Fujarac hooked on Atlas Copco’s air
01 November 2005
Fujeirah Rock and Aggregates (Fujarac) – a leading quarry owner in the UAE – has taken delivery of two Atlas Copco XRHS 836 air compressors and ROC 460 PC drill rig combinations to meet increased production demands for a newly-installed second crushing line.
The quarry in Fujairah is currently producing 500 tonnes per hour of gabbro diorite – considered to be one of the region’s toughest rocks with the density of 3 tonnes per cu m.
“With the start of production by the second line imminent, production will double to 20,000 tonnes per day,” says site manager Mohammed Khammas.
Fujarac is currently extending its first quarry, which opened in 1985, into the second recently-developed area to provide easier access to the newly-installed second crushing plant.
The latest development has reserves for the next 50 years and with additional mountains alongside the quarry, its lifespan is expected to be considerably extended with future developments.
The quarry has workings on 12 benches between levels 70 m and 240 m, with bench heights generally 20 to 22 m high. Bench floors vary between 15 and 50 m depending on the formation of the rock.
The new Atlas Copco compressor and dill rig combinations were purpose-ordered by Fujarac through local distributor Inma to meet the anticipated increased production demand.
With considerable experience of working with Atlas Copco’s plants, Fujarac has once again opted for the company’s compressor and drill rig combination.
“The XRHS 836 provides us with excellent air delivery combination to meet the productivity of the drill rig,” says workshop manager Kisra El Haibi.
Two Atlas Copco XRHS 836 oil-injected rotary screw compressors each provide an actual free-air delivery of 392 litres at bar 20 for operation of the two ROC 460 PC drill rigs.
Housed in a zincor-treated canopy and trailer-mounted for easy mobility around the quarry, both compressors are powered by a Caterpillar C9 six-cylinder diesel engine rated at 224 kW.
The Atlas Copco ROC 460 PC has been designed as a DTH (down-the-hole) hammer pneumatic rig for overburden and high bench production drilling - with a hole diameter ranging from 85 to165 mm diameter.
Since opening the quarry 20 years ago, Fujarac has produced more than 30 million tonnes of high-quality product with 70 per cent of today’s output destined for export to Qatar, Kuwait and other neighbouring Gulf states. Additionally large boulders are shipped to Oman for use on its seaport projects.
The compressors are manufactured by the Portable Air division within the business area Compressor Technique of the Atlas Copco Group which has it production facilities in Antwerp, Belgium.
