A HYDRAULIC splitter has been used to break oversized boulders in record time in a NSW gold mine.
Kennards Concrete Care supplied the mine with a Darda C12 Hydraulic Splitter, which split boulders in half in 15 seconds.
Breaking oversized rocks is a key processing technique said to provide a cost-effective way to mine by using gravity and in-situ stresses to break up ore bodies.
Traditionally, explosive methods have been used to break rocks. However, this involves handling hazardous materials and produces blasting fumes, fly-rock and possible damage from shock waves.
The hydraulic splitter has none of these issues, and is expected to make its mark in the mining industry.