Sandvik Mining Celebrates the Sale of its 100th DR500 Series Drill Rig

Sandvik Mining, a leading global supplier of equipment and tools, service and technical solutions for the mining industry, celebrated the official handover of its 100th DR500 series drill. Employees, customers, media and other industry leaders joined together today at Sandvik Mining's Canning Vale, Australia facility to commemorate the milestone as well as attend informational sessions on two new products from Sandvik Mining – the RH460 DTH hammer and Vibrocone crusher/grinder.

Sandvik Mining purchased the rights to the DR500 series of surface drills from Cubex Ltd. in 2010, closing a gap in the Sandvik product offering by providing the first HP DTH product family. Since the company began manufacturing this series, it has produced them at a blistering rate of about one machine per week.

"Adding the DR500 series to our offering was key to meeting our customers' needs," said Ken Stapylton, vice president of rotary and DTH drilling, Sandvik Mining. "Having a drill designed specifically for these tough mining environments means we can provide the level of safety, durability and productivity that surface mining customers need. And at the end of the day, that means better peace of mind."

The quality of the machines and Sandvik Mining's strong aftermarket support have led to repeat purchases from some of the largest mining companies in the world. The 100th rig was purchased by Macmahon and will be used for a gold mining project in Western Australia.

Commenting on the purchase, Peter Truscott, General Manager Plant, Macmahon, said, "The purchase of the Sandvik Mining DR500 series drill represents a change in procurement strategy for small track drills within Macmahon. The selection was completed after extensive technical and peer review with the rig satisfying the demands for pre split drilling and backup to the larger rotary drills. Macmahon looks forward to a continued strong working relationship with Sandvik to ensure the drills perform to optimal levels in terms of life cycle costs, durability and operational performance."

At today's event, Sandvik Mining also featured the RH460, a DTH hammer range that boasts enhanced air cycle and better lubrication, increasing both productivity and fuel savings. In addition, attendees got a closer look at the innovative, new Vibrocone crusher/grinder, a revolutionary crusher concept with the potential to reduce crushing and grinding energy costs by up to 30 percent.

For more information on Sandvik Mining's equipment and tools, service and technical solutions for the mining industry, visit www.mining.sandvik.com or like us on Facebook.

For more information, please contact:

Lindsay Brennan
Marketing Communications Manager
PA Drilling
Phone +1-352-213-6549
E-mail lindsay.brennan@sandvik.com