The screens and functions can be controlled quite easily to change drill parameters, rod handling functions, and machine settings for the Christensen 160 Smart rig. The panel can also provide details on drilling performance, indicate faults and even be utilized to assist in troubleshooting.
February 28, 2024
Lifting point: Each module is fitted with sturdy lifting points to make heli-transport as easy as possible.
Exploration drilling is a tough business. It is the first step in developing
a mine and requires geologists and drillers to be on the ground for months at a time, years before anyone starts to think about air conditioning, hot showers or Wi-Fi connections. And the nearest town can be a day’s drive away or more, if there even is a road.
That remoteness can turn a minor breakdown or small accident into a major challenge that can halt operations for several days, costing the customer – a multinational mining company or a small exploration contractor – thousands of dollars. The drill locations also can be challenging due to uneven ground conditions, unpredictable weather and, occasionally, the wildlife. In the lakes and forests of northern Canada, that can mean bears, wolves and mosquitos.
“There’ve been plenty of times when we’ve been choking on bugs. So that’s no fun either,” recalls Jason Minarik, an operator-runner with Major Drilling, one of the world’s largest drilling services companies.
"The terrain can be extremely swampy, or in some cases you can be hundreds of kilometers from established roads, so things have to be flown in,” explains John Stringer, Major Drilling’s regional manager for eastern Canada."
These challenges mean the equipment they work with must be sturdy, reliable, and easily transportable.
Step up the Christensen 160 Smart, Epiroc’s newest answer to the challenges of surface exploration drilling. Combining the latest developments in drilling technology, this new drill rig, available in the Canadian market, aims to mark the future of mineral exploration drilling by incorporating the latest computerized controls, safety standards and a lightweight design feature.
For a little over three months, from June to September, Major Drilling personnel tested the Christensen 160 Smart in Ontario, Canada. And so far, they’re impressed.
Jason Minarik , Operator-runner, Major Drilling
“It’s pretty cool, to tell you the truth. I would say it’s up there with the best when it comes to drills,” says Minarik.
For starters, it is a lightweight surface exploration drill rig that incorporates computerized controls.
“They’ve managed to computerize and put sensors basically on everything, even water release levers – things that normal diamond drillers are used to doing manually,” he explains.
That means greater comfort and less wear and tear for what can be a physically demanding job. The rig is also designed to be as lightweight as possible and can be broken up into modules for helicopter transport between remote sites. With the current models, transport can entail twenty or more roundtrips to assemble the rig on site.
Depending on the distance and capacity of the helicopter, the Christensen 160 Smart will slash those travel times. The rig can also drill deeper than most helitransportable rigs, so far reaching almost 1 500 meters into the ground.
John Stringer, Regional Manager, Major Drilling
“We need to go deeper and to more remote locations, so being able to fly in machines is of big interest to us,” says Stringer.
Another advantage is that Major Drilling’s operators are already familiar with much of the technology on the Christensen 160 Smart because it is similar to Epiroc’s Diamec underground core drills, which Major Drilling has been using for many years.
“It’s based on the fleet of Diamec core drilling rigs that we’ve operated underground for years, but they’ve reengineered and packaged that technology into a surface drill,” says Stringer.
“The advantage for us and the industry is that it’s proven technology.”
The pioneering Christensen 160 Smart consists of individual modules that can be assembled rapidly and easily on arrival to the drill site.
Six success factors
1. The rig breaks into separate modules, each fitted with lifting points brackets and designed for heli-transport between remote drill sites.
2. Guards and interlocks keep the operator safe without reducing productivity.
3. The power unit is fitted with a Tier 4 Final/Stage V Cummins
diesel generating 149 kW (202 hp) at 2 200 rpm. It has a class-leading power-to-weight ratio.
4. Smart Control System offers the operator automated drilling. This
increases productivity and can dramatically increase the life of consumables.
5. Data from each hole is logged by the system and can be exported
into Exploration Manager. This software presents users with the ability to analyze data, find improvements and optimize drilling performance.
6. The rods are extracted by the head (pull-by-head), which offers increased automation and safety as well as boosting reliability.
For drillers on the move
A new generation of surface exploration drill rig designed to be transportable while incorporating the latest computerized controls and safety standards. The Christensen 160 Smart has been developed to meet the high demands required by the Canadian exploration market. The rig has been especially designed to minimize the number of round trips required for assembly in new locations.
