Coring Magazine Issue 18 by Coring Magazine

GEODRILL ®

AFRICA’S PREFERRED DRILLING PARTNER

Issue 18

Drilling

Exploration & Mining Geology

January 2022

In Focus // › Geodrill

Q&A from the Experts // › Dr Benedikt Steiner, Director at XPLORE GLOBAL Ltd.

ISSN 2367-847X www.coringmagazine.com

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Explorat ion

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More Inside // › Gold Fever in Guyana › Rupert Resources: The Benefits of Aggressive Drilling

D r i l l i ng

W A L 20 L C 22 A IN LEN SI D DE A R

21 Questions // › Mario Rouillier, President at Groupe Rouillier

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Table Contents /21 QUESTIONS 6

Exclusive interview: Mario Rouillier, President at Groupe Rouillier

/IN FOCUS 12

Geodrill: Africa’s preferred drilling partner by Dave Harper, CEO at Geodrill

/TECHNICAL MATERIAL 26 A technical note on dogleg severity by Dag Billger, Owner & Business Manager and Duncan McLeod, Owner & Product Manager at Inertial Sensing

/PRODUCT REVIEW: DRLL RIGS 30 From Russia with core strength: RS-90 drill rig manufactured by Rusmining Export 32

Meet MAX: The 8000 lb beast that drills up to 3100 meters N-size by Rishi Budshah, CMO at Hydracore Drills Ltd.

/COMPANY EXPANSION 36 Explomin’s global expansion plan by Peggy Silva Mayser, Commercial Manager at Explomin Perforaciones

/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY 40 Q&A from the experts: In conversation with Dr Benedikt Steiner, Director at XPLORE GLOBAL Ltd. 46 Rupert Resources: The benefits of aggressive drilling by Jane Lockwood, Spotlight Mining

/DRILL RODS 18

Steel-made precision tubes for drill rods by Steffen Zimmermann, Head of Technical Sales/Application Engineering; Sebastian Schulze, Application Engineer; Corentin Lorc’h, Quality Manager and Pierre-Jean Marchais, Process Engineer at Mannesmann Precision Tubes

Gold fever in Guyana by Ian Foreman, Principal of Foremost Corporate Services

/EXPLORATION DRILLING CATALOG 52 Diamond drilling services 53

Drilling equipment & accessories

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Survey equipment

22 MK-2 Rod Feeder (patent pending): The independent rod handling system that eliminates all hands-on steel operations for diamond drilling by Quentin Dulake, Global Sales Executive at Exploration Drill Masters Chile S.A.

58 Miscellaneous

/AUTHORS

Authors in this issue

Mario Rouillier President at Groupe Rouillier

Duncan McLeod Owner & Product Manager Dag Billger Owner & Business Manager

Dave Harper CEO at Geodrill

Dr Benedikt Steiner Director at XPLORE GLOBAL Ltd.

Rishi Budshah CMO at Hydracore Drills Ltd.

Ian Foreman Principal at Foremost Corporate Services

at Inertial Sensing

DOWNLOAD YOUR 2022 CALENDAR

Peggy Silva Mayser Commercial Manager at Explomin Perforaciones

CORING MAGAZINE January 2022 Cover photo Geodrill Issue 18 ISSN 2367-847X Not for resale. Subscribe: www.coringmagazine.com/subscribe

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Publisher Coring Media Editor in Chief Grigor Topev Executive Officer & Editor Martina Samarova Editor Maksim M. Mayer Section Editor – Exploration & Mining Geology Timothy Strong

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Coring Magazine is an international quarterly title covering 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 platform for learning about the industry’s exciting developments.

Coring Magazine #18

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/21 QUESTIONS

Exclusive interview with

Mario Rouillier

questions

President at Groupe Rouillier

Mario Rouillier studied in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, earning a degree in Business Administration. His drilling career began more than 39 years ago when as a teenager, he started working in his father’s company Rouillier Drilling. Mario moved up the ranks as driller’s helper, driller, foreman, general manager and finally as owner and president. In 1994, Mario began considering buying the company from his father, Marcel. Armed with business administration skills and the support of his uncle Raymond, Mario purchased Rouillier Drilling and thus achieved his dream of taking over the family business and making it one of the biggest drilling contractors of Eastern Canada. Over the next years, Mario’s decision to acquire both Boréal Drilling and Azimut Drilling, Pro Drilling Guyane, Foramex, Nordique Drilling as well as drilling equipment manufacturers VersaDrill Canada and MBI Global substantially contributed to Groupe Rouillier becoming the largest private mining group in Canada. This family of companies offers a complete range of services and products. Mario is a Board Member of several organizations including MISA, an organization working to stimulate innovation in the Québec mining sector, and the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association (CDDA). He is a shareholder of the Research in Diamond Drilling (RIDD) organization and also of Youdin Rouillier Drilling, a Cree company, as well as Avataa Rouillier Drilling, an Inuit company. Since 2007, Mario has been a Chairman of the Board of Directors of Refuge Pageau, shelter and rehabilitation center for wild animals. 6

Grigor Topev: Tell us the story about your start in the drilling industry? Mario Rouillier: Our family business was drilling and I wanted to be a part of it. I started working summers as a driller’s helper when I was 15. At that time, drilling machinery wasn’t what it is today. The work was difficult, and techniques and work safety were far from being as developed as they are nowadays. GT: During your climb to success, you worked in almost every position at your father’s company - Rouillier Drilling. Which position left the strongest impression on you and taught you the most valuable lessons? MR: Management is without a doubt the most challenging, but also the most rewarding part of the work. Learning by working with my father was invaluable. He taught me the ropes and was there through every step and coached me on how to take care of our people. Having himself been a driller, he knew exactly what the work entailed and the effort it required. One day, as we were grocery shopping for our teams in the field, I remember him telling me that I need to get the best for them. Those big steaks were what they deserved after a long day of work. I never forgot that. Our philosophy and slogan are ‘We Care Deeply’ and this has been the spirit of our business since the start when my father founded Rouillier Drilling. Coring Magazine #18

GT: What has been the most impressive drilling project that you have ever participated in?

GT: After long years at Rouillier Drilling, you bought the company. How did you decide to make this step?

MR: There was one project in Peru which was at a high altitude that comes to mind. However, the one that left the strongest impression is by far the Lapa Mine, at the beginning of this decade. This was an Agnico Eagle mine that was newly discovered along the Cadillac Fault, between Val-d’Or and Rouyn, in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue area of Québec, Canada. This project required that we refine and perfect our operations. And so, it brought forth a lot of development in our techniques enabling us to make great strides in our methods. It presented so many challenges, among which, wedges, deep holes and deviation, along with work on additives. At that time, re-using waters was not as present a concern as it is today, this awareness was only beginning, and that was a turning point for us, as we integrated this practice to our operations. I must also add that our contract in the Polar Circle has also brought its fair share of challenges.

