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May 06, 2023

Vermeer surface miners and vacuum excavators help optimise drill and blast mining

Save to read list Published by Leah Jones, Digital Administrator Global Mining Review, Thursday, 01 June 2023 00:00

Uneven terrain and blocked drill holes are ongoing challenges at many drill and blast mine sites. This mining practice can produce rough terrain and narrowing of the mine floor. Also, sites that perform drill and blast mining often have issues with blast holes filling with water and debris after heavy rains. These challenges can impact production.

Vermeer and its worldwide network of dealers have helped many mining companies overcome drill and blast mining issues. Vermeer Terrain Leveler® surface excavation machines (SEMs) have helped restore mine floors and haul roads, while Vermeer vacuum excavators have efficiently cleared blast holes.

Surface miners support maintenance on drill and blast mining sitesOver time, surface mine walls can start to slope in, cutting off access to valuable material and mine floors. In addition, haul roads can become uneven, which can cause premature wear on equipment. That is why many operations perform planned maintenance, renting or investing in a surface miner to smooth out mine floors and haul roads. Operations can also help restore sloping walls with the right machine. When equipped with a single-drive motor, the Vermeer T1255III Chain Drive Terrain Leveler SEM can effectively cut a 90° high wall to help with the issue.

Unlike large dozers used for maintenance, surface miners are designed for this work. Vermeer Terrain Levelers can also be equipped with GPS technology to help create a mine-by-line plan with minimal operator involvement. This helps mines primarily using drill and blast methods to perform routine maintenance efficiently and get back to producing valuable material.

Accessing more mining areas with a surface minerRestoring mine floors is not the only use for surface miners. These machines can also be used in areas where drill and blast mining cannot.

At many mine sites, there are areas where drill and blast is not a viable method of mining. Perhaps quality material is too close to a building, roadway or utility, and blasting could harm nearby infrastructure. Mines may also be limited by how close they can mine near communities because of dust and noise concerns.

Surface miners excel in these areas. Since this mining is done precisely using top-down cutting, material is sized and contained right where the work is happening. Dust and noise levels are minimized compared to drilling and blasting.

Operations can complement drill and blast efforts with surface miners to maximize results.

Vacuum excavators help miners get back to work sooner To help minimize weather delays, some drill and blast mines are adding vacuum excavators. Too often, a mine will drill out a section of blast holes only to have rain delay loading explosives. Vacuum excavators, like the extensive Vermeer lineup of trailer and truck vacs, can help teams get back to work quickly. These units deliver powerful suction to remove water and spoils that may have collected in holes during heavy rain.

Trailer vacuum excavators are nimble units that can be pulled around by a pickup truck. For mines with more significant needs, a Vermeer truck vac equipped with a large spoil tank provides more suction power to keep teams working.

Expand your mining possibilities Vermeer may not be the first company you think of for mining machinery. But, as the Vermeer team has done in other industries, they do their research, identify the pain points, and develop new technology and equipment innovations to help companies work more efficiently. Vermeer has done that in the agriculture industry with the round baler, the utility industry with horizontal directional drills, trenchers and accessory equipment, the tree care industry with chippers and stump cutters, and the recycling industry with grinders.

Vermeer has worked in the mining industry for more than two decades, developing the innovative Vermeer Terrain Leveler SEM line. Vermeer surface miners and vacuum excavators can help you work efficiently and stay productive. To learn more, contact your local Vermeer dealer.

Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications. Vermeer, and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the U.S. and/or other countries. © 2023 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

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Read the article online at: https://www.globalminingreview.com/special-reports/01062023/vermeer-surface-miners-and-vacuum-excavators-help-optimise-drill-and-blast-mining/

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