Underground mining demands precision, power, and equipment that performs reliably in the harshest conditions. Whether you are developing drives, extracting ore, or supporting excavation walls, the right rock drilling tools are critical to efficiency and safety. Here are 10 essential tools used in underground mining operations worldwide.
1. Jackleg Drills
A staple of underground hard rock mining, jackleg drills are pneumatic hand-held rock drills mounted on a leg-feed mechanism. Ideal for horizontal and inclined drilling in development headings, they deliver high penetration rates while giving operators precise directional control.
The leg-feed system—a pneumatic or mechanical support leg attached beneath the drill—carries the machine’s weight and applies consistent feed pressure into the rock face, freeing the operator to steer and guide the drill without physically supporting its full load. This design makes jackleg drills particularly effective in narrow headings and drives where larger mechanized equipment cannot maneuver.
Jackleg drills are widely used for blast hole drilling in development rounds, ring drilling in stopes, and bolt hole preparation for ground support. Their versatility across inclined angles—from near-horizontal to steeply inclined drilling—makes them indispensable on operations where varied drilling directions are required within a single shift. Powered by compressed air, they also meet explosion-risk safety requirements in gassy underground environments.
2. Stoper Drills
Stoper drills are purpose-built for upward drilling in stoping operations. Their leg-feed mechanism supports the drill weight during overhead work, making them indispensable in narrow-vein stopes and raises where vertical blast holes are required.
Unlike jackleg drills, which are optimized for horizontal and inclined angles, stopers are specifically designed for drilling upward into the back (roof) of a stope or raise. The pneumatic leg extends upward to hold the drill against the rock, providing consistent thrust pressure while the operator positions the machine from below. This overhead drilling capability is essential in cut-and-fill stoping, shrinkage stoping, and raise development—all common methods in gold, silver, and narrow-vein precious metal mines.
Stoper drills are robust, compact, and easy to transport through tight underground access ways. Their simple pneumatic operation means minimal maintenance requirements and reliable performance in remote stopes where technical support may not be immediately available. For mines operating in seismically active ground or under tight geotechnical constraints, the stoper’s ability to quickly drill and blast small incremental lifts is a key operational advantage.
3. Hydraulic Drifters
Hydraulic drifters are high-performance percussive rock drills mounted on mechanized drill rigs and jumbos. They deliver superior impact energy and penetration rates in face drilling, long-hole drilling, and bolt hole applications—making them the backbone of modern mechanized underground mining.
Unlike pneumatic drills, hydraulic drifters use pressurized hydraulic fluid to drive the percussion piston, delivering significantly higher impact power and energy efficiency. This hydraulic mechanism produces a more consistent blow frequency and greater energy transfer to the drill bit, resulting in faster rock penetration and longer bit life—both critical factors in reducing drilling cost per metre.
Hydraulic drifters are mounted on drill rigs, jumbos, and specialized long-hole drills that provide precise boom positioning and automated feed control. Modern hydraulic drifters incorporate anti-jamming systems, automatic collaring functions, and computerized rig control that further optimize performance and reduce operator input during the drilling cycle. In large-scale underground mines where production drilling cycles directly drive ore output, upgrading to high-performance hydraulic drifters can deliver measurable improvements in overall mine productivity and development advance rates.
4. Pusher Legs & Airline Lubricators
Pusher legs provide the feed force needed to advance the drill into the rock face, working in combination with jackleg and stoper drills. Airline lubricators are equally critical—automatically delivering oil mist into the compressed air supply to lubricate pneumatic drill components, extending tool life and reducing maintenance frequency.
A pusher leg is essentially a pneumatic cylinder that extends against the rock face or a solid surface in the heading, creating a reaction point that feeds the drill forward under controlled pressure. The correct feed pressure is critical: too little and the drill loses penetration efficiency; too much and the drill steel is put under excessive bending stress, risking rod breakage. Experienced operators learn to read the drill’s performance feedback and adjust leg pressure accordingly to maintain optimal penetration rates.
Airline lubricators, installed in-line on the compressed air supply hose, continuously inject a fine oil mist into the airflow powering the drill. This lubrication reaches internal components—the piston, rotation mechanism, and valve gear—that cannot be manually greased during operation. Without consistent lubrication, these high-speed moving parts wear rapidly, leading to premature drifter failure and costly rebuilds. A well-maintained airline lubricator is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to extend the service life of pneumatic drilling equipment on any underground site.
Why the Right Drilling Equipment Matters
In underground mining, equipment selection directly impacts cycle time, safety, and cost per tonne. Using the right tool for each drilling task—whether face development, production blasting, or ground support—reduces bit wear, lowers energy consumption, and keeps crews safer. GME supplies a comprehensive range of rock drilling tools and underground mining equipment engineered to perform in the world’s most demanding mining environments.
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