While the ability to remotely monitor the performance and condition of mining equipment is not new, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has taken great strides in applying data analytics and dedicated algorithms to give mines even greater value from their machine data.

This has been witnessed in the company’s remote monitoring service (RMS), which has rapidly evolved from the company’s telemetry data reporting solution, better known as My Sandvik Insight Insight and Productivity for underground. RMS takes further digital steps to give mines even more uptime and productivity while prioritising safety and driving down maintenance costs. 

“The digital age has seen mines embracing the value of data in their decision making, and as an OEM we support this by raising the value of data to another level,” explains Zandre de Witt, Portfolio Specialist for RMS and Digitalisation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. “We use data to generate more detailed insights into machine health, which allows mining operations to embrace a proactive maintenance mind set.”

The My Sandvik telemetry data reporting solution, already operational in the field for about eight years, has allowed data to be gathered on the ‘Knowledge Box’ installed on Sandvik equipment – and even transmitted and stored to be displayed on digital dashboards. RMS takes this further towards meeting the strategic objectives of mining customers, according to Logan Pillay, Sales Support Manager at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. 

“The strategic focus today is on safety, cost effectiveness, productivity and sustainability – and RMS allows us to find the opportunities in the data to accelerate our path on this journey,” says Pillay. “It is about the conclusions to be drawn from the various combinations of readings from our technology; these insights then feed into response processes and our interactions with customers, to improve and streamline operations.”

RMS is most capable on Sandvik’s i-series drills, loaders and trucks, which come standard with intelligent capability. Through the company’s Global Reliability Centre, reports on each item of equipment are generated through a range of powerful algorithms, pointing to potential issues demanding attention.

“We can pick up indicators that there is dust ingress into an engine, for instance, which could severely damage components within a matter of days,” he says. “Through the protocols that we have established with customers, we would then contact the correct person on site and alert them to the identified risk before it leads to an unplanned stoppage.”

The report to the customer would include not only the readings and analysis, but also practical recommendations for maintenance teams to follow in the investigation of the issue. It is therefore little surprise that the uptake of RMS has been enthusiastic – with over 40% of the entire connected fleet in Southern Africa having moved onto the RMS customer base. 

De Witt highlights that the mining sector includes a growing number of younger managers, engineers and technicians who readily embrace the digital revolution, and want to put technology to work in improving operations. 

“Our experience is that mining staff are increasingly data hungry when it comes to monitoring and maintaining equipment,” he says. “They also want to see this data in real time, and in a fully analysed format to guide quick decisions.”

Local understanding of mining operations is also a key factor in the successful application of RMS, says Pillay. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is therefore continuously upgrading the skill levels of its local staff, to contextualise and apply the support being received from the company’s global data experts. There has been considerable experience developed in applying RMS in underground mining, and the company now has exciting pilot initiatives underway in the opencast environment. 

The benefits of RMS have been demonstrated not only through avoiding unscheduled downtime, but by achieving longer lifecycles between maintenance through improved operator techniques and behaviour. RMS also allows production cycles to be tracked and analysed, creating opportunities to identify more productive strategies that boost the bottom line. 

As a leader in technology-driven productivity, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions supports the continuous upskilling of operators and maintenance teams to keep up with the ever-evolving capabilities of its equipment.

“Our strategic aim is always to ensure that the impact of our mining solutions is optimised through the expertise and capability of the staff who operate and maintain them,” says Sipho Kunene, Operator and Technical Training Manager at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions. “This means focusing our training on the specific conditions and requirements of each customer and each site.”

Kunene highlights that advances in technology are allowing Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to tailor its skills development interventions so that it adds maximum value to customers’ mining operations. This is achieved by digitally monitoring its equipment during operation, gathering crucial data and subjecting this to analytical examination.

“By having this accurate data input, we can identify where there might be gaps in an operator’s performance,” he explains. “The training can then be designed to address particular areas to be improved – so that there is a direct impact on the results achieved. This monitoring capability is already built into our i-Series intelligent equipment ranges.”

He points out that the gap analysis could also indicate where on-mine processes could be finetuned for better results. The focus is on ensuring that the customer achieves their expected return on investment in their mining assets.

