Sandvik Unveils Second Battery-Electric Concept Surface Drill Rig

Sandvik’s second battery-electric concept surface drill rig is the first in its size class, capable of drilling DTH holes up to 229 millimeters (9 inches) in diameter, and blending the autonomy of battery with the continuous endurance of power cable.

Electric surface rigs have long depended solely on a tethered cable as the power source. With its second battery-electric surface concept, Sandvik says it is showcasing the latest technology advancements to push the potential of more sustainable surface drilling, as decarbonization efforts accelerate across the surface mining sector.

“With the industry shifting towards intelligent, autonomous and emission-free equipment, surface drill rigs need to be reinvented. This new concept rig elevates electric surface drilling.” said Lauri Laihanen, Vice President, R&D, Surface Drilling Division, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

The intelligent DTH rig’s battery pack provides power for up to one hour of drilling or up to seven hours of tramming. The battery is primarily intended for tramming and drilling individual holes while the bulk of a pattern is carried out via power from its 180-meter tethered cable.

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