MR: In 1995, my father was talking about selling the company to prepare for his retirement. When I found out, I decided I needed to make an offer to buy the business. I worked hard for a whole year to get the financing required. I acquired the company because I wanted our family business to remain in the family. As a young man in my twenties, I was confident I could make it work because I was very well-surrounded. I had the core team, many of

GT: Name the project that took the longest to complete and the one that required the highest number of drill rigs in the last 25 years. MR: Several of our projects required a lot of time and a larger number of drill rigs. Firstly, the previously mentioned Lapa Mine. Also, the Bracemac-McLeod project in Matagami, Canada that is owned by Glencore, along with Raglan Mines’ Nunavik, Amex Explorations, and several other projects. The project that has lasted the longest with the greatest number of drill rigs on-site for us is Osisko Mining’s Windfall project that has been ongoing since 2015. It is located up north in the James Bay region and is three hours from Lebel-sur-Quévillon, Canada in different zones (Main, Lynx and Underdog) and covers a length of 2300 m (7546 ft) and spans to a depth of about 1500 m (4921 ft) from the surface down. GT: What is one improvement or innovation that has revolutionized drilling since the beginning of your career? How has the industry changed since its implementation? MR: The aspect where I have seen the most improvement and innovation is in terms of deviation when drilling. We have managed to closely monitor, follow and bring more precision to our drilling operations. Drillers’ trusted publication

‘As a young man in my twenties, I was confident I could make it work because I was very wellsurrounded. I had the core team, many of which are still in the company today, to help me navigate through this new position and responsibility. I also had my father’s brotherin-law, Uncle Raymond, with me to lead us on to the coming challenges. It wasn’t easy but it was greatly facilitated by what I call my team of superheroes at my side.’ which are still in the company today, to help me navigate through this new position and responsibility. I also had my father’s brotherin-law, Uncle Raymond, with me to lead us on to the coming challenges. It wasn’t easy but it was greatly facilitated by what I call my team of superheroes at my side. GT: You have established Groupe Rouillier. Please tell us the specialty of each of the companies that form it. MR: Groupe Rouillier encompasses Rouillier Drilling specializing in surface, underground,

and heli-portable diamond drilling; Youdin Rouillier Drilling and Avataa Rouillier Drilling in diamond drilling services, respectively in partnership with the Cree Nation and the Inuit Nation. In manufacturing, and under the helm of MBI Global, itself offering custom solutions in superior core drilling products for superior results, are VersaDrill Canada providing high-performance diamond drills, and GtechDrill, specializing in exceptional geotechnical drills. In addition, VersaRent leases geotechnical drills. Furthermore, our expert research unit, RIDD, is engaged in the research and development of additive manufactured coatings using directed energy deposition (DED) technology. GT: It will be interesting to know where does Rouillier Drilling stand on the Canadian market? MR: Rouillier Drilling is among Eastern Canada’s largest private companies in our area of activities and has over 350 employees at this time. GT: Can you share interesting and little-known facts about VersaDrill Canada and its acquisition by Groupe Rouillier? MR: In 2013, we acquired VersaDrill Canada, a manufacturer of underground and surface drill rigs, that is now under the banner of MBI Global. We invested a great deal in the design of a series of geotechnical drills and in the research and development of an autonomous drill rig, which is presently in use for a trial period at Agnico Eagle’s Goldex Mine. Now under the MBI Global banner, VersaDrill Canada’s development has taken place by working to strengthen and widen its distribution center. We currently have four offices and 16 distributors worldwide, we sell in 30 countries, and are working to further expand sales. Ongoing projects to further develop the autonomous drill rig are underway. We are also developing and testing a drill rod handling device for underground drilling. Other very promising projects are in the works in relation to diamond along with geotechnical drilling. We are making great strides and will soon be able to bring more details about these. GT: Rouillier Drilling offers a work-study program that provides paid training in diamond drilling. Please elaborate on that. MR: We have three types of programs. One of them is offered through a partnership with the CFP Val-d’Or, which dispenses Diploma of Vocational Studies (DVS) programs, among which, a paid 600-hour program. Students 7

/21 QUESTIONS

complete this four-month program and can immediately start working as drillers’ helpers, with the benefit of an assured job with us. We have also worked jointly with Avataa Rouillier Drilling to set up the Avataa Rouillier Drilling school to offer comprehensive training to local workers who are interested in working in our industry. This has been made possible thanks to the invaluable participation of Kativik Ilisarniliriniq, Raglan Mine, CSMO Mines, as well as Charlie Watt and Christine Nakoolak of Avataa Rouillier Drilling. And lastly, our in-house program for drillers’ helpers, who perform very well, and for the drillers coaching them. This way a driller’s helper can become a driller sooner.

These employees are very proud of their accomplishments and are rewarded for their efforts, thus far it has been a very successful initiative. One of our drillers has even written a book detailing the procedures to guide drillers’ helpers and aiding them in becoming self-reliant faster. It is very inspiring for us to see our experienced drillers passing on their knowledge and teaching up-and-coming drillers. GT: What do you think about the labor shortage issue in Canada? What caused it? What are the possible solutions to the situation? MR: There is indeed a labor shortage, in all sectors of the Canadian economy, as the popula-

tion is aging and a whole generation of experienced workers is retiring. For the decade to come, there will be a gap in skilled labor, and all industries will be searching for employees. Also, when our sector was experiencing a lag, companies weren’t investing as much in recruiting and training. One solution is to work together as companies and consult with each other. That is already happening with the help of the Québec Mineral Exploration Association and MISA, as we work together on finding solutions. Another solution is to continue to work as we are with MBI Global on developing and perfecting an autonomous drill rig, as well as drill rod handling equipment, to attract a greater number of people to occupy these jobs. A person with less experience will be able to operate the autonomous drill rig much more easily. In fact, we have a driller’s helper who started using this drill rig and within a few weeks was able to operate it on his own. As the equipment becomes easier and simpler to operate, it will no longer take years and years to become a driller. The autonomous drill now collects data to help us adjust and manage our drilling operations in real-time. That is certainly a vital key to managing the shortage. GT: In 2021, there have been many high-profile mergers and acquisitions. What are the requirements for a successful merger/acquisition? Do you think that the diamond drilling industry is heading towards a market consolidation particularly in Canada? MR: Between 2012 and 2018, we saw a good deal of mergers and acquisitions in our sector because those were harder times. I expect that there will be many more in the years to come. There is a growing trend, across all business sectors, towards consolidating. This will happen either in an effort to see expansion, bring a more diversified offer and reach a larger market share, or because smaller companies will team up with larger corporations in their efforts to protect their supplier chain and also to overcome the challenges of the labor shortage. There is definitely strength in numbers. GT: How did you tackle the COVID-19 pandemic? Has the importance of safety increased since?

↑ Visiting the Nunavik contract 8

MR: Safety has always been a concern in our field and our employees’ awareness is absolutely essential to a safe work environment. I think the effect the pandemic may have had on employees is making them all the more aware of the importance of their safety. Coring Magazine #18

The health and safety of our employees have always been an integral part of our values, and so, a top priority. We acted very quickly when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. We added to our already rigorous safety practices immediately by implementing preventive measures to make our teams feel safe. We kept our staff well-informed, created hygiene stations with all the necessary items for a safe work environment, added signage as reminders, and adapted all our work vehicles with protective panels to ensure proper distancing and safety. GT: What would make a contractor a preferred employer in the drilling industry? MR: To have a good relationship with your employees, you must remain close to them and their reality. Listening to them, being open-minded, knowing what their needs are and working on ways to make their work easier and help them perform their duties, are a given. We have always had as one of our core values, caring for our employees. For several years now, we have had an employee assistance program (EAP) which ensures our teams have quick and easy access to health professionals, we even have an in-house doctor at their disposal! It is a natural thing for us to see to their safety and contentment in their job. After all, our slogan is ‘We Care Deeply’, and that is reflected in all we do. GT: From your point of view, what is the most important quality that makes a drilling contractor stand out among the others and become a preferred choice for the mining companies? MR: A way to stand out and be noticed is to not only be aware of the environmental issues and stakes but also to be proactive about them, and implement clear and effective measures. As well, having superior health and safety policies and practices makes a company more attractive. It is crucial to take care of the environment and the people in it. Obtaining the UL ECOLOGO® certification for mineral exploration is a concrete way to ensure the company’s practices are in line with today’s environmental and social concerns. We were in fact honored at the Québec Mineral Exploration Association’s 2021 convention, Xplor, and received the ‘Excellence in Sustainable Development’ Recognition award. It is the way of the present and the future. GT: Over the past few years, Rouillier Drilling experienced an increase in the Drillers’ trusted publication

↑ Mario and his daughter Frédérique Rouillier, HR, visiting a drill site to put their slogan ‘We care deeply’ into action number of deep and directional drilling projects. How did you manage to achieve that? MR: We have indeed improved and perfected our drilling methods by drilling deeper and honing our skills and specializing in reaching our clients’ geological targets. What will vastly contribute to these operations will be collecting data with our autonomous drill rigs. This will allow us to drill more precisely and require less drilling meterage for our clients while reaching more targets, thus increasing the potential for success. In other words, drilled meters will be quality meters,

bringing more results. Drilling less but drilling better. GT: What is your prognosis for the diamond drilling industry in 2022 (compared to 2021)? Do you think that the price per drilled meter will go higher? MR: I believe numbers will remain stable. In 2022, the number of meters drilled will be close to those drilled in 2021. The labor shortage will be the factor that will limit our activities and we won’t be able to take on more works. There may be a demand but we will not have all the skilled labor required. 9

/21 QUESTIONS

GT: You’ve mentioned autonomous drill rigs several times, what is your opinion on their future and potential?

vance drill rod and inner tube assistance through the development of handling tools and equipment.