“We take a holistic view of the situation, and make recommendations to the customer on the most suitable training intervention,” he says. Training begins in the classroom, where learners are orientated on elements such as the equipment’s operating features and safety aspects. This provides a foundation for the more practical aspects of the training which follow.

“An important advantage of our training capabilities is our advanced simulation equipment,” he says. “This allows learners to experience a realistic working environment while not compromising the safety of workers or risking damage to the equipment itself.”

Training on the simulator also protects the learner from the production pressures of the workplace, making it easier to grasp and practice the technical skills without undue distraction or danger. Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions even have a portable simulator that can be readily transported to mines for use on-site. This eases the logistical requirements of moving operators to a central training venue, and reduces the disruption to their normal working hours.

“Once they are comfortable on the simulator, they can be taken to the next practical stage of learning – where they encounter the real machines,” says Kunene. “As this practical training progresses, the process can move towards the optimisation of the equipment’s application and the operator’s performance.”

Assessments are a vital part of the training, and are conducted at various stages – culminating in the awarding of a certificate that recognises their competence. This assists the industry and the operator, allowing mobility of skills while assuring employers of an operator’s ability to optimise the capabilities of an item of equipment.

“This gap analysis approach is also applied to the technical staff who maintain Sandvik machines,” he continues. “We believe the training intervention must be planned and delivered in close consultation with the customer, to ensure their precise needs are addressed.”

He notes that South Africa faces a general skills challenge in relation to fast changing technology trends – in mining as in other sectors. The traditional diesel mechanic skill set, for instance, is often no longer sufficient in an environment where diesel driven machines are increasingly incorporating electronic and digital components.

“The move to battery powered machines is also well advanced within Sandvik,” he says. “Our in-house skills base reflects this shift, and we want to support our customers in building their own expertise.”

This has led Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions to develop a ‘second trade’ among its artisans. Included in the approach is the upskilling of traditional trades such as millwright or electrician, to ensure that their skill set is suited to the changing needs. The company also collaborates with the Tshwane University of Technology to put the relevant staff and trainers through a programme in mechatronics.

“Disciplines like these add to our base of expertise, which is vital as we move into the age of intelligent machines, battery driven vehicles and higher levels of automation,” concludes Kunene.

Making mines safer and more productive has long been the strategic intention of mine automation, and surface drill rigs are now part of this technological evolution.

According to Kabelo Nkoana, Business Line Manager for Automation and Digitisation at Sandvik Southern Africa, AutoMine® is available for Sandvik i-Series models in the company’s intelligent range of down-the-hole top hammer and rotary blast hole drill rigs. Mining customers in southern Africa have been embracing the functionality, and reporting positive results.

“Sandvik AutoMine® system essentially replicates the machine control system to enable remote automation over the mine’s Wi-Fi network,” he says. “There is an awareness that safety could be compromised when rigs are operating close to a highwall, or when there are unstable geological conditions on the bench. Automating a drill rig in these conditions is an important contributor to safety.”

Sandvik’s i-Series machines come standard with features such as the onboard data collection unit technology for engine operation and other major components. Various operational and machine health data from the sensors are collected in the OEM’s Knowledge Box, and transmitted to cloud storage for analysis and real time reporting to support informed and accurate decision making. This creates the foundation for the automation process, which also enhances reliability and performance.

Nkoana explains that the machines’ extensive sensing capability – where it is picking up valuable data about its working environment – allows it to operate autonomously within its design limits.

“This means that it will respond quickly to changes in its drilling conditions – in the properties of the rock it is drilling, for instance,” he says. “By not exceeding its limitations, its operating behaviour will extend the life of consumables and components, generally leading to a lower total operational cost.”

Having been in operation for over two decades, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions’ AutoMine® system today plays an integral role in making mining safer and more efficient. It is installed in more than 100 mines worldwide, with a positive impact on safety. The automated equipment operating AutoMine® system has logged more than five million Lost-Time-Injury-Free (LTIF) hours.

The company is also incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) into its next generation AutoMine® system solutions, with the launch of its concept loader and underground drill. These innovations make use of perception-sensing technologies to detect obstacles, and can make decisions about its movements when there is a person or other manual equpment in their proximity.

Nkoana highlights that mines in southern Africa are gradually moving toward ‘smart mining’ through digital monitoring and control, as well as automation. The process, however, needs to be well planned and gradual – with all stakeholders buying into the successful implementation of the concept.

