Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/883641
AGGREGATES MANAGER / October 2017 21 thumbnail-sized ideally. The goal is to minimize the amount of mechanical ki- netic energy and heat bouncing back to the drill, while transferring as much energy as possible into the rock to spall and break it. "The challenge has never been about generating enough power. Rather, it is about improving the dura- bility, longevity, and efficient energy transfer of the drill string and cutting tools," says Hissem. He believes metal- lurgical advances and new drill technol- ogies have together produced "a modern physics miracle." Effective operators can tap into this miracle by tuning and bal- ancing the forces being applied. 4) Drill smart. This tip is a collective of several fun- damental techniques. First, set up a rig precisely. If it is supposed to be vertical to the surface, the mast dial should read 90 degrees, not 85. "Close enough" isn't good enough. Second, when the drill bit is lowered to the rock surface, ease into the boring. When collaring in, grind out a pocket for the bit to seat in before powering up. Otherwise, the drill head is apt to skew off, producing lateral stress on the string, Hissem says. Last, if loose, unstable material is left over from a prior shooting, proceed carefully, because the unstable rock can easily fall into the hole atop the drill head and become wedged there. If possible, clear away unconsolidated surface material before Balance quality control and production rather than speed when motivating drillers. Otherwise, operators may take shortcuts to gain footage, but compromise safety and overall cost. RR Recruiting_AGRM_half hz.indd 1 9/19/17 2:50 PM