Rockmore International has developed a new reaming bit to allow for more efficient underground drilling and blasting operations. This new model features retrac style cutting fins to ensure better retraction out of the hole.

Reaming type bits in underground drilling and blasting operations are used to enlarge selected existing blast holes to bigger diameters for effective blasting and rock fragmentation. This is typically performed in tunnelling, mining, and underground construction drilling operations. The larger reamed holes are not loaded with blasting agents and therefore allow the rock formation to implode during the explosion phase. The empty voids in these reamed holes promote better rock fragmentation and more efficient blasting patterns.

After blast holes are drilled in the tunnel face with hole diameters ranging from 43 to 51 mm, certain holes in the pattern are enlarged with a typical reaming bit to 76-102 mm, depending on the blast and rock formation requirements. Standard reaming bits feature face designs with dome or narrow nose fronts and are intended to effectively enlarge a predrilled hole. When they are retrieved out of the hole, however, at the end of the target hole depth, they often seize up due to the loose rock debris inside the hole formation.

“Our field support engineers recognised the need for better bit retrieval in face drilling operations. After close collaboration with various drilling teams, our designers introduced the innovative retrac features in this new reaming bit,” explained Pejman Eghdami, executive vice president at Rockmore International.

Rockmore addressed the challenge of retrieving these style bits by developing this new model that features retrac style cutting fins in the rear section, to promote better retraction out of the hole. The fins effectively push out any rock chips trapped behind the bit when the drill string is pulled from the blast hole, resulting in more efficient reaming operations in underground drilling operations.