The world of underground drilling technology is undergoing a significant transformation. This evolution promises not only enhanced precision and productivity but also a wealth of detailed operational data. Moreover, it offers the potential for safer drilling practices through remote control. One company leading the charge in this revolution is Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, offering a wide range of underground drill rigs and bolters. Customers are progressively embracing intelligent drilling, with a growing interest in battery electric models for the future.

Khomotso Duiker, Business Line Manager for Underground Drills at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, reveals that the Sandvik 400 Series and the Sandvik 300 Series now feature intelligent models. These innovations are driven by Sandvik’s iSURE® Intelligent Sandvik Underground Rock Excavation software, enabling automated drilling cycles.

“In Southern Africa, some forward-thinking diamond mining customers are already reaping the benefits, using the DD422i development drill rigs, as well as the DL422i and DL432i top hammer longhole drill rigs,” he says.

Duiker cautions that integrating intelligent technology into drilling operations is not without its challenges and says that Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions collaborates closely with customers during this transformative phase, offering training and support. Sandvik’s Product Masters, experts in the equipment, play a vital role in facilitating the introduction of cutting-edge machines. Additionally, Sandvik’s in-house training department ensures operators and maintenance teams receive the necessary guidance.

“Understanding the full potential of automated functions is crucial for operators. These functions not only enhance safety but also boost productivity. The level of automation can vary from individual machines to entire fleets, with some machines capable of completing development ends without any operator intervention,” Duiker says.

One remarkable feature of Sandvik’s intelligent machine models is their ability to download the mine’s drill plan for development ends and execute drilling precisely according to that plan. This optimisation leads to more effective blasting, eliminating issues like underbreak or overbreak.

Remote control capabilities are another highlight. The tele-remote function allows drilling operations to be controlled from the surface, provided there is sufficient on-site network infrastructure. To facilitate this transition, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has a dedicated Business Line Manager overseeing automation initiatives.

Monitoring equipment performance has become critical for mining operations, and Sandvik’s drill rigs come equipped with the Knowledge Box™, gathering valuable data such as advance speed, penetration rate and cycle times. The data, collected by iSURE®, can be leveraged to optimise work cycles and improve the drill and blast excavation process through targeted reports and analysis.

Duiker says that while data connectivity is essential, most mines are already addressing this requirement. “Operators can track rig performance from a control room, identifying signs of underperformance or potential failures in real-time. This data empowers mines to make necessary improvements, be it in operator behaviour or machine condition, all of which is aimed at increasing productivity and uptime.”

Sandvik’s dedication to sustainability also extends to supporting Small Medium Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in South Africa. The company actively facilitates the extraction of carbide buttons from its drill bits in partnership with SMMEs, fostering entrepreneurship and job creation. This initiative contributes to a circular economy by recycling tungsten carbide buttons from drill bits, reducing energy consumption by 70 percent and cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 64 percent when manufacturing tools. This aligns perfectly with the principles of sustainability and environmental responsibility.

With its focus on innovation in mining, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has introduced AutoMine® Core, a comprehensive automation platform for mass mining applications.

According to David Hallett, Vice President: Automation at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, the platform supports customers ramping up from manual operation to fully autonomous production. Three trends drive innovation in the mining sector, says Hallett: electrification, digitalisation and automation. 

“When it comes to automation in particular, the focus is on improving productivity and safety,” he says. “Safety considerations include how people can be removed from hazardous environments, as well as gaining more productivity by operating during a shift change, for example.”

As automated machines operate in a more controlled manner than those in manual operations, there is also a significant reduction in total cost of ownership with regards to equipment, he notes. The launch of AutoMine® Core builds on the success of AutoMine®’s Fleet and Manual Production Monitoring (MPM) offerings, which are used in over 100 mines globally. Some mines have been able to reduce their fleets by up to 50% through efficiency gains with automation. There have also been reports of 55% increases in production.

“AutoMine Core is a combination of 20 years of experience built on our AutoMine Fleet and MPM products,” he says. “We have now consolidated our systems under one platform, ensuring that our systems are interoperable, which greatly benefits our customers.” 

A unique feature that differentiates AutoMine® Core is its advanced traffic management system that enables operators to easily control the traffic flow of multi-machine operations. It allows them to handle complex operating situations, resulting in greater flexibility and mining output. Hallet adds that the platform allows a fleet interface with secondary or external systems – such as crushers – that are available in the area.

