Coring Magazine - Issue 10 by Coring Magazine

SAFETY. INNOVATION. OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

Issue 10

Drilling

June 2019

Issue Special // Large-diameter Core Drilling

ISSN 2367-847X www.coringmagazine.com

Exploration & Mining Geology

21 Questions // Sandra Lindberg – Drilling Supervisor at Drillcon Group

Q&A from the Experts // Graham Brown, Independent Consulting Geologist

More Inside // In Focus: Explomin Perforaciones PDAC 2019: From a Fresher’s Perspective

More Inside // 45 Years of Geology & Mineral Exploration

Explorat ion

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/EDITORIAL

Dear Readers I am delighted to officially announce that we are launching a new dedicated section called Exploration & Mining Geology. As implied by its name, the section is devoted to topics from the sphere of exploration geology and is meant for all of our subscribers involved in mineral exploration at all stages of the mining value chain. In particular, the section aims to serve as a nexus between mining companies and contractors who are links in the same chain. Through it, we will be able to meet the interests of all people in the sector. We have always strived to diversify our content. Establishing this section so that we combine drilling and geology-oriented articles in one magazine is a great way to achieve this goal. Exploration & Mining Geology will contain an interview feature of its own, called ‘Q&A from the Experts’. Following the format of our well-known ‘21 Questions’ for drilling contractors, this new interview will spotlight professional geologists in the field. Each issue will present mineral exploration articles that concentrate on different regions or commodities. This will include interesting topics on advancing projects, new geological ideas and exploration applied to commodity demand. Not only do we have a new section, but also a new team member! I am glad to share with you that Timothy Strong – an exploration geologist, with more than 10 years of experience in the sphere, has joined us as Section Editor. Tim has a degree in Applied Geology and, to date, has explored for minerals on four continents. He has an interest in all aspects of exploration and mine geology, with a particular enthusiasm in emerging jurisdictions and technologies, and is currently Principal Geologist at Kangari Consulting Limited, providing exploration and mining solutions to the industry. Tim’s experience, insights and fresh ideas will guide our new section and help it grow and prosper. If you are a geologist and would like to be published in the magazine, please contact Tim at: t.strong@coringmagazine.com

GRIGOR TOPEV Founder / Managing Editor CORING MAGAZINE

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Table of Contents

SAFETY. INNOVATION. OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE.

/NEWS & EVENTS

The latest in the industry

/21 QUESTIONS 8 Exclusive interview: 21 Questions with Sandra Lindberg, Drilling Supervisor at Drillcon Group

Issue 10

Drilling

June 2019

Issue Special // Large-diameter Core Drilling

ISSN 2367-847X www.coringmagazine.com

Exploration & Mining Geology

21 Questions // Sandra Lindberg – Drilling Supervisor at Drillcon Group

Q&A from the Experts // Graham Brown, Independent Consulting Geologist

More Inside // In Focus: Explomin Perforaciones PDAC 2019: From a Fresher’s Perspective

More Inside // 45 Years of Geology & Mineral Exploration

Exploration

Dia mond

Drilling

/IN FOCUS

12 ‘Explomin: A leading Latin American drilling company’ – Noé Vilcas, Executive Director discusses Explomin's beginnings and how it has become the top drilling company in Peru /PRODUCT REVIEW 18 ‘An innovative plug design from MBI’ – Daniel Misiano, President at MBI presents this patent-pending through-the-bit plug and details the efficiencies it brings to drilling operations /ISSUE SPECIAL: LARGE-DIAMETER CORE DRILLING 22 ‘Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services perform large-diameter drilling in the Balkans’ – Ilian Valkov Eng., Executive Manager at Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services reveals how the company executed a challenging drilling program in the Balkans 26 ‘Large-diameter double-tube core barrel’ – A story of communication, innovation, and collaboration by Jeff Dagg, Technical Field Support Leader at Fordia /CASE STUDY 28 ‘Sonic drilling for rapid vectoring high-quality alluvial diamond deposits’ – Beate Orberger, Catura Geoprojects, France discusses how sonic sampling equipment and methods can predict and direct exploration and mining activities /CORING REPORTAGE 34 ‘PDAC 2019 from a fresher’s perspective’ – Simone Hutchinson, Editor and Martina Samarova, Marketing, Communications & Administration at Coring Magazine report on the annual convention

Coring Magazine June 2019 Cover photo Explomin Perforaciones Issue 10 ISSN 2367-847X Not for resale. Free subscriptions at: www.coringmagazine.com/subscribe Coring Magazine is an international quarterly title serving the exploration core drilling industry. Published in print and digital formats, Coring has a rapidly growing readership that includes diamond drilling contractors, drilling manufacturers and suppliers, service companies, mineral exploration companies and departments, geologists, and many others involved in exploration core drilling. Launched in late 2015, Coring aims to provide a fresh perspective on the sector by sourcing authentic, informed and quality commentary direct from those working in the field. With regular interviews, insightful company profiles, detailed product reviews, field-practice tips and illustrated case studies of the world’s most unique diamond drilling and mineral exploration projects, Coring provides a new platform for learning about the industry’s exciting developments. Publisher Coring Media Managing Editor Grigor Topev

/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

Editor Simone Hutchinson

41 ‘Q&A from the Experts’ – Grigor Topev in conversation with Graham Brown, Independent Consulting Geologist

Section Editor – Exploration & Mining Geology Timothy Strong

‘45 years of geology and mineral exploration: The personal journey of a project generator’ by Jean Lafleur P. Geo. (OGQ, APGO), Mineral Exploration and Management Consultant at PJLEXPL Inc, Blainville (Quebec) Canada

/CATALOG

50 Diamond drilling services

52 Drilling equipment & accessories

56 Survey equipment

57 Miscellaneous

Marketing, Communications and Administration Martina Samarova Graphic Design Cog Graphics Printed by Dedrax Printing House Contact Us Coring Media Ltd. 119B D. Petkov Str., Sofia 1309, Bulgaria Phone + 359 889 53 26 53 Email editorial@coringmagazine.com Website coringmagazine.com Coring Magazine #10

/NEWS & EVENTS

The Latest in the Industry

May, 2019

April, 2019

Core Tech presents full-range of products and services at ProExplo 2019, Peru

Boart Longyear drilled deepest hole in Ghana

CORE TECH, a Peruvian company dedicated to offering solutions for exploration, underground and surface mining, as well as construction, attended the 11th International Congress of Prospectors and Explorers – ProExplo 2019, which took place from 20 to 22 May in Lima, Peru. The company was glad to present its full range of products and services, including drill rods, casings, core barrels, drill bits, and reaming shells that form part of their brand ‘Formula’. With their ‘Quality Drilling Fluids’ brand they covered a full range of mud additives such as viscosifiers, flocculants, inhibitors, lubricants, and grease. In collaboration with their valued partners the company offered: drill rigs from Usinage Marcotte from Canada, and Dando from UK, mud pumps from TechipFMC, survey instruments from Axis Mining, and directional drilling services from BG Drilling Solutions. During ProExplo 2019 CORE TECH was delighted to receive a lot of attention, with its booth being crowded with visitors throughout the event. CORE TECH also offers its own range of products through their branches in Mexico, Colombia, and direct shipping to customers in other countries.

Boart Longyear’s drilling crews drilled the deepest hole ever drilled in Ghana. They drilled a hole 2083.4 meters (6835 feet) deep. The team installed a wedge and navi drilled the hole on track at 600 meters and kept on track to the end of the hole. The directional drilling project for Golden Star was completed safely and ahead of schedule. Division Manager West Africa, Jonathan Madigan commented ‘Our drilling crew in Ghana on this project worked safely and diligently in directionally drilling the hole to the target depth. I couldn’t be more proud of the team that completed the project. Boart Longyear’s consistent hazard- and risk-focused safety culture is embraced by the crews here in Ghana and they appreciate that the field-level risk assessments, pre-shift meetings, and other safety programs are designed to get them home safe to their families’. The company has received client recognition for their safe, on-target, and ahead of schedule completion of the deep coring exploration drilling project. Boart Longyear acknowledges the participation, collaboration, and contributions from every employee within Ghana and especially the drilling crew that worked directly on this record-depth hole.

Read more about the company: www.coretech.com.pe

Read more: www.multipowerproducts.com 6

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/21 QUESTIONS

Exclusive interview with

questions

Sandra Lindberg Drilling Supervisor at Drillcon Group Grigor Topev: How and when did you get started in the drilling business? Sandra Lindberg: I started drilling in 2008 when I went to mining school in Malå (in the province of Lapland in Sweden). My planned two-month internship was at a company called Rate (this later became Bergteamet) where I worked until 2012, alongside being involved in a few short drilling side projects. GT: Could you tell us about your most memorable experiences as a young driller? SL: This is a hard question! I think one project that was special to me was a short side project in the center of Oslo. We were standing below a bridge and were supposed to drill six holes in an area of ground where they were re-doing the road. This was in the summer of 2010, so I had only been drilling for about two years. A small company in southern Sweden had hired me over the phone and contracted me out to a Norwegian company. The rig was a modified DE140 and I was not used to that, so my first reaction was brain-freeze. Because the diameter of the drill bit was 25 cm, lifting it for me was going to be a challenge. Thankfully, the rods were only a meter long and I was able to carry them over my head, which solved the problem. Everything had to be done differently 8

Sandra Lindberg Sandra Lindberg is from Norsjö, in northern Sweden. She graduated in car mechanic studies in 2005 and after having her first child in 2007 embarked on a mining internship at Bergteamet (large Swedish mining services provider) that placed her in Malå and was completed in 2009. Sandra has numerous qualifications in drilling-related subjects, including an open-pit driller’s certificate from Atlas Copco. Since 2008 Sandra has been core drilling for underground and surface operations in Sweden. She has drilled at the Northland open-pit mine in Pajala, and later, in an openpit mine in Kirkenes, Norway and she has been a machine operator as well. Having initially worked with Drillcon in 2014, in January 2018 she returned to the company, where a year later she became Site Supervisor at Renström, Sweden’s deepest underground mine for underground zinc, copper, lead, gold and silver. In her spare time, she goes horse riding, manages her house and takes care of her children who enjoy various extracurricular activities, road trips, and package tours abroad.

compared to what I was used to when drilling in mines or out in a forest. When we finally started drilling it was not just like drilling rock or cement, although we had to drill those too – there were metal reinforcements, wood and a variety of other materials in the ground. It may not sound special, but at the time my 24-year-old self was fascinated. GT: How many years of drilling experience did you have before you became a supervisor? SL: I had nearly six years of core drilling experience in total and almost two years of open-pit drilling.

GT: What is the most exciting part of being a driller? SL: I like the challenges that may arise, the special projects, and the results – seeing what interesting things might be revealed when I empty the inner tube for the core. GT: What difficulties do women drillers face? SL: Of course, there are physical challenges relating to strength. Most women do not have the same basic physiques as most men, although many aspects of the work are not concerned with strength but are more about technique. Taking me as an example, I am a Coring Magazine #10

small person: 154 cm tall with small hands, so I do not always have a physical advantage and I sometimes have to devise a trick or two to enable me to work in an effective, safe way. This usually involves working with my full body and getting really dirty doing it, but I get the job done and I love it. Other difficulties have arisen from the behavior of some of the workers. One issue has been the attitude of a few men in the workplace who think this is not a job for women, which has led to harmful gossip and harassment. These are only some of the hurdles I have faced during my ten years in the mining business, although certain elements in our work culture have improved significantly. Today attitudes are a lot better. The use of offensive language has eased up and been replaced by good-natured humour, and women are accepted in the workplace much more easily.

