Enabling automation

Automated drilling in surface mining is here. It’s successful, and it’s at work around the world. Coal, copper, iron and gold mines in large mining countries such as Australia, South Africa, Canada, the U.S. and Chile are meeting objectives previously ruled out as unattainable. Automation on the Pit Viper drill enables operators to accomplish more goals safely, and operator-assist functions such as AutoLevel, AutoDrill, Auto Rod Changer, and multi-rig teleremote control, are just a few of the features being used to gain consistent, sustainable productivity, shift after shift. Here, we highlight the value that Pit Viper automation is bringing to mines across the globe.

Increased automation equals increased utilization

Paulyn Espíndola, Product Manager for Atlas Copco Drilling Solutions in Chile, says one of his copper mining customers is increasing rig utilization by expanding where it can use its drills. The Atlas Copco Pit Viper 351 diesel rig that joined a fleet of five PV-351 rigs in April, is the first teleremote rig for open pit mining operations in Chile. Complete wireless control of the rig allows the operator to now drill anywhere he’d like on the bench since the driller is well away from the drilling operation. Espíndola says the copper mine had a unique challenge that only automation could overcome, and the Pit Viper automation package allowed the mine to choose features and upgrade packages that precisely matched its operational needs.

Automation for limited resources

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Enabling automation

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