
Sandvik Mining and Con-struction is offering a new 60-mm tool system for drilling quarry holes up to 152 mm in diameter with hydraulic tophammers. The company reports that quarry managers in France and Germany are already using them as an alternative to DTH hammers. Sandvik reports that the new system is capable of drilling straight, clean blastholes up to 25 meters deep nearly twice as fast as DTH hammers and using half the fuel. It also offers greater flexibility in hole size in the 90 to 152 mm range. Since it also uses lighter, more agile and more easily transportable drill rigs, it is highly suitable for drill-and-blast contractors.

