Client Background

The TETELO copper mine is located in Angola. It is one of the key mining projects that PowerChina is undertaking in the country. Copper extraction is the main operation, and the underground tunnel development work is substantial. The project is an important pillar for the local mining economy. Before the upgrade, all tunnel development relied on manual jackleg drills. The work was slow, physically punishing, and came with a lot of safety risks. It was a real bottleneck for getting the mine up to standard and keeping the schedule on track.

Challenges Faced

Production was stuck: Manual jackleg drilling is slow. Each hole takes time, and each shift only advances so far. The whole mining cycle kept stalling. Guys were lugging around heavy drills all day — we are talking dozens of kilograms — and the progress just was not there.

Safety was a real concern: With manual drilling, the crew has to work right at the face. That means exposure to falling rocks and cave-ins. Dust and noise are constant companions too. Long-term health risks are part of the package.

Drilling quality was hit-or-miss: You cannot get consistent hole placement, depth, or angle by hand. That affects the blast. Overbreak and underbreak became a recurring problem, which meant more support work and more money spent fixing things.

The project needed to move faster: As production targets grew, the manual method just could not keep up. They needed to mechanize, shorten the construction cycle, and free up time for the mining operations that followed.

Beijun Solution

Shandong Beijun Group stepped in with a solution built around an intelligent hydraulic drilling jumbo. This was not just a machine — it was a whole shift from hand-drilling to mechanized development.

Primary Equipment: Beijun Hydraulic Drilling Jumbo (Intelligent Drilling Rig)
   This is a flagship product from Shandong Ante Heavy Industry, a core subsidiary of Beijun Group. It is purpose-built for underground tunnel development in non-coal mines. The unit carries both KA mine safety certification and EU CE certification. The all-hydraulic drilling system delivers drilling speeds 5 to 6 times faster than manual jackleg drills. Hole position, depth, and angle are precisely controlled, matching the requirements of any standardized drill-and-blast process.

What makes it stand out:

Speed. The high-power hydraulic drifter chews through rock much faster than air-powered drills. Cycle times dropped significantly from day one.

Precision. The intelligent control system locks in hole position, depth, and angle. That means better blast outcomes, cleaner walls, and less overbreak to clean up later.

Fewer people at the face. The rig can be operated by remote control or from the cabin. The crew is no longer standing right under the rock. That is a big step up in safety.

It fits in tight spaces. Compact design, low center of gravity. It moves well in narrow underground drifts.

Beijun offers a range of rock drilling jumbos to suit different project needs. For projects requiring rapid relocation between work faces, the wheeled rock drilling jumbo delivers fast travel speed and precise drilling. For challenging underground terrain where stability and traction are critical, the crawler rock drilling jumbo provides reliable performance on rough surfaces.

Support where it counts: Beijun sent experienced technicians to the site. They trained the local crew on operation, maintenance, and troubleshooting. The whole package was designed to make sure the equipment actually worked in an African mining context.

Implementation Results

Drilling time got cut by more than half. The intelligent jumbo reduced single-cycle drilling time by over 60 percent compared to manual jacklegs. Tunnel advance rates jumped, and the mining schedule started to catch up.

Blast quality improved. With consistent hole placement, the hydraulic jumbo delivered better blasting results. Overbreak was reduced, and that cut down on the amount of support work needed afterward.

Safety got a real upgrade. Remote operation means fewer people working in the danger zone. The risk of rock falls and other face-related incidents dropped significantly. The underground environment became more manageable.

Workers felt the difference. They were no longer wrestling heavy drills for hours on end. The physical toll decreased noticeably. That made a difference in morale and in keeping experienced people on the job.

Client Testimonial

"Putting the intelligent drilling jumbo to work at TETELO marked a real turning point. We moved from the old jackleg era into a new phase of mechanized, man-machine coordinated production. The drilling precision and cycle speed exceeded what we expected. Going forward, we are going to keep building on this advantage — improving efficiency, reducing costs, and tightening up our safety systems." – Equipment Manager, TETELO Copper Mine Project