Sandvik Mining rolls out the first 160D rotary blast hole drill from its India plant

Sandvik Mining, a leading global supplier of equipment and tools, service and technical solutions for the mining industry, has rolled out the first 160D drill from its India facility in an effort to better meet the needs of its in-market customers. The drill was showcased today during a customer event at Sandvik Mining’s manufacturing facility in Pune, India.

The 160D is a proven model that has been successfully integrated into the Sandvik Mining equipment portfolio following the 2011 acquisition of EIMCO, a surface drilling business. The product is being manufactured at Sandvik’s state-of-the-art facility in Pune, with design improvements incorporated that will enhance value delivered to end users.

Globally, India is the third largest coal producer, the fourth largest iron ore producer and is among the top 10 producers of various minerals such as chromite, zinc and magnesite. As its population steadily climbs toward 1.3 billion people and global demand for resources grows, India will continue to invest in the technology needed to mine its valuable reserves.

The 160D drill is built for harsh climates, and can be operated by one man. The drill runs on a system of three shifts of eight hours per day, and is equipped for drilling 160mm diameter holes.

Highlighted features include an optimized power delivery by a direct injection, four-stroke diesel engine of not less than 200kW net power measured between 1,700 and 2,000 rpm. Also efficient hydraulics (hydraulic pumps, motor and cylinder are field proven and have suitable ratings with in-built protection from surge, cavitation, loss of oil due to hose leakage and burst), a productive operator’s environment, powerful drilling mast (raising and lowering of the entire mast is accomplished hydraulically with safety check valve/s to prevent falling of mast in the event of power or hose failure) and an effective dust control system that eliminates dust hazards to the operator and equipment.

“Our dedicated design team in Pune and Bangalore worked with global counterparts to ensure that the 160D will enable India mining companies to achieve enhanced safety, increased productivity and peace of mind,” said Ken Stapylton, vice president of rotary and DTH drilling, Sandvik Mining. “Additionally, we followed a stringent vendor selection process to achieve a high quality standard of components that will ensure consistent delivery of promised parameters to customers.”