When it comes to mining and underground construction, safety is paramount – especially when it comes to the stability of the strata. Ensuring the stability of the strata is a critical factor in protecting both the personnel and the mine itself.
Challenges with Traditional Rock Bolting
Over many decades, rock bolting has proven to be a safe and highly reliable method of addressing geotechnical challenges such as the rock stresses affecting the strata. However, the rock bolting process itself has traditionally been extremely time-consuming. Typically, cementitious grouts are used to encapsulate self-drilling anchors (SDAs), which, in themselves, can pose hazards to contractors such as dust inhalation and burns. With traditional cementitious grouts taking as long as 12 hours to cure, mining teams lose critical heading time while waiting for the rock bolting grout to achieve the required strengths.
Innovative Solution: MasterRoc RBA 380
Recognising that trading off safety for construction speed or productivity is not an option, the Master Builders Solutions Global R&D Team has developed an innovative high-performance rock bolt anchoring resin that delivers rapid results without compromising safety. Known as MasterRoc RBA 380, this remarkable new two-component, fire-resistant, thixotropic polyurea silicate rock bolt resin can deliver >35 MPa compressive strength in as little as three minutes.
Key Features of MasterRoc RBA 380
Rapid Curing: Delivers >35 MPa compressive strength in just three minutes.
Versatility: Suitable for use on both vertical and overhead substrates without the need for additional sealing.
Long-Distance Pumping: Provides a pumping capability of up to 30 metres.
Temperature Resistant: Mixes easily even in low temperatures (> 5°C) and neither expands nor absorbs water.
Comprehensive Application: Ideal for both resin-into-bolt and bolt-into-resin rock bolting at all angles, and can be used with both steel and glass fibre bolts.
Case Study: Kanmantoo Copper Mine
In one of the first Australian applications, MasterRoc RBA 380 was successfully injected into twelve 9-metre SDAs at the Kanmantoo Copper Mine in South Australia. Everyone was extremely impressed with the performance of the MasterRoc RBA 380 product, which successfully cured to 35 MPa in three minutes at each of the twelve SDA locations.
Jolyon Jardine, Mine Manager at Kanmantoo Copper Mine, SA, said that it would significantly reduce the delays caused by rock bolting operations. “With this product, there’s no more waiting for cementitious grout to cure,” he said. “Now we can just drill, inject, and mine!”
Conclusion
By choosing MasterRoc RBA 380, contractors can continue excavating safely almost instantly, as the injection resin reaches >35 MPa in around 3 minutes. Its unique formulation allows for secure and precise injection to achieve fully encapsulated bolts for optimum load transfer between the strata and the rock bolt, in a fraction of the time required for traditional cementitious grouts. MasterRoc RBA 380 offers the ideal combination of flexibility and performance, delivering rapid results without compromising safety.
Learn more about MasterRoc RBA 380 at MasterRoc RBA 380 TDS