As a woman driller, I think it’s healthy to have a strong will and to dare to stand up for yourself when you feel it’s necessary. GT: You have children; what insights can you offer into how to balance the roles of mother and driller? SL: It is not always easy to balance home, kids and work, but I think my experience of motherhood has given me more patience and understanding than I had when I was younger, and that is something that helps me at work. Thinking about the ‘home’ part of this question, my house is not always clean, but my children are happy. My days are long, but with this new role as a site supervisor, at least I have the opportunity to occasionally work from home, which lets me spend more time with my family. The hours spent working

as a driller are not always the easiest ones and we start work before most schools or kindergartens are open. I’m very thankful that where we live, we have a kindergarten (daycare) that is open at night and in the early morning – without it, being a single mother in full-time employment would never have worked out. I have also been that kind of mother who works away from home, leaving my kids with extended family every other week. The positive side of that arrangement was that I could focus 100 % on my kids when I had my week off. I don’t think my insights are any better than anyone else’s. Just remember that drilling can be a risky job, so make sure your kids know they are loved. Generally speaking, children are very clever, so talk to them, and take the time once in a while to do something a bit ‘extra’ that’s fun for both you and them.

Underground tripping operations Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/21 QUESTIONS

GT: What is the deepest hole you have drilled? SL: I think the deepest hole I have drilled was about 1200 m. GT: In your experience, what is the most difficult challenge in drilling? And what is the most frequent? SL: At the moment, we are drilling in a chloride. It absorbs water very easily and that makes it difficult to drill straight through it. If we are not careful with the drilling mud, it will swell quickly and start to build up torque due to the friction with the drill rods. That in turn increases the chances for the rod or core barrel to get stuck. I would say this is one of the biggest challenges I have met in drilling. Luckily it is a very particular and rare case. The most frequent difficulties in drilling are the water return losses (full or partial), broken or stuck drill strings, frequent core blocks that all occur while you’re having to quickly deal with the different rock types as you drill through. GT: Which site location has been the most interesting? SL: As I mentioned earlier, Oslo was interesting because it was an unconventional project. I was also supposed to do a job on a small island outside of Kvitsö/Stavanger in Norway. Unfortunately, I had an injury and only spent a few days working there, but while I was there, I saw that it was unique. On this tiny island it was just us and some free-range sheep walking around. But I have to say that every site is interesting in its own way. With each one we have to research the surroundings, the kind of rock, whether we will meet any problems or new kinds of challenges, where we can find water, what the risks are, and how we should set up our rig and equipment to establish a good site. GT: What drill rigs have you worked with and which is your favourite? SL: When it comes to core drill rigs, I have worked with the Atlas Copco/Epiroc rigs U4, U6, U8, 250, Onram (Sandvik) rigs DE130 and DE140. For open-pit rigs: Atlas Copco L8, Smart Roc D65, Smart Rig D7, Smart Rig D9 and DML. During my internship I drilled on the production rigs L2C and E2C. A full working Atlas Copco/Epiroc U6 is as easy as it gets, but still, if I could choose, I would probably go for an Onram (Sandvik) manual drill rig, either the DE130 or DE140. 10

With those, I can feel the drilling better and I have greater control over what’s going on down in the hole and can see how to approach the task. GT: Are you using any new techniques or instruments for underground operations and if so, what are the benefits? SL: We depend on the company for that, but I would say we have the latest of all the modern surface and down-hole tools. We use rig aligners and gyros when needed. Also, sometimes we use packers that flush the water down the outside of the rod and bring the return water back up on the inside. This lets us flush the core out backwards and is useful when drilling in chlorides. GT: If there is an issue with productivity on-site what steps do you take to address the problem? SL: First, I need to address where the issue lies, whether with the rig, the staff, or down the hole. Then I consider possible solutions. What is wrong with the rig? Do we need parts? (If so, where do we get them from and when?) Can we fix the problem ourselves or do we need a mechanic or electrician? If it is a staff issue, can we use our time at the rig more effectively? Will it help to rotate the staff – do some people work better together than others? Will a meeting help, giving everybody information about what’s going on and how things look? How can I motivate my staff better? Or if the issue is down the hole, what are our challenges there. Is there anything we can use to ease the problem, such as cement, different drill bits, or other tools? Will obtaining additional products be cost effective, considering the cost of the hole? After these sorts of questions are answered I can take the next steps, and I try to keep an open dialogue with my own supervisors to get their advice. GT: Have you witnessed any serious incidents during your career? If yes, what lessons were learned? SL: I have seen a co-worker or two getting seriously injured and being rushed to the hospital, and I have also been injured. To manage risk seriously, always think twice before doing anything, know that it’s okay to say stop if you think conditions are unsafe, and remember that gas is a silent killer, so make sure you follow all the safety procedures properly and you have all the

necessary equipment like gas detectors installed. Book regular health check-ups when working in such conditions. GT: How can we ensure that safety policies are actually and properly practised? SL: I don’t think we can ever ensure that every safety policy is implemented fully because there are a great number of different policies and there are many different kinds of people who are working on-site, and in the end, safety is the responsibility of staff; they need to make sure they are following the guidelines. Although workers are getting better at adhering to safety rules and guidelines, I think we can all improve by being open minded and talking about safety more, and not being ashamed; you are not a coward for following the policies. We can all practise better safety by taking simple steps such as kindly reminding co-workers to follow the policies and, most importantly, by being a good role model. GT: Do you find it more challenging working as a supervisor than a driller? SL: I think so. Many things are not a problem at all; I facilitate all the equipment that is needed, I guide the workers when required, I maintain a good working relationship with the client and the local communities, and I make sure my paperwork is organised. The hardest thing for me about being a supervisor is going from being a friend to a ‘boss’. Making people content is not easy and not all the decisions and recommendations I make are appreciated. That is a part of the job that I have to accept. Other challenges include going from working hard, doing a very physically demanding job (dirt, grease and sweat, etc) to spending a lot of time at the computer or on the phone, having a thousand things to remember and consider at any given moment and making sure I have the right information. That is not always as easy as it may sound. The job is interesting in its own way, and challenging. I am learning a lot and evolving in many ways, but there are days I dream about drilling. GT: If you could choose to work on any project anywhere in the world, which would you choose and why? SL: There are so many projects I would love to be involved with and countries I would love to work in – to see a range of rock Coring Magazine #10

types, discover different challenges and their solutions, and to apply that learning to new projects. I would like to visit different types of mine, and try raise boring, also. In core drilling, I think the projects where you have to fly the rig to the site are interesting and would provide different challenges compared to home, which is northern Sweden. I work in RenstrĂśmsgruvan at the moment, outside of SkellefteĂĽ where we have four different mines running. GT: What do you think the diamond drilling industry will look like in the future? SL: I know there have been some recently implemented technologies that are already changing the way we work, like lifting arms for rods and tools to lift out inner rods, and these things will be improved.

However, those innovations involve more data, and more data means more trouble. When it goes wrong, data is often harder to resolve than anything else and with it comes a host of software that needs to be continuously updated and checked. Another change will be more women joining as the industry evolves and develops more tools and ways of working that suit us and make the job easier. GT: Do you think that there should be more women working on-site out in the field? SL: Yes, I think it is good to mix it up a little, the attitude or mood among the workers often changes for the better. And I believe women can do this job well, until it gets too physically tiring, but that issue is the same for some men.

GT: What changes do you think will improve the industry? SL: I think the industry will continue to develop automation for working with machines more safely and that will hopefully make more people apply for this kind of work. Having WiFi in the mines has been a significant change and I would not be surprised if soon we will be able to connect to new drill rigs to change, update or control things. The road ahead will be an interesting one to travel. GT: What advice would you give to anyone who wants to become a driller? SL: Stand tall, work hard, be interested, listen to others, accept that things will go wrong sometimes, have fun and dare to try things yourself and if that does not work, ask questions, and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most of all, stay positive! C

Sandra handling a Smart 6 rig Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Explomin

A leading Latin American drilling company by NoĂŠ Vilcas, Executive Director at Explomin

/IN FOCUS: EXPLOMIN

Established in Peru in 2001 by an entrepreneur as a private enterprise with 100 % Peruvian investment, Explomin initially started operations with underground core drilling. Through the years it expanded its range of services to include surface core drilling and reverse circulation drilling (RC). Completing

challenging projects in different locations around LatinÂ America with extreme weather conditions, altitudes (up to 4876.8Â m above sea level) and different ground types has allowed the company to gain substantial expertise in global drilling services for mineral exploration and water well and production drilling.

Our market and position Explomin serves junior and major companies in Mining, Oil & Gas, and Construction in Latin America with a large number of projects underway in Peru, Colombia, and Chile and offices in Ecuador and Mexico. OnÂ revenue Explomin has been positioned as the top drilling company in Peru for the last four years, proving its substantial growth in a market that presents constant ups and downs. It continued to grow even during the recent downturns in the industry because of its Strong Elastic Adaptation strategy, which allowed it to upsize or downsize according to metal prices, maintaining a continuously profitable path.

Core diamond drilling Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/IN FOCUS: EXPLOMIN

Water well drilling in Shahuindo mine – Peru Last year the company was ranked by Coring Magazine 10th on the list of global drilling contractors. It was a great honor to be the first South American private company to occupy a position on this list.

Drilling experience Over the course of 18 years Explomin has drilled more than 4 million linear meters and currently has a total annual production of approximately 600 000 linear meters (mostly core drilling). Offering a modern fleet of drill rigs and professional multicultural crews of specialists, dedicated to performing even in extreme conditions and oriented to meet 14

the evolving needs of the industry, the organization delivers innovative solutions that provide remarkable time efficiencies and cost advantages. And, with a highly skilled workforce the company can manage a broad portfolio of underground and surface core-drilling services and directional and RC drilling. Explomin manages over 18 projects in Peru, Colombia, and Chile, with more than 1200 employees across its headquarters, offices, and sites. It explores greenfield and brownfield projects and identifies mineralized resources within a new deposit, mining project or active mine to expand the existing reserves, as well as verification drilling.

And as part of its expansion plan, Explomin also offers additional geology services such as logging and core cutting and sampling. That way, the company can provide a complete exploration service that is competitive.

Innovation and technology Its innovative spirit has made Explomin a leading company in Latin America, setting new trends for drilling methods and technology. The company has helped change mining history in the field of directional drilling with its implementation of rod-handling systems on every drill rig for surface and underground operations. Coring Magazine #10

Underground drilling Explomin was the first company in Latin America to implement and promote these technologies in these markets.

Safe operations Explomin has also been a pioneer in certificating all its field operations and headquarters, based on safety, quality, and environmental management (ISO9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS18001). All services are provided with detailed safety programs specially designed for each activity. In recognition of Explomin’s dedicated work, over the years its clients as well as specialized companies have honored the organization with many safety Faster. Deeper. Safer.

awards and positioned it as a safe drilling contractor. Explomin is proud and humble to share this progress and remains highly committed to continue working on achieving not only operational but also safety and environmental excellence.

Modern equipment The company owns over 70 drill rigs, with a convenient variety of technical features available across the fleet, capable of performing both DDH and RC drilling services. It owns state-of-the-art drill rigs with diverse depth capacities that reach 2500 meters for surface applications on different inclinations, portable drill rigs for

remote regions that are difficult to access, auto-transportable underground drill rigs that make for more efficient infill drilling, as well as auxiliary equipment designed to operate to higher safety standards such as rod handler systems and others. All of Explomin’s equipment comes from recognized brands that offer warranties and stock spare parts to manage a great mechanical availability rate. The company’s close relationship with vendors and suppliers ensures that it works with high-quality equipment, materials, and consumables, as well as cutting-edge logistics systems to support all their operations at a timely pace, and cost benefits that stem from its large and frequent purchases. 15

/IN FOCUS: EXPLOMIN

Explomin is focused on continuously improving and innovating its equipment and systems to make operations safe and reduce the environmental impact of the projects it develops across different sites globally.