MR: The autonomous drill rig is certainly the means to reaching more targets. It collects data and allows drilling assistance making for smarter, more efficient drilling. Having a single operator is an excellent solution to the labor shortage. We will now be speaking in terms of operators as opposed to experienced drillers, widening the possibilities for finding workers. Our operators will be better equipped for better performance, and this will further raise their salaries, enabling them to drill more meters.

GT: You have held many leadership roles over the years. What are the qualities that you think helped you thrive? What would be your advice to young entrepreneurs that want to start on their own in the drilling industry?

GT: What other game-changing technologies do you think will be developed and implemented in exploration drilling in the next five years? MR: The upcoming technology that will help drillers in their work will be to further ad-

MR: The key is to unequivocally surround yourself with the best. I also believe it is very important to map out a clear and concise plan and to share it with your team. Having a strong guiding principle and making sure it is understood by your entire team is essential. If I had to give one piece of advice, I would say to new drilling contractors to do it with a passion, not just for the money. Surround yourself well and bring out the best in your people for a well-rounded, efficient team. Give a good idea to a mediocre team and they’ll find

a way to screw it up; give a mediocre idea to a good team and they’ll find a way to make it a success. It goes without saying that your team must be provided with the best tools and support, and as a leader, you must be ready to make the difficult decisions and navigate this arduous process. Make your team’s skills and talents your best assets. Finally, the UL 2724 ECOLOGO® Certification Program for Suppliers of Mineral Exploration Industry is a powerful tool to make your company an active player for the future. We must follow the rules and think of our activities as a long-term endeavor contributing to the health of the planet and its inhabitants. C

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Coring Magazine #18

/IN FOCUS

Geodrill: Africa’s preferred drilling partner by Dave Harper, CEO at Geodrill

Coring Magazine #18

GEODRILL

Geodrill is a well-established drilling contractor and a preferred partner in West Africa. The company prides itself on investing in modern equipment and worldclass operations to supply its clients with a ‘one-stop’ drilling solution. As a purposeled company, their expertise, experience in the field, highest maintenance, Health, safety, environment and quality (HSEQ) standards, and Environmental, social and governance (ESG) vision and values, have earned Geodrill a reputation for delivering results. This is best demonstrated by an impressive rig growth profile – attributable to the company’s strong culture of professionalism, customer satisfaction and caring for the communities in which they operate. Company history and development Geodrill was founded in Ghana in 1998 by the current CEO Dave Harper with one rig and one contract. The company soon began adding rigs in response to growing demand and has continued to expand from country to country. For the following decade, 2000 to 2010, Geodrill focused on expanding its operations into neighboring countries such as Burkina Faso and Côte d’Ivoire where the company established a number of operational and support bases to service its growing rig fleet. The company also operated in Niger, Guinea and Togo. In 2010, the company listed on the Toronto stock market, under ticker GEO.T. In 2017, Geodrill commenced operations underground and currently operates a fleet of six Boart Longyear LM™90 underground drill rigs. Three years later, the company expanded its geographic presence into South America through its wholly owned subsidiary Recon Drilling. Their maiden project in the Santander mine, Peru, has broken the record for the deepest hole in the country at 1990.3 m (≈ 6530 ft). Drilling was conducted at altitudes ranging from 4500 m (14 800 ft) to 5000 m (16 400 ft). Recon has since continued expanding in the Latin American region (read more in Issue 17 of Coring Magazine). In 2021, Geodrill also added mine blast hole drilling to its business, providing the full gamut of explorations services. The company was honored with an award for its excellent operational record in mining and exploration by The Millennium Excellence Foundation (MEF). The ceremony was held in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region in Ghana, in the presence of the country’s president. Among the previous recipients is Kofi Annan – former Secretary-General of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Prize winner. Today, Geodrill has a fleet of 71 drill rigs and is one of the leading exploration companies operating primarily in Ghana, Burkina-Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Mali in West Africa; Egypt in North Africa, and Peru in South America. The company revenue in Q3 of 2021 has increased by 44% in comparison to Q3 2020, while maintaining strong profitability. Drillers’ trusted publication

/IN FOCUS

↑ Geodrill’s Anwiankwanta Operations Base, located near Kumasi in Ghana

One of the key aspects behind these excellent results is that Geodrill has extended its core multi-rig operations. Furthermore, the company managed to maintain a high utilization rate of 65% even during the wet season (April–October). In 2021, Geodrill was simultaneously utilizing rigs for drilling projects with the following clients: • 12 rigs with Endeavour Mining between their sites in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso; • 12 rigs with Perseus Mining on sites in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana; • 8 rigs with Roxgold in Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso; • 8 rigs working in Ghana for Asanko Gold; • 6 rigs with Atlantic Lithium (formerly Iron Ridge Resources) on projects in Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana. The projects with Endeavour Mining and Perseus Mining alone are expected to generate 500 000 m (1 640 420 ft) of drilling in 2022 and 2023. ‘With these significant industry tailwinds and favorable macroeconomic conditions, Geodrill remains focused on continuing to drive growth in revenue, earnings per share and return on equity,’ said CEO Dave Harper. ‘It is this type of organic growth, underpinned by our position as a driller of choice in West Africa, paired with long-term growth initiatives to expand globally, that continue to make Geodrill a compelling growth opportunity’.

Services Geodrill provides a broad selection of diverse drilling services (both exploration and delineation) to meet the specific needs of its clients. The company has drilled a total of 1.4 million meters (4 593 175 ft) in 2020 with hole depths ranging from 20 m (65.62 ft) all the way to 1950 m (6398 ft). These results are achieved through their complete range of 14

services including Reverse circulation (RC), Diamond core, Air-core, Grade control, Geo-tech, underground and water bore drilling. Offering both surface and underground drilling as well as specialized and more routine drilling services, has helped Geodrill establish itself as a universal drilling services provider. The company continually evaluates its suite of offered services with a view to maintaining a leadership position in the industry. The most preferred and popular service among Geodrill’s clients is RC drilling, typically to depths of up to 400 m (1312 ft). Geodrill often provides this method with the help of its multi-purpose rigs, which can switch between RC and diamond core drilling mid-way through a hole with minimal effort or down-time. This gives clients flexibility and reduces stand-by time and preparation and mobilization charges. Thus, the company’s efficiency is improved, lowering their ‘average cost per meter’.

