Another surface drilling first for SRG Global and Sandvik

The first Pantera^TM DP1510i top-hammer drill off the production line is headed for Western Australia’s Goldfields for operation by SRG Global.

SRG Global delivers specialist drill, blast and geotechnical services to Australia’s largest gold miners and recently secured the first Pantera^TM DP1510i from Sandvik for use on a gold project in Western Australia. After its pre-delivery at Sandvik’s Perth workshop, the new rig will travel to the northern Goldfields, about 350 kilometers north of Kalgoorlie, where it will be commissioned on site.

The delivery will mark yet another major drilling first for SRG Global, who in May took delivery of the world’s first Leopard^TM DI650i Gen 2 surface drill from Sandvik for use at another of the company’s West Australian Goldfields operations.

The new Pantera^TM DP1510i rig will join 20 other Panteras in the SRG Global fleet, with one Pantera^TM DP1500i rig having clocked up 42,000 hours while exceeding 90 percent mechanical availability.

“We’ve long understood that to get best results with drill-and-blast operations you need to be working with the best equipment,” said Nathan Steiner, Executive General Manager for Mining Services at SRG Global. “That explains our long association with Sandvik, and why we are excited to be putting the new Pantera^TM DP1510i into service. When we’re looking for advanced surface rigs, Sandvik is very much our first port of call.”

The new Pantera^TM DP1510i had its first public outing at last year’s MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2024 in Las Vegas and was officially launched at bauma 2025 in Munich. The successor to Pantera^TM DP1500i, it is an intelligent, hydraulic, diesel-powered, self-propelled top hammer drill rig that is designed for large hole drilling. It is particularly well suited to production drilling in large quarries or open pit mines.

“SRG Global is one of those customers who is always eager to embrace new technologies and explore how to do things even better,” said Michael Forrest, Sales Manager for Surface Drills at Sandvik. “We’re confident the advanced features of the Pantera^TM DP1510i will help it to fit right into SRG Global’s drill and blast operations.”

Sandvik’s PPH Rock Drill service agreement a part of SRG’s success

Choosing the right equipment is just one of the ways that SRG Global is ensuring that it delivers for customers and remains profitable. A PPH Rock Drill service agreement with Sandvik for SRG Global’s Sandvik drill rigs is calculated on a per-percussion-hour (PPH) basis, which means the rate SRG Global pays corresponds to the hours each rig is in active operation. This ensures maximum uptime and availability and is currently helping the business to lower operating costs related to rock drills.

“The PPH approach works for us because our monthly costs for each drill are predictable,” Steiner said. “On top of that, we’re enjoying the benefits of prioritized repairs with genuine parts and quarterly audits to ensure the rigs are operating at optimum levels.”

SRG Global has a total of 20 Pantera^TM DP1500i rigs in its fleet, including the 2008 model that has clocked up 42,000 hours. And in addition to the first Pantera^TM DP1510i off the production line, the company has recently placed orders for another four Pantera^TM DP1510i rigs to support growth across other Western Australia Goldfields operations.

Compared to Pantera^TM DP1500i, Pantera^TM DP1510i boasts a more powerful rock drill with 15 percent more efficient conversion of hydraulic power to percussion energy, translating directly either to lower fuel consumption or higher penetration rate. The flushing head has also been redesigned to ensure easier maintenance and 50 percent faster shank changes.

“When every minute counts, quicker service routines can make a real difference,” Forrest said. “The flushing head redesign means crews can keep the drill running at peak performance with minimal interruption. It’s a smart improvement that adds real value in high-production environments like open pit gold mining.”

Commissioning of the Pantera^TM DP1510i in Perth will involve ensuring it fully meets Australian safety standards.

For further information, please contact:
Kate Bills
General Manager – Sustainability, Marketing and Communications
Sandvik
Email: kate.bills@sandvik.com

Sandvik Group
Sandvik is a global, high-tech engineering group providing solutions that enhance productivity, profitability and sustainability for the manufacturing, mining and infrastructure industries. We are at the forefront of digitalization and focus on optimizing our customers’ processes. Our world-leading offering includes equipment, tools, services and digital solutions for machining, mining, rock excavation and rock processing. In 2024 the Group had approximately 41,000 employees and revenues of about 123 billion SEK in more than 150 countries.

Sandvik Mining
Sandvik Mining is a business area within the Sandvik Group and a global leading supplier of equipment and tools, parts, service, digital solutions and sustainability-driving technologies for the mining and construction industries. Application areas include rock drilling, rock cutting, loading and hauling, tunneling, ground support and quarrying. In 2024, sales were approximately 64 billion SEK with about 17,000 employees.