Highly skilled workforce The company strongly believes that its staff should be developed, promoting the most talented ones, reinforcing training, and fostering an innovative mindset throughout its corporate culture. For that reason, the company will continue investing in new platforms and courses as well as recognition programs that improve the working environment. Explomin wants to be recognized as a company that cares for its people. Its diverse, talented workforce creates a friendly and goal-oriented ecosystem where safety is the top goal for everyone. The organization is constantly looking for new and better ways to provide a safer environment for its people, one that guarantees they will return to their homes uninjured. As a result of our efforts in this area we are proud to say that our HSEC statistics are the lowest in the market and the engagement of our people with the company is outstanding. Explomin goes beyond a work relationship with its people, it personally approaches its employees and their families and makes it attractive to stay and grow with the company. Their loyalty is highly valued.

Explomin’s headquarters

Community relations Today, strong community relations are the key to a good operation, and Explomin takes this seriously. The company hires people and services from local communities to work on projects, creating income for their families, which in turn supports the development of their local economy. This is carried out always in a respectful manner, empathizing with the local employees’ interests and lifestyles. A range of different opportunities are provided to train local workforces for specialized work. For example, the Third Drilling Helper program, short technical careers, and social activities where they represent not only the company but also the client, which helps them manage a good relationship with clients and communities. Through these activities, local residents gain experience of successful projects and this helps Explomin develop long-term relations at every site. 16

Explomin’s drill rigs

Sustainability Explomin’s mission is to provide tailor-made solutions to clients, to continue innovating, offering a safer workplace and developing the talent of its people, and to contribute to the communities and the countries it works in while growing at a sustainable rate. With over 18 years of operations, welllocated infrastructure and solid finances, we truly believe that Explomin has great potential to expand its operations globally. The company will continue to invest in technology to achieve a safer and fully automated drilling service.

Our commitment to stakeholders is firm and we are confident that our hard work will help make Explomin one of the best drilling companies in the world. As the top drilling company in Latin America we are on a mission to redefine the drilling concept. C

For more information Contact: contacto@explomin.com Visit: www.explomin.com/en/

Coring Magazine #10

/PRODUCT REVIEW

An innovative plug design from MBI by Daniel Misiano, President at MBI Drilling Products

The Through-the-Bit (TTB) plug is one of our latest innovations, currently patent pending and was presented at this year’s PDAC Convention. The plug has been designed to minimize the costs, labor and time usually required during the installation of plugs down hole. It is a mechanically locking plug that may be deployed through a regular coring bit without the need to remove the drill rods from the hole and replace the core barrel with a rod shoe. This gives it an advantage over competing products that need to be deployed through a shoe. The TTB plug is 18

primarily used in grouting applications and is the first cementing – wedging plug that can be installed directly through the core bit. For this review we have drawn up three example scenarios to highlight the significant labor-saving and bottom-line benefits of this tool for both the contractor and the client.

Background Traditionally, the installation of a mechanical plug for grouting required the drill string to be removed from the hole so that a shoe could be fitted. A shoe was needed to allow the plug to be pumped out of the end of the drill string after it had been re-lowered to its depth. The TTB plug can be deployed through a standard ID N coring bit (Fig. 1) or H coring bit. It does require an adapter to the back end to direct all the pump’s flow through the inner tube (bottom right in Fig. 2). It also requires a ‘smooth core lifter case’ (top left in Fig. 2).

Product applications The TTB plug consists of four feet which are extended by springs. Once extended the tapered body wedges between the feet. Above the tapered body is a foam seal. Most TTB plugs are set to allow grout to be placed in the hole without having to fill the entire hole with grout. The maximum pressure is dependent on the height of the water table. The seal will withstand a pressure differential of 350 psi. The mechanical portion of the plug will withstand several tonnes. A plug may be placed below an unstable formation to allow grout to be placed into the formation to add stability. Once the grout has dried the hole is redrilled through the formation and plug. Once it has passed through the plug the drill string can be quickly lowered to the bottom to commence drilling.

Cost comparison We will use a hypothetical case study to illustrate the costs of a TTB plug as compared with a competitor plug. A 1000-meter hole has been completed. It has been determined by the client that a plug must be placed at 900 m with cement to 800 m where a second Coring Magazine #10

TTB plug should be placed. Above that they have requested a third TTB plug be placed just below the overburden at 100 m. We will investigate three use-case scenarios: first, the minimum cost of removing the drill rods from the hole without setting a plug, secondly, the cost of setting three of the competition’s plugs, and thirdly, the cost of setting three TTB plugs. Before we continue, it is important to emphasize the adverse impact of non-coring activities on the client’s budget as well as on the drill contractor’s profitability. A drilling contractor charges a field-operations rate when carrying out activities other than coring. This rate is below the fully realized operating cost of a drill once overheads, wage, CPP etc. are considered. For example, a field-operations rate might be CAD$150 per hour, however, a drill contractor usually costs around CAD$300 per hour, so any field operations involve a significant drop in their fees at the same time as limiting how many hours the contractor has available for drilling work. This in turn impacts on their overall cost per meter, by decreasing their net meters drilled and therefore their overall profitability. Coring is the most profitable part of drilling. If the client has a fixed budget for their drilling program, the drilling contractor should spend as much time as possible coring to optimize profits from this budget. This will increase the meters drilled for the fixed budget, reducing the cost per meter. Our TTB plug maximizes profitability for both the drill contractor and the client.

Assumptions For this study we assume that: the fieldoperations cost to the drill is CAD$300/ hour while the actual field-operations rate charged is CAD$150 (thus, the contractor loses CAD$150 per hour for any field operations); the charged rate for coring is CAD$100 per meter; the rods can be tripped in or out of the hole at a rate of 250 m/hour; and the average shift drills 36 m (3 m/hr).

Scenario 1: Minimum removal cost [CAD$600, 4 hours] To remove the rods from the hole takes 4 hours (1000 m at 250 m/hr). The cost of operations to the contractor for these 4 hours is CAD$1200, of which CAD$600 will be recovered through the fee for removing the Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Figure 1 – Back end for deploying TTB Plug and Standard Back End

Figure 2 – The TTB Plug Assembly consists of three main components: TTB plug (top right); a flow-through back end for deploying the TTB plug (bottom) and loading chamber (not shown). When these parts are combined with a smooth core lifter case (top left) it is possible to set a plug down hole for wedging or cementing, without having to pull any rods. rods. We will assume that no profits from lost coring opportunities were lost during this time because it is the fastest method to recover the rods.

Scenario 2: Competitor’s plug [CAD$3075, 14.25 hours] The use of the competitor’s plug involves more steps because the drill string must be first removed from the hole (as in Scenario 1), so that the core barrel can be removed and a rod shoe installed, then the string is lowered back into the hole, then removed a second time. For this study we will assume that the

string re-enters the hole without issues. Once the string is lowered back to depth a plug may then be pumped down the string, followed by the grout, when required. The time needed to remove the string with the core barrel, re-enter with a shoe, and remove the string again, is 12 hours (4 hrs out, 4 hrs in, 4 hrs out). If we assume that each of the three plugs takes 45 minutes to pump down, would need to factor in an additional 2.25 hours, bringing the total to 14.25 hours. Since 4 hours are required to remove the rods (as illustrated by scenario 1), then we can see that from scenario 2 that use of the competitor’s plug demands an additional 10.25 hours.

ASSUMPTIONS FOR THE HYPOTHETICAL CASE STUDY Hole depth 1000 meters Field-operations fee charged

CAD$150 per hour

Cost to contractor of field operations

-CAD$150 per hour

Coring fee

CAD$100 per meter

Rod-tripping rate

250 meters per hour

Average 12-hour shift drilling rate

3 meters per hour 19

/PRODUCT REVIEW

Case study conclusions LIST OF CHARGES

SIMPLE ROD REMOVAL

COMPETITORâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PLUG

TTB PLUG

Cost to client CAD$600 CAD$3075 CAD$825 Cost to contractor (field operations) CAD$600 CAD$1538 CAD$225 Total time required 4 hours 14.25 hours 5.5 hours

The additional 10.25 hours will be charged as field-operating cost. It can also be considered lost profit because this time could have been used to increase the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s net meterage. The 10.25 hours will result in a cost to the company of CAD$3075 and of this CAD$1537 will be recovered through the field-operations cost. The lost coring charges based on the 36-meter shift average (3 m/hour, over 12 hours) generate 30.75 m drilled in 10.25 hours and CAD$3075 charged. Removing the operating cost of CAD$1537 gives a loss of CAD$1538. If you include the cost of charging a field-operations rate with the lost profit, this method costs CAD$3075 and takes 14.25 hours.

Scenario 3: TTB plugs [CAD$825, 5.5 hours] The TTB plug may be deployed through the drill string while it is being removed from the hole as shown in scenario 1, it does however take time for the tube to be dropped to the bottom of the string, and for the wireline to retrieve the empty tube. We will assume this takes 30 minutes per plug (the wireline retrieval method being faster than pumping the plug down the drill string) for a total of 1.5 hours of profitable time lost.

The cost of charging for field operations for these 1.5 hours is CAD$225, and the potential charges from coring for these 1.5 hours is CAD$450, when we deduct the fieldoperations cost of CAD$225, the result is CAD$225 in lost profit. Therefore use of a TTB plug costs CAD$825 and takes 5.5 hours. Because the drill string is being removed similar to scenario 1, the exposure to risk of dropping the rods is no greater than with simply pulling the rods. The drill string also may be pulled with, or without, an inner tube. If removed with the inner tube inserted, the inner tube will reduce the speed in which the rods can reach the surface. Scenario 1 is useful in demonstrating the baseline cost of removing the rods and abandoning the hole without installing plugs. The forecasted figures show that installing three TTB plugs involves only marginally more time and cost than simply removing the rods. Scenario 2 illustrates using a leading competitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s plugs, and it must be understood that there is additional risk with lowering a drill string back down the hole without a core barrel or inner tube. If the rods are dropped, they will fall, very quickly, to the bottom of the hole. When the rods reach the bottom, the result is most often catastrophic for a lower portion of the drill string. If they become planted a cutter and smaller drill

string must be brought on-site. It could take anywhere from a day to weeks to fish out the drill rods. That time may only be charged as field-operations and means operating at a loss, again, increasing your overall cost per meter, and reducing the time available for a high total net meterage. Scenario 3 clearly shows the cost- and time-saving benefits of TTB plugs. The use of TTB plugs in this scenario has the potential to reduce the cost of installing plugs by CAD$2200 and reduce the time to install the plugs by 8.75 hours. The reliability of the TTB plug can be judged by the real statistics to date: of 250+ deployed there have been just two known failures; one was caused when an operator left the feet taped to the tapered body and details of the second are unknown/contradictory. C

See how it works: View the TTB plug video demonstration and download the procedure instructions: www.mbidrillingproducts.com/en/ through-the-bit-plug

Coring Magazine is free for drilling contractors, manufacturers, mining and exploration companies and all individuals in the field. Subscribe now: www.coringmagazine.com/subscribe/

Coring Magazine #10

DIAMOND BITS FOR OPTIMAL PRODUCTIVITY The advanced matrix technology of Sandvikâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s RV400X/RZ400X series diamond core bits delivers unsurpassed balance between best penetration rates and optimum bit life. Understanding composition and application is critical to the success of any drilling program. The comprehensive RV400X/RZ400X range of impregnated bits offers the ideal solution for your particular project, no matter how extreme the formation. From free cutting to the most difficult, unconsolidated conditions, trust Sandvik for the perfect diamond bit for your core drilling needs, every time.

FIND OUT MORE AT ROCKTECHNOLOGY.SANDVIK

/ISSUE SPECIAL: LARGE-DIAMETER CORE DRILLING

Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services perform

large-diameter drilling in the Balkans by Ilian Valkov Eng., Executive Manager at Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services Ltd

Coring Magazine #10

One of the challenges of modern geological research is to identify the quality features of valuable resources at an early stage. The extraction of sufficient material for the initial technological research provides an opportunity to obtain critical data about the properties of the prospective commodities. Expertise in ore enrichment is important for the effective planning of detailed researches and project stabilization, as well as the reduction of investment risk.

