How Diamond Drill Rigs Work

A brief introduction to how diamond drill rigs drill and extract core for testing mineral deposits. Many thanks to Ravenswood Gold for allowing me the time to shoot the footage and to Eagle Drilling for access to their rig. Special mentions also to Rob the driller, Jacob the offsider and Sam the geologist for doing such a fine job in front of the camera completely unscripted.
For more detailed instructional videos on mineral exploration and drilling, follow this link to my online course Fieldcraft for Geologists: geologyupskill.thinkific.com/

[@mrmeatshield]

Excellent explaination. Love the drillers humour too!

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Ah yes... Drillers are a special breed!

[@TheCrackedProject]

@@GeologyUpSkillwe say that about the geologist as well..😂

[@mko2157]

thanks again this is a simple and great introduction video.

[@NevilleMeyer-hv2qd]

I was a diamond driller for a few years. We used this system, without the orientation devise, at one hole near the Swaziland border in the Barberton area

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Seems one of the most reliable that I have seen.

[@T3KN0B0i]

3:01 btw ladies im single 😂 Great content guys! 👍

[@GeologyUpSkill]

You can't keep a good driller down!

[@hanjindrillingrigs6056]

Wonerful it! I very well known HANJIN drill rigs too!! Excellent job there!

[@GeologyUpSkill]

The principles are the same for most rigs.

[@FabienLinares]

Excellent video. Sad they don't use a core pusher. Next video about core recovery metering and geotech logging?

[@tigfharahmadjayadi5852]

I am a big fan of young Jacob!

[@swaziibanks3807]

Informative and great humour from the Driller. C'mon ladies he is single by the way. 👍😁

[@laylachisom8996]

Thanks for this

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Glad you found it useful!

[@jamesalua88]

Very interesting and excellent explanation,

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Thanks. Much of the credit belongs to the driller here who explained everything completely unscripted.

[@thinkmarco7438]

Really nice video, the driller explanation was clear ( really unconventional) and everything was great. The only note that could impact the quality is that the offsider was sampling the core and then washing in what appeared the same tray. Usually you have a tray for sampling, then when you wash you will transfer it to a clean tray. This is done for remove all the impurities that you have when sampling and for presentation ( removing the core Isn’t always so smooth, the tray where you sample can get damaged). Great video anyway 👍

[@robertwilson7064]

Thanks for the feedback, you are right about using a seperate core tray for cleaning but in our case we have some brittle joints and intersections in the core that need to be in it's original tray for accuracy of results..

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Thanks Marco. Appreciate the feedback. Moving the core to a new tray after washing is a good idea, although there is also an increased risk of reversing core segments with the extra handling, particularly in strongly fractured core. It's a balance of risks.

[@abdelhayben-tami957]

Excellent,

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Thanks :)

[@gerocsolutionsltd456]

excellent

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Glad you found it useful.

[@rayswarnau3868]

I’m still trying to find more beans for the bean pump.

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Google Heinz...

[@mzconsultoressadecv7605]

all fitting looks high quality, may we know the brand,

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Suggest you contact Eagle Drilling for technical details on the gear. They are very helpful!

[@missjsoohoo]

Awesome video. How long does drilling take to complete usually?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

That depends on many factors. Progress rates can vary from about 5 to 50m per day.

[@daniellysohirka5079]

Depends on how long a shift is, how long down time is, pump down overshot or drop down, depth. Many factors including chemistry with helper.

[@daniellysohirka5079]

Yeah in Rabbit Lake we were getting 100 meters plus a shift on pump down underground

[@jallopi3741]

Wondering if the lead driller managed to snag any ladies. Also, how do you know the orientation is true as it could have rotated when you stopped drilling.

[@GeologyUpSkill]

If you don't blow your own horn, no-one else will! All back end orientation devices risk rotation of core in the barrel, but consistent marks from run to run usually provide confidence that the measurement is good.

[@LVNITUPM8]

Look up how orientation tools work. You can only stuff it up by not activating the tool or rotating rods when pulling back to break off bottom, They are only used for exploration drilling, if its not used then they already know what's there they are just defining the orebody or as typically called grade control

[@trentfrompunchbowl]

As a geo when you select drill bit do you use mohs scale of hardness?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

The driller selects the bit. The geologist should give the driller some information about the hardness of rock likely to be encountered in the hole. Since most rocks are a combination of minerals with different hardness on the Moh's scale it has to be a rough estimate.

[@touremoussa9935]

Merci j'ai m'aime la vidéo pratique

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Merci d'avoir pris le temps de commenter.

