Sandvik Mining has announced a new Pantera percussive drill platform – designed specifically for mining and available for both DTH (down-the-hole) and TH (top hammer) applications – delivering increased drilling capacity, lower fuel consumption and improved safety.
Featuring a distinctive new-look design, the new range has been developed to take advantage of mining industry trends towards fully autonomous operation – with options allowing owners to take advantage of automation technology as their needs and mining operations change.
The two new models will be Pantera DI6400 (DTH) and Pantera DP2000 (TH). According to Jan-Olaf Petzold, Vice President for Product Line Surface DTH/TH Drills at Sandvik Mining, the new Pantera line delivers greater productivity and better drilling economy, in an integrated package able to meet the changing needs of the mining industry for many years to come. “These new drills have been developed from the ground up to meet the needs of today’s mining industry, as well as future requirements as the industry moves towards automated and, ultimately, fully autonomous operations,” he said.
Designed for wall control, pit development and production drilling in open pit mines, all Pantera variants share the same platform, control system and automation infrastructure, further reducing the cost of training, maintenance and ownership in surface drilling applications.
Petzold said the new Pantera platform combines an innovative approach to surface drilling with proven and intelligent SICA (Sandvik Integrated Control Architecture) control system technology. “Our new Pantera platform offers efficiency and precision in drilling, increased safety and comfort in its operating interface, while reducing emission levels and environmental impact,” he said. Pantera DI6400 is designed for 115-203mm diameter blastholes up to 45 meters in depth, while Pantera DP2000 can drill 152-178 mm diameter holes 36 meters deep. The introduction of the Pantera platform’s DTH variant, which will be available in late 2013, represents an entry into this market for Sandvik Mining, while the top hammer version – to be released in 2014 – will extend the company’s lead in open cut mining TH drills, Petzold said.
“Our Pantera range is a major step forward in our surface mining drills business,” he said. “It combines mining industry-specific design, machine intelligence, increased performance and productivity, higher safety and truly ‘green’ features unmatched by other drill manufacturers.”
The Pantera top hammer configuration – featuring the new 45 kW hydraulic rock drill Sandvik RD2045C – offers superior drilling capacity in the 152-178 mm diameter range for the first time in the market.
“Its combination of a longer feed module and greatly reduced tool handling times means many more meters can be drilled in a shift,” Petzold said. The Pantera DTH configuration will offer the industry’s highest operating pressures for faster, more efficient drilling.
Petzold said the new range is the “greenest” and safest blasthole drill offering on the market, through such features as advanced powerpack and clutch technology that reduce engine load, save fuel and reduce carbon emissions – as well as ensuring longer service intervals and service life.
“Our Pantera range also contributes to improved operating safety through a number of new features,” Petzold said. “These include an optimized combination of width and weight distribution for better stability, a FOPS/ROPS cabin with comfortable seats for operator and trainer and a remote control option when drilling in potentially hazardous areas where unmanned operation is required.”
The new Pantera range also offers increased service life and lower maintenance costs through such features as an optimized powerpack offering on the TH drill, heavy-duty main frame and boom/feed modules and modular layout and improved access to all components.
Each option is available in three configurations – Silver, Gold and Platinum – allowing them to be readily adapted to the needs of customers in different mining markets around the world.
Pantera DTH platform – environment friendly with a higher productivity
With the release of Pantera DI6400 onto the global mining market at the end of 2013, Sandvik Mining offers more environmental and productive choice for the DTH mining drilling segment for the first time. Designed for drilling 115-203 mm blast holes up to 45 m, the Pantera DI6400 delivers up 35 bar operating pressure in DTH drilling.
This rig variant also marks an industry first, with the introduction of 25-foot (7.5 m) drill pipes, in diameters from 89-140 mm, for boom-based operation. “Compared with other DTH solutions, Pantera DI6400 with 25 foot drill pipes delivers higher productivity and lower operating costs, through higher penetration rates, reduced time spent in tool changes, better stability, faster maintenance, and an optimized powerpack,” Petzold said.
In addition, significantly increased fuel efficiency is ensured through the proven Sandvik Compressor Management System (CMS), which precisely matches compressor use and output to drilling needs, and advanced clutch technology.
Pantera TH variant – introducing hydraulic top hammer drilling
To be released in mid-2014, Pantera DP2000 TH drill sees the introduction of the new Sandvik RD2045C hydraulic top hammer rock drill, combined with 20-foot (6.1 m) 127 mm diameter drill tubes. This rig is designed for drilling 152-178 mm diameter blast holes up to 37 m deep.
“In top hammer applications, hydraulics offer significant advantages in transmission of forces and energy – ensuring higher penetration rates, superior drilling capacity and fuel efficiency compared with pneumatic systems,” Petzold said. “The new Sandvik RD2045C hydraulic rock drill class is specifically designed for 165 mm diameter drilling with the company’s brand new ST94-127 tube rod system and features long piston and HLX valve technology for optimal energy transmission. “Its stabilizer manages the percussive recoil energy, thereby ensuring optimal energy transfer to rock for maximum penetration rates, tool economy and blasthole quality,” he said. “Next year’s launch of our Pantera class top hammer drills will ensure Sandvik leadership in surface top hammer drilling in the world market remains unchallenged.”
Configured to meet customer needs
The new Pantera drills will be available in three configurations – Silver, Gold and Platinum – allowing them to be readily adapted to the needs of customers in different mining markets and applications:
- Silver: This industry-standard configuration meets the highest global safety and productivity
requirements, and is designed to deliver outstanding drilling performance, hole precision and
quality
- Gold: Designed for applications requiring Sandvik precision TIM3D navigation via GPS and
data transfer, as well as incorporating automated drilling functions and health monitoring
system
- Platinum: For mines looking to take advantage of Sandvik AutoMine automated mining
system, this configuration incorporates all Silver and Gold features, as well as allowing
autonomous and remote controlled operations.
“With the Pantera line, we have harnessed proven Sandvik expertise in mining automation and data management through our automated drilling functions, to improve the speed and precision of drilling,” Petzold said. “With the mining industry moving towards increasing levels of automation and process optimization, combined with demands for larger, higher-capacity equipment, our new Pantera range has been specifically designed to address trends which are essential to the future of mining,” he said.
To ensure customers have full peace of mind with their decision to purchase Pantera drills, Sandvik Mining will be unveiling a number of complementary customer service products to ensure the most comprehensive support offerings on the market, Petzold added.