November 23, 2023
The SmartROC rig is being deployed at the Tarkwa open pit mine in the south west owned by Gold Fields Ghana Ltd., the country’s largest privately-owned mining company, which is also using Epiroc FlexiROC D65RC rigs at the nearby Damang mine.
Gold Fields says high expectations from suppliers such as Kinkubi is the key to its sustainable operations.
“Our operations depend upon the reliable supply of responsibly produced products and services, and the know-how of experts in their field,” the company adds.
Accordingly, the introduction of the SmartROC T45LF by Kinkubi is a perfect fit, providing “smart” technology and innovative drilling innovations that maximize safety and sustainability.
The rig has been deployed at these sites since November 2020. Emmanuel Appiah, Managing Director at Kinkubi, confirms that the “smartness” was the main reason for choosing the rig.
The unique features he mentions include automated drilling, intelligent hydraul system, COP Logic as well as important benefits such as reduced fuel consumption and improved ergonomy. “We have benefited tremendously,” he says.
Working in fresh and oxide ground, the SmartROC T45 drills 115 mm, and 127 mm blast holes, 10 m and 18 m deep and achieves around 250-300 m per shift or 500-600 m per day. The Long Feed configuration allows for better efficiency and performance in drilling cycle time resulting in a lower total cost of ownership (TCO).
In addition, Appiah says the rig “drills well” in water logged ground.
Kinkubi has a fleet of eight drill rigs including three SmartROC T4510 LF, one ROC L8MKII and one FlexiROC D65 RC. Based in Kumasi, the company operates in the Manso areas as well as in Tarkwa and Dumang and employs 16 operators.
The Tarkwa open pit, the single largest mine in Ghana and flagship of the Gold Fields Group, has fully transitioned to contractor mining producing some 500,000 oz/year. Damang, on the other hand, has a total of nine open pits – two with mineral reserves and seven with mineral resources – is undergoing a re-investment program.
