Epiroc recently won a significant order from Norilsk Nickel for underground mining equipment. The mining company ordered Epiroc’s Boltec M and Cabletec M rigs for use in the Oktyabrskiy, Mayak and Komsomolskiy mines in Russia. The order exceeded $11 million and will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Several of the Boltec machines will be equipped with the new automated pumpable resin system, a key component in Epiroc’s automated bolting development. The pumpable resin system when combined with self-drilling anchors is particularly effective in difficult and unstable ground conditions, according to Epiroc.
President and CEO Helena Hedblom said, “We are proud to play a key role as this forward-looking mining company now takes the next step in its commitment to safety and productivity with our latest technology.”
One of the more difficult rock reinforcement tasks in underground mining and tunneling operations is how to install long-term rock bolts in poor rock conditions. As a result, rock bolting traditionally has often been the bottleneck within the drill and blast cycle. To resolve this, in 2019, Epiroc launched a pumpable resin system for underground rock bolting, allowing for a faster, more reliable and cost-effective bolting alternative for long-term rock reinforcement in difficult ground conditions.
