Abstract: A method of fabricating a cemented carbide article by additive manufacturing, and a granular material are disclosed. A precursor material is provided that comprises granules, the granules comprising carbide grains and a binder comprising any of cobalt, nickel and iron. Each granule has a density of at least 99.5% of the theoretical density and the granules of the precursor material have a mean compressive strength of at least 40 megapascals (MPa). An additive manufacturing process is used to manufacture the article by building up successive layers of material derived from the precursor material.

Abstract: A method of making a strike construction for a pick tool, a strike construction for a pick tool and a pick tool. The strike construction comprises a strike tip (2) and a support body (20), in which respective attachment ends (10,22) of each of the strike tip and support body are joined to each other, the attachment end of the strike tip is coterminous with cemented carbide material comprised in the strike tip, and the attachment end of the support body is coterminous with cemented carbide material comprised in an end portion of the support body, the end portion being configured such that sides of the support body depend divergently from its attachment end.

Abstract: A cemented carbide material comprising tungsten carbide grains, the content of tungsten carbide in the cemented carbide material being at least 75 weight percent and at most 95 weight percent. The cemented carbide material comprises a binder phase comprising any of cobalt, iron, or nickel, and nanoparticles. Te nanoparticles include material according to the formula CoxWyCz, where x is a value in the range from 1 to 7, y is a value in the range from 1 to 10 and z is a value in the range from 0 to 4. The nanoparticles have a mean grain size of no more than 10 nm and at least 10 percent of the nanoparticles have a size of at most 5 nm. The volume percent of the tungsten carbide grains having a grain size of no more than 1 ?m is less than 4 percent. A method for producing the cemented carbide material is also disclosed.

Abstract: A pick tool comprising a strike tip and a pick tool body, the pick tool body including a non-rotating strike tip at a first end of the pick tool body. A shaft is provided at a second end of the pick tool body, the shaft being configured to pass through an opening in a surface of a pick tool holder, the shaft being configured in use to be non-rotationally attached to the pick tool holder. The shaft projects from a pick tool abutment surface such that, when the pick tool is attached to the pick tool holder, the abutment surface abuts the pick tool holder surface. The abutment surface has an aspect ratio between its length and width of between 1.5:1 and 3:1. The pick tool body comprises a leading edge and a trailing edge, the leading edge being, in use, the edge that first contacts a formation, the trailing edge having an angle of less than 18° between a main axis of the pick tool and an axis from the strike tip to the abutment surface at the trailing edge.

Abstract: A cutting bit assembly for a mining machine includes a holder having a first surface, a second surface, and a bore extending therebetween, and a bit having a first end and a second end. The bit further includes a tip, a shank, and a shoulder positioned between the tip and the shank. The shank is positioned in the bore of the holder and defines a shank axis. The shoulder engages the first surface of the holder. The shank includes a projection adjacent the second end. The cutting bit assembly also includes a retainer having a groove and a resilient member. The groove engages a portion of the projection. The resilient portion engages the second surface of the holder and biases the retainer along the shank axis and away from the holder.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond composite compact element comprises a body of polycrystalline diamond material and a cemented carbide substrate bonded to the body of polycrystalline material. The cemented carbide substrate has tungsten carbide particles bonded together by a binder material comprising an alloy of Co, Ni and Cr. The tungsten carbide particles form between 70 weight percent and 95 weight percent of the substrate. The binder material comprises between about 10 to 50 wt. % Ni, between about 0.1 to 10 wt. % Cr, and the remainder weight percent comprising Co. The size distribution of the tungsten carbide particles in the substrate has fewer than 17 percent of the carbide particles with a grain size of equal to or less than about 0.3 microns, between about 20 to 28 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.3 to 0.5 microns; between about 42 to 56 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.

