are some of Argentina’s key mineral exports. Cerro Vanguardia, a major gold mine in the Santa Cruz province in southern Argentina, has been using Robit tools, such as Top Hammer and DTH RC, for six years. Customer satisfaction is crucial for Robit, and Juan Padilla, a senior Robit Drillmaster, knows where you need to look.

Feedback from the field

“The real challenge for us lies out in the field, in the hands of drillers and their supervisors. They work hard to achieve their goals, and my mission is to give them the best support so they can meet them”, Juan explains.

On his latest visit to Cerro Vanguardia Juan went right to the front line to hear the drillers’ feedback on Robit products. “Cerro Vanguardia is keen on continuous improvement, and it made me happy to learn that our tools continue to be an excellent option for them”, says Juan.

2018 has been a good year for Robit in Argentina, thanks to their dealer All Drill. Since its founder Ariel Fernandez was already familiar with and impressed by Robit products, the decision to partner was easy to make.

One of the new deals All Drill and Robit have signed took place in Casposo, a gold and silver mine in the San Juan province. 20 days of rigorous testing convinced the contractor of the quality of Robit’s Top Hammer tools. Cerro Negro, a large gold mine located in southern Argentina, has also opened its doors to Robit products.

Seamless teamwork

”I felt super confident about the opportunity to represent Robit exclusively in the Argentinian mining market. When you have one of the key brands in the world to offer, and you get great support from their Regional Manager Alexei Albuquerque and his team, you have all a dealer needs to close good deals”, says Ariel Fernandez.

Mining has still a lot of growth potential in Argentina, and Robit and All Drill are searching for new opportunities around the country. ”We are proud to say that Robit has become a major player in the Argentinian mining market, with very positive feedback from the end-users. This is a great foundation for planning the future and our next steps. It is a result of hard work, time investment, and trust between All Drill and Robit”, Alexei Albuquerque concludes.

Picture: Drillmaster Juan Padilla replacing a bit at Cerro Vanguardia

ROSH PINAH – boosting quality with Robit tools

Posted on by Jari Silver

Geographically, most of Namibia consists of a desert or near-desert plateau. Underneath this arid ground, however, lies a massive mineral wealth.

Namibia’s economy relies heavily on its mining industry: almost half of the country’s foreign exchange earnings are contributed by this sector. Key exports include diamonds, uranium, gold and silver, as well as a wide variety of base metals such as lead, copper, and zinc.

On the edge on the Namib desert in southern Namibia, the Rosh Pinah underground mine, owned by Canadian-based Trevali, has been producing zinc and lead for 50 years, milling some 2,000 tonnes of ore per day. That kind of production volumes pose a challenge to the supply and service of consumable parts – and that’s where Robit SA was able to help Rosh Pinah improve their performance.

“We signed a consignment stock contract for the “GET” (Ground Engagement Tools) with Rosh Pinah in August. It’s a full-service contract, including a management system”, explains Franco Van Deventer, Sales Director for Robit SA.

The two-year contract covers both development and long hole production drilling, as well as “cut and fill” mining.

Better quality through reporting

“Our management reporting system has marked a significant improvement in quality control. Our monthly feedback reports allow our customer to track the performance of our equipment and compare the efficiency and cost. Before our contract this had not been possible”, Franco says.

Picture: Bird’s eye view of Rosh Pinah. (Image: Hp.Baumeler)