Furthermore, the AutoMine® Core platform is designed to accommodate multiple levels of interoperability for third-party OEMs. The platform’s safety system allows miners to segment large extraction areas, allowing the simultaneous operations of both manual and automated equipment.  Hallett highlights that a large part of the success of the company’s automation offerings is based on working closely with its customers and understanding their unique requirements. 

“We engage with key customers in the early stages of our product development and engineering, incorporating their feedback and input into new solutions,” he explains. “This close relationship allows us to develop products that can address the majority of the needs within the market.” 

A leading limestone producer based in Kati, Mali, has taken delivery of a FastPlant™ from Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions. Central to the buying decision was the short lead time of the Sandvik FastPlant™, which allowed the operation to expand production sooner, especially given the fast-tracked nature of this project. 

Hubert Kwesi Essel, Sales Engineer at Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions based in West Africa, explains that the customer has been running an existing Sandvik fixed plant for years, but increased demand required a different solution. Given the urgency with which the company wanted to expand its capacity, the Sandvik FastPlant™ concept was the ultimate solution to add capacity within a short period of time. 

“The customer opted for a 200 tonnes per hour (tph) two-stage FastPlant, which is a range of pre-defined crushing and screening modules made for the most common quarrying and mining applications. Delivery of a Sandvik FastPlant generally takes about 10 to 12 weeks, as opposed to double or thrice the timeline for a custom-built plant,” explains Essel. “This particular plant, however, took about 20 weeks due to shipping and logistical delays from Europe to Mali.”

The plant comprises a full suite of Sandvik equipment including a grizzly feeder, a jaw crusher, a horizontal shaft impactor (HIS) and a four-deck screen. With a 100 mm closed side setting (CSS), the Sandvik ST1263H vibrating grizzly feeder, which takes a top size of up to 700 mm, ensures efficient scalping and fines removal, significantly improving the throughput of the primary jaw crusher, the Sandvik CJ411. 

“With a close side setting (CSS) of 100 mm, the Sandvik CJ411 was chosen for its high capacity. The crusher’s deep symmetrical crushing chamber and optimised nip angle maximises size reduction and production capacity,” says Essel.  

From the jaw, material goes into a surge bin, which in turn feeds the Sandvik CI722 horizontal shaft impactor (HIS) secondary crusher with a 25 mm CSS, the first ever Sandvik HSI in West Africa. The CI722 is the perfect secondary crusher for non-abrasive material such as limestone. The working principle of the Sandvik CI722 HSI encourages material to break along its natural cleavage planes, and it produces stress-free cubical-shaped products. 

From the HSI, material is directed into a four-deck Sandvik SA2164 screen, with a 25 mm top deck and a 19 mm bottom deck. The other two decks are 13 mm and 5 mm respectively. The screen produces four different product sizes from 0 to 5 mm up to 19 to 25 mm. 

Apart from the fast delivery time, the flexible nature of the Sandvik FastPlant™ was a major appeal for the customer, says Praveen Kumar VG, Sales Support – Global Plant Solutions at Sandvik Rock Processing Solutions.

“If production requirements change in future, it is simple for the customer to just add a couple of modules to increase production or take out a few modules to reduce capacity in line with market requirements,” says Kumar VG. “In addition, the FastPlant’s minimal footprint bodes well for the space-constrained site, while the minimal civil works translated into a major cost benefit for the client.”

Safety, adds Essel, was also a major factor in the client’s decision. “The client was strict about access and the FastPlant™ addressed the concerns through spacious walkways, as well as ample space in the chute aeras for ease of maintenance,” concludes Essel.

In an innovative step that promotes both sustainability and local economic development, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions is recycling the carbide buttons on its drill bits while boosting entrepreneurship and creating jobs in South Africa. 

The local initiative is part of a global strategy by the company to continuously improve the circularity of its manufacturing processes, according to Johan Blomerus, Business Line Manager, Rock Tools Southern Africa for Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

“Our solution combines years of technological development on specialised equipment for automated recycling, and a supplier development intervention to support two small black, youth-owned businesses,” says Blomerus. The businesses, located in the Gauteng and Free State provinces, are expanding to create up to 20 new employment opportunities in coming years. 

He explains that the recycling of used drill bits contributes to the Sandvik group’s ambitious sustainability goals to halve its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030. By embedding circularity across an essential component of mining, the group is supporting its customers’ drive to mine more sustainably.

“Making tools from recycled carbide requires 70 percent less energy and emits 64 percent less carbon dioxide,” he says. “It also reduces nitrous oxide emissions.”

The two South African SMMEs (Small Medium Mico Enterprises) appointed to undertake the carbide extraction from drill bits have been equipped with the necessary machinery to make the process safe and cost effective. Since 2016, Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has invested nearly R5 million in developing carbide extraction equipment, notes Blomerus. 

“The equipment has been installed and commissioned at their facilities, so they can extract the carbide buttons from the drill bits we deliver to them from our customers,” he says. “We then pay them for the carbide extracted, and they have the added benefit of earning income from the steel bits – which they can sell as scrap.”

As well as the capital equipment and financial support, the SMMEs have received extensive training to ensure safe operation of the dedicated machinery – which was initially developed in South Africa and further improved in Sweden. This automated equipment replaces what was a slow and laborious manual process, providing an efficient business model for the SMMEs. Extracting the carbide in-country means much less weight that has to be exported to Germany, where the highly specialised task of carbide recycling can be conducted.

“Our recycling initiative has been extracting over six tonnes of carbide material annually over the last three to four years,” he says. “And we are planning to ramp up this initiative to operate 24 hours a day, which will allow the recycling of about 22 tonnes a year by the end of 2024.”

Blomerus concludes that Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions will also be rolling out the project to neighbouring countries, including Botswana and Zimbabwe. 

Based near Port Shepstone on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast, Brauteseth Blasting’s success has evolved into a national footprint – and beyond – with multiple drill rig acquisitions from Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions bolstering its production capacity.

In fact, remarks Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions Account Manager Andre Blom, Brauteseth Blasting has acquired units from every Sandvik boom drill range in a single year. 

“This included Leopard™ DI550 and Leopard™ DI650 down-the-hole drill rigs from our Leopard™ range, the Pantera™ DP1500i and the Ranger™ DX800 and Ranger™ DX900i surface top hammer drill rigs,” says Blom. The two companies have built a strong partnership since 2005, when the first Sandvik rig was acquired by Brauteseth Blasting. 

Brauteseth Blasting began mainly in the civil engineering sector and in quarrying – but has now moved decisively into surface mining as well. Clive Brauteseth, Managing Director since 1989, points to the geographic expansion now beyond KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape – into Limpopo, Mpumalanga, the Northern Cape and beyond South Africa into Zambia.

By this year, the number of Sandvik drill rigs acquired by the company over the years has reached almost 50, and more acquisitions are in the pipeline by the end of the year, says Brauteseth. 

“We have built a strong relationship with Sandvik over my 35 years with the company,” he says. “We have some of the best equipment in the market, and keep it well maintained and up to date; this means continual investment in replacing plant regularly.”

He notes that the quality and performance of Sandvik drill rigs gives Brauteseth Blasting the uptime and reliability that its projects demand, backed up by the experience and skills of its stable and committed teams. The ongoing upskilling also ensures that the latest technology investments are put to the most productive use in the field – to deliver the bottom-line results that keep customers loyal. 

Of Brauteseth Blasting’s acquisitions during 2021 into 2022, Leopard range is designed for high capacity production drilling in medium-sized to large opencast mining operations, while the Ranger™ DX800 and Ranger™ DX900i drill rigs serve mainly the construction and small mining sectors. In between, the Pantera™ DP1500i rig is a ‘cross over’ for applications in quarries and smaller opencast mines.

With the experience of almost two decades of running Sandvik drills, Brauteseth believes that Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has the edge in this market. This is important for the way that his company embraces new technology to help keep it a step ahead.

“When there is new equipment in the market, we are always interested in what it can do for our fleet capability and our customers,” says Brauteseth. “I really value Sandvik’s continuous innovation, and the way they listen to customers when pursuing those developments.”

Blom highlights the unique partnership between the companies, where Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions provides solid OEM support to enable Brauteseth Blasting to remain self-sufficient operationally and technically. More drill rig acquisitions are in the pipeline for 2023, as the company’s growth trend only gathers strength.