New Test Center in Örebro creates innovation opportunities within Exploration drilling

"With this Test Center, we can continue our way towards being the competence center within exploration drilling – and build networks within the industry. It will create opportunities to cooperate with customers and universities as well as with researchers in order to improve our technologies and products for future requirements", says Thomas Hallmén, General Manager Product Company Örebro, Epiroc Surface and Exploration Drilling division.

 

The new Test Center, called Innovative Exploration Drilling and Data Acquisition Test Center (I-EDDA-TC) will provide a unique environment for the development of drilling, and related equipment and methods used for the exploration of mineral resources, such as borehole geophysics. The goal for the future is to establish a leading Test Center that supports and creates innovation. The Test Center is unique of its kind in the world. An important feature of the Test Center is two boreholes each 1 kilometer deep with fully characterized core samples.

In the Test Center, companies have the possibly to test in an environment that is well-known. They can also combine several tests at the same time, which is both effective and cut costs.

"Our hope is that the Test Center becomes a focus for both small and large companies that work within exploration drilling and related technologies", says Bjarne Almqvist.

 

The Test Center will be built next to the Epiroc Surface and Exploration Drilling division Production Center in Örebro, Sweden. The Test Center will be developed during three years and be available for customers in the beginning of 2022. The European Union helps finance the project through EIT Raw materials.

 

The new Test Center is a collaboration project between Uppsala University, Lund University, Luleå University of Technology, Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg, Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum , RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden) and Epiroc Surface and Exploration Drilling division.

Epiroc is a leading global productivity partner for the mining and infrastructure industries. With cutting-edge technology, Epiroc develops and produces innovative, safe and sustainable drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment and tools. The company also provides world-class service and solutions for automation and interoperability. Epiroc is based in Stockholm, Sweden, had revenues of SEK 38 billion in 2018, and has more than 14,000 passionate employees supporting and collaborating with customers in more than 150 countries. Learn more at www.epirocgroup.com

Surface and Exploration Drilling is a division within Epiroc. It develops, manufactures, and markets rock and exploration drilling equipment for various applications in civil and geotechnical engineering, quarries and both surface as well as underground mines worldwide. Epiroc’s strong focus on innovative product design and service support systems gives added customer value. The main production centers are in Sweden, Italy, India, Japan and China. The divisional headquarters is in Örebro, Sweden.