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SUPPLIERS REPORT Canada and now, with delivery of the latest unit, in Mexico as well. The TR3000, said Terratec, was robustly designed to be capable of boring a 3-mdiameter hole up to 600 m deep in hard rock. The nominal hole diameter for this size of machine is 3 m with a standard pilot hole diameter of 311 mm. The TR3000 provides torque of up to 78,000 Nm for pilot drilling, 237,000 Nm for reaming, 261,000 Nm makeup and 266,000 Nm for breakout. Down thrust is calculated at 1,600 kN with up thrust at 4,500 kN. Total installed power is 352 kW. However, the dimensions of the machine—as necessary to fit within the client's specified drift requirements—were a critical element. This model's extended height is 4,500 mm; retracted, it is 3,815 mm. That isn't always the case, though. In what is regarded as the biggest raise boring project in mining history, Swedish mining services contractor Bergteamet was able to use some of the largest raise borers available to produce 55,000 m of ventilation shafts and ore passes as part of LKAB's recent project to develop a new haulage level 320 m below the existing level at 1,045 m depth. The contractor employed an Atlas Copco Robbins 73RM-DC and several larger 91RH www.e-mj.com Cs. The machines were used to bore raises ranging from 90–360 m long and up to 5 m in diameter. Weighing 33 mt, the Robbins 91RH C provides continuous torque of 450 kN, with a relatively compact design that measures 4,115 mm fully extended. Dwarfing the 91RH C is Redpath's Redbore 100, touted as the world's most powerful raise boring machine, measuring 7,540 mm tall fully extended, and capable of providing maximum pilot hole force of 667.2 kN and reaming force of 15,569 kN. Nominal capacities range from 3.66 m up to 8 m) diameters with lengths of raises up to 1,000 m. At MINExpo 2012, Redpath said it was expanding its fleet of RBMs and adding models, including three more Redbore 30 units and a second Redbore 90. A new model—the Redbore 60—is scheduled to enter service in the first half of 2013. Also introduced at MINExpo was Atlas Copco Secoroc's latest offering in pilot bit design, the PrimO pilot bit. The bit features a contoured shirttail to reduce heat on the seal area and carbide inserts on the shirttail to increase the life of the shirttail and seals. The PrimO also employs a dual seal arrangement, which includes a primary seal and an excluder for longer seal life. The PrimO design also incorporates wear-resistant carbide on the cone gage bevels coupled with enhanced carbide on the gage of the bit to improve gage life, which translates into longer pilot holes with fewer trips for the customer and overall faster penetration rate as the insert retains its hape longer, according to the company. The PrimO bits utilize proprietary synthetic lubricants for longer bearing life and increased rpm, and the combined features of the bit line have shown up to 30% better performance in field testing compared with standard bits in hard or difficult ground conditions. Liebherr Expands Truck Production Facility Liebherr Mining Equipment plans to invest $45.4 million through 2014 to expand its mine-truck manufacturing factory, warehouse and office space in Newport News, Virginia, USA. The expansion, according to the company, is in accordance with its ongoing program to develop new mining truck models and to increase production capabilities to handle a yearly output of more than 100 units. The company will begin production of its new 240-ton T 264 mining truck early in 2014, as well as APRIL 2013 • E&MJ; 143