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NARROW VEIN for these rigs increase as operations move underground. Each is specifically designed for underground applications, Nielson added, allowing for better access, mobility, flexibility and productivity in tight spaces. Boart Longyear notes that safety is one of its key concerns, with the StopeMaster and StopeMate rigs having been developed with heavy-duty hydraulic hoses to protect the driller from hose rupture, and guarding for protection from moving parts. Removing the operator from the immediate drilling area, the rigs can be controlled remotely from up to 25 m away. They also come equipped with emergency stop circuits to cut the power to the drill in the event of an incident. Both the StopeMaster and the StopeMate are equipped with a pneumatic tophammer production drill that features 360° rotation for greater flexibility, together with a rotating/pivoting traverse. This configuration ensures precision drilling in both parallel and straight applications, and accurate operator control in drop-raise, cablebolting, fan-drilling, ring-drilling and parallel-drilling applications, the company says. Both rigs are skid-steer, mounted on four solid-tired wheels, with a four-wheel independent drive and braking system. With 30% gradeability, they can be used in quite steep applications. In use, both can also be operated in a minimum back height of 2.44 m (96 in.), while the StopeMate is small enough to fit through a 1.27 x 1.9-m (50 x 75-in.) opening. Designed for bulk mining, the StopeMaster is capable of drilling 64- to 106-mm holes measuring up to 35 m deep while the smaller, more compact StopeMate can fit into a lift cage and drill 51- to 76-mm diameter holes at depths of 12–15 m. Both drills are offered in standard and HX versions. The StopeMate HX features an added hydraulic positioner, and the StopeMaster HX features the same positioner as well as a self-propelled diesel option. The self-propelled version can disengage gears in order to facilitate towing where required. Compact Machines for Narrow and Low Stopes In January, Sandvik Mining announced an order for 83 machines for Royal Bafokeng Platinum's new Styldrift mine in South Africa. Scheduled for delivery during 2014, the equipment consists mainly of low-profile DD210-L drill rigs, LH208 LHDs, and the mechanized low-profile roofbolter, the DS210L-M. The company notes that the development contractor is also using DD210L drill rigs for this stage of the project. The DD210L is a single-boom jumbo designed to work in stopes as low as 1.6 m. Despite having a carrier height of just 1.3 m, it is easy to operate and maintain as well as having a large boom coverage, Sandvik says. An HLX5 hydraulic drill handles hole sizes from 43 to 64 mm (111∕16–2½ in.) Meanwhile, the Sandvik DD210-V is a compact narrow-vein single-boom electrohydraulic drill rig designed for drilling in sections as narrow as 3.2 m (10 ft. 6 in.). It can be used for development, bolting and/or production drilling. Just 1.2 m wide and 1.85 m high with the canopy down for transport, it has a multi-purpose boom that give up to 27 m2 of face coverage. A double rotation device allows the operator to position the drill feed vertically on both sides and close to the side walls. For production drilling in small drifts, Sandvik offers its DL210 rig. Compact and flexible, this is suitable for various drilling applications, the company notes, being capable of drilling 51- to 64-mm (2- to 2½-in.) holes up to 20 m long. Its sister machine, the DL230, extends this range to 23 m (75 ft), being equipped with a boom that can drill parallel up- or down-holes and has a cable remote-control system for greater operator safety. When it comes to loading out from narrow spaces, Sandvik's smallest dieselengined LHD is the 0.7-yd3-capacity (1-mt-payload) LH201. Powered by a 33 kW (45 hp) Deutz engine, the machine has hydrostatic four-wheel drive. Its 3.65 mt operating weight means it is simpler to take underground than larger machines, while its length (4.6 m) and width (1.1 m) allow access to very narrow stopes and drifts. Also suitable for narrow-vein applications, the slightly larger LH203 has the best payload-to-own weight ratio in its class, Sandvik claims. With bucket options of between 2 and 2.3 yd3, and up to 3.5 mt payload, the machine's unique bucketfilling system means that it has an excellent bucket fill factor, Sandvik adds, while its low weight helps increase tire life and cut fuel consumption. Transferring Demolition Technology The Swedish manufacturer of compact demolition equipment, Brokk, recently introduced its new model 100 as the successor to one of its most widely used machines. Although designed for use in construction demolition where access space is restricted, the machine can also be adapted for use in narrow-vein mining underground, the company said. Weighing just 990 kg (2,200 lb) and capable of fitting through a 780-mm (31in.)-wide opening, the Brokk 100 has a boom that can be equipped with a range of accessories. While its standard tool in demolition mode is a hydraulic breaker, such as Atlas Copco's 55-kg SB152, it can also carry a rock drill or a bucket for muck- Sandvik designed the skid-steer DS110L bolting rig for operation in stope heights as low as 1.1 m. www.e-mj.com MARCH 2013 • E&MJ; 33