First core run

In this context, only large-diameter drilling provides sufficient material to carry out research and analyses and obtain technological samples at an early stage of project development. This form of drilling is becoming increasingly popular. Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services Ltd (‘Geops’) is a Bulgaria-based drilling contractor, with the largest drill-rig fleet in Eastern Europe, serving the mining and mineral exploration sectors. Their extensive operations in the Balkans have been a key factor in the company’s increasing strength, growth, and reputation.

A new project in the Balkans In 2018 Geops was challenged to execute a large-core drilling program for a major mining company. This program was part of one of their long-term projects in the Balkans. The scope of work demanded one borehole 444 mm in diameter and 292 mm of core to be conducted to a depth of 623 m.

Bespoke engineering No suitable equipment was found on the market, so Geops designed and produced something that would accomplish the goal. The final result was a triple-tube conventional Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Full core barrel core barrel with an outer diameter of 444 mm that can collect three meters of 292-millimeter diameter core. When empty, the core barrel weighs 1500 kg and when full, 1800 kg. A special drill-bit design with diamond inserts was devised for the job. To complete the challenging 623-meter large-diameter borehole, a big drill rig was needed. Atlas Copco’s RD20IIIXC drilling machine with a pull-back capacity of 50 tonnes was requested and successfully implemented. A special drilling mud system of 40 m3 was designed and

provided by Geops, with two duplex mud pumps NB125 and two 220 kVA generators to supply the necessary power. All was set and drilling started in August 2018. Choosing a 17 1/2-inch (444.50 mm) drilling diameter for coring allowed the team to switch from mud rotary drilling to core drilling without involving any additional operations, like casing and reaming. This way, the core could be extracted at any desired interval of mineralization and that was very valuable and cost efficient for the client. To cover 23

/ISSUE SPECIAL: LARGE-DIAMETER CORE DRILLING

Caption Geops’s drill site the overburden an 18 5/8-inch (473.07 mm) casing was installed to a depth of 50 m. The first series of large-diameter conventional coring started at 293 m and was finished off by the geologists to a depth of 335 m. From 335 m to 480 m mud rotary drilling was used with the same 17 1/2-inch (444.50 mm) diameter drill bit and then from 480 m coring was begun again until the end of the hole was reached, which was at 623 m. A total length of 185-meter core with a volume of 12.4 m3 was recovered, weighing approximately 37 tonnes. The mud rotary drilling was as fast as usual, and the production from the section of coring was around 12 m and 6 m, at shallower and deeper sections respectively. Core recovery of more than 95 % was achieved. At depth of 600 m, the core breaking force reached 28 tonnes (pull-out). The biggest challenges faced by the company were using a prototype on-site and achieving a high percentage of core recovery. Despite such obstacles and the particular geology, complicated even for wireline drilling, all goals were met. 24

Drilling was carried out in accordance with the requirements and safety standards of the client and with zero incidents.

About the company Geops-Bolkan Drilling Services Ltd was established in 2004 with a focus on surface and underground drilling for the exploration, mining, and geological industry. In order to satisfy its customers’ needs, the company continuously invests and expands the range of its proposed drilling services. Over the years, it has strengthened its position of being a reliable and trustworthy drilling contractor for many investors in the Balkans, Central Europe, and North Africa. The corporate head office is located in Asenovgrad, Bulgaria. The company has established a network of regional offices in the territories of Serbia, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Poland, Tunisia, Germany, and soon (by June 2019) Peru and Chile. Geops has both ongoing and successfully completed surface and underground drilling projects in more than 12 countries around Europe and North Africa.

Drilling capabilities Exploration and mining companies rely on the availability of Geops’s full range of drill rigs for various drilling methods and terrains (40+ rigs). The company has a wealth of experience in diverse drilling conditions and expertise in project management, application of the latest and best drilling practices, wellestablished drilling crews with the drillers having five years of experience on average, vastly experienced rig maintenance and rig engineering crew, and a fully equipped rig and spare parts production facility. Geops’s current fleet of drill rigs is expanding to enable the company to work at various locations, increasing its knowledge of different countries and jurisdictions, and targeting new markets. C

For more information Contact: office@geopsbg.com or visit: www.geopsbg.com

Coring Magazine #10

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/ISSUE SPECIAL: LARGE-DIAMETER CORE DRILLING

Large-diameter double-tube core barrel by Jeff Dagg, Technical Field Support Leader at Fordia

This is a story of communication, innovation, and collaboration Diamond core drilling has traditionally been all about the core sample. The product is the core, and drillers and drill companies make money by putting ‘rock in the box’ as the saying goes. There is, however, a growing demand for diamond drilling technology and expertise in other areas. Civil and mining engineering companies use coring technology in a myriad of different applications, including in-situ stress measurements, to monitor rock stress, installation of over-coring sensors, and various other instruments, sand and paste fill holes, and many others. Quite often the solution is not ‘off the shelf’. 26

Agapito and Associates Inc., a mining and civil engineering firm out of Grand Junction Colorado, is one such company pushing the limits of current technology. They do quite a lot of work around some of the biggest infrastructure projects in the US and as such, they drill some very technical holes and take on some unique challenges. Drilling on the crest of a dam, they needed to extract a core sample of 5 5/8 inches (142.87 mm) in diameter to test the structural soundness and hardness of the concrete. Using standard industry tooling (SW Casing Shoe), it was extremely difficult to break the core and retrieve it from the bottom of the hole. The core recovery rate was around 50 %. They needed something better. They called Mr. Rusty Church, a Fordia Field Technician and experienced driller, to have a look at the scope of work and

propose a solution. The core bit that Rusty advised the team to use turned out to be perfect for the job, with a diamondimpregnated matrix to match the hardness of the aggregate in the concrete, and a precise inner diameter to produce the consistent core size they required. First challenge complete, and now they can advance much faster through the dam, but what to do with the core? Quite a lot of time was spent breaking and retrieving the core. Enter Mr. Fred Soinski and Northwest Machine Works, Inc., a precision machining company celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. The company is a family business that was started by Fred’s father in 1949, with deep roots in the diamond drilling industry. Fred came up with a core-lifter spring design and machined the bit to accept the spring, creating an effective single-tube Coring Magazine #10

core barrel for 5 5/8-inch (142.87 mm) core. Production greatly improved and the core recovery rate was boosted to 100 %. Mr. Andy Shaffer, Operations Manager at Agapito and Associates Inc. immediately saw an opportunity to build on this success and proposed a new challenge. Produce tooling for an 18-inch (457.20 mm) core sample! This challenge came about due to the large size of the aggregates used in the construction of the Shasta Dam in California. Built in 1946, the concrete was poured using very largesized aggregates. In order to properly verify the integrity of the concrete, the core size was required to be seven or eight times the size of the aggregates used in the concrete. A series of holes 21 inches (533.40 mm) in diameter and 35 feet (10.66 m) in depth was required. Once again, Andy called on Fordia and Northwest Machine to create a coring system capable of the task. The result was the segmented diamond core bit and a double-tube core barrel that produced a core sample measuring 18 inches (457.20Â mm) in diameter. The aggregate used in the dam was quite hard, so Rusty chose a Fordia Hero 7 matrix to best match the rock. Eighteen diamond-impregnated inserts were manufactured for the crown. These segments are fastened to the crown and can be changed out once worn. Fred made the inner and outer barrels to accommodate the large crown as well as the impressive core-lifter spring to break and retrieve core. The parts fit beautifully and functioned very well. It was no small task to make the parts precise enough for good recovery and tough enough to break the core. Agapito and Associates used a CME 50 geotechnical drill rig, and 3 1/2-inch (88.90Â mm) API regular rod to push the large core barrel, combined with a casing jack of 100 000 lb (c. 45.3 tonnes) for breaking core. Cores were produced and the equipment worked very well. The results are a great example of pushing the limits and developing tools and techniques to meet new challenges! Congratulations to a winning team for a job well done that resulted in a happy client! C

Segmented bit crown

About the companies Fordia powered by EPIROC: www.fordia.com Northwest Machine Works, Inc.: northwestmachine.com Agapito Associates: www.agapito.com

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

CME 50

First core 27

/CASE STUDY

Sonic drilling for

rapid vectoring high-quality alluvial diamond deposits by Beate Orberger, Catura Geoprojects, France

Coring Magazine #10

Eijkelkamp SonicSampDrill is based in the Netherlands, developing and manufacturing sonic drill rigs and drilling tools. The company’s equipment is tailor-made for each customer’s challenges to speed up their exploration drilling campaigns by ensuring optimal core recovery and core quality. Background Alluvial diamond deposits are of low and variable grades and sizes (0.5 – 2 carats/diamond). They are characterized by high heterogeneous diamond distribution (tens to hundreds of

metric scales), which is related to fine- and coarse-grained gravel and sand bars. Alluvial diamonds are deposited in dynamic fluviatile, marine or Karsts environments, being influenced by the bedrock, host rocks and regional morphologies of the landscape. Subsurface alluvial diamond properties are thus difficult to evaluate. No unique method for target selection exists, as each alluvial diamond province has its own climate and geomorphic history. Knowledge of the paleo drainage system and the lithologies composing the overburden and the diamondhosting gravel beds is therefore crucial to establishing a 3D geomodel. Narrow sampling is also necessary. Drilling is the only method that can access alluvial deposits covered by variable thicknesses of overburden. These unconsolidated rocks are difficult or impossible to drill by conventional diamonddrilling methods. Fine grain-size sands and clays are often lost but can host diamonds. Incomplete sampling will lead to a serious lack of knowledge of the subsurface diamond

field and its variabilities. This in turn will result in erroneous models and erroneous resource and reserve calculations and delays the decision-making.

Challenges in the north-eastern Angola alluvial diamond fields North-eastern Angola provides high-quality diamonds to the market. These diamonds were eroded from kimberlites in the northwest part of the country. The diamonds occur in gravel beds of the Calonda formation. At deposit scale, these gravel beds are complex as they belong to a channelized paleo river system. Diamond-bearing gravel beds are of variable thicknesses (0 m – 5 m) and may form lenses. The diamonds vary from low to high grade at different locations, with variable quality. The paleo channels are covered by variable thicknesses of overburden related to the hilly landscape and on slopes and in valleys. The overburden

Eijkelkamp SonicSampDrill’s equipment is tailor-made to speed up exploration drilling campaigns Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/CASE STUDY

The CompactRotoSonic Crawler

The samples made with Eijkelkamp’s sonic drilling technique

lithologies are clay and sand layers. The underlying bedrock is present at 3-meter depths down to 50-meter depths. In order to provide a reliable geomodel, sonic drilling was performed, aiming first to locate diamond-bearing gravels, secondly, determine the thickness and depth below the surface, thirdly, determine the thickness of the gravel beds and fourthly, determine the diamond grades and quality. In this project, the CompactRotoSonic Crawler (CRS-V) type drill rig was used to drill a grid with spacing of 200 m to 100 m in the target areas. After this was done, when the potential gravel beds were found, the drill grid spacing was reduced to 50 m or less. Drilling rates reached 1500 m – 2000 m per month working 12-hour shifts over a fiveday week. Borehole depths ranged between 5 m and 25 m. The drilling results obtained using Eijkelkamp’s sonic sampling equipment and methods led to the accurate measurement of overburden, the thickness of the diamondbearing gravel to the bedrock, and their compositions. This method facilitates the successful and preferential targeting of high-grade diamond channels. Thanks to Eijkelkamp’s sonic drilling equipment and performance, a complete geomodel was established, optimizing exploration and mining (predictive and directed). The profitability of

The samples made with Eijkelkamp’s sonic drilling technique

Coring Magazine #10

diamond field was thus maximised, and the mining block life can be extended (prospective).

