Atlas Copco Releases Water-Driven Drill Package to the General Market



Having proven itself at the LKAB Kiruna and Malmberget iron ore mines in Sweden, the Atlas Copco Simba W6 C production drilling rig is now being made available for general use. According to the company, the Simba W6 C rig is specially adapted to the Wassara water-driven, in-the-hole hammer and gives long, straight holes with a minimum hole deviation of less than 1%. Besides long-hole drilling, the Simba W6 C can also be modified for slot hole drilling, a method that is used in LKAB’s Malmberget mine.

The W6 C rigs are equipped with a control system that optimizes the performance for in-the-hole hammer applications. Using 115-mm drill bits (or 165-mm bits for slot holes) and 1.8-m-long, 102-mm-diameter drill tubes, the Simba W6 C can drill holes up to 63 m in length. The RHS 35 carousel holds 35 tubes. The W6 C rigs also offer unattended drilling in full fan automation, enabling an operator to supervise several drill rigs at the same time. In cases where manual operation is preferred, the rig’s cabin offers the operator an environment with air conditioning, vibration dampening and noise insulation. Another important feature is the water pump system which gives high efficiency, low water spillage and low overall cost. An air venting system ensures long pump life, and the pump pressure control optimizes hammer efficiency and life length.

www.atlascopco.com


As featured in Womp 2009 Vol 07 - www.womp-int.com