A customised remote control solution developed for the giant Deep Ore Zone (DOZ) underground block cave operation in Papua, Indonesia, is expected to solve safety and productivity issues that have long been associated with rock blockages in cave draw points.

 

Remote Control Technologies has worked closely with DOZ mine operator PT Freeport Indonesia to overcome technical obstacles and produce a reliable remote controlled version of the Sandvik DC300 Commando drill. The hydraulic, self-propelled unit is also configured to deliver explosives into rock crevices, with the blasting process aimed at dislodging large boulders that can get caught in cave draw points and impede ore flow.

 

DOZ, one of the world’s biggest block cave mines, produces more than 50,000 tonnes of ore a day. A DC300 Commando was sent to RCT’s factory in Perth, Western Australia, for re-engineering and to enable Freeport personnel to liaise with RCT technicians on the optimal placement of cameras which become the eyes of an operator remote controlling the machine from a safe location. All functions of the Commando are now totally remote controlled, previously not achieved with this type of machine.

 

 

RCT area sales manager Nic Stone described the project as a “world first”.

“It’s a very important piece of gear because it does a high risk job – the machine goes into a large draw bell full of loose rock and places explosives – and takes a person out of that high-risk area,” he said.

 

“There is no machine made to do that specifically, so we’ve modified and remote controlled a machine developed to do the job. No-one has done it before, but we’ve done similar projects successfully. This is a world first for this type of machine.”