RKX Rock Extraction set to unveil electric pulse rock breaking at Hillhead
Arguably there are limitations of the two conventional approaches to rock breaking. RKX Rock Extraction Ltd, based in Lisburn, Northern Ireland states: “Blasting demands the transport and handling of extremely dangerous materials, with serious security and environmental implications, and remains unavailable or in short supply across much of the world.”
It adds: “Hydraulic hammers, while useful across a range of applications, break by vibration, an inherently inefficient means of energy transfer, and one that progressively shortens the life of the carrier excavator.”
It was long familiarity with both methods that led to the founding of RKX in 2021, “and to the conclusion that breaking by controlled and precise shock, produced electrically, offered a fundamentally better path.”
While the use of electrical pulses to fracture or break rock – sometimes referred to as pulse or pulsed power – has been and is being trialled by others – I-Pulse and its various divisions like I-Mine and I-ROX being a good example – the RKX offering is an interesting development.
It has built a machine which uses the instantaneous torque of electric power to develop up to 100,000 joules per strike, yet is light enough to mount on a 20 t class excavator. “Developing a genuinely new approach to rock breaking takes time, and the engineering challenge was significant. Converting the concept of productive electric breaker capable of operating in the world’s most demanding environments required five years of development and testing.”
It adds that finding the right technology partners was central to that process. RKX has built a quality supply chain, including YASA, a cutting-edge British electric motor manufacturer (wholly owned subsidiary of Mercedes-Benz). The result it says is a thoroughly researched and tested breaking tool, able to replace or supplement explosives across a wide range of applications including demolition, primary and secondary breaking, and recycling.
From the outset, several design priorities shaped the development of the RKX-Volt 100k, all of which have been incorporated into the production machine.
The most fundamental was giving a 20 t class excavator access to 100,000 joules of breaking energy, with a strike every three to five seconds. “Twenty-tonne excavators are the most widely deployed machines in quarrying, construction, and demolition worldwide – which creates a significant market opportunity, but more importantly means the machine gives any individual, company, or community the ability to undertake work that would not otherwise be possible with the equipment they already own.”
RKX adds that electric power makes telemetry possible, enabling remote diagnostics and the early identification of potential technical problems before they become failures. The modular design simplifies maintenance and component replacement, minimising downtime.
“Noise, vibration, and dust are well-documented environmental problems associated with both blasting and hydraulic hammer use. The RKX-Volt 100k generates minimal noise, principally the sound of impact and the ability to regulate strike power from 10-100% means vibration near buildings or environmentally sensitive sites can be strictly controlled. The breaking mechanism itself produces minimal dust.”
The final priority was ensuring the machine does not shorten the life of the carrier. The system incorporates design features that eliminate the transmission of shock into both the breaker itself and the excavator.
It says the RKX-Volt 100k underwent an extensive period of trials across a range of applications. In demolition, the shock shattered concrete and separated rebar cleanly, simplifying the downstream recycling process. “In primary extraction, principally limestone, performance was efficient and consistent. The machine also demonstrated the ability to separate layers of rock from narrow, high-value ore veins, avoiding the mixing and contamination of ore that blasting typically causes. Performance on the largest hard rock oversize exceeded expectations.”
The company concludes: “As regulatory pressure on blasting continues to tighten and demand for cleaner, more precise extraction grows, the case for a genuinely capable alternative has never been stronger. The RKX-Volt 100k will be demonstrated publicly for the first time at Stand X13 Hillhead 2026 in Buxton on 23rd June – a commercial product, ready for the industry.”
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