Epiroc’s SmartROC D65 BE battery-electric floor drill demonstrator seems set to quickly contact down in Egypt at AngloGold Ashanti’s Sukari gold mine following remaining testing in British Columbia, Canada, Carl Lager, Key Account Supervisor at Epiroc, revealed in an Epiroc buyer story publication.
In a buyer story titled, ‘Powering the way forward for Mining,’ Lager and Tony Woolfe, Normal Supervisor, Property and Provide Chain, Capital Restricted, mentioned how the 2 corporations have accelerated growth of a battery-electric floor drill properly forward of market demand.
The SmartROC D65 BE demonstrator relies on the well-proven SmartROC D65 floor drill rig. It’s outfitted with a battery which drives the tramming motors and an electrical cable to hook it as much as present energy for drilling.
Together with invaluable expertise gained from the event of Epiroc underground battery rigs, this new rig is designed to boost the environmental requirements of mining and bigger quarry websites, the OEM says. Apart from the low emissions, this rig offers the identical vary of on-board sensible options, and delivers excessive security, reliability and efficiency – in a quieter working surroundings.
Capital Ltd has been a detailed companion through the testing part, with the SmartROC D65 BE demonstrator that was on Epiroc’s MINExpo 2024 stand the identical one that’s heading to Sukari.
Lager mentioned within the buyer story that the most important problem related to the collaboration on this demonstrator was the constraints of present battery expertise. He defined: “A drill of this dimension can’t rely solely on immediately’s batteries as it could require hourly charging. This makes a dependable energy grid important – one thing many mines aren’t but outfitted to offer.”
He mentioned that an present SmartROC D65 has been retrofitted with the battery for this demonstrator to not solely permit Epiroc to ship a working prototype shortly, but additionally to pay attention fully on the ability pack. Capital, with 11 SmartROC D65 drills rigs working at Sukari, is accustomed to the mannequin.
Lager says the businesses are at present working by means of a “couple of small snags” and conducting remaining testing in British Columbia, with the rig then as a result of go to Capital Restricted’s discipline trial at Sukari.
Woolfe added: “We selected Sukari as a result of we’ve got a robust technical workforce there and a terrific relationship and collaboration with our shopper, AngloGold Ashanti. Moreover, it’s one of many few mining websites with a big, operational on-site photo voltaic farm, which can be necessary long-term to really make it an emissions-free drill rig.”
The complete Q&A involving Lager and Woolfe is positioned right here
