Ernest Henry Mining funnels out sampling process inefficiency
An innovative solution at Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) has improved safety and made the process of sampling more efficient as underground production drilling takes place.
EHM Mining Engineer, David Carden, saw an opportunity for improvement in the current underground drilling sampling process and began wondering if an appropriate engineering solution could be found.
As part of the underground mining process, following construction of the drives or tunnels underground, production drills make holes in a systematic pattern on the walls and roof that will then be filled with explosives before being fired to bring down the fragmented ore.
The EHM sludge funnel innovation team. Left to right: Alister Orton - Mine Geologist, Nathan Pollard - Supervisor Mobile Maintenance, Stephanie Bartie - Mine Geologist, David Carden - Mining Engineer and Sohrab Ladisla - Production Driller.
While this production drilling takes place, David says mine geologists take the opportunity to carry out further sampling and collect fines, which are very small rock particles, from the boring process to determine composition of the rock and help confirm knowledge of the orebody and monitor ore grades.
“To geologists this is affectionately known as ‘sludge drilling’ and the fines, or sludge, was manually captured via water runoff into a wheelbarrow strategically placed below the drilling carousel and under the approximate location of the water egressing from the drill hole,” says David.
It’s not an exact method and the process generally resulted in sub-par sampling as it’s not logistically possible to capture all of the material which results in a large sample loss and increases sample bias.
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The old method of sampling involved capturing the fines by placing a wheelbarrow strategically under the drill hole which was inefficient at best.
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With the old process, every sample required an abundance of manual handling.
David says this process was cumbersome due to slow sampling intervals needing a high level of labour and manual handling involved between drill runs.
“It was uncomfortable for the personnel involved and took an inordinate amount of time as one drill rod is 1.53 metres long and represents just one sludge sample,” says David.
“That’s when the idea for the sludge funnel innovation came about – instead of run-off indiscriminately splashing across the drill site, the inverted-pyramid shaped funnel captures the water and fines at the drill hole.”
The new process means personnel undertake the sampling from behind the drill and out of harm’s way.
“It then channels the drill fines and water via a port and connected piping to a nearby container for collection.”
The funnel is quite simple and easily installs to the drill rig stinger using a single U-bolt and it has a cam lock so it can be connected, dismantled and transported.”
“This increases the integrity of the sample and reduces the time required to capture enough fines to undertake testing,” says David.
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The innovative funnel is easily and quickly installed.
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The sampling funnel connected while the production drill is in the down position.
EHM Senior Geologist, Chloe Hawtin, says while concept of the sludge funnel is simple, it reflects Glencore’s values of entrepreneurialism and fostering innovative thinking in the workplace.
“One person had an idea for this innovation and workshopped it with the broader team,” says Chloe.
“Together they worked across our operations consulting with engineers, drillers, and onsite boilermakers to fabricate a great, low cost and low maintenance solution that will help improve how we work.”
Chloe says this innovation reduces the risk of personnel being exposed to rotating equipment and hazards associated with stored energy and mobile equipment as well as exposure to mine water and drilling fluids.
Watch the sludge sampling safety innovation video
“It removes our people from the line of fire when collecting samples by allowing them to move further away from the drill and decreases the amount of water falling on the ground which, in turn, reduces the risk of trips, slips, and falls.”
“The sludge box has also allowed the guys to reduce the amount of manual handling when they are collecting samples.”
“Innovations like these are testament to the ongoing drive for improvement across Glencore’s mining operations – with no doubt that many more are still to come,” says Chloe.
The sludge sampling funnel project was nominated as one of five finalists in the Innovations Awards at the Queensland Mining Industry Health and Safety Conference 2021, which has now been delayed until 2022 due to COVID-19.