Caterpillar has confirmed that it is working on a new, as yet unnamed horizontal jumbo drill.
Speaking at the Global Mining Forum, the mining machinery manufacturer said it has been working on the new drill since last year, according to International Mining.
It is understood the new model will be a twin boom. This design was chosen as it currently has the largest share of the underground horizontal development market, which to date has been cornered by Sandvik and Atlas Copco.
This is not the first time Caterpillar has looked to this space, having previously tested a two boom undergroud development drill in Australia. However this project was suspended due to an unfavourable market.
The manufacturer then took a major step in underground jumbos with the acquisition of Bucyrus and the Mine King range, although it soon discontinued the range.
This has left Caterpillar with a blank slate for developing a new jumbo.
It has put forth 2017 as the date for production.