WorldWide Drilling Resource

9 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® MARCH 2014 Hot Off the Press page is proudly sponsored by Fecon, Inc. Strengthening Safety on New Underground Hard Rock Drill Rig Sandvik Mining announced the forthcoming release of the new DD422i Axera development drill rig, the first of the company’s Next Generation under- ground hard rock drill rigs. It offers indus- try-leading levels of safety, productivity, and automation, including a ROPS (Roll Over Protection System)-compliant acid-proof cabin and intelligent control system. Stainless steel used in the construc- tion of acid-proof cabins has not previ- ously been able to satisfy the strength requirements for ROPS compliance. Jan Petzold, director of underground drilling at Sandvik Mining said, “Acid- proof cabins on our underground drill rigs have been FOPS [Falling Objects Protection Systems]-compliant since 2005, but ROPS certification is an im- portant complement to the existing standard safety features on all our Next Generation drill rigs. “Our forthcoming DD422i Axera de- velopment jumbo provides a clear direc- tion to the future of mining, incorporating a wide variety of new features for more efficient drilling,” said Ulla Korsman- Kopra, vice president of underground development drills at Sandvik Mining. Ergonomic features of the new equip- ment include a fully-adjustable control panel and operator seating, along with larger windows for improved visibility.