Sonic drilling under continuous development Sonic drilling, when performed at the highest technological standards, is the solution for complex unconsolidated diamond deposits. This technology provides high-quality drill cores (recovery rates > 90 % and complete lithologies) in a short time span (≈50 m/day). Failure rate, waste production and environmental impacts are low. Compared to rotary drilling, sonic drilling includes an oscillator motion additional to the rotary motion at the drill head. These motions generate high vibratory forces (50 Hz – 150 Hz) which are translated into up and down movements, pushing down while rotating. The combination of the three forces (vibratory, rotary, and axial) speeds up the drilling and produces continuous, full core samples. The drilling fluid is specially composed to optimize sample output and minimize environmental impact. In

general, 70 % – 80 % less waste is produced. Sonic drilling is also performed where there is hydraulic fracturing, borehole erosion and vulnerable structures. For unconsolidated, alluvial environments, recent developments use vibrational and axial forces without rotation, and only small quantities of drill fluids. This technology has the advantage of achieving minimal disturbance of the cores. Eijkelkamp SonicSampDrill develops rigs and tools to reduce friction on drill strings and the drill bit. This friction is caused by liquefaction, inertia effects, and a temporary reduction of porosity of the soil. Depending on the climate and geological environment different types of sonic drills are operated (e.g. LargeRotoSonic (LRS), or CompactRotoSonic (CRS)). Eijkelkamp SonicSampDrill continuously develops drilling equipment to achieve optimal results in these complex environments. Furthermore, Eijkelkamp’s sonic drill rigs are easy to operate in dense forests because of their maneuverability, without harmful environmental impact. Competent and experienced staff train the customer’s staff to be highly productive in the field. C

THIS IS WHO WE ARE. BECAUSE GOOD THINGS COME WITH HARD WORK, RESILIENCE, AND INNOVATION.

References Nesterenko, G.V., Kolpakov, V.V., Boboshko, L.P. (2013). Native gold I complex Ti-Zr placers of the southern West Siberian Plain. Russian Geology and Geophysics 54, 1484-1498.

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Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/CORING REPORTAGE

PDAC 2019

From a fresher’s perspective

by Simone Hutchinson, Editor and Martina Samarova, Marketing, Communications & Administration at Coring Magazine

The Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention 2019 was attended by over 25,800 delegates from more than 130 countries. For many of us it was the most anticipated event of the year. The first impression that would strike any newcomer would be the positive atmosphere among the vast crowds of people. The Metro Toronto Convention Centre was alive with energy, making it easy to feel that the industry has a lot to be optimistic about. After speaking to a 34

great number of exhibitors and visitors over the four days, we came away from PDAC with a strong sense that fruitful and exciting times are not only on the horizon but are happening right now. Here are some of our highlights. Trade Show: South The most visited hall was the Trade Show South. As soon as we entered, we could not help but notice Boart Longyear’s booth. The display stands were well designed, large and brightly lit. Their new XQ™ Wireline Coring Rods were one of the chief exhibits. According to the company, these rods are designed to be stronger, last longer and make coring a lot easier.

Boart Longyear team members, Andrew Cuthbert and Brittney Manwaring met local elementary school kids at the booth and educated them on the importance of drilling. Another presence that stood out strongly were the newly merged Epiroc and Fordia. They had joined forces to exhibit together across two booths. Their ‘Innovation’ space presented Fordia’s newest product the HERO 13 drill bit, an addition to the HERO line, as well as a range of other tools. And their ‘Corporate’ stand showcased Epiroc’s highend core driller, a compact, portable machine that boosts drilling performance and can be operated by a single person. The companies held a great party at their Corporate booth where employees from both organizations, sporting yellow and gray team jerseys, celebrated together with a lively audience. Two of our other favorites were Sandvik and the Atelier Val-d’Or (drills manufacturer) and Prinoth (tracked utility vehicles manufacturer) collaboration. Sandvik exhibited their impressive DE712 Rig, which we featured in Issue 8 (October 2018). At Prinoth’s eye-catching black and red space Coring Magazine #10

Boart Longyear XQTM Wireline Coring Rods

Melody Tripp, Web Content Manager, Brian Maeck, Global Director – EHS, Andrew Cuthbert, Sr. Manager - Global Marketing & Communications at Boart Longyear, and Martina Samarova, Coring Magazine

Boart Longyear team members – Brittney Manwaring, Marketing Coordinator and Andrew Cuthbert, Sr. Manager - Global Marketing & Communications, and children from ‘Mining Matters’ Faster. Deeper. Safer.

their Panther T8 carrier was mast-mounted with an Atelier Val-d’Or drill rig. Prinoth Panther tracked vehicles offer superior levels of productivity for exploration activities thanks to their speed and off-road capacities to move between exploration sites (for more info: www.prinoth.com/en/ tracked-vehicles/). Way back in Issue 2 (2016) we featured an Atelier Val-d’Or VD8000 rig, so it was interesting to meet one of their team in person and find out about their work with Prinoth. VersaDrill Canada introduced their new KmN1.4 rotary drill head and chuck, along with their Inner Tube Puller. According to the company the new head is ‘faster, lighter, more powerful’, and suitable for a wide variety of unrground drill rigs. One other drilling product that caught our eye was the Through-the-Bit Plug (TTB) exhibited by MBI that at the time of writing has a patent pending. We liked it so much that we decided to tell our readers more about it in this issue’s Product Review section! (See page 18.) 35

/CORING REPORTAGE

Several exploration and core-drilling services companies were exhibiting in this hall as well. We learned about the latest in airborne EM, linear mapping and photogrammetry from SenseFly who were exhibiting their eBee X drone. We spoke to MSALabs about their industry-leading chemical assays packages, both of these types of services being crucial to the ongoing vitality of the diamond core-drilling industry.

Trade Show: North

Epiroc’s Corporate booth and high-end core driller

Prinoth’s Panther T8 carrier and Atelier Val-d’Or’s rig 36

We enjoyed visiting a number of booths in the North hall, too. A fresh addition to the regular exhibitors was BG Drilling Solutions, an international directional drilling services provider. Team members were on hand to showcase their latest, and smallest, directional drilling tool – the B-size CWT for underground operations. The CWT line (recently patented) is a range of robust and simple-to-use non-coring directional drilling systems.

Sandvik’s DE712 rig Coring Magazine #10

The new HERO 13 drill bit at Fordia’s booth

Coring Magazines displayed at Sandvik’s DE712 rig Faster. Deeper. Safer.

We stopped by Pilot’s booth and gained some valuable insight into their large product range. At the other end of the hall, Priority Drilling updated us on the industry news in Ireland, and we inquired about the latest on their zero-trip wedge (patent pending), an innovation which we featured in Issue 9 (February 2019), perfect timing for discussing at PDAC. The UnEarth International Women in Mining exhibition in Trade Show North was exceptional in its concept and presentation. Profiles of diverse women working in various roles in exploration and mining across the world were displayed on large exhibition pillars, giving insights to their day-to-day working lives and emphasizing the value that women offer to the industry. To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day on June 25, 2019 in this issue (page 8) we have an interview with Sandra Lindberg, a drilling supervisor for Drillcon in Sweden.

Concluding thoughts Innovation featured not only in mining and drilling, but also in the gifts that many exhibitors were offering! A number of companies had come up with novel ways of promoting their business, some definitely succeeded in attracting the attention of the visitors in entertaining ways, while others designed their wares using ideas that reflected the culture of the companies. There were Peruvian worry dolls, themed key rings, as well as a miniature drill site modelled in Lego and very useful water flasks. We enjoyed the spirit imbued in these approaches, and the tactic was effective! A handful of new regions, like Algeria (salt mining), had come to the event for the first time. Russia’s Orsu Metals Corp. presented some impressive data on the goldproducing regions of the world (Russia is the third largest) in the Investor Exchange Hall. Newcomers always add interest to global trends and we hope to learn more about the progress of such new regions at future Conventions.

VersaDrill’s drill head with the Inner Tube Puller 37

/CORING REPORTAGE

We visited as many of our authors’ booths as possible and were delighted to see our magazine on display at their stands! After liaising via email for months, and even years in some cases, it was refreshing to meet the authors in person; Axis Mining, Imdex, Swick Mining, Energold, Hy-Tech, Devico, Geotech Drilling, Core Case, Di-Corp and Foraco were some of the most memorable! We enjoyed the Foraco cocktail evening where we passed the time listening to fascinating histories from senior drilling contractors and seasoned exploration geologists. If only we could all meet up more often to share our insights. One conspicuous hallmark of the Convention was the importance of environmental sustainability, particularly the protection of biodiversity and cultural heritage. And a second standout feature, which is perhaps no surprise, was innovation. It goes without saying that innovation and environmental sustainability go hand in hand. PDAC 2019 gave us the strong impression that the exploration diamond core-drilling industry has never been in a better position for contributing to the long-term economic and social prosperity of the planet. Next time we get the opportunity to attend PDAC, we’d like to take a look inside the Convention’s incredibly good keynote presentations and industry expert talks programmes. C

George Seymour, Plant Manager at Pilot Diamond Tools and Jesus Ramos, Director of Operations at Proveedora International, Mexico

BG Drilling Solutions’ booth and their CWT non-coring directional drilling system 38

Coring Magazine #10

sales@haydenbit.com â&#x20AC;&#x201C; www.haydenbit.com

Exploration Mining Geology In this issue Q&A from the Experts: In conversation with Graham Brown 45 years of geology and mineral exploration: The personal journey of a project generator by Jean Lafleur, P. Geo. (OGQ, APGO)

/Q&A FROM THE EXPERTS

& FROM

THE EXPERTS

Graham Brown Independent Consulting Geologist Grigor Topev: What were your reasons for choosing geology? Graham Brown: I was born in 1958 – the same year NASA was created. Exploration and discovery have always been my passion; new countries, new cultures and new ore deposits! GT: You have worked in so many countries; which one left the strongest impression on you and why? GB: A hard choice, but probably Australia, where I spent the first five years of my career. It was a great start to my ‘apprenticeship’ as a geologist and I worked with some of the best mine finders in the business. GT: You were awarded with the PDAC Thayer Lindsley Award for significant mineral discovery. What discovery was the award for? GB: I led the team credited with the discovery of the world-class Los Sulfatos Cu-Mo porphyry deposit. The major annual award was presented for the best international mineral discovery. Located 7 km from Los Bronces mine, 45 km NE Santiago, in the Faster. Deeper. Safer.

In conversation with

Graham Brown Graham Brown was educated in Glasgow (Strathclyde University), graduating with a BSc in 1980. He gained his MSc at James Cook University, Australia in 1984. He has been a Fellow of the SEG since 1999 and participated in the Colombia as well as the Duke Business Leaders Programs in 2004 and 2007. In 2013 he attained both Chartered Geologist and European Geologist professional status. Graham has 35 years’ experience in the mining and exploration business employed as an independent consultant, chief geologist, senior executive and global leader of a highly successful award-winning discovery team. He has lived and worked on four continents where he has completed more than 100 technical assignments, covering a range of commodities in over 25 countries. He is a past SEG councillor and BGS industry representative and current NHM honorary research fellow. Industry awards, recognition and world-class exploration discoveries credited to his Anglo American team during the last decade include: Los Sulfatos (PDAC), Sakatti (FEM) and being ranked the most successful major base metals explorer (MEG).

high Andes, Chile. Discovered in 2006 as part of a systematic evaluation of the district’s exploration potential. The site posed challenging conditions; high-altitude (>4000 m), rugged terrain, harsh winters, short summer field seasons (4 months) and access to the area was only possible by foot, mule or helicopter. Only after the company’s 10th drill hole were the size and quality of the deposit apparent. The initial inferred resource based on 22 000 m drilling, totals 1200 Mt at 1.46 % Cu and 0.02 % Mo contained an estimated 17.5 Mt of copper. The overall mineralized system may well exceed 4000 Mt at >0.8 % Cu.

