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Diamond drilling is the most common style of exploration drilling which produces a solid core sample that is extracted for examination on the surface. This method of drilling provides an accurate assessment of the deposit as it allows no other particles to contaminate the core sample.

The key technology to diamond drilling is the actual diamond drill bit which is comprised of industrial diamonds set into a soft metallic matrix. The drill bit is mounted onto a drill stem, which is connected to a rotary drill. Water is injected into the drill pipe to wash out the rock cuttings produced by the bit. The diamond drill bit is complex and usually designed for a specific rock type.

Diamond drilling can be completed in various sizes depending on the size (diameter) of the core sample required for examination. The most common diameter sizes of core are NQ, HQ and PQ.

Blue Spec Drilling has the current capacity to utilise diamond drilling in the following sizes.

Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is similar to air core drilling, in that the drill cuttings are returned to surface inside the rods. The drilling mechanism is a pneumatic reciprocating piston known as a hammer driving a tungsten-steel drill bit. RC drilling produces dry rock chips, as large air compressors dry the rock out ahead of the advancing drill bit. RC drilling is slower but achieves better penetration than RAB or air core drilling and is faster and more cost effective then diamond drilling.

Reverse circulation is achieved by blowing air down the rods, the differential pressure creating air lift of the water and cuttings up the “inner tube”. When the dry rock reaches the top of the hole, it moves through a sample hose then a cyclone and is collected in a sample bag for examination.

Air core drilling and related methods use hardened steel or tungsten blades to bore a hole into unconsolidated ground. The drill bit has three blades arranged around the bit head, which cut the unconsolidated ground. The rods are hollow and contain an inner tube which sits inside the hollow outer rod barrel. The drill cuttings are removed by injection of compressed air into the hole via the annular area between the innertube and the drill rod. The cuttings are then blown back to surface up the inner tube where they pass through the sample separating system and are collected if needed. Drilling continues with the addition of rods to the top of the drill string. Air core drilling can occasionally produce small chunks of cored rock.

This method of drilling is used to drill the weathered regolith, as the drill rig and steel or tungsten blades cannot penetrate fresh rock. Air core drilling can achieve depths approaching 300 meters in good conditions. As the cuttings are removed inside the rods and are less prone to contamination compared to conventional drilling where the cuttings pass to the surface via outside return between the outside of the drill rod and the walls of the hole.

Geotechnical drilling is a method of drilling holes for the purpose of gathering and evaluating earth materials in order to design and monitor construction projects. Geotechnical data is required for the accurate, safe and efficient design and construction of buildings, bridges, highways, dams, and mining sites. The data is derived from analysis of soil and rock samples obtained by drilling to evaluate soil stability and other topics of interest.

This method is used for drilling through soft rocks, sand and clay layers especially in the search for coal, oil or gas. A special mix of clay and water is forced down the drill hole turning a rotary bit, with rock chips returning in the “mud” slurry.

Diamond drilling is the most common style of exploration drilling which produces a solid core sample that is extracted for examination on the surface. This method of drilling provides an accurate assessment of the deposit as it allows no other particles to contaminate the core sample.

The key technology to diamond drilling is the actual diamond drill bit which is comprised of industrial diamonds set into a soft metallic matrix. The drill bit is mounted onto a drill stem, which is connected to a rotary drill. Water is injected into the drill pipe to wash out the rock cuttings produced by the bit. The diamond drill bit is complex and usually designed for a specific rock type.

Diamond drilling can be completed in various sizes depending on the size (diameter) of the core sample required for examination. The most common diameter sizes of core are NQ, HQ and PQ.

Blue Spec Drilling has the current capacity to utilise diamond drilling in the following sizes.

Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling is similar to air core drilling, in that the drill cuttings are returned to surface inside the rods. The drilling mechanism is a pneumatic reciprocating piston known as a hammer driving a tungsten-steel drill bit. RC drilling produces dry rock chips, as large air compressors dry the rock out ahead of the advancing drill bit. RC drilling is slower but achieves better penetration than RAB or air core drilling and is faster and more cost effective then diamond drilling.

Reverse circulation is achieved by blowing air down the rods, the differential pressure creating air lift of the water and cuttings up the “inner tube”. When the dry rock reaches the top of the hole, it moves through a sample hose then a cyclone and is collected in a sample bag for examination.

Air core drilling and related methods use hardened steel or tungsten blades to bore a hole into unconsolidated ground. The drill bit has three blades arranged around the bit head, which cut the unconsolidated ground. The rods are hollow and contain an inner tube which sits inside the hollow outer rod barrel. The drill cuttings are removed by injection of compressed air into the hole via the annular area between the innertube and the drill rod. The cuttings are then blown back to surface up the inner tube where they pass through the sample separating system and are collected if needed. Drilling continues with the addition of rods to the top of the drill string. Air core drilling can occasionally produce small chunks of cored rock.

This method of drilling is used to drill the weathered regolith, as the drill rig and steel or tungsten blades cannot penetrate fresh rock. Air core drilling can achieve depths approaching 300 meters in good conditions. As the cuttings are removed inside the rods and are less prone to contamination compared to conventional drilling where the cuttings pass to the surface via outside return between the outside of the drill rod and the walls of the hole.

Geotechnical drilling is a method of drilling holes for the purpose of gathering and evaluating earth materials in order to design and monitor construction projects. Geotechnical data is required for the accurate, safe and efficient design and construction of buildings, bridges, highways, dams, and mining sites. The data is derived from analysis of soil and rock samples obtained by drilling to evaluate soil stability and other topics of interest.

This method is used for drilling through soft rocks, sand and clay layers especially in the search for coal, oil or gas. A special mix of clay and water is forced down the drill hole turning a rotary bit, with rock chips returning in the “mud” slurry.