Master Drilling Australia has developed a safer alternative to the cutter changing process.
Since its inception in 1986, South African company Master Drilling has grown to become one of the largest rock boring and drilling companies in the world.
With a presence in over 23 countries, Master Drilling hit Australian shores in June 2020 and has successfully delivered raise bore projects across the country for many Tier 1 miners.
When Master Drilling was working on a Tier 1 mine, it came up with the idea of a remote thermal lancing tool, a solution designed to enhance safety on a mine site by ensuring personnel are kept at a safe distance from the brow during the cutter changing process.
A thermal lancing tool also removes the need for manual handling and removes operators from the line of fire.
“The tool was initially engineered by DSM Consulting Engineers in 2021 to safely and accurately lance ground engaging tools in crusher and mobile equipment pins,” Master Drilling general manager – Australasia Joshua Sugden told Australian Mining.
“We are utilising this tool for underground applications, particularly for our cutter changing method. The key objective of using the remote thermal lancing tool is to comply with recent regulatory updates on cutter changing procedures by DEMIRS (the Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety), enhancing safety by reducing personnel exposure in the brow.”
Image: Master Drilling
The remote thermal lancing tool heats and melts steel by feeding pressurised oxygen through a steel tube packed with steel rods, creating high temperatures for cutting.
“For the reamer cutter changing process, we lower the reamer head to the bottom of the shaft and place it onto a skid,” Sugden said.
“The remote thermal lancing tool comes in attached to an integrated tool carrier or telehandler, where an operator can be positioned within the carrier at a safe distance from the brow.
“The operator uses the tool to cut a reaming stabiliser, which is 16-inches in diameter of high-grade steel coming in at around 800kg of drill rod, thereby detaching the reamer from the stem of the drill rig.
“Once the reamer has been disconnected from the stem, it can be dragged away from the brow for the cutters to be changed.”
The remote thermal lancing tool was recently used at one of Master Drilling’s projects in Western Australia, where it was required to perform two cutter changes due to challenging rock conditions.
“The Master Drilling Australia crew were able to successfully use the tool and safely replace the cutters on the reamer head,” Sugden said. “The client was extremely pleased with the outcome when using the tool.
“In both instances, our crew was able to ensure safety standards exceeded the client’s expectations, and the process was completed in a timely manner.
“For the second cutter change, through our collaboration with the client, Master Drilling was able to further streamline the process to improve efficiency.”
Alongside the remote thermal lancing tool, Master Drilling is working on another solution to remove the need of cutting a reaming stabiliser entirely.
“Although the remote thermal lancing method enhances safety during the cutter changing procedures, there is still potential to make it more efficient and cost-effective,” Sugden said.
“We are currently developing a new innovative tool that removes the need to lance, therefore streamlining operations while prioritising team safety.”
Master Drilling Australia’s remote thermal lancing tool and its upcoming innovation for cutter changing emphasises its core values of innovation, safety, and efficiency.
“This differs from our competitors as we consistently strive to push the bounds of raise bore technology and meet the demands of the ever-evolving mining industry,” Sugden said.
This feature appeared in the August 2024 issue of Australian Mining.
