DRILL & BLAST
to step up both productivity and safety. New Boliden’s Tara Mines (the largest European zinc mine) in Ireland has been using Scaletecs since 2007 for routine scaling after every development blast. Te rig allows the operator to work in
a protected cab well back from potential falling rocks, and a dozer blade aids in clearing the worksite after scaling. Models LC and MC include the Atlas Copco Rig Control System for accurate boom positioning. Rammer, part of Sandvik, offers a range
of three scaler (breakers specially designed for scaling); the 555, 777 and 999.
Gradall Industries offers scaling
versions of it’s wheeled excavators employing its rugged, 2-piece telescoping, triangular boom and hooked breaker for maximum leverage to further loosen hazardous rocks. Te units are widely used in limestone mines in which the comparatively low profile of the excavators and boom mechanism allow easy operation under 6-m headroom.
Avoidance
A possible way of avoiding scaling as a mining task which is, after all, largely
non-productive, is to improve the accuracy of drilling and blasting so that hanging rocks do not remain after a blast. In mining accurate blasting is not often as important as it in ‘civils’ tunnelling, but this
Paul Weaver Construction Equipment of Illinois, US, produced this mine scaler conversion package based on a Liebherr excavator with two different boom arrangements and custom conversions available.
07 INTERNATIONAL MINING ENGINEER
approach may benefit for permanent development and transport drives. A careful comparative study would be required to determine whether the increased cost of more sophisticated drill jumbos, probably with computerised control, and increased numbers of peripheral blastholes, can be justified over the best scaling procedures and equipment. Another avoidance procedure, if the ground is suitable, is to use a fully mechanised mining method such as a roadheader or continuous miner, cutting the required profile.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46