Team Highly dedicated experts from around the world form the globally mobile Geodrill team that is able to teach best in class drillers and help them become qualified industry professionals. Geodrill has a strong emphasis on local employment and training from within. This is a major reason for the creation of a technical training center; a comprehensive state-of-the-art support base located near Kumasi, Ghana that is unique for Africa. The company has more than 1000 employees across its operations and administration teams. Geodrill hires locally as much as possible and provides extensive training and leadership opportunities to promote staff from within. As a result, the company has few expatriates Coring Magazine #18

GEODRILL

‘With these significant industry tailwinds and favorable macroeconomic conditions, Geodrill remains focused on continuing to drive growth in revenue, earnings per share and return on equity,’ said CEO Dave Harper. ‘It is this type of organic growth, underpinned by our position as a driller of choice in West Africa, paired with longterm growth initiatives to expand globally, that continue to make Geodrill a compelling growth opportunity. We expect conditions to remain strong into the beginning of 2022 and beyond, as gold prices continue to surge, attracting investment attention and driving exploration budgets and growth.’

in employment and relies almost entirely on the extensive expertise of their local staff. Geodrill is an equal opportunity employer proudly advocating for gender and diversity inclusion in recruitment and talent management. The company puts a large emphasis on the fair and equal treatment of everyone – from the directors to the candidates – regardless of their gender, age, culture and ethnicity, religious beliefs or disabilities.

The hub and spoke model With a geographic footprint spread across two continents, the company has established a ‘hub and spoke’ model with Ghana as the hub, and Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Mali; Egypt in North Africa; and Peru in South America as the spokes. The facility in Ghana has a specialized CNC machining center for manufacturing drill rods and consumables, thus reducing the need to ship parts from out-of-country minimizing downtime and increasing efficiency. The facility is also home to the Drill Academy where Geodrill training and development programs aim to provide personnel with the required skills and knowledge to perform drilling and maintenance to the highest international levels.

Safety The Geodrill safety procedures have been developed to meet and exceed all applicable government and client standards. By partnering with industry leaders in behavioral safety, incident investigation, workers’ compensation and Occupational safety and health administration

↑ Operating to the highest international HSEQ standards Drillers’ trusted publication

/IN FOCUS

↑ Geodrill’s Anwiankwanta Operations Base (OSHA) standards, the company has built a comprehensive integrated Health Safety and Environmental Management System. The core values of safety and productivity are a testament to Geordill’s commitment that all projects should be completed with Zero Harm to employees, contractors and the environment.

ESG focus Recently, Geodrill has been contributing a significant 2% of its total revenue to its ESG program. Over the past 24 months, Geodrill has honored its Corporate social responsibility (CSR) ongoing recipients while developing a strategy to create a legacy for future generations and to respond to urgent appeals such as: Immediate initiatives, concerned with COVID-19 - a community-based campaign to address urgent hygiene needs in Burkina Faso, were carried out in conjunction with Rox Gold. A little girl’s emergency lifesaving surgery overseas for a rare and disturbing eye cancer. Geodrill contributed for the construction of a purified water system for Pearl Safe Haven, the first safe house with a rehabilitation program for women and children survivors of gender-based violence in West Africa. Geodrill first undertook to drill the water hole and provided a sizeable donation for the construction works along with the Australian High Commission to Ghana. The company also stepped up to fund the amount needed to complete the works, including the roof, the furniture and the fittings. Without Geodrill filling the gap to finish the building, it would not have been completed, and thanks to the contributions it was able to open in early 2021. In line with the Sustainable development goals of the United Nations, education has been a key receiver of funds, as well as employee and management time and efforts. Significant sums of 150 000 cedi (approx. AUD 35 000) per institution have been awarded to improve the technical competence of a science laboratory, sporting and boarding facilities of three significant high schools in Ghana: Achimota in the capital, Tamale in the northern part, and Mfantsipim in the Cape Coast area. 16

While a lot of schools are in need, these donations will take competitive entry schools to the next level which also means a greater opportunity to continue to hire locally and to have home-grown technical expertise. Furthermore, education access for the handicapped remains an issue in Ghana and an important step is providing prosthetic limbs and specialized physiotherapy for children in need. Geodrill has been a longterm donor of Orthopedic Training Center in Nsawam. In June 2020, the company donated an emergency roof for the Cerebral Palsy therapy building, which had been ruined in a storm. Every year Geodrill contributes specialty-built wheelchairs for those in need at the center as well as general funding to continue giving movement back to children and youth (as well as adults) so that they can go on to participate in school and gain meaningful employment later on in life. An innovative collaboration with Children of the Light Ghana, a holistic education center, was formed in November 2020 with an environmental creative - McKingtorch Creatives. Children of the Light students were visiting the streets of Accra to read and share stories with children living on the street and became aware that many were not sleeping on any kind of mats. Geodrill funded 120 mats that were entirely made in Ghana, using recycled materials. The mats were distributed by the children to other children sharing the gift of giving. These unique mats led to a further collaboration with McKingtorch and bus shelters have been commissioned out of 100% recycled plastic waste. The collection site for plastic waste is hosted at the Geodrill Accra office. Promoting environmental education in Ghana, Geodrill has funded several initiatives over the past 24 months: Let’s Go Farming: a children’s farming and livelihood educational TV Show in Ghana, most recent episodes sponsored by Geodrill were August 7, 14 and 21, 2021. While these are just a sample of 2020-2021 projects Geodrill has undertaken in social and environmental aspects of its ESG program, this is an impressive range of recipients, with a firm policy of non-discrimination. As much as possible, CEO Dave Harper has been sure to play an active part in donating not only funds but committing his own time and that of key personnel at Geodrill to ensure that the personal connection, value and significance of the projects are emphasized.

2022 and beyond Geordill will continue its commitment to ESG causes and particularly to the communities where it operates throughout 2022. One of the biggest highlights is drilling for Ghana’s first lithium mine – Atlantic Lithium. Furthermore, Geodrill remains bullish on its expansion on the Egyptian market and expects to announce a significant drilling contract in the near future and the company is also looking to expand its operations to the Drill & Blast market. Meanwhile, Recon Drilling will increase its presence in South America through the subsidiary’s successful projects. ‘We expect conditions to remain strong into the beginning of 2022 and beyond, as gold prices continue to surge, attracting investment attention and driving exploration budgets and growth’, concluded Dave Harper. C

For more information Visit: www.geodrill-gh.com

Coring Magazine #18

Precision tubes made of steel are widely used for exploration or blasthole drilling. But to keep the drilling process running and the direction of drilling straight, tubes must behave elastically under service loads. This means no plastic deformation is allowed to take place to prevent drill rods from inelastic bending. Especially for long-distance drilling, tubes must withstand severe and harsh conditions. Besides the wear, mainly mechanical loads stress the precision steel tube by a combination of factors like tensile, torsion and bending loads at the same time.

he engineering of drill strings needs to consider the static tensile properties, the tube dimensions and apparent ‘secondary factors’ like residual stresses and corresponding straightness. The manufacturing process of precision steel tubes must balance all these properties by adjusting the cold deformation during the cold drawing pa18

rameters, the heat treatment conditions and the tube straightness all along the production process. These production steps and their interactions will define the performance of drill rod characteristics. As soon as the level of tensile residual stresses exceeds a critical limit, the internal stresses will cause a premature local plastic

↑ New straightening machine at Mannesmann plant in Vitry-leFrançois; in the front: measurement to check straightness; in the back: straightening operations

deformation - the permanent distortion that occurs when a material is subjected to tensile, compressive, bending, or torsion stresses that exceed its yield strength and cause it to elongate, compress, buckle, bend, or twist. This local plastic deformation will lead to a fast and early deviation from the planned drilling direction and, in combination with increased Coring Magazine #18

/DRILL RODS

Figure 1 - Pareto diagram to estimate single influences of production parameters vibration fatigue, would potentially lead to rod failure. Due to the trend towards being lightweight-structured, precision steel tubes have become lighter in recent years or, alternatively, already established tube dimensions have been used for deeper drill holes today. In both cases, tubes act closer to their limits. Therefore, Mannesmann focused its development activities on the product-process-interactions to ensure a well-balanced combination of straightness while maintaining the lowest level of residual stress and to fulfill all requirements regarding desired mechanical properties.

