HAL in review is a development timeline designed to show the tremendous amount of effort required to develop the HAL product. Below you'll learn just how much research, development and testing that took place to get HAL recognized as a suitable replacement for oil lubrication

The HAL timeline begins...

...July, 1994

In co-ordination with Boart Longyear, began testing the Hal Prototype at Falconbridge’s Strathcona mine.

June, 1996

Completed required changes to Hal prototype. Final testing began at the Kinross, Hoyle Pond Mine, Timmins, Ontario. Objectives were to determine reliability of the product (a benchmark of 60 trouble free shifts was set), determine actual grease consumption, determine the relationship between orifice sizes and variable conditions (air flow, air pressure and temperature) and observe operator acceptance. The drills used were Secan S-250 jacklegs and stopers. The lubricator was installed with a #67 restrictor. Temperate in test area was approximately 68°F. Grease consumption was 150 grams for 140 ft of drilling. Operator enjoyed the oil mist reduction but complained that the lubricators were too big and cumbersome. A one-man crew would continue testing for two months.

July, 1996

Modified the Hal lubricator. Outside diameter was reduced to 3”, from 4”. It was also shortened. The grease reservoir holds 1 tube of grease (300 grams0. Testing of Hal 2 began at both the Kinross Hoyle pond and Macassa Mines. The drills used were S-250 jacklegs and stopers. Conditions, and results, at the Hoyle Pond Mine were similar to the first test. The operators were happy with the smaller, and lighter, Hal 2. At Macassa Mine, the temperature was 75-80°F. Grease consumption was 300+ grams per 100 ft of drilling. A #60 restrictor was installed and the grease consumption was approximately 300 grams per 500 ft of drilling. Two, two-men crews would continue testing for two months.

August, 1996

A problem was found with the production run of grease (the original batch of grease was a small test batch). The grease was contaminated with small, pencil end sized, hard, silicone like material. This small particle would plug the restrictor opening and prevent the grease from entering the air stream, going to the drill. All the lubricators and grease in the field taken out of service.

September, 1996

The problems with the contaminated grease convinced us that a screen in the lubricator filler port was required. A .0042 screen was designed and installed in the lubricators. Our grease supplier isolated and corrected the problem. A new batch of grease was required.

October, 1996

Testing resumed at Kinross’ Hoyle and Macassa Mines. Two oil mist samples were taken at Macassa. The results were .5mg/mg3 and .4mg/m3. This compares to mine results, in comparable conditions of 4.9 mg/m3, when the standard football oil lubricators are used. Testing began at INCO’s Copper Cliff South Mine, Sudbury, Ontario. The test site was on 3500 level, on a scissor truck. Two crews (one, two-man and one one-man) used Joy stoper drills and Sig jackleg drills, for re-bar installation (ground support). A prototype consisted of an air header and three single tube reservoir headers. Operator acceptance was immediate due to the cleaner air. The only complaint was that the lubricator did not have enough reservoir capacity to last the entire shift. Grease consumption was approximately 450 grams per 30 six-foot rebar installation. The scissor truck was installed with lubricators that had two grease tube reservoirs.

Testing began at the Placer Dome’s Dome Mine, Timmins, Ontario. The lubricators were set up on a two boom longtom that used SECAN S-250 jackleg drills, on the 2900 level, in an 8 x 8 track drift. The ambient temperature ranged from 65 to 68°F. The lubricators were initially set with #67 restrictors. Grease consumption was 300 grams per 150 ft of drilling. #65 restrictors were installed and the grease consumption was 300 grams per 280 ft of drilling. Miner acceptance was excellent.

November, 1996

Results of INCO’s oil mist samples taken o the scissor truck on 3500 level averaged .54 mg/m3. The scissor truck reverted to oil lubrication for one shift and oil mist samples were retaken. The results were 3.4 mg/m3, which verified the miners observed a drastic reduction of oil mist in the work area.

Problems were experienced at Macassa Mine in the raise. S-250 stoper drills were being used in a raise. The lubricators had #60 restrictors in them. The ambient temperature ranged 70-75°F. The problem was the legs were sticking on the drills when retracting. We installed a #70 restrictor. The leg problem went away. There were two problems. First, a stoper drill requires a larger grease delivery setting, as compared to a jackleg drill. This because there is less airflow in the leg and most of the lubrication is gravity fed. The second problem was that in a raise, the lubricators are hung in a vertical position (they are normally used in a horizontal position), off the staging. Therefore, the piston in the grease reservoir is working against gravity. By installing a larger restrictor, we offset the effects of gravity. Problems were being experienced at the Hoyle Pond Mine. The drills were S-250 stopers, the drilling application was uppers, in a stope. The stope was very close to surface and the ramp from surface. The ambient temperature was 50-55°F. The problems experienced were sticking legs and stalling while drilling the cut holes. #73 restrictors were installed and the problems went away.

December, 1996

Began testing at INCO’s Copper Cliff, South Mine, 4250 level. The application was an 8’ x 8’ drift. Joy AL60 stopers and Sig jackleg drills were used. The ambient temperature was around 60°F. The lubricators were initially set with #67 restrictors. We found that the Sig jackleg drill requires larger restrictors than a Joy stoper drill. This is because the differences in air consumption, 160 CFM for the Sig drill and 220 SFM for the Joy drill. #81 restrictors were installed in the lubricators. The Sig drills ran well. The extra grease going through the Joy drill did not bother the operator, as the exhaust on a stoper drill points straight down to the ground.

January, 1997

A presentation was made to INCO’s GM, Creighton Complex (which includes the South Mine). All departments, with the exception of the maintenance department, were happy with the test results. The maintenance department was not convinced that the drill repair costs were the same on grease lubrication as with oil lubrication. The decision was made to test for another two months. The drills used on 4250 and 3500 level would be closely monitored.

Testing began in a stope at Dome Mine in the 800 level. The mine wanted to test the drills in a cold environment. The drills were Secan 2-250 stopers and jacklegs; the application was mainly drilling uppers with the stoper drill. The jackleg drill was used for installing wall bolts. The ambient temperature was approximately 40°F.

February, 1997

Dome Mine – After incrementally installing a number of larger restrictors, it was decided that lighter grease was required for these conditions. Testing stopped because the drills would not run properly. #90 restrictors were the last tried. The combination of cold and high water content made the grease become “gummy”. This caused the butterfly valve to stick, affecting the performance of the drill (slow penetration). Testing would resume when lighter grease was available.

Testing began at Falconbridge Fraser Mine, Sudbury. Two two-tube reservoir lubricators were set up on a scissor truck on the 3400 level. Two two-man crews would be bolting (ground support). The drills were AL-60 stopers and jacklegs. The ambient temperature was approximately 65°F. Grease consumption was 450 grams per 30, 6’ bolts.

March, 1997

The INCO maintenance department determines that any changes to the drill costs are positive. The drill monitoring shows the service intervals are extended, which will result in a lower cost per foot. A presentation was made to INCO’s joint health and safety committee. They were optimistic with the results. Before they would endorse a change to grease lubrication, they wanted a controlled test to verify the absence of Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH’s).

April, 1997

Falconbridge, Fraser Mine installs additional twelve lubricators, for installation on scissor trucks.

May, 1997

Final INCO testing was completed at the Copper Cliff South Mine. The test site was a stope on the 1950 level. The equipment was a Boart BCI-2 longhole jumbo. A prototype (a 4” diameter) lubricator was required because of the drill 360 CFM requirement. The standard 3” lubricator would not allow sufficient air flow to pass through.

Longhole assembly was used for the grease portion of the test. The results were an oil mist reduction of 83-90%, using the Hal grease lubricator in comparison to the standard oil lubricator and no PAH’s detected. Operator acceptance was high.

The decision was made by Sudbury Mining Products that the latest Hal lubricators were market ready.

August, 1997

A final presentation was made to INCO’s Ontario Division management committee (which includes the President, VP Operations, VP Human Resources and VP Finance). The recommendations of the INCO project team evaluating the Hal grease lubricator recommended that INCO change over all jacklegs, stopers, longholes and jumbos to grease lubrication, before year end. The management team supports their recommendations.

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