GT: You have spent many years as a consultant in Asia, and in some European countries where you continue to work. Can you tell us more about this and share the most challenging and interesting moments from these periods? GB: I spent 10 years consulting in Asia Pacific and European regions on a number of world-class discovery and evaluation projects. In terms of the most challenging and exciting moments, two examples include the Lihir epithermal Au deposit in Papua New Guinea (PNG), associated with an active geothermal system located on the island. At the time (in the mid-1980s), this was a new deposit type and it was very 41

/Q&A FROM THE EXPERTS

exciting to be part of the evaluation team. Also, the Ovacık epithermal Au deposit, which is located in western Turkey. This was a new frontier in exploration and we were finding new, outcropping Au systems that had never been recognized or sampled by modern techniques. GT: How did you start at Anglo American and what positions did you hold there?

machine (TBM). This was the first time TBM technology had been used in a near-mine exploration stage project. The most amazing experience was to walk the tunnel, which intersected the core of the mineralized system with Cu grades over the last 3 km of the tunnel averaging >1 % Cu, including 1.6 km at >1.5 % Cu! GT: Is Mineral Exploration in crisis?

GB: I worked for the Head Office in London for 15 years. During that time, I held three positions: Chief Geologist, Global Head of Exploration, and Global Head of Geosciences.

GB: If you look at the return on spending and the number of economic discoveries delivered as an industry, then unfortunately, yes.

GT: What is the discovery of the decade, in your opinion?

GT: What measures should be taken to end the crisis?

GB: I am biased but it would have to be Los Sulfatos. We developed an 8-kilometer exploration tunnel using a tunnel boring

GB: Four critical areas govern success: exploration strategy, management, innovation and talent development.

GT: What are the most common mistakes that mining companies make, in terms of exploration? GB: The discovery of ore bodies is not a mystical art. Discoveries are not tied to how much you spend or not using state-of-theart theories or technologies. Successful discovery is about leadership – both in the field and the boardroom. GT: Is it true that only a small percentage of junior exploration companies and their discoveries are worthwhile? GB: This is true for not only junior but also mid-tier and major companies. The time-value of money accounts for 70 % of the cost of exploration. The industry needs to turnover exploration targets more efficiently and effectively, and focus on advancing the quality opportunities.

Exploring for epithermal gold in the Afar depression, Ethiopia and Djibouti 42

Coring Magazine #10

GT: Is there a lack of good-quality deposits? What does it take to find one?

GT: What is a good exploration strategy and why is it important to have one?

GB: No, successful exploration and finding new ore deposits are people-driven and a team effort. Key success factors include discovery culture, high-quality hunting pack teams, innovative geological thinking, appropriate discovery tools and evaluation technologies, consistent funding, and time to build local knowledge and operating capabilities.

GB: You need a balance of risk and reward when selecting the what, where, and how to explore, and to identify the key enablers that will deliver value and provide options for growth. The key drivers in exploration are resource replacement, asset upgrading, discovery track-record and risk mitigation. Set the right strategic direction and you will reduce risk. Commit to pursuing mineralized districts, aiming at simple, large targets and commit to drilling. Balance greenfields and brownfields, ensure you align your drilling strategy with return on investment (ROI), commit to ‘boots and hammer’, consider joint ventures (JVs), and most of all, be persistent.

GT: Do you agree that there is a current tendency for companies to reopen old mines that have not been in production for years? Is it less risky to look for deposits where they have already been found rather than explore new locations? GB: I believe there should be a balance between greenfield and brownfield exploration. Focusing only on known, mature districts which will eventually be depleted actually increases the discovery odds. A balance of greenfields and brownfields in any exploration portfolio is essential for longterm exploration success. A mix of the two creates a diversified project portfolio with different levels of maturity and risk. GT: How has mineral exploration changed in the last ten years? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this profession? GB: The most significant changes would be the importance of maintaining the ‘license to operate’ to ensure continued access to land, resources, and talent. The biggest challenges are the increase in data, computers, HSE reporting bureaucracy, and the reduction in both field skills and rock contact time.

GT: Can you give three key points to consider when choosing a drilling contractor? GB: Safety, experience, and equipment. GT: Is there anything that drilling contractors commonly lack and which you find important? GB: Ideally, drilling contractors would combine geophysical and geochemical surveys with their drilling programme. That would improve efficiency and can assist in real-time decision-making. GT: What has been the most challenging drilling campaign in your career? GB: As discussed above, the Au deposit on the remote Pacific island of Lihir (part of Papua New Guinea), which is an active geothermal system and required large-diameter PQTTT coring and blow-out preventative equipment.

GT: At what stage of the exploration campaign is it important to have well-defined targets for the drill holes? GB: Those are needed after you have completed the geological mapping and appropriate geochemical and geophysical surveys and baseline environmental monitoring. GT: How important is core orientation, and what would you like to see improved in the latest core-orientation technologies and procedures? GB: Core orientation is critical in the structural interpretation and modelling of ore deposits. This is particularly important at the evaluation stage to improve the geological and structural models, plus resource estimation. I would also like to see core-orientation improvements being linked to a trade-off between real-time visualisation and cost. GT: Can you tell us the key elements of Exploration Management? GB: Ownership of the exploration strategy is important, and you need to foster a culture of success, manage the exploration department as a profit centre, establish credibility with senior management and the board, and minimize company distractions. GT: What do you think is in store for the future of mineral exploration? GB: Three key challenges lie ahead: improving the declining rate of discovery, reversing the trend of increasing costs and lead time, and maintaining our license to operate. It cannot be over-emphasized that successful discovery is about leadership in the field and the boardroom. C

NEW

If you have a question for Graham Brown, email us at editorial@coringmagazine.com and we will publish the answer in ‘Post-Q&A from the Experts’ in our next issue.

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

45 years of geology and mineral exploration

The personal journey of a project generator

by Jean Lafleur, P. Geo. (OGQ, APGO), Mineral Exploration and Management Consultant – Blainville (Quebec) Canada at PJLEXPL Inc.

Life’s journey is challenging. Whether planned or unplanned, intentional or happy-golucky, or shortened or long, life offers a variety of trials and experiences in both personal and professional situations. My wish is that your lives are as fulfilling as mine has been. 44

I managed to achieve professionally what I had always wanted: to study geology and become a geologist. First, in academia, then, in the mineral exploration industry. Geology is a spiritual journey for me. Learning about minerals, rocks, fossils, time and scale was as much a stepping stone to knowing myself, but also discovering the Universe on a big scale down to the local earthly environment we live in. Geology has also taught me science, trust, teamwork, sharing, self-assurance, open mindedness, being opportunistic, creation, promoting, and a general sense of belonging. It has also shown

me the flip side through failure, neglect, loneliness, being absent, hidden agendas, fake news and people, and capitalism. I’ve spent the last 35 years in the mineral exploration industry, and it has been quite the adventure, which is far from being over. This is an exciting but difficult industry, as it mixes many professions and individuals all vying for the discovery of mineral commodities to develop them into mines. The path leading to the discovery of metal has not really changed even though many would have us believe the contrary. The challenge we face is not only technical, Coring Magazine #10

it is also social, economic, regulatory, environmental and political. As geologists we should not fear these challenges, we should embrace them, just as we witness happening in other industries. Mineral exploration is a combination of science, art and experience. The science drives the discovery of mineral resources; the art drives the imaging and promoting of it; and the experience constrained by rules and policies drives the entire process. The essentials of this journey are the 5Ws of mineral exploration: Observe, Data, Trying, Change, and Infer. That’s my experience!

1. Observe what you are seeing In geology, time and scale are key to understanding what physically surrounds us. The Earth had time to evolve into what it is today, including all life on the surface. And what we observe at the large scale over great distances mimic what we observe at the smaller scale. I learned early on, observing minerals, rocks, and geological features. Mentors gave me learning opportunities in data gathering, synthesizing, interpreting, and reporting the geology; then came mineral exploration and geological mapping for the discovery of metals. I became an experienced geologist and an expert in mineral exploration for gold and other metals. Project ‘A’ was an icebreaker in terms of scale. What geologists observe at the millimeter, centimeter and meter scales in a thin section, rock outcrop and drill core represent what we observe at the kilometer scale. The original vendor of Project ‘A’ had spent several million dollars in mineral exploration work to delineate a significant mineralized zone. Drill intercepts gave grade gold over tens of meters widths. The company I was with bought the project and continued drilling along the known trend of the mineralization, estimated by surface field work and geophysics to be in excess of 10 kilometers. It was a no-brainer in terms of projecting several million gold ounces in target potential. Our company’s threshold was 5 million ounces of gold. Within the first year of delineation and definition drilling we realized that the mineralization was restricted to a much smaller area. A crisis was in the making. We could not envision the larger potential. I as Regional Manager, other senior management Faster. Deeper. Safer.

officials, and geologists met on-site to discuss the project’s shortcomings, our targeting approach, and the ultimate potential. On a break from our discussions, I ventured outside for a walk where hundreds of drill core boxes had been laid out on the ground, all tagged with gold assay results labelled on them. As I walked along the rows of core boxes, I was suddenly attracted to a 30-centimeter piece of drill core because of what appeared to be a light-gray colored fragment 4 cm in length against a background of black rock. I bent over and picked it up, and what I observed was phenomenal; it was a small-scale representation of the mineralized zone! This 4-centimeter fragment mimicked what we saw on the kilometer scale. I ran back to the core shed and grabbed my hand lens, a red grease pencil, and camera then ran back to the core piece. I carefully noted what I observed and took pictures. Later in the day I went back with management and geologists, and we observed as a group the same piece of core. All were in agreement about what I observed. We modified our exploration program accordingly, recognizing the importance of the discovery. Further drilling confirmed the mineralization was restricted to ‘fragments’ without a significant size potential, and we never found another one. The multi-million-ounce potential dried up and the company ultimately withdrew the following year. The original vendor persisted and eventually sold the project to another player in the region that eventually developed a 1-million-ounce deposit and mined it.

2. Enter the data Data equals understanding Here’s a recent quote from Randy Lao of VS Media: ‘Data is not about statistics, machine learning, visualization, or wrangling. Data is about understanding. Understanding the problem and how you can solve it using data with whatever tools or techniques you choose. Understand your problem. Understand your data. And the rest will follow.’ The sole objective in mineral exploration is to discover, delineate, and define metal accumulation using the least time and effort. Complete the mineral exploration work by collecting quality data. If it does not work out, move on. There are many opportunities out there.

Project ‘B’ had a small mineral resource based on several limited mineralized gold zones. More than 200 kilometers of core existed for the project, the bulk of which went to test the series of small zones over a 7-kilometer trend. The work covered a 40year period where more than 30 geologists in mineral exploration were helping advance the project over the years. As VP Exploration and later President of the company, I would visit the site from time to time with our Senior Geologist and examine drill core. We had little money to explore. I would visit the project site to better understand the geology and the gold mineralization. I was curious as to why previous operators could not find more gold in larger zones. At each visit the Senior Geologist would take out core boxes and show me the different gold mineralization, the variety of rock, and the difficulty in correlating the work into a simple geology model. There were reams of paper and electronic data, close to 1 terabyte in drill core data, geology, geophysics, and interpretations, with a mountain of assessment and technical reports filling 20 banking boxes. A daunting task for anyone to summarize the project in a few PowerPoint slides. The long-term perspective of future targeting to maximize the metal potential of the project was impossible. Or it seemed so! Promoting to finance the project to get it going again seemed impossible. There was no interest among the financial markets. Our stock price was at historical lows, in the pennies. A different strategy in financing was required. I decided to use the data to our advantage. We needed to re-evaluate the data we had. The geology was confusing. We could not reconcile the basic rock nomenclature. We had more than 100 rock types, alteration and structural codes, and assays from different laboratories. We could not correlate one geology cross-section to the next, even though the assays proved that we could. The geology had to be ‘made’ to fit! It was ugly. I essentially proposed starting over with a new team of geologists and technicians, each with their own specialty of data gathering, synthesizing, interpreting, and reporting in a short period of time. This was to demonstrate that the smaller mineralized zones were part of a much larger gold system that could be amenable to open-pit mining that was the trend at the time. Could I get a minimum financing to re-log drill core simplifying the geology and re-interpreting the model and to demonstrate a larger multi-million-ounce 45

/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

At the Tsabong Diamond Project in 2012, Botswana, Africa mineralized gold system? The answer was a resounding yes! The company managed to finance a first CAD$1.6 million. Then, with positive results and a simplified geology and mineral exploration model, we were able to show the real gold potential of the project and raise an additional CAD$16 million. The historic data even showed a new mineralized higher gold grade zone that had been forgotten. The gold mineralization was extended for an additional 3 kilometers, now encompassing more than 20 km2 of target potential. All because of data!

3. Success is in trying What’s important in geology: hard work; staying focused; building your geological model early; selling the concept for financing; 46

and money. Keep in mind it may take years or decades to discover and even rediscover metal and a deposit. Project ‘C’ was more than 22 years in the making. At first it was part of my Top 10 Hit List of Projects. The company I worked for wanted us, the district geologists, to compile an opportunistic acquisition list. The project showed promise. It had several core-drilled mineralized zones with significant gold values over large widths over a multikilometer strike length. I had approached the vendor at the time asking if there was an interest in optioning and joint venturing the project. They said no. Positive results continued coming in over time. I continued showing my interest, but they did not take the bait. They eventually optioned the project to a mid-size producer who focused on

one near-surface zone. Major exploration and development investments were made, but the party eventually abandoned the project to concentrate elsewhere. Another organization came in, again made major investments, and yet again departed after a few years to develop another nearby project into mine production. A decade had already passed with CAD$30 million invested by the original vendor and the two other parties, which yielded mineral resources of less than 250 000 gold ounces in several small lenses, believed at the time to be accessible via underground scenarios, but none of which appeared economic. Another decade passed as the original vendor did not seem to press on in adding more ounces or trying to develop the main gold zone. There were many Coring Magazine #10

At the Buena Vista Iron Ore Project in 2013, Nevada, USA different mineralization styles encountered, from gold hosted in porphyry, volcanic rocks, and iron formations and conglomerates, all related to iron sulphides with little to no quartz veins, spread out over a 7 km2 area. Quite the target! Another few years went by, and then a fortunate coincidence occurred when a former associate of mine bought out the project. An opportunity? Sure, why not. They were looking for a VP Exploration at the time. I applied and got the job. A few years later, I became President, and we were able to finance the project in excess of CAD$17 million. The geological model had changed drastically; we had in excess of 4 million ounces and we focused on a different mining scenario than originally. Just goes to show, patience has its virtues! Faster. Deeper. Safer.

There are no failures in geology; there are tests, experiments, checks and balances, and ordeals. Geology is 100 % risk, and it can’t be over-emphasized in mineral exploration, where I believe risk exceeds 100 %! It is present all the time – it is in the interpretations and models we formulate and build, in the mineral resources we develop. The work is never bulletproof. Success will come to those who try. And successful achievements abound. Those I relish the most are guiding individuals to achieve their utmost potential in their professional endeavors, by helping them get a better education and training to improve their job situation. Success will also come by creating and advancing mineral exploration projects that will create jobs in mining to sustain communities, and I have been

involved both directly as well as indirectly, as when assisting others. This work is part of my mission to practice sustainable development. Success and trying may also involve being laid off or fired from a job or changing jobs. You should embrace change as an opportunity to evolve into an improved ‘you’. Wallow for one day; then move on. My best prospects arose out of significant changes, whether they were the loss of a job, loss of a project or loss of an opportunity. Whatever or whoever took the decision is out of your control. Don’t worry about it. It’s a business decision. Good and bad decisions are made all the time. I had the chance to study for my MSc thesis under a professor that I admired and wanted to work with because of his background in Precambrian geology. He knew me from my 47

/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

earlier days. I applied and he rejected me! I was upset. I eventually found out he took on what I call a triple A student with high marks. There was an obvious advantage here for obtaining grants. As it turned out the student did poorly and he left his thesis work, abandoning it less than one year after he started. I went on to do my MSc thesis elsewhere and did outside contract geology work at the same time, which I could not have done at the original school. I was fortunate that the contract work was in areas that eventually became favorable for metal discovery. It gave me the opportunity to work with geologist mentors who helped form me into who I am today, and I had fun in the process.

4. Change to transform Exploration cycles exist 5, 10, and 20 years apart, and these days even every year! It is difficult to plan long-term mineral exploration unless one can finance a significant chunk of funds for two- to three-year programs. If one cannot, it is important to remain productive in other fields of geology and mineral exploration. Spend time contacting others; keep looking for opportunities in jobs; improve your skills; take courses, seminars or webinars; and travel. Recharge your energy level. Work to live. Write an article, your biography, fiction. The key is keeping busy. It’s the same concept as changing jobs. In mineral exploration do not stay in the same job or in the same place for more than five years. Moving on to other challenges is not only good for your morale but also shows that as a geologist you can adapt to various jobs and working conditions. At one point I had 17 active contracts in one year, not all at once, but nevertheless it was a very constructive time in my life. Being on contract is the best,

since it allows flexibility to work both on-site and at home. You are your own boss, and no one can change that. Geology models are the same. The geology model drives mineral exploration in delineating or defining the most metal in the shortest possible time and at the least cost. They are knowledge-driven and are adapted to the data available. Papers generally abound on the geology of the area you work in, on other deposits in your area. Visit them and learn. The more data you have, the better the synthesis and interpretation that goes in, and a better model will arise. It doesn’t mean that the model is perfect, but start it somewhere. Then change it when there is more data available from your project or area or by comparing to other projects. The most capable geologist is the one that works on and visits as many projects and deposits as possible over their career. Geology and defining mineral resources are about making comparisons at all scales.

5. Infer or to be inferreds I like to infer. Geology is one of the few sciences that you can infer from at the beginning through to the end. In mineral exploration, we infer from a scattering of data and limited access to geology, and in defining mineral resources. There was a time when defining mineral resources under the Inferred category was exciting. For the geologist it showed the true metal potential of a project. Over time and use, I was able to subdivide the category into True Inferreds, those mineral resources defined by a few drill holes with grade and a geology model, and a chance of being economic; and to ‘Potentially Mineralized Material’, which is a mineralized zone with an inferred length, width, depth and grade, and had comparatives to other mineralization in the region. It worked for

a little while, but because of abuses, the securities and stock exchange commissions added economic parameters to the category, eliminating any discussion of potential. Nevertheless, I still use the approach in my exploration programs. Numbers remain internal and are not for public dissemination. In public reporting however, one can now write ranges of tonnes and grades to targets without the connotation of mineral resources categories. The Inferreds vs Potentially Mineralized Material remains an excellent tool in providing a benchmark for targeting metal potential, program planning, and budgeting, and to constrain programs over smaller areas that could eventually lead to higher quality mineral resources. Before investors want to entrust you with their money, the most astute ones ask the geologists their opinion of the metal size potential. Current rules and regulations since the formation of National Instrument 43-101 do not allow geologists to speculate on mineral resources. I must admit, if an experienced geologist has a metal size potential target in mind, and has planned out a reasonable multi-phased mineral exploration program over a three- to five-year period, then I would invest in the company, the project, and the geologist and their team, rather than investing in one who has no idea on the subject! Geology and mineral exploration remain high on my Top 10 List of things to continue doing. It’s a lifestyle. It opened my eyes to the worlds of minerals and rocks, people and their cultures, and has given me perspective about how small we are when compared to the whole universe. We are but one of many parts to the Universe. Geology, geologists, mineral exploration and mineral resources are there for all living creatures to benefit. Use them wisely. They are the link to our survival as Anatomically Modern Humans. C

About the author Jean Lafleur is a professional geologist with 45 years of experience in geology and mineral exploration nationally and internationally, as a C-suite executive and in management roles, and as a technical, management and financing consultant with junior explorers for the past 16 years through his private geo-consultancy firm. His expertise also spans company and project evaluations and audits; exploration program planning, execution and reporting, and research. He received his BSc and MSc degrees in Geology from the University of Ottawa, and was active as an exploration geologist early in his career with Newmont, Falconbridge, Dome Mines and Placer Dome. He has led exploration teams in the search for precious and base metals, nickel and PGEs, uranium, and iron. He brings a proven track record in mineral exploration leading to discovery, in strategic planning, and leadership skills.

Coring Magazine #10

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Directional Drilling Cont.

Rates for print catalog listings Basic insert 80€ per issue 150€ per three issues Includes a text-only listing with a company name, telephone and fax number, email and web address.

Highlighted insert 120€ per issue 260€ per three issues Includes a basic insert of the same size but with a color background for better exposure.

Featured insert 200€ per issue 450€ per three issues A large advert-sized listing with your image of choice as a background, your company logo, strapline, text of 240 symbols, and company contact details.

Surveying & Geophysics (A-Z) CORE TECH Phone (511) 255-5701 ventas@coretech.com.pe www.coretech.com.pe Peru

DIGITAL SURVEYING Phone +27 18 788 6349 sales@digitalsurveying.co.za www.digitalsurveying.com.za Africa

DOWNHOLE SURVEYS Phone +61 (0) 8 9361 4745 sales@downhole.com.au www.downhole.com.au Australia

GYRODATA SERVICES CANADA Phone +1 705 494 0075 don.black@gyrodata.com www.gyrodata.com Canada

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING SERVICES Phone +1 480-824-7100 IDSinfo@IDSdrill.com www.idsdrill.com United States, Canada

TRUST SOLUÇÕES GEOLÓGICAS Phone +55 62 992720023 contato@trustsg.com.br Brazil

Drilling Equipment & Accessories Drill Rigs and Accessories (A-Z) ACKER DRILL Phone 570-586-2061 Fax 570-586-2659 sales@ackerdrill.com www.ackerdrill.com ATELIER VAL-D’OR Phone (819) 824-3676 Fax (819) 824-2891 ateliervd@ateliervd.qc.ca www.ateliervd.qc.ca

BARKOM Phone 90-312 385 60 50 Fax 90-312 385 35 75 info@barkomltd.com www.barkomltd.com DI-CORP Phone +1 (780) 395-5036 info@di-corp.com www.di-corp.com

Coring Magazine #10

Drill Rigs and Accessories Cont. FORSUN ULTRA-HARD MATERIAL INDUSTRY Phone +86-731 84254020 Fax +86-731 84252208 info@forsuntools.com www.forsun-tools.com GEO DRILLING MACHINERY MANUFACTURING Phone +90-312-354-8576 Fax +90-312-385-6215 www.geosondajmakine.com HOLE PRODUCTS Phone +1 909-939-2581 Fax +1 909-891-0434 www.holeproducts.com HYDRACORE DRILLS Phone +1 604-940-4937 +1 604-940-4919 info@hydracore.com www.hydracore.com DISCOVERY DRILL MANUFACTURER (DDM) Phone 1-506-542-9708 Fax 1-506-542-9709 info@discoverydrills.com www.discoverydrills.com

DRILLCO MINING AND

DURALITE DIAMOND DRILLS

EVERDIGM

EXPLORATION

Phone 709 263-7221

Phone 82-2-801-0800

Phone 1 705-476-3629

Fax 709 263-7231

Fax 82-2-801-0799

s.brisson@drillcomining.ca

duralitedrills@nf.sympatico.ca

info@everdigm.com

www.drillcomining.ca/

www.duralitediamonddrills.com

www.everdigm.com

INTERNATIONAL DRILLING SERVICES Phone +1 480-824-7100 IDSinfo@IDSdrill.com www.idsdrill.com

MAXIDRILL INC Phone +1 450-763-0212 Fax +1 514-221-2356 info@maxidrill.com www.maxidrill.com ODYSSEY FLUID POWER Phone 705 707 1780 info@odysseyfluidpower.com www.odysseyfluidpower.com SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION Phone 1-905 632 4940 Fax 1-905 632 2172 www.mining.sandvik.com SINOCOREDRILL Phone 86-510-82723272 Fax 86-510-82752846 sales@sinocoredrill.com www.sinocoredrill.com USINAGEM MARCOTTE Phone 1-819-824-3977 www.umvd.ca VERSA DRILL Phone 1-819-874-4404 www.versadrillcanada.com

RC Equipment (A-Z) BOART LONGYEAR Phone 1-801-972-6430 Fax 1-801-977-3374 www.boartlongyear.com

Diamond Products (A-Z) ASAHI DIAMOND

DIAMANTINA CHRISTENSEN

Phone + 61-2-9997-7033

Phone 56(9) 7707 9371

Fax +61-2-9997-8313

christensen@christensen.cl

sales@asahi-diamond.com.au

www.diamantinachristensen.com

www.asahi-diamond.com.au

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

DIASET

CORE TECH

Phone 1-800-663-5004

Phone (511) 255-5701

Fax 604-940-9534

ventas@coretech.com.pe

bits@diaset.com

www.coretech.com.pe

www.diaset.com

/DIAMOND DRILLING CATALOG

Diamond Products Cont. DI-CORP Phone 775-424-3045 www.di-corp.com DIMATEC Phone 1-866-202-5875 Fax 1-204-832-4268 info@dimatec.com www.dimatec.com DRILLING HQ Phone 1 (208) 690-3111 Info@DrillingHQ.com www.drillinghq.com DYNAMIK Phone 1-877-867-8398 Fax 819-762-2325 info@equipementdynamik.com www.drilling.dynamik.com FORSUN ULTRA-HARD MATERIAL INDUSTRY Phone 86-731 84254020 Fax 86-731 84252208 info@forsuntools.com www.forsun-tools.com

pilotdiamondtools.ca sales@pilotdiamondtools.ca +1 705 497 3715 +1 705 497 3714

PARTNER OF THE WORLD’S BEST DRILLERS Supplier of world-class diamond products to the diamond drilling and construction industries. Business models and technology have changed over the years, but Pilot Diamond Tools’ core business values have not.

GEO DRILLING MACHINERY MANUFACTURING Phone 90-312-354-8576 Fax 90-312-385-6215 www.geosondajmakine.com HARGRAND DRILLING TOOLS Phone 86-010-61599828 Fax 86-010-61599828 whp@baoqizt.com www.hargrand.com HOFFMAN DIAMOND PRODUCTS Phone 800-444-4180 Fax 814-938-7625 sales@hoffmandiamond.com www.hoffmandiamond.com HOLE PRODUCTS Phone 909-939-2581 Fax 909-891-0434 www.holeproducts.com

HUD MINING SUPPLIES 27 (0) 11-974-1500 info@hud.co.za www.hud.co.za JUFERMA Phone 34-91 498 93 07 Fax 34-91 498 93 06 diamondjuferma@juferma.com www.juferma.com LEVANTO DIAMOND SOLUTIONS Phone 358-9-511-470 Fax 358-9-5114-7470 info@levanto.fi www.levanto.fi MBI DRILLING PRODUCTS Phone 1-819 762-9645 Fax 1-819 762-2845 www.mbidrillingproducts. com/en/ SAFARI DIAMOND DRILL BITS Phone 1-888-500-BITS(2487) Fax 604-275-2487 safaribits@telus.net www.safaridiamonddrillbits. com SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION Phone 1-905 632 4940 Fax 1-905 632 2172 www.mining.sandvik.com SINOCOREDRILL Phone 86-510-82723272 Fax 86-510-82752846 sales@sinocoredrill.com www.sinocoredrill.com TECSO Phone 34-91 870 15 47 Fax 34-91 871 41 69 comercial@tecso-sa.com www.tecso.es

Core Barrels (A-Z) DIAMANTINA CHRISTENSEN Phone 56(9) 7707 9371 christensen@christensen.cl www.diamantinachristensen.com DI-CORP Phone 775-424-3045

info@di-corp.com

www.di-corp.com

DRILLING HQ Phone 1 (208) 690-3111 Info@DrillingHQ.com www.drillinghq.com

FORDIA Phone 514-336-9211 Fax 514-745-4125 info@fordia.com www.fordia.com FORSUN ULTRA-HARD MATERIAL INDUSTRY Phone 86-731 84254020 Fax 86-731 84252208 info@forsuntools.com www.forsun-tools.com

Coring Magazine #10

Core Barrels Cont. K. MAIKAI Phone 81-3-3490-8433 Fax 81-3-3490-8622 www.kmaikai.co.jp/eng KUVAWALA CORE DRILL EQUIPMENTS Phone + 91 22 66635452 Fax + 91 22 66607358 mgk@kuvawalacoredrill.com www.kuvawalacoredrill.com

HARGRAND DRILLING TOOLS Phone 86-010-61599828 Fax 86-010-61599828 whp@baoqizt.com www.hargrand.com

HOLE PRODUCTS Phone 909-939-2581 Fax 909-891-0434 www.holeproducts.com

ICEMS Phone (16) 3367-3126 Fax (16) 3361-5073 icems@icems.com.br www.icems.com.br

JUFERMA Phone 34-91 498 93 07 Fax 34-91 498 93 06 diamondjuferma@juferma.com www.juferma.com

MBI DRILLING PRODUCTS Phone 1-819 762-9645 Fax 1-819 762-2845 www.mbidrillingproducts. com/en/

SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION Phone 1-905 632 4940 Fax 1-905 632 2172 www.mining.sandvik.com SINOCOREDRILL Phone 86-510-82723272 Fax 86-510-82752846 sales@sinocoredrill.com www.sinocoredrill.com TECSO Phone 34-91 870 15 47 Fax 34-91 871 41 69 comercial@tecso-sa.com www.tecso.es TERRA TEAM OY Phone 358-9-849-4030 info@terra-team.fi www.terra-team.fi/en

Drill Rods & Casings (A-Z) SPECIALITY CHEMICALS, PARTS AND ACCESSORIES di-corp.com info@di-corp.com 1-800-661-2792

Di Corp focuses on all aspects of your industrial project; Mineral Exploration, Drilling Fluid Supply, Cementing & Stimulation, Mining, Research & Development, Testing Equipment, and all Small Bore Drilling disciplines.

BARKOM Phone 90-312 385 60 50 Fax 90-312 385 35 75 info@barkomltd.com www.barkomltd.com

TECHNIDRILL SAS Phone +33 492 088 220 Fax +33 492 088 229 rolf@technidrill.com www.technidrill.com

BOART LONGYEAR Phone 1-801-972-6430 Fax 1-801-977-3374 www.boartlongyear.com CORE TECH Phone (511) 255-5701 ventas@coretech.com.pe www.coretech.com.pe DIAMANTINA CHRISTENSEN Phone 56(9) 7707 9371 christensen@christensen.cl www.diamantinachristensen.com FORDIA Phone 514-336-9211 Fax 514-745-4125 info@fordia.com www.fordia.com GEO DRILLING MACHINERY MANUFACTURING Phone 90-312-354-8576 Fax 90-312-385-6215 www.geosondajmakine.com KUVAWALA CORE DRILL EQUIPMENTS Phone + 91 22 66635452 Fax + 91 22 66607358 mgk@kuvawalacoredrill.com www.kuvawalacoredrill.com SANDVIK MINING AND CONSTRUCTION Phone 1-905 632 4940 Fax 1-905 632 2172 www.mining.sandvik.com SON-MAK Phone +90 224 482 44 40 - 41 Fax +90 224 482 44 39 info@son-mak.com.tr www.son-mak.com

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

/DIAMOND DRILLING CATALOG

Wedges (A-Z) FORDIA

SONDA PARTS

Phone 514-336-9211

Phone 55 – (31) 3391 3810

Fax 514-745-4125

Fax 55 – (31) 3391 3810

info@fordia.com

comercial@sondaparts.

www.fordia.com REFLEX

com.br www.sondaparts.com.br/

Phone 1-705-235-2169

TERRA TEAM OY

Fax 1-705-235-2165

Phone 358-9-849-4030

reflex@imdexlimited.com

info@terra-team.fi

www.reflexnow.com

www.terra-team.fi/en/

Specialized Machine Works (A-Z) NORTH BAY MACHINING CENTRE Phone (705) 472-9416 Fax (705) 472-2927 luc@nbmc.ca www.nbmc.ca PROLENC Phone (250) 563-8899 Fax (250) 563-6704 khodgins@prolenc.com www.prolenc.com

Survey Equipment Survey Tools (A-Z) AZIWELL Phone + 47 471 600 71 post@aziwell.no www.aziwell.no BOART LONGYEAR

STOCKHOLM PRECISION TOOLS Phone 46-8-590-733-10 Fax 46-8-590-731-55 info@stockholmprecisiontools.com www.stockholmprecisiontools. com

Phone 1-801-972-6430 Fax 1-801-977-3374 www.boartlongyear.com ICEEFIELD TOOLS Phone +1 (867) 633-4264 Fax +1 (867) 633-4217 support@icefieldtools.com www.icefieldtools.com REFLEX INSTRUMENTS Phone 61 8 9445 4020 Fax 61 8 9445 4040 reflex@imdexlimited.com www.reflexnow.com

Coring Magazine #10

Survey Tools Cont.

Rates for print catalog listings Basic insert 80€ per issue 150€ per three issues Includes a text-only listing with a company name, telephone and fax number, email and web address.

Highlighted insert 120€ per issue 260€ per three issues Includes a basic insert of the same size but with a highlighted colored background for better exposure.

Featured insert 200€ per issue 450€ per three issues A large advert sized listing with your image of choice as background, your company logo, strapline, text of 240 symbols, company contact details.

Core Orientation (A-Z) BOART LONGYEAR Phone 1-801-972-6430 Fax 1-801-977-3374 www.boartlongyear.com

COREFINDER Phone +55 62 992720023 contato@corefinder.com.br www.corefinder.com.br

DEVICO Phone +47 72870101 devico@devico.no www.devico.com

REFLEX INSTRUMENTS Phone 61 8 9445 4020 Fax 61 8 9445 4040 reflex@imdexlimited.com www.reflexnow.com

Miscellaneous Drilling Fluids (A-Z)

ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE DRILLING FLUIDS & LUBRICANTS matexdrillingfluids.ca orders@matexdrillingfluids.ca +1 403 720 7044 +1 403 720 4951

Faster. Deeper. Safer.

Control Chemical (1989) Corporation has been a manufacturer of high performance drilling fluid systems and our proprietary vegetable oil lubricants under the Matex brand name for over 25 years.

CEBO HOLLAND B. V. (BAROID) Phone +31 255 546 262 info@cebo.com www.cebo.com CORE TECH Phone (511) 255-5701 ventas@coretech.com.pe www.coretech.com.pe

JC PORTAL DRILLING SUPPLIES Phone (33) 3810 6099 (33) 1561 6618 ventas@jcpds.com.mx www.jcpds.com.mx

/DIAMOND DRILLING CATALOG

Drilling Fluids Cont. MUDEX Phone +61 (8) 9390 4620 info@mudex.com.au www.mudex.com.au TIGER FLUIDS Phone +61 (0) 417 60 11 info@tigerfluids.com www.tigerfluids.com

Packers (A-Z) HOLE PRODUCTS Phone +1 909 939 2581 Fax +1 909 891 0434 holeproducts.com SON-MAK Phone +90 224 482 44 40 Fax +90 224 482 44 39 info@son-mak-com.tr www.son-mak-com.tr

Core Trays (A-Z)

BY FAR THE BEST STORAGE SOLUTION FOR CORE SURVEYS corecase.com.br contact@corecase.com.br +55 51 3012 6531

Core Case designs and develops core boxes and accessories using 100% recycled material. They are resistant, lightweight and easy to carry, as well as more durable than wooden boxes.

DYNAMICS G-EX Phone +61 7 54826649 sales@dynamicsgex.com.au www.dynamicsgex.com.au PROSPECTORS Phone +61 (02) 9839 3500 Fax +61 (02) 8824 5250 sales@prospectors.com.au

Health & Safety

Coring Magazine #10

ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE

DRILLING FLUIDS

MATEXDRILLINGFLUIDS.CA