Precision tube manufacturing process In principle, precision steel tubes are produced by casting billets from a blast furnace (BF) steel mill, piercing the billets at very high temperatures and the subsequent hot rolling of pierced blocks. Hot rolling of pierced blocks comprises a dedicated stretching of length and a dedicated reduction of the outside diameter. The hot-rolled tubes (hollows) are handed over for a cold drawing process, which tightens the dimensional tolerances of the outside diameter, inside diameter, and thus wall thickness. At the same time, the mechanical properties are settled on a very homogeneous level all over the axial and transverse directions of the rod. This is thanks to the steel grade, the plastic deformation rates and all the parameters applied during the cold drawing process. Specific heat treatments judiciously positioned Drillers’ trusted publication

in the production route guarantee the best properties in terms of both yield and tensile strength. Finally, precision tubes for drill rod application are straightened to reach the best values of straightness. This process step will ensure the lowest deviations from desired drilling directions. Additionally, Mannesmann ensures the smoothest straightening operations to guarantee the lowest residual stress levels on final tubes. Especially straightening operations and their interactions with applied heat treatments have moved into the engineering focus because residual stress level and straightness are not acting fully independent from each other. In particular, both properties may counteract each other. The global aim of tube production is to minimize residual stresses and to increase straightness. Mannesmann fulfills that by producing precision steel tubes for drill rod applications in their plant, located in Vitry-leFrançois, France.

Mannesmann Precision Tubes’ process capability: Design of Experiments & statistical analysis Mannesmann plans its experiments with Design of Experiment - the systematic method to determine the relationship between factors affecting a process and the output of that process - to analyze and lay out process stabilities of productions already at the early

stages of the development process. Statistical approaches help to understand why properties may show scatter - the degree to which repeated measurements or observations of a quantity differ - and the significance of every single parameter. Thus, statistics is the key to controlling scatter of mechanical and geometrical properties and, therefore, constitutes the foundation for safe and reliable resistance against fatigue of tube components during drilling service. Mannesmann has varied the production steps parameters like heat treatment, drawing or straightening. Thus, drill rod precision tubes will release detrimental residual stresses in one way or another depending on operations and production parameters. At the end of the production route, tubes will show excellent straightness and very low residual stress levels at the same time. To characterize rod performance, Mannesmann has applied a four-point-bending configuration to determine the onset of plastic deformation of the tube’s mid-body. Instead of determining an Rp0,2-level by classical tensile tests, Mannesmann follows the idea of characterization of elastic limits (see Coring Magazine, September 2017 edition, page 16-19). Figure 1 shows the Pareto diagram of different production parameters. Mainly, the tubes’ dimensions, show the most effect on tube performances. But, the single effect of each parameter should be considered as well as the interactions of different parameters and each must be evaluated in detail. If the tubes’ dimension (diameter and wall thickness) is defined bigger, stiffness and bending forces will feature higher values. The main reason for this is the moment of inertia of the tubes (compare Figure 1), which grows rapidly with the diameter and wall thickness.

‘Mannesmann has varied the production steps parameters like heat treatment, drawing or straightening. Thus, drill rod precision tubes will release detrimental residual stresses in one way or another depending on operations and production parameters.’ 19

/DRILL RODS

At a first glance, the additionally investigated parameters seem to be less important or of the same importance. But with a closer look, it becomes apparent that straightening operation becomes the most important parameter to steer the desired tube performance.

Conclusions Mannesmann has adapted its manufacturing process to improve tube performances. By adjusting parameters all along the processes, tubes can be produced with differently balanced values of straightness: • 1 mm/6 m combined with residual stresses < 120 MPa or • 1 mm/2 m combined with residual stresses < 100 MPa. Mannesmann Precision Tubes invested in the recent years in the technology for heat treatment and straightening to install production means at the edge of available technologies. Therefore, Mannesmann installed a new straightening machine, including the interaction of measurement techniques plus online analysis of data to improve straightening operations. Now, the designer can choose between two different states depending on the applied drilling technology. Further optimizations are achievable by choosing between different steel grades. Mannesmann offers yield strength levels ranging from 550 MPa up to 950 MPa. They provide a broad variety of design strategies. Additionally, higher strength grades provide excellent resistance against abrasive degradation. If the tubes must be joined to connectors, perfect weldability for friction-stir welding is given for several grades. In addition, Mannesmann has developed a wide range of variable thickness tubes: Taylor Drawn Tubes (TDT®) B-/N-/H-/P-sizes and other specific designs on demand. This innovative family of tubes allows a weight reduction of up to 30% compared to the same dimension for the standard tube. These tubes are cold-drawn, and the same level of quality is guaranteed with the same yield strength levels ranging from 550 MPa up to 950 MPa. With the whole portfolio of strength level, extraordinary straightness, lowest residual stress levels, excellent wear resistance and weldability any application engineer has the freedom to design drill rod products as they prefer. C 20

↑ Storage of drill rods

↑ Mannesmann - Taylor Drawn Tubes (TDT®): thick and thin parts of the wall thickness and transition zone

For more information Visit: www.mannesmann-precision-tubes.com/en/

Coring Magazine #18

/PRODUCT RELEASE

MK-2 Rod Feeder

PATENT PENDING

The independent rod handling system that eliminates all hands-on steel operations for diamond drilling by Quentin Dulake, Global Sales Executive at Exploration Drill Masters Chile S.A.

Exploration Drill Masters (EDM) MK-2 Rod Feeder is the latest release in rod handling technology for surface diamond drilling. The MK-2 follows on from the original MK-1 Rod Feeder, which has been immensely popular with well over 120 units sold since its release five years ago. 22

Coring Magazine #18

While the MK-1 unit greatly reduced manual handling, the MK-2 Rod Feeder eliminates it completely and provides other crucial benefits for the overall management of the drill string, productivity and safety, including a new five-axis gripper system that allows rods to be added while drilling, hands-free. The unit, which is designed to work with all top drive rigs with a main haul winch and a wide range of chuck drive rigs, underwent extensive field testing on various rigs prior to its release in April 2021. These included UDR1200/DE880, DE710, LF90, LF230 and of course EDM’s own rigs. Nigel Smith, EDM’s General Manager, comments on the design ethos behind the MK-2: ‘As a manufacturer, we feel a huge responsibility to continue to develop innovative solutions that keep drill crews safe, but it is important to make sure this technology is accessible to everyone, regardless of their machines. The MK-2 Rod Feeder is a “plug and play” instant safety solution. It’s compatible with multiple drill rigs meaning that drilling contractors can bring their existing fleet up to the highest standards of safety very quickly, keeping their drill crews safe and offering their clients a safer service without having to invest in new machines.’ The MK-2 Rod Feeder has been designed with a user-friendly control system and in a way that is simple to service and maintain in the field, allowing all drilling contractors to transition to hands-free diamond drilling as seamlessly as possible.

Control Console All functions/operations for the MK-2 Rod Feeder are carried out from the control console at a safe distance. Here, simple joystick commands are used to carry out the long and tedious series of consecutive maneuvers, eliminating any hands-on intervention in the rod handling process. The Feeder Arm, Plug Spinner, Dual Centre Smart Tray, Rod Shuffler, and five-axis Rod Gripper are all managed from this console allowing the user to store, organize, load, unload and feed drill pipe and casing in 3 m (10 ft), 6 m (20 ft) and 9 m (30 ft) lengths. This completely removes any requirement for a person in the danger zone/ line of fire. The control system interface includes a large display screen that allows the user to switch between multiple screens to control each function with ease. It features multiple camera views of the Rod Shuffler magnets to aid with aligning the rods, and another of the Centre Smart Tray. There is also a System Diagnostics Screen for troubleshooting and checking various parameters of the unit from the safety of the console.

