HUNTINGTON, West Virginia – Mining narrow veins in underground gold mines is a capital intensive business, and high production costs can quickly dissolve profits in a time of falling metal prices. J.H. Fletcher & Co. looked at the problem and designed a new piece of equipment that improves productivity and reduces the physicality of hand drilling and mucking in tight spaces.
The new, narrow bolter promises cost savings in narrow vein stopes by automating a task that might otherwise have to be done manually at higher cost.
Fletcher VP of sales Ben Hardman said, “Our aim is to get operators off the muck pile, and to mechanize the installation of roof support with a narrow vein machine – to get rid of as much of the ‘grunt’ work as possible.
“It’s a two pronged approach: making working conditions safer for the mining workforce, and getting better productivity by using specialist machines,” he added.
The machine is designed with diesel tram and electric drilling, with inch tram from drill platform. The machine is supplied with rubber tires, articulating carrier, and a single boom with a mounted lifting operator platform. With an articulating chassis, the machine can negotiate turns with as little as 2.5 m inside radius.. Basket swing allows parallel offset, and also aids in maneuvering around tight corners.
The machine is designed for use in headings from 2.4-m wide and is now operating at a western United States mine. Similar machines are being used to install side support in narrow headings and stopes in steeply dipping formations. The drill unit can reach a maximum height of 4.4 m, which eliminates the need for stope backfilling before roof support can be installed. This ability alone saves valuable time, reported Fletcher, as well as reducing exposure to additional slip and trip accidents associated with a muck pile or drilling pad.
Drilling, resin insertion and bolting can all be performed from the operator’s basket, which is mounted on a boom that lifts and swings to allow multiple installations. Canopies provide additional protection to the operator in both driving and working positions. The machine was designed to allow access to tram compartment and drill platform from both sides of machine, allowing the operator to position the machine as they see fit, due to the irregular characteristics of slope mining.
If this machine would be useful in your operation, visit JHFletcher.com. In Canada, the new machine is available though Wajax Equipment.
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