Mining has long been a key driver of the Australian economy. With more than 350 operating mines, it is one of the world’s leading producers of iron ore, lithium, gold, lead, bauxite, uranium, and zinc, to name but a few, making it a very attractive market for a company like Robit.

Thanks to the acquisition of Drilling Tools Australia (DTA) in 2016, the country is a domestic market for Robit, with customer relationships reaching back to the DTA days. One of these long-standing partners is Ausdrill, one of the largest drilling services providers in Australia, founded in 1987.

We talked to Mark Hercik‑Saul who started with Ausdrill in 2003 as an Offsider, worked his way to Driller to Supervisor to Superintendent and is currently Project Manager for RC regional, looking after some ten RC (Reverse Circulation) drill rigs for various clients in Western Australia and South Australia. Mark has been using Robit’s Down the Hole (DTH) hammers for years.

“Our preferred hammers of choice from Robit are the DR 55 and DR 53, mainly for their downhole reliability, performance, and durability to wear. We have continuous online and in-field support from Robit with any issues that may develop with any of their products. For quality products, the prices are also competitive”, Mark says.

In a busy market like Australia, availability must be a key issue when it comes to drilling consumables. How has Robit been performing on that front?
“We have been working closely with Robit to tailor our frequently ordered parts to meet the demand/ supply to all of our sites. This has been challenging over the last couple of years with Covid-19 restrictions in play, but having local manufacturing close by, I feel the communication has grown stronger through this time”, says Mark.

From your vantage point, what’s the future outlook for the Australian mining sector? What kind of role do you see Robit could play in it?
“Mining is definitely booming, and since the Australian economy is strong at the moment, the demand to keep up supply for all drilling products is high. I think Robit will have an important role in the future by keeping proactive with their site support, which to me is the key to having good relationships and trust between suppliers and companies. They also should be open to new innovations and designs combined with competitively priced products”, Mark concludes.

Picture: An Ausdrill RC drill rig at work at Woodie Woodie Manganese mine, Pilbara, Western Australia

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