Automated Plug Spinner The Plug Spinner receives, presents, connects and disconnects the haul plug. After receiving the haul plug in a vertical position, the spinner clamps it, rotates 180°, flips it up into a horizontal position and then moves the pulling plug bull nose into the rod waiting in the Centre Smart Tray. It then spins the pulling plug

and feeds the pulling plug adaptor, and then releases the alignment rollers. This complete series of maneuvers is split into two, one with the joystick and the other with the push of a button, making it a very simple sequence for running in and out with rods all day. The Plug Spinner has been carefully designed so that there is no cross-threading or damage to the threads.

Rod Shuffler The onboard Rod Shuffler is mounted on a gantry system at the rear of the Rod Feeder and has multiple functions including handling the rods/core tube to/from the Centre Smart Tray and loading/unloading of the rods from any side of the sloop. With a reach of 1.6 m (≈ 5.25 ft) from either side of the Rod Feeder and 1.5 m (≈ 4.9 ft) of vertical travel, it allows the user to fine tune the positioning of the rods, move the core tube from the centre tray to the core station, and to continue to stack rods to the side of the Rod Feeder when the sloop is full.

MK-2 Rod Feeder configurations The MK-2 can be supplied in two different configurations. One has low-profile positioning tracks to aid the positioning of the unit behind the rig on the drill site. This is primarily for drill sites where access to the drill pad is limited. The other has no tracks, which is ideal for larger sites with good access where the Rod Feeder can be positioned behind the drill with the

KEY FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF MK-2 ROD FEEDER SYSTEM Automated Plug Spinner removing all hands-on-steel intervention when coupling/uncoupling drill rods. Five-axis Rod Gripper for feeding rods into the mast while drilling. Can work with all top drive rigs with a main winch and selected chuck drive machines. Compatible with most machines with little or no modification required. Will safely pull/run rods in both 6 m (20 ft) and 9 m (30 ft) lengths. Works on all mast angles from 45ᵒ-90ᵒ. Removes manual handling of rods, barrel assemblies and core tubes. Onboard storage of up to 2000 m (6000 ft) N+ pipe or equivalent in other sizes. Positioning tracks for easy set up behind the rig on drill pads with limited space. Rod shuffler with magnetic jaws for rod shuffling/loading/unloading rods, barrels and core tubes. Ability to load rods from either side of Rod Feeder with the skewing rod shuffler for when extra rods are required. Fits into a 40 ft (≈ 12.2 m) high cube container for international shipping. Double Centre Smart Tray Assembly with 3 m (10 ft) telescopic action making it compatible to any mast geometry. Works in unison with roller, spinner jaws and shuffler to manage overall rod and tube storage. Tethered Control console allowing the operator to work from a safe zone clear of the line of fire.

↑ MK-2 Rod Feeder’s Control Console

Multiple cameras allowing safe and seamless remote operation. Optional Safety Lockouts with unique and integrated key codes that are nearly impossible to circumvent.

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/PRODUCT RELEASE

8 Dual Centre Smart Tray with multiple intelligent functions designed for complete flexibility when working with the Shuffler and Automated Plug Spinner

Skewable Rod Shuffler with three simple perpendicular 3D actions for taking rods to and from the Centre Smart Tray and removing core tube/rods from Rod Feeder to and from side storage

Self Contained Power Unit with transport and working positions combined with Folding Tail Gate/Stop allow compact transport without sacrificing 9 m (30 ft) length operation

7 Jackout Jacklegs for self loading on Standard Flatbed Trailers

3 Freestanding and self propelled configurations

6 Feeder Arm and 5-Axis Rod Gripper facilitates 3, 6 and 9 m length rod handling to and from drill operations

Automated Plug assist spinner for inserting/ removing haul plug during tripping operations

Control panel remotely mounted removing the operator from the hazards of drill rod handling operations

support vehicle. Both configurations have been designed to fit inside a 40 ft (≈ 12.2 m) shipping container and have jack legs that extend up and out allowing them to be easily loaded onto a flatbed truck/trailer for transportation.

The future EDM has always strived to deliver innovative safety solutions for the exploration drilling industry and the MK-2 Rod Feeder ticks a lot of the boxes for drilling contractors who are looking for a safe diamond rod handling system that can be integrated into their current fleet anywhere in the world. With multiple units out working already and over 20 more currently in production for Latin America, Australia, and West Africa, EDM have set up a new manufacturing facility solely to produce the MK-2 Rod Feeders in anticipation of the increased demand. C 24

For more information Please visit: www.explorationdrillmasters.com or contact EDM at: info@explorationdrillmasters.com

Coring Magazine #18

JUNE 13 -15 IN PERSON TORONTO, CANADA

JUNE 28 -29 ONLINE ANYWHERE

Access top-quality programming Reconnect with a diverse community of exhibitors Gain insight from industry experts Valuable networking opportunities

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/TECHNICAL MATERIAL

A technical note on dogleg severity by Dag Billger, Owner & Business Manager and Duncan McLeod, Owner & Product Manager at Inertial Sensing

In recent years, we have received an increasing number of questions concerning how dogleg severity (DLS) is defined, why it does not look smooth in plots, and if it can be used as a survey quality assurance parameter. We have also noted that the oil and gas industry is considering for some applications an alternative to the minimum curvature method for calculating borehole coordinates from survey angles. This alternative method is based on splines. Here we give a review of the standard minimum curvature method for calculating borehole coordinates and DLS, introduce the spline method and consider if DLS can be used as a good quality measure. Minimum curvature method The minimum curvature method has been accepted as a standard method for borehole trajectory representation since the mid-80s. It was introduced by C.M. Mason and H.L. Taylor1, however W.A. Zaremba is reported to have derived the method independently2. It is today the de facto industry standard method for calculating borehole coordinates from survey angles, regardless of the type of survey tool. This article mainly follows the notation of Sawaryn and Thorogood3. It should be noted that there are other borehole coordinate interpolation methods, such as the tangential method, the balanced tangential method, the average angle method, and the radius of curvature method. Some of the older ones are easier to implement with respect to manual computation, but after the introduction of modern microprocessors minimum curvature has become the dominant method.

Figure 1 - The borehole path between two consecutive survey stations is approximated by a circular arc 26

The minimum curvature method assumes that the path of a borehole between two consecutive survey stations can be approximated by a circular arc segment (see Figure 1). The arc segment has radius R and its course length is denoted S12, which corresponds to the survey station interval. The inclinations and azimuths at the start and end of the arc segment are denoted I1, I2 and A1, A2, respectively. These are all known from depth readings and survey station angles. The parameters in Figure 1 are: survey station tangent vectors • t1 and t2 • β subtended arc segment angle • Δr position change vector • R radius of curvature normal unit vector to arc segment plane • n12 bi-normal unit vectors • b1 and b2 With knowledge of the station interval S12, as well as the inclination and azimuth at the start and end of the arc segment, it is possible to compute the change in coordinates from one station to the next. According to Sawaryn and Thorogood, it can be shown that the coordinate difference is given by the formula:

In the formula above, the tangent vectors at survey Stations 1 and 2 and the subtended angle β are all derived from the station inclination and azimuth angles. With knowledge of the start coordinates at the collar of the hole, the minimum curvature method represents the borehole path as a series of piecewise continuous circular arc segments. Each station coordinate is computed from the previous until the end-of-hole station is reached. Coring Magazine #18

Dogleg severity DLS is a measure of the curvature of a borehole. It is usually measured in units of degrees per 30 m or 100 ft. It originates from directional drilling in the petroleum industry, and it has seen increasing use in mining, as directional drilling has become more common. DLS is not an independently measured data value. It is calculated from the surveyed inclinations, azimuths, and station intervals. The DLS is a byproduct of minimum curvature interpolation, and the formula is given as:

where the subtended angle β is in degrees. It can be shown that the DLS between two stations is given by the equation:

Thus, the DLS depends not only on the station to station change in azimuth, but also on the change in inclination and the actual inclination at the start and end of the current arc segment. There is also a division by the station interval which means that the DLS for a given survey will depend on the chosen resolution, how dense or coarse survey intervals are being used. The arc segments, which are used to approximate the borehole path are only piecewise continuous, since the circular arc used between each station has a different radius. This means that the DLS values estimated by minimum curvature do not represent a continuous function of station depth. So, a typical plot of DLS as a function of depth is usually very ‘choppy’ and not smooth, even though we know that most boreholes have a smooth variation. It is interesting to note that DLS is not defined at a station, but between stations. Strictly speaking, it has no value at a station! But by convention, the value from either the left or right arc of the station is used.

to accurately identify very small variations in the curvature of the drill string over short distances, which could be enough to fracture it. Micro-dogleg surveys are conducted with a high-resolution survey of the drill string with a typical station interval being 0.5 m (1.64 ft). To maintain reasonable survey time, these surveys are done using a wireline with a depth encoder and running a fast continuous gyro survey. The method uses spline curve interpolation which guarantees the requirements on the continuous differentiability of the tangent vector. This produces a continuous estimate of the DLS and so, a more accurate measure of borehole curvature. These added conditions have the effect that the calculated position and curvature values of a station will depend on the neighboring stations. This contrasts with minimum curvature where any given survey station only depends on the previous station. The spline curve method is based on representing the tangent vector as a third-degree vector polynomial over each survey interval. Borehole coordinates are found by integrating the tangent along the borehole path. The curvature is computed by differentiating the tangent vector along the borehole path and computing the length of the resulting derivative:

The use of spline curve interpolation involves some matrix algebra which, although straightforward to apply, requires numerical implementation and this is not presented here. It should be noted that spline curve interpolation is currently not an accepted standard method and is mainly used in special applications. It is however interesting to investigate both as a novelty and for reasons of comparison.

Coordinate comparison

To overcome these issues with the minimum curvature method, M. Abughaban et. al.4 introduced an interpolation method where the tangent vector is continuously differentiable to obtain a more accurate estimate of borehole curvature. This was motivated in the petroleum industry for so-called micro-dogleg surveys. Here it is required

The new spline curve method was implemented as part of Inertial Sensing’s internal development platform and compared to the minimum curvature method for different types of surveys. For this article, one survey was chosen as an example from continuous TwinGyro surveys of a test well in Texas, US5 with a depth of 1400 ft (426.72 m). This hole was drilled specifically for gyro tests and begins at a vertical angle, but soon rises sharply to reach an inclination of 20° (see Figure 2). The reference data is available with 2 ft (0.61 m) station intervals from high-density continuous surveys. The minimum curvature and spline methods were applied to the survey data using different station-

Figure 2 - MSE Test Well Conroe, Texas, US

Figure 3 - Station-to-station distance error for minimum curvature versus spline curves

Spline curve method

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/TECHNICAL MATERIAL

intervals. The end of hole coordinate differences between the two methods were computed (Figure 3). Both minimum curvature and spline interpolation give coordinate values which are in very good agreement and differ only at the sub-millimeter level. The errors will increase when using data over coarser survey intervals.

DLS comparison The dogleg severity was computed for the same reference survey used in the previous section. Plotting these using high-density station intervals of 2 ft (0.61 m) shows good agreement (Figure 4). As a second example, the same data was studied using a coarser subset of station intervals of 16 ft (4.88 m) (Figure 5). The minimum curvature is a choppy stepwise function between stations. The spline method provides a continuous measure of the curvature but naturally tends to appear to under- and overshoot the corresponding minimum curvature values especially for coarser survey intervals. Important to note is that the choice of survey interval has a clear impact on the overall DLS values, with the exact values changing noticeably as the station interval changes.

DLS as a quality flag When considering the use of DLS as a quality parameter, one needs to understand that a suitable flag needs to represent an invariant threshold which can be used in a repeatable way. It should be clear that DLS is not suitable as a threshold for survey azimuth errors because a DLS threshold would have to vary with inclination, which is far from ideal in practice. Since it also depends on the inclination change and the survey station interval, then a given threshold would not apply to differently run surveys of the same hole. DLS cannot provide a general quality threshold which can be reliably used for all types of coring borehole profiles. However, DLS is still a good visual indicator to identify stations with potential azimuth errors when conducting quality checks of survey data. Yet, it is not suitable as an accurate and reliable measure to be used as a survey quality warning flag for an automated quality control system. In other words, it can give a rough guide of potential problems, but care is needed to avoid discarding good data.

Figure - 4 Dogleg severity of MSE Test Well Conroe, Texas. Station interval 2 ft (0.61 m). 28

Conclusion Fundamentally, both methods find the DLS by numerical differentiation, which by its nature will always give rise to estimation errors when applying either method to survey data. Ultimately, neither is a perfect model of how a drill string bends. The two methods show good agreement on position accuracy. But it is our view that the minimum curvature method is to be preferred as it provides an analytical description which is easier to analyze mathematically. This is important when doing an analysis of error models and tool performance. The minimum curvature has the issues in that the curvature is only approximated in piecewise steps and does not define the DLS at a station. The spline curve method avoids this, but it might misrepresent the data points between the survey stations. The sharper peaks between stations may unknowingly give rise to inaccuracies. But at the stations, the spline method DLS values are usually accurate. In most cases, it is likely better to use minimum curvature to calculate the DLS since this gives errors that are confined to each segment, not depending on any additional neighboring points. Some specialized situations may still call for the use of the spline method. This, along with other recent developments, has shown that high-resolution continuous surveys really are necessary for getting the best results in terms of DLS and position information of any borehole. C References & resources 1 ‘A Systematic Approach to Well Surveying Calculations’, C.M. Mason and H.L. Taylor, SPE84246, SPEJ, June 1971. 2 ‘Directional Survey by the Circular-Arc Method’, W.A. Zaremba, SPEJ, February 1973. 3 ‘A compendium of directional calculations based on the minimum curvature method’, S.J. Sawaryn and J.L. Thorogood, SPE Drilling & Completion, March 2005. 4 ‘Advanced Trajectory Computational Model Improves Calculated Borehole Positioning, Tortuosity and Rugosity’, M. Abughaban et. al, SPE-178796MS, 2016. 5 ‘A comparison between discrete and continuous borehole deviation gyro surveys using the TwinGyro’, D. Billger and D. McLeod, AIMMGM XXXIII International Mining Convention in Acapulco, Mexico, October 2019.

For more information Visit: www.inertialsensing.com

Figure 5 - Dogleg severity of MSE Test Well Conroe, Texas. Station interval 16 ft (4.88 m). Coring Magazine #18

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Drilling is hard work. Fordia makes it easier. Our goal is to improve drilling performance. Reach out easily at www.fordia.com/support.

From Russia with core strength: RS-90 drill rig manufactured by Rusmining Export by Rusmining Export Press Office

The revenue from mining operations is usually a large part of any country’s budget. Therefore, the top priority task is reprocessing and building up the mineral resources base. Exploration of new deposits, as well as their commercial development, requires innovative drilling equipment. 30

After the break-up of the Soviet Union and, therefore, the discontinuation of the domestic production of exploration equipment, only imported drills were used for these purposes over the last decades. The sanctions against the Russian Federation led to extremely long deliveries from foreign partners and importing substitutes required massive effort. A number of manufacturers stopped delivering exploration equipment altogether. This situation motivated the Rusmining Export (RME) team to create its own action plan. Designers and engineers were engaged to work on the development of in-house drill rigs by analyzing Coring Magazine #18

/PRODUCT REVIEW: DRILL RIGS

↑ Rusmining Export’s workshop the specification of foreign products. The resulting drill rig - RS-90 – not only covers but exceeds the needs of our customers. Serial production of RS-90 has begun in the Khabarovsk Service Desk. RS-90 drill depth is 480 m (1575 ft) using P-size rods, 725 m (2380 ft) with H-size, 1080 m (3550 ft) with N-size, and 1400 m (4600 ft) in B-size with a drilling angle of 45-90 degrees. The basic specification is focused on high efficiency, reliability and safety. Drill rig components are made of high-quality steel. Most of the drill frame elements under excessive stress are reinforced. A special coating protects the equipment from corrosion, increasing the drill lifespan twice compared to similar equipment. The main components are supplied by Canadian partners. The engine in RS-90 from the famous American manufacturer Cummins model QSB 6.7 - fully meets the high standards, used in production. Due to a long analysis of competitors and feedback from customers, drillers, and those who work directly with the equipment, the designers have included significant improvements to the RS-90 drill rig. They improved the rotation unit lubrication system; modified the hydraulic chuck to prevent drilling fluid from getting into the gearbox through the top spindle seals; increased the space between the hydraulic tank and the control panel for better access to service the hydraulic pumps and valves; and installed the additional hydraulic oil filters. Furthermore, each RS-90 rig can be adapted to the specific operating conditions of each customer. RME has been proving to its partners and competitors that Russian reliable equipment contributes to reducing costs and maximizing productivity. The results speak for themselves. RME is not just reaching the production target but overachieving it. For the last two years, RS-90 is widely used at the largest deposits not only in Russia, but also overseas. To date, more than 56 drill rigs have been sold. RME equipment, tools and spare parts are exported to Latin America, Africa, the Philippines and Malaysia. Large companies benefit from buying Russian drill rigs because every customer considers three things: delivery time, reliability and price. Drillers’ trusted publication

Large subsoil users in Russia are setting records on this equipment. For example, in July 2020, OGK Group achieved the best result among Russian diamond core drilling contractors, having performed 4735 m (≈ 15 550 ft) of H-size drilling (95.6 mm) with one drill rig in just one month. RS-90 is also efficiently utilized both in Yakutia, Russia at critical low temperatures, often below −35°C (−31°F), as well as in the arid desert-like temperatures by our partners in Uzbekistan. RME is not slowing down when it comes to manufacturing new equipment. This summer the new RS-90D was unveiled. It is optionally track-mounted and geared for operation in high ambient temperatures. The new RU-75 range is designed to work in underground mines. It can be optionally equipped with an explosion-proof design and different options of feed frames. Also, this rig can drill from surface if the power pack is replaced with an internal combustion engine. Simultaneously, the RME design bureau is working on RS-230 which has the capacity to drill more than 3400 m (≈ 11 200 ft). The company also actively produces high-quality spare parts and tools for most of the famous exploration drilling rigs. RME provides prompt and good service due to the highly organized drill rigs spare parts warehouse. Having readily available Russian-made components allows for fast repairs and the Service Desk specialists are ready to visit any drill rig site to conduct troubleshooting. RME operates in the drilling equipment market since 2019. Having accumulated experience, highly-qualified employees and stable business relations, besides equipment manufacturing, RME offers to its customers prompt and proper performance of orders on mutually beneficial terms. C

For more information Visit: www.rusminingexport.ru

/PRODUCT REVIEW: DRILL RIGS

Meet MAX:

The 8000 lb beast that drills up to 3100 meters N-size

by Rishi Budshah, CMO at Hydracore Drills Ltd.

The story about HC5000max (Max) started when one of our existing customers requested a deep hole core drill that was truly heli-portable, meaning lifts under 2000 lb (907 kg). This request aligned with our market research showing that more holes were being drilled beyond 2000 m (6562 ft) and an increase in projects demanding core in H- and P-size. This highlighted the gap in the portable drill category for purpose-built deep hole drill rigs. Hydracore’s business philosophy is to challenge the status quo and this opportunity was exactly what was needed to make a difference while providing renewed value to our customers. Hydracore returned to the drawing board and embarked on designing a ‘Max’ version of the HC5000. 32

Coring Magazine #18

The design process Increasing the capacity of the drill was our main objective, however not an easy task. The challenge was to maintain the portability of the drill in terms of the light weight and small footprint; but at the same time achieve never seen before power and pullback force. A thorough analysis of the entire structure and circuits was required.

Hydraulic powerpack We decided to increase the pressure of the hydraulic system to achieve higher available hydraulic horsepower. To back this up we increased the overall engine horsepower from 206 hp to 260 hp. The hydraulic pumps were changed out for high pressure piston pumps which also increased efficiency.

↑ Hydraulic Powerpack and the Drill Module

Drill head The increase in system pressure gave us the increase in available torque needed for deep hole drilling. Many drills are advertised with incredible torque numbers, but these are only available in RPM ranges that are inefficient for drilling. Max’s drill design focused on optimizing the torque at drilling speeds of 500-1350 RPM. This directly increases the footage per shift. The HC5000max drill head follows Hydracore’s proven design and does not require a gearbox. Its large bent axis variable displacement hydraulic motor has sufficient range for all drilling speeds and is controlled by an infinitely variable control knob. The Hydraulic motors last for five to ten years and are easily replaced in the field in one to two hours. This means less downtime and more drilling. In a chuck type drill head, large diameter bearings are required to accommodate the drill rods to pass through the center of the main spindle. With large bearings comes a great deal of friction and therefore the power you could use for drilling is wasted producing heat. Drillers’ trusted publication

/PRODUCT REVIEW: DRILL RIGS

‘Hydracore’s business philosophy is to challenge the status quo and this opportunity was exactly what was needed to make a difference while providing renewed value to our customers.’

↑ Hydraulic Powerpack and the Drill Module Through a careful design process, we have optimized the bearings on HC5000max to handle both the high speeds and high loads without creating excess heat, there are only three bearings in the entire head. The reduction in heat and lack of gears and chains means we have eliminated the need for oil, lubrication pumps, filters and radiators. A couple of shots of grease daily is all that is required to have a cool running head. This is one way our customers save money on their maintenance costs.

Chuck A drill’s pullback capacity is only as strong as its weakest link. The chuck holding capacity was reviewed and upgraded to 70 000 lb (31 750 kg). We were able to achieve this with a bolt on design that included a new set of stronger springs. This upgrade kit will fit on all the previous Hydracore P Heads.

Feed frame and pullback force HC5000max’s feed frame is of simple, strong and compact design. The two side-mounted cylinders combined offer a market-leading 70 000 lb (31 750 kg) of pullback force and have a 72 in (183 cm) stroke. The feed frame looks similar to the design on the HC5000, but the steel is twice as thick, and hand-selected by reviewing mill certifications. Using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) each component of the drill has been optimized in this same manner for strength and weight. A lightweight mast is provided for the wireline cable and allows for pulling 20 ft (6 m) rods.

Mobility The light weight and small size of the HC5000max allow for mobilizing with a helicopter or a small, tracked carrier. The 8000 lb (3629 kg) total weight is moved in five lifts with an A-Star/Airbus AS350 helicopter. This reduces safety risks, decreases mobilization time and at USD 2500/hr+, it saves considerable money on helicopter rental. 34

In some areas it is permissible to have small roads with minimal permitting, in this case using the tracked carrier might be best. Equipped with a picker crane, the vehicle makes for safe and efficient moves and the drill can be moved in two trips. The vehicle with a picker crane also doubles up to move other site supplies. The time saved in the permit process and the reduced cost/time in making trails as compared to roads allows you to drill sooner, invest less into infrastructure and has a greatly reduced environmental impact. These abilities sum up to a significant advantage over others in the bidding process.

Foot clamp While torque and pullback were the parameters under scrutiny, safety must always be a priority in any equipment design. As the drill was going to be used for P-size core, running casing below the drill head would be required. To eliminate the inherent dangers of pipe wrenches on the drill string a ‘Double Breakout’ foot clamp was designed. This foot clