SURFACE

Collar pipe a keeper

COMMERCIALISATION of Aquirian’s disruptive Collar Keeper system is finally underway at a site in Western Australia’s northern Goldfields, after the ongoing Covid-19 outbreak in WA delayed access to the site.

 Epiroc T45 Drill using the Collar Keeper system, with Collar Keeper deployed in the foreground of the image.

Epiroc T45 Drill using the Collar Keeper system, with Collar Keeper deployed in the foreground of the image.

In a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange, Aquirian said its mining services arm TBS Mining Solutions, was now onsite in the northern Goldfields, with 60% of the mine's fleet of Epiroc T45 drill rigs converted for the extended commercial trial of the Collar Keeper system.

The novel product is a removable stent that maintains blasthole quality at depth to stabilise blasthole cuttings, collars and the preconditioned column after drilling.

With the traditional method of collar piping unchanged for the past 40 years, Aquirian hopes to disrupt the market with the Collar Keeper system and improve blasting outcomes.

Aquirian is focussing on WA mines that operate with smaller diameter holes in challenging ground conditions, where high-cost and time-consuming practices are currently used.

TBS executive director Greg Patching said the team was thrilled to finally be in the field.

 "This marks a major milestone for the development and commercialisation of the system," he said.

"TBS has also received strong interest from several overseas mining companies and received its first orders for a commercial trial to commence in Zambia in mid-late May."

Patching said the company was still working on development of the Collar Keeper system, including expanding the range of drill rig applications.

Work is also progressing on mechanisation of the system, which is expected to provide a pathway toward full automation.

 
 

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