Self Drilling Rock Bolt Technology for the Coal

SDRB Advanced Solutions A pick & shovel is cheaper than a Longwall…. . but

SDRB Advanced Solutions Similarly, we don’t use pit props any more………. In the future, ……we need to provide 2007 GSS Pty Ltd © a leap forward in roadway productivity 3

Operating Costs * Costs of Operating a Miner & Installing Bolts: Total Cost of Operating a Continuous Miner Unit per year* Average number of metres driven per Day Number of Shifts per Day $6, 640, 000 100 3 Average number of metres driven per shift Total Actual Operating Hours per year 33 3, 072 Operating Cost per Continuous Miner Unit per hour $2, 161 Operating Cost per Continuous Miner Unit per minute $36. 02 Average Time to Install a standard rock bolt 150 secs Average Cost of Installing a standard rock bolt based on TIME ONLY $90. 06 Average number of standard rock bolts installed per Continuous Miner Unit per year 51, 200 Average Cost of TIME to install standard rock bolts per Continuous Miner Unit per year $4, 611, 072 * A continuous miner unit includes all equipment to drive a roadway based on ACARP Report on Roadway Development, by Gary Gibson, 2006 © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 4

Advanced SDRB Solutions è Not just about supporting the roof è Mines need the Solutions to drive Roadways faster è Need to consider the whole Roadway è SDRBs available for many years in Europe (18 SDRBs) è Pumpable Resin SDRB è Advanced Self Drilling Bolt Technology è Conclusions © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 5

Existing SDRBs Furen MAI Alwag Carbo. Tech DSI Williams Hilti Romtech Stainless Atlas Copco

Pumpable Resin SDRB è Full bolt encapsulation maximises roof support è No gloving, no plastic film, no under-mixing or over-mixing è Perfect resin mixing every time è Resin fills bearing plate & locks mesh in place è Minimises water inflow from bolt holes è Minimises bolt corrosion full encapsulation both inside and outside bolt visible resin at collar proves full encapsulation © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd resin fills bearing plate & also locks mesh in place 7

SDRB load transfer capacity Load Transfer Capacity about 2 x solid bolts © 2007

SDRB Underground Trials Points to Note: è Once SDRB is placed in chuck, no manual handling è SDRB remains completely straight throughout drilling cycle è 2 m hole drilled in 24 secs (83 mm/sec) è The water column inside the SDRB gets displaced by the resin è Plate gets pushed firmly up against mesh at about 400 Nm è End of bolt is completely clean © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 9

SDRB Progress: è Refined the bolt design è Improved the equipment è Improved resin è Planning on undertaking a large scale installation è However – need to look at a Total Solution © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 10

Advanced SDRB Solutions è Not about products or systems - about Solutions è Need to consider the whole Roadway è How to support intersections? § § § Long tendon support is often essential But installing long tendons from the miner is slow Outbye cable bolting sometimes too late è How to support 3 m+ ribs? § Can only install 1. 2 m bolts from miner © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd Bolt length is restricted by Roadway opening 11 height

Advanced SDRB Solutions è Why can’t long tendons be installed quickly? è Long cable bolts are slow to install Cable Bolt § Drill string coupled & uncoupled § Mostly manual handling è Rock Bolt length restricted to roadway opening? Coupled Bolt § Coupled bolts - slow § Coupled self drilling bolts – still slow © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 12

Advanced SDRB Solutions Why can’t we have SDRBs that can be installed: § Quickly? § Automatically? § Be longer than the roadway opening? § Provide immediate support? § Provide high capacity roof support? © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 13

Advanced SDRB Solutions Outer Bar Inner Bar © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 14

Advanced SDRB Solutions Inner Bar Unscrews Rock Face © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 15

Telescopic SDRB Drill Bit digs into Rock Face Outer Bar Inner Bar Unscrews ©

Telescopic SDRB Extension here Drill Chuck Position Fixed © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 17

Resistive Torque (Nm) Telescopic SDRB: Drilling or Extending d s ad re e ck

Telescopic SDRB 1. Place Bolt in Chuck & fix in position. Begin to rotate

Telescopic SDRB 2. Axial force increases - locking threads - enabling drilling 1 2

Telescopic SDRB 3. Axial force decreases as hole drilled - unlocking threads – enabling

Telescopic SDRB 4. Continued drilling & extension – operator can see full extension of

6. Drilling continued until hole fully drilled 7. Resin pumped into Bolt for 30 secs – Outer Bar fully encapsulated - Nut then tensioned - Total Cycle time ~2 mins ~3. 9 m 5. Chuck unlocked & travels to roof as drilling progresses 5 6 7 © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 23

Telescopic SDRBs Standard SDRB Telescopic SDRB 1. 2 to 2. 4 m 2. 0 to 4. 6 m 12 tonnes/100 mm 20 tonnes/100 mm 38 tonnes approx 25 secs approx 60 secs Resin Pump Time 30 secs Total Installation Time approx 60 secs less than 120 secs Length Load transfer capacity Tensile Strength* Drill Time © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 24

Telescopic SDRB Technology 60 x 2 m long telescopic Rib SDRBs (blue) 215 x

Conclusions: Telescopic SDRB § Automatically extendable § Very fast bolt installation ~120 secs § Very high load transfer capacity above normal bolt horizon § Minimises Manual Handling § Simplicity: § § § No drill rods, No drive dollies, No changing drill bits, No resin cartridges & No rotation to mix resin No Coupling No Plastic Rods No Jacks No pushing rods or cables up holes The world’s first automatically extendable SDRB Improved Productivity © 2007 GSS Pty Ltd 26