Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has unveiled the Sandvik DD212i, the first intelligent i-series narrow vein drill and the most advanced underground drill in its category.
The Sandvik DD212i is a compact, single-boom jumbo with a newly updated design and carrier, offering enhanced productivity, precision drilling, intelligence, and versatility. Ideal for narrow vein and medium-sized drifts, the drill delivers greater operational efficiency with features like precise electronic positioning and hole measurement instrumentation, helping to boost profitability by optimizing ore extraction.
“Sandvik DD212i was developed for mines needing compact equipment with better connectivity and data collection capabilities,” said Jean-Christophe Goiffon, Sandvik’s underground drilling product manager for low profile and narrow vein operations. “Despite its small size, it offers increased productivity and drilling accuracy in challenging environments with deeper, narrower orebodies.”
Key features of the DD212i include intelligent drilling control, a newly designed narrow vein carrier, the SB20i instrumented boom, Sandvik RDX5 rock drills, a safer ROPS/FOPS cabin and canopy, and greater versatility in drilling applications. Scalable automation packages provide enhanced automatic drilling capabilities, improving data collection and operational outcomes.
With these advancements, the DD212i achieves higher penetration rates, better drilling progress, and reduced total cost of ownership (TCO) thanks to lower parts and consumable costs.
In addition, Sandvik has launched a new module for its Digital Driller training simulator, allowing operators to familiarize themselves with the DD212i before using it in the field.
Operator feedback from field tests in Austria highlighted the drill’s user-friendly controls, ease of use, and quick start-up time, with some comparing its performance to Sandvik’s larger twin-boom DD422i jumbo.
In the coming months, Sandvik plans to introduce additional options for the DD212i, including Gold-level automation and a specialized longhole drilling package for narrow vein applications in tunnels as small as 2×3 meters.