[@scottmccracken3406]

I measure my core in feet, not meters. I can drill way more feet per shift than meters. I also drive in kilometers, I get more kilometers per gallon of gas than miles.

[@GeologyUpSkill]

But if you calculate in gallons and fill up in litres, you'll probably run out of gas!

[@vayooh]

The humour is great

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Drillers are a special breed ;)

[@trillzyt2778]

Easy way to feel your tube seating, is to get a screw driver or a jimmy bar and put it on your ear, or watch your water pressure go up

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Great, until the offsider taps the rods with a pipe wrench!

[@YangpunyatanahTengkolo]

Hi I am interested in this job, do you have vacancy? I have HR-b, WAH, and first aid

[@ahmedbahaa7261]

Thanks for useful vedio. I am geologist and interesting for core diamond course, pls can you recommend place for me

[@zulfiqarsaghir8451]

It's a surface set diamond bit? Or an impregnated bit?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

It's impregnated with diamonds.

[@zulfiqarsaghir8451]

@@GeologyUpSkill Impregnated with diamond grit? Yea yea now i understand. Thanks for your help. I am in this field since 16 years.. I was only checking my knowledge. Thanks again dear.

[@laosgpsmapmidnitemapper9411]

Hmm what would be ave. cost of 50 meter, Jab in Remote area of Australia

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Depends what you include in the cost, but you're unlikely to get any change out of $20,000.

[@worldwarcraft8624]

were ya safety chain and ya dry release

[@GeologyUpSkill]

I'm sure the drillers would be happy to take on board constructive suggestions for improvement of their systems.

[@LVNITUPM8]

You can judge a good driller by looking at his fingers, he's got one missing so bit of a rough one haha, 18 years in drilling industry i have seen it all

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Fingers are pretty useful things. It's a good idea to keep them!

[@YangpunyatanahTengkolo]

I am interested in this job, do you have vacancy? I have HR-b, WAH and first aid cert

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Thanks but I do not run a drilling company. I just made a video on a job when a drill rig was nearby.

[@jamesalua88]

Any drillers vacancy available please

[@GeologyUpSkill]

If you are in Australia, there are lots of drilling jobs available now.

[@alleycat8483]

You missed the part where you spot copper or gold and you bolt like hell to call your broker..

[@GeologyUpSkill]

I learned a long time ago that there is a long and very tangled piece of string connecting drill core logs and share prices.

[@vitamincisgoodforme]

Was Jacob working as an offsider here, or as a field assistant?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Offsider.

[@thefamousdjx]

@@GeologyUpSkill whats the difference

[@GeologyUpSkill]

@@thefamousdjx Offsider works for the driller. Field assistant works for the geologist.

[@touremoussa9935]

Comment faire pour travailler avec votre société de forage je suis ivoirien

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Ce n'est pas ma société de forage. Je tournais juste une vidéo pour l'instruction.

[@shahzeensial1124]

I'm expert in this work I have 18 yearly of experience in this work if any job is available?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

There are lots of jobs for drillers in Australia, but the work visa system makes it very difficult to fill them.

[@zulfiqarsaghir8451]

O it's an impregnated bit.. But why you drilling hole at an angle? Why not a straight 90 degree hole?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Because most mineralised veins are nearly vertical in this area. If you drill vertical holes you will drill parallel to the veins and never intersect them.

[@altushaaa]

Btw ladies, I’m single! 😂😂😂 how did he know we would be coming here?

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Good drillers never miss an opportunity ;)

[@matandatinashe9214]

He’s single by the way ladies !take action

[@GeologyUpSkill]

You can't keep a good driller down ;)

[@bonolomaforah7623]

by the way ladies I am single 🤣

[@GeologyUpSkill]

🤣

[@gamefam9423]

fat sticks

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Granodiorite will do that!

[@bluemountainicehockey3131]

Dude poly is horrible😂

[@GeologyUpSkill]

Ah... but it doesn't rust!

[@PP-iw5vv]

Hi, Just wondering any female drillers out there? I'm female wanna make some decent money so I can give my children the best life. Cheers

[@GeologyUpSkill]

There are a few that I know of in Australia. A great way to make money when things are going well, but like geology, the income stream can be a bit lumpy!

[@nigelslade5276]

@@GeologyUpSkill you are right about income, when I started in 1957 I made 25£ East Africa and in South Africa on the deep hole Sullivan 50 drilling holes to 5-6000ft. No wireline on those days. Hard work pulling 60ft rods every 30Ft or more often.