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When it comes to drilling for mineral exploration, diamond drilling is a common method that has been used for many years. It's a rotary drilling technique that uses diamond-impregnated drill bits to cut through rock and produce a solid core sample. This method has many benefits and is commonly used in the exploration and extraction of minerals.
The history of diamond drilling dates back to the early 1900s when a French engineer named Georges Delamare invented the diamond drill bit. In the following years, diamond drilling was widely adopted for mineral exploration and mining. The technology has continued to evolve over the years, with advancements in the diamond bit technology, and the use of computerised drilling systems has made diamond drilling more efficient and accurate than ever before.
Diamond drilling is pretty straightforward. It uses a diamond-impregnated drill bit to cut through rock and produce a solid core sample. As the drill bit cuts through the rock, the core is captured in the hollow drill bit, providing a continuous sample of the rock formation. It's a highly accurate method that produces precise results, making it a valuable tool for mineral exploration and resource estimation.
One of the main benefits of diamond drilling is its ability to produce high-quality core samples. This makes it an ideal method for obtaining detailed geological information, such as rock quality, structure, and mineralization. Plus, with the ability to drill up to 3,000 metres, it's a great option for exploration programs that require deeper drilling.
But like any method, diamond drilling has its downsides. It can be expensive, with diamond bits requiring regular maintenance to ensure they last longer. Plus, while solid core samples provide detailed geological information, they may not assess the entire rock formation, requiring additional drilling methods.
Despite its many benefits, diamond drilling also has some disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is the high cost of the equipment and the associated drilling costs. The diamond bits used in diamond drilling are expensive and require regular maintenance to ensure their longevity.
Another disadvantage of diamond drilling is the production of solid core samples. While these samples provide detailed geological information, they are not suitable for assessing the entire rock formation. Therefore, additional drilling methods may be required to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the rock formation.
As with any drilling method, safety and environmental considerations are critical when using diamond drilling. Operators must ensure that they comply with local regulations and best practices to minimise the impact on the environment and protect the safety of workers. Diamond drilling produces a significant amount of drill cuttings, which must be managed properly to prevent environmental damage.
While diamond drilling produces a solid core sample, air core drilling produces a pulverised cuttings sample. Diamond drilling is ideal for obtaining detailed geological information, while air core drilling is better suited for obtaining a general understanding of the subsurface geology.
RC drilling and diamond drilling are two drilling methods commonly used in mineral exploration. While RC drilling uses a pneumatic reciprocating piston to deliver rapid impacts to the drill stem, diamond drilling uses a diamond-impregnated drill bit to cut through rock and produce a solid core sample. Diamond drilling is ideal for obtaining detailed geological information, while RC drilling is better suited for obtaining a general understanding of the subsurface geology.
As a geologist, it's important to consider the advantages and disadvantages of different drilling methods when planning an exploration project. Diamond drilling is a highly accurate method that produces high-quality core samples, making it an essential tool for detailed geological information and mineral resource estimation. However, it can be a more expensive and time-consuming method compared to other drilling methods. By understanding the strengths and weaknesses of different drilling methods, geologists can make informed decisions that lead to more successful exploration projects.
Founded in 2006 by the pioneers of the multiple intersectional directional drilling techniques used today, Murray Pollock and Matt Thurston, DDH1 is Australia’s premier deep hole drilling contractor. The DDH1 team can service a broad range of client needs from top tier miners to the smallest explorer, in all aspects of mineral exploration work including surface and underground diamond coring, reverse circulation, as well as geotechnical and engineering holes.
Learn more about DDH1 Drilling here
Since the 80s, Spaulding Drillers has offered exceptional outcomes using diamond drill, RC and downhole hammer methods. The family-owned and operated business services the mineral exploration sector, and domestic and irrigation water bore services across all of Tasmania.
Learn more about Spaulding Drillers here
Every job is done to the highest quality with the Terra Drilling team. Specialising in surface diamond drilling, the Terra Drilling team has grown from supporting the goldfields area to now servicing the wider Australian market.
Learn more about Terra Drilling here
At CorePlan, we work closely with a number of diamond drill contractors to help manage their drilling business needs. To make it easier to find them, we’ve created The Ultimate Drill Contractor Directory which covers where each contractor operates, how many rigs they have, what types of drilling methods they utilise and even what sets their company apart so we can match up the best partnership for the job.
Visit the CorePlan Drill Contractor Directory for a full list of diamond drill contractors
Exploration diamond drilling is used in the mining industry to probe the contents of known ore deposits and potential sites. By withdrawing a small diameter core of rock from the orebody, geologists can analyze the core by chemical assay and conduct petrologic, structural, and mineralogical studies of the rock. It is also often used in the geotechnical engineering industry for foundation testing in conjunction with soil sampling methods. The technique is named for the diamond encrusted drill bit used.
History
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Diamond core drill bitsRodolphe Leschot is often cited as being the inventor of the first core bit in 1863.[1] Early diamond drilling opened up many new areas for mineral mining, and was related to a boom in mineral exploration in remote locations. Before the invention of the portable diamond drill, most mineral prospecting was limited to finding outcrops at the surface and hand digging. In the late 1970s, General Electric pioneered the technology of polycrystalline diamond compacts (PDCs) as a replacement for natural diamonds in drill bits.[2]
Diamond drilling
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Illustration showing drill coreExploration diamond drilling differs from other geological drilling (such as Reverse Circulation (RC) Drilling[3]) in that a solid core is extracted from depth, for examination on the surface. The key technology of the diamond drill is the actual diamond bit itself.[4] It is composed of industrial diamonds set into a soft metallic matrix. As shown in the figure, the diamonds are scattered throughout the matrix, and the action relies on the matrix to slowly wear during the drilling process, so as to expose more diamonds. The bit is mounted onto a core barrel, that is attached to the drill string, which is connected to a rotary drill rig. Drilling mud is injected into the drill pipe, so as to wash out the rock cuttings produced by the bit and also to reduce the heat produced due to friction which causes less wear and tear of the bits.[5] An actual diamond bit is a complex affair, usually designed for a specific rock type, with many channels for washing.[6]
The drill uses a diamond encrusted drill bit (pictured on the right) to drill through the rock. The drill produces a "core" which is photographed and split longitudinally. Half of the split core is assayed, while the other half is permanently stored for future use and re-assaying if necessary. Although a larger diameter core is the most preferred it is the most expensive. The most common wire line tube diameters and purposes are NQ (47.6mm) and HQ (63.5mm).[7]
Core extraction
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Extraction of core using triple-tubeMerely advancing the drill by rotary action (and washing) causes a core to be extracted inside the barrel as shown. However, at a depth of perhaps 300 m, there must be a way to retrieve the core and take it to the surface. Constantly withdrawing the entire heavy drill pipe is impractical, so wireline drilling methods were developed to pull up the core inside the barrel.[8] If the rock would always be solid granite, and the core would always break at the drill bit, then it would be a simple matter to stop the drilling, and lower a simple grabbing device by a wire and pull up the core. Unfortunately, many applications require an undisturbed core in fractured rock, which calls for elaborate wire-line devices.
The photo shows the extraction of a core, using a triple-tube wire-line system, capable of extracting core under the worst conditions.[9] This is very important when exploring fault zones such as the San Andreas Fault.
Tube sizes
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There are five major "wire line" tube sizes typically used. Larger tubes produce larger diameter rock cores and require more drill power to drive them. The choice of tube size is a trade-off between the rock core diameter desired and the depth that can be drilled with a particular drilling rig motor.
Standard "Q" wire line bit sizes:[10]
Drill cores Size Hole (outside)References
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