Abstract: A pick assembly comprising a holder body, a strike body, a base body attachable to a drive mechanism, and an interference assembly comprising at least one interference member. The holder body comprises a head portion and a shaft depending from the head portion. The strike body comprises a super-hard strike tip. The head portion and the strike body are cooperatively configured such that the strike body can be attached to the head portion, the strike tip being exposed for striking a body to be degraded when in use. The base body comprises a base bore. The base bore, shaft and interference assembly are cooperatively configured such that the shaft can be secured within the base bore, the interference member disposed between the shaft and the bore. Frictional interference between the shaft, interference assembly and base bore is sufficient to prevent rotation of the shaft within the base bore in use.

Abstract: A pick tool (100) comprising a strike member (110) non-moveably attached to a pick body (120), the strike member comprising a strike structure. The strike structure comprises super-hard material and defines a planar strike surface (112), the strike surface defining a cutting edge (114) that includes an apex (115) in the plane of the strike surface (112). The thickness of at least a proximate volume (107) of the strike structure adjacent the cutting edge (114) is at least about 2 millimeters.

Abstract: A method and granules for coating a body. Each granule comprises silicon (Si), carbon (C), chromium (Cr) and iron group metal selected from iron (Fe), cobalt (Co) and nickel (Ni). The relative quantities of the Si, C and Cr are such that a molten phase comprising the Si, C, Cr and the iron group metal will form at a melting temperature of less than 1,300 degrees Celsius when at least a threshold quantity of the iron group metal is accessible to the Si, C and Cr; but each granule comprising substantially less than the threshold quantity of the iron group metal. A second source of the iron group metal is provided. A combination of the granules and the second source is formed such that at least the threshold quantity of the iron group metal will be accessible to the Si, C and Cr. The granules and the second source are heated to at least the melting temperature to form the molten phase in contact with the body. The heat is then removed to allow the molten phase to solidify and to provide the coated body.

Abstract: A pick assembly is provided, comprising a bit assembly and a holder assembly; the bit assembly comprising a bit support body, a fastener mechanism and a deflectable member, cooperatively configured such the deflectable member can be deflected responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body to the fastener mechanism. The holder assembly comprises a holder body and is configured for accommodating and retaining the bit assembly by interference means. The holder assembly and bit assembly are cooperatively configured such that the retention of the bit assembly by the holder assembly by interference means can be progressively increased responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body with the fastener mechanism when the bit assembly is accommodated by the holder assembly, operative to prevent substantial movement of the bit support body relative to the holder body in use.

Abstract: A method of making a strike construction for a pick tool, a strike construction for a pick tool and a pick tool. The strike construction comprises a strike tip (2) and a support body (20), in which respective attachment ends (10,22) of each of the strike tip and support body are joined to each other, the attachment end of the strike tip is coterminous with cemented carbide material comprised in the strike tip, and the attachment end of the support body is coterminous with cemented carbide material comprised in an end portion of the support body, the end portion being configured such that sides of the support body depend divergently from its attachment end.

Abstract: The invention relates to hard-metal body comprising a hard-metal, the hard-metal comprising tungsten carbide grains and metal binder comprising cobalt having a concentration of tungsten dissolved therein, the body comprising a surface region adjacent a surface and a core region remote from the surface, the surface region and the core region being contiguous with each other; the mean binder fraction of the core region being greater than that of the surface region; the mean carbon concentration within the binder being higher in the surface region than in the core region; to tools comprising same and methods of making same.

Abstract: A pick tool assembly (100) comprises a strike tip (210), a holder (230) and a reversible attachment mechanism 245, 350) for coupling the strike tip (210) to the holder (230), in which the strike tip (210) comprises a strike surface including an apex. The pick tool assembly (100) will be configured such that the strike tip (210) can be non-moveably coupled to the holder (230) in a plurality of mutually opposite orientations relative to the holder, the orientations being about a symmetry axis (L) through the apex. The attachment mechanism will limit the opposite orientations (245-ii, 245-ii) to being at least about 160 degrees azimuthally apart, and be configured such that the strike tip (210) may be coupled to the holder assembly (230) in either of two and only two mutually opposite orientations.

