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Sandvik adds to its battery-electric surface drill offerings

STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Global mining and rock processing equipment manufacturer Sandvik has unveiled its second battery-electric concept surface drill rig.

The machine is capable of down-the-hole drilling at up to 229mm in diameter and gives operators the choice between a 180m tethered cable power source or battery-driven operations. The drill’s battery can power up to one hour of drilling or seven hours of tramming.

The cable has automatic self-tightening capabilities based on the directions of rig movement. Winding has been designed on a single layer with the aim of a thinner tether, with a maximum operating voltage of 1,000V also contributing to the lightweight nature of the cable.

With its debut, the machine is the first battery-electric drill of its size class, with Sandvik’s design based on insights from their lighter battery-electric equipment.

“Testing of the smaller concept with our construction customers has been very successful and produced valuable feedback,’” said Lauri Laihanen, vice president of research & development for Sandvik’s surface drilling division. “We’ve learned a lot, and now it’s time to apply these learnings to surface mining, which has its own unique challenges.”