Core Drilling Applications

Three ways buyers come to us: deep hole mineral exploration to 3,000 m, underground and tunnel coring from a drift, and geotechnical investigation to 300 m. Each one sets different demands on depth, chassis and tooling.

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Which of these three is your job?

Depth bands overlap, so we start from the working conditions instead: surface deep hole, underground or tunnel, and shallow geotechnical. Pick the one that matches your site and the shortlist is two or three models.

Shallow geotechnical core drilling rig on a skid frame

10 – 300 m

Geotechnical Infrastructure

Foundations, dams, metro and tunnel portals: SPT, U100 sampling and rock coring in one campaign, with grouting rigs for the anchor and curtain work that follows.

Hole depth: 10 – 300 m
Rigs: XY-1A · XY-200-4 · XY-2PC · GR-200
Methods: SPT · U100 · rock coring
Access: Skid · man-portable · trailer

See shallow-hole rigs

Split-type underground core drilling rig assembled in a mine drift

550 – 1,600 m · BQ

Underground & Tunnel Coring

In-mine exploration, grade control and tunnel-portal investigation. Headroom, ventilation and haulage set the limit here, not depth alone — which is why the range is split type and electric.

Hole depth: 550 – 1,600 m BQ
Rigs: UG-550 · UG-750 · UG-950 · UG-1450
Power: Electric, 45 – 110 kW
Head: 0 – 180°, 1.5 m / 3 m rods

See underground rigs

Deep hole wireline coring rig drilling a mineral exploration hole

1,000 – 3,000 m · NQ

Deep Hole Mineral Exploration

Greenfield to resource-definition programmes in hard rock. Core recovery, rod-trip time and bit life decide your cost per metre, so the rig is specified around the wireline string.

Hole depth: 1,000 – 3,000 m NQ
Rigs: CH-1200 · CH-1680 · CH-2180
Core sizes: BQ · NQ · HQ · PQ
Chassis: Crawler, track mounted

See deep-hole rigs

Every rig below is also listed in the depth categories. If your job sits between two bands, send the depth, core size and access and we will tell you which side of the line it falls on.

OTHER PROGRAMMES

More work we are asked to quote

These come up often enough that we keep rig and tooling combinations ready for them. Same process: tell us the hole and we shortlist the machine.

Rural Water Supply

Recommended: XY-200-4 Portable

Boreholes to 150 m in villages, farms and ranches where the rig has to be carried or trucked on unpaved tracks.

Ask for Recommendation

Coalfield Evaluation

Recommended: UG-750 Underground

Coal seam correlation and dewatering holes with reliable rod handling and fast pad-to-pad moves.

Ask for Recommendation

Underground Grade Control

Recommended: UG-550 Low-Profile

Fan and horizontal holes from drifts with an electric rig sized for low headroom and restricted ventilation.

Ask for Recommendation

Infrastructure Investigation

Recommended: XY-2PC + SPT Kit

Bridge, dam and high-rise foundation investigation with SPT, undisturbed sampling and rock coring in one campaign.

Ask for Recommendation

Gold & Base Metal Exploration

Recommended: CH-1200 / CH-2180

NQ and HQ wireline coring in porphyry, orogenic and VMS settings, with rod strings sized to the programme depth.

Ask for Recommendation

Tooling & Consumables

Recommended: WL Rods, Bits, Casings

Impregnated bits, reaming shells, inner tubes and casings matched to the formation and the rig in use.

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BY COMMODITY

Drilling for the minerals our buyers explore

The commodity sets the depth, the core size and the bit. These are the programmes we quote most often — send yours and we will shortlist the rig and the string.

Gold Exploration

Orogenic, placer and VMS programmes from first-pass scout holes to infill: NQ wireline coring past 1,000 m with high recovery in fractured quartz veins.

See deep-hole rigs

Copper & Porphyry

Large HQ collars reducing to NQ with depth in porphyry and skarn targets. Crawler-mounted hydraulic rigs handle the metreage and the ground.

See crawler rigs

Lithium (Hard Rock)

Spodumene in pegmatite and early-stage brine check holes: lightweight rigs for first-pass sampling, then mid-depth coring for resource definition.

See portable rigs

Coalfield Survey

Shallow spindle drilling for coalfield structure, plus split-type underground rigs for in-mine exploration from a station in the drift.

See underground rigs

Iron Ore & Bauxite

Grade control and resource drilling in banded iron and laterite: mid-depth coring with impregnated bits matched to abrasive banded formations.

See mid-depth rigs

Geotechnical & Foundations

SPT, U100 sampling and rock coring for foundations, dams, tunnels and slope investigation, with grouting rigs for the follow-up work.

See shallow rigs

In Detail

Application Solutions in Detail

What changes between applications — and what it means for the rig you order.

Mineral Exploration

Wireline coring where recovery decides the programme

Deep exploration holes are won or lost on core recovery and rod trip time. A wireline head with a stable feed and a matched impregnated bit keeps the barrel full and the crew productive.

NQ / HQ triple-tube barrels with inner-tube recovery
Feed pressure held constant in broken or swelling ground
Winch capacity matched to the planned hole depth

Water Supply

Portable rigs for sites without road access

Village and farm boreholes are often in places a truck cannot reach. A modular rig that breaks down into carryable components gets the hole drilled without building an access track.

Component weights suitable for manual carry
Mud pump and rod set shipped as one package
Fast setup on unprepared ground

Geotechnical

One rig for SPT, sampling and rock coring

Investigation campaigns rarely need only one method. A mid-depth rig configured with an SPT hammer, sampler head and core barrel covers the whole borehole without a second mobilisation.

SPT automatic hammer and split-spoon samplers
Undisturbed sampling in soft ground
Rock coring through the same mast

Underground

Low-profile electric rigs for adits and drifts

Headroom and ventilation set the limits underground. A low-profile electric rig with a compact mast drills fan and horizontal holes without diesel emissions in the workings.

Low overall height for restricted drifts
Electric drive for ventilated workings
Mast and feed sized for short rods

Recommended Rigs by Application

XY-200-4 Portable Rig UG-750 Underground Rig CH-1200 Wireline Rig BW-250 Mud Pump Wireline Tools Spare Parts

Selection Steps

How to Choose a Core Rig by Application

Four questions narrow the range to two or three models before any quotation is issued.

Fix the Depth

Final hole depth and core size (BTW/BQ, NTW/NQ, HTW/HQ) set the mast height, winch and rod string.

Describe the Ground

Hard rock, broken formation, swelling clay or overburden changes the bit, barrel and feed control.

Check the Access

Road, track, forest or adit access decides between trailer, crawler, skid and backpack configurations.

Confirm Power

Grid, generator, diesel or dual power — and whether ventilation allows a diesel engine underground.

Application FAQ

Application FAQs

A mid-depth rig can do both with different tooling, but the mud pump, bit type and feed control differ. Tell us the split between the two and we will configure accordingly.

NQ is the most common compromise between recovery and production. HQ is chosen for broken ground or when larger sample mass is required; BQ is used for deeper holes with diameter constraints.

Yes. Rods, core barrels, bits, reaming shells, casings and inner tubes can be shipped with the rig, matched to the formation you expect.

Yes — overall height, electric drive, mast stroke and rod handling are all adapted to drift dimensions and ventilation limits.

Need a Core Rig for Your Application?

Tell us the depth, ground condition and access — we reply with a matched model and tooling list.

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