Abstract: A pick tool comprising a super-hard strike tip, a base and a unitary cemented carbide support body comprising a head portion including an overhang portion, and an insertion shaft extending from the head portion, a surface of the overhang portion extending laterally from the insertion shaft; the strike tip is attached to the head portion of the support body and the base is provided with a bore into which the insertion shaft is shrink fitted; the base has an external surface adjacent the bore and overhang portion of the head portion is configured to extend over at least an area of the external surface operative to shield the area from wear when in use.

Abstract: Cemented carbide material comprising tungsten carbide (WC) material in particulate form having a mean grain size D in terms of equivalent circle diameter of at least 0.5 microns and at most 10 microns, and a binder phase comprising cobalt (Co) of at least 5 weight per cent and at most 12 weight per cent, W being present in the binder at a content of at least 10 weight per cent of the binder material; the content of the WC material being at least 75 weight per cent and at most 95 weight per cent; and nanoparticles dispersed in the binder material, the nanoparticles comprising material according to the formula CoxWyCz, where X is a value in the range from 1 to 7, Y is a value in the range from 1 to 10 and Z is a value in the range from 0 to 4; the nanoparticles having a mean particle size at most 10 nm, at least 10 per cent of the nanoparticles having size of at most 5 nm; the cemented carbide material having a magnetic coercive force in the units kA/m of at least ?2.1XD+14.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cemented carbide article comprising a core of metal carbide grains and a binder selected from cobalt, nickel, iron and alloys containing one or more of these metals and a surface layer defining an outer surface for the article, the surface layer comprising 5 to 25 weight percent of tungsten and 0.1 to 5 weight percent carbon, the balance of the surface layer comprising a metal or alloy selected from the binder metals and alloys and the surface layer being substantially free of carbide grains as determined by optical microscopy or SEM. A method for the production of a cemented carbide article is also provided.

Abstract: A strike tip for a pick tool, comprising a strike structure joined to a substrate at an interface boundary, the strike structure comprising super-hard material and the substrate comprising carbide material. The strike structure has a strike end opposite the interface boundary, the strike end including a rounded apex having a radius of curvature in a longitudinal plane of at least 3.2 mm and at most 6 mm.

Abstract: A cemented carbide material comprises WC, between around 3 to around 10 wt. % Co and between around 0.5 to around 8 wt. % Re. The equivalent total carbon (ETC) content of the cemented carbide material with respect to WC is between around 6.3 wt. % to around 6.9 wt. % and the cemented carbide material is substantially free of eta-phase and free carbon. There is also disclosed a method of producing such a material and use of such a material.

Abstract: Cemented carbide material comprising tungsten carbide (WC) material in particulate form having a mean grain size D in terms of equivalent circle diameter of at least 0.5 microns and at most 10 microns, and a binder phase comprising cobalt (Co) of at least 5 weight per cent and at most 12 weight per cent, W being present in the binder at a content of at least 10 weight per cent of the binder material; the content of the WC material being at least 75 weight per cent and at most 95 weight per cent; and nanoparticles dispersed in the binder material, the nanoparticles comprising material according to the formula CoxWyCz, where X is a value in the range from 1 to 7, Y is a value in the range from 1 to 10 and Z is a value in the range from 0 to 4; the nanoparticles having a mean particle size at most 10 nm, at least 10 per cent of the nanoparticles having size of at most 5 nm; the cemented carbide material having a magnetic coercive force in the units kA/m of at least ?2.1×D+14.

Abstract: A pick assembly is provided, comprising a bit assembly and a holder assembly; the bit assembly comprising a bit support body, a fastener mechanism and a deflectable member, cooperatively configured such the deflectable member can be deflected responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body to the fastener mechanism. The holder assembly comprises a holder body and is configured for accommodating and retaining the bit assembly by interference means. The holder assembly and bit assembly are cooperatively configured such that the retention of the bit assembly by the holder assembly by interference means can be progressively increased responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body with the fastener mechanism when the bit assembly is accommodated by the holder assembly, operative to prevent substantial movement of the bit support body relative to the holder body in use.