Service: Surface Mining

Ausdrill have been providing mining services at Mungari for over 10 years. We have worked with our client to increase efficiencies around abrasive and hard ground with one-hole automatic drilling and high-precisions GPS functionality, as well as inhouse bit sharpening. We have also successfully managed excess water by carefully offsetting collar piping to preserve hole integrity; conducting depressurisation drilling; and practicing varied loading methods to offset shots.

The Ensham Coal Mine is a coal mine located 40 km east of Emerald in Central Queensland, Australia. The mine has coal reserves amounting to 1.48 billion tonnes of coking coal, one of the largest coal reserves in Asia and the world. The Ensham mine has an annual production capacity of 7 million tonnes of coal. Ensham consists of six pits on either side of the Nogoa River. Operations currently utilise the open-cut method of mining.

Ausdrill have been providing services at Ensham for almost 20 years and concluded at end of mine life. This long-tenure contract is the result of our ongoing successful service provision and the strong relationship we built with the client. We delivered specially-designed floor shots to mitigate the stability risks associated with high and low walls. Ausdrill also provided coal sample core drilling – via a small air core drill, along the coal seam – to refine the exploration data.

The Blair Athol Coal Mine is a coal mine located in the Bowen Basin of Central Queensland, Australia. It is located over the former site of the township of Blair Athol. The mine has coal reserves amounting to 195 million tonnes of coking coal, one of the largest coal reserves in Asia and the world. The mine has an annual production capacity of 12.9 million tonnes of coal. Coal was first discovered at this location in 1864 and has been mined from this area since this time by different companies. TerraCom, a wholly owned subsidiary of Orion Mining, recommissioned the site in 2017.

During this 5+ year team, our Ausdrill team had to contend with vibration restrictions related to a nearby cemetery. We engaged a specialised blasting contractor to ensure we were working to an accurate model for vibration prediction; used fully-programmable electronic detonators to minimise MIC; as well as adjusted our drilling diameters. We also explored time-change and pattern size options, to increase ground powder factor, while keeping under vibration limits.

Huntly/ Myara mine is surrounded by developments, so sensitive drill and blast processes and tight QA/QC have been an essential service during Ausdrill’s 10+ year project delivery. We work with our client to monitor weather patterns and wind direction to control blast acoustics and mitigate any air over pressure issues; and adjusted our drilling diameters, depths and stemming to safely continue work when operating within 50m of major power lines and 20m of a main public road. Situated within a water catchment area, a wildlife breeding zone and flanked by dieback affected areas, the mine site has required tight environmental QA/QC and drainage control – both of which have been successfully provided for over a decade.

At approx. 3.5 km long, 1.5 km wide and over 600 metres deep, the Superpit is one of Australia’s largest open cut gold mines. Ausdrill was awarded this drilling services contract in 1989 and has delivered over three decades of continuous operation.

In that time we have developed a genuine partnership with our client and a deep understanding of the site. The Ausdrill-designed Rock Commander (RC) 330 and RC 350 Longreach Drill – developed originally through tenure and experience at this very site – has transformed the safe and productive way our team works through the surface mining sequence. Designed around an excavator track base, these rigs enable greater reach and flexibility, providing a safe and highly efficient way to drill in a pit famous for large stopes and underground networks. At the height of the mining cycle 18 production and 3 RC rigs were achieving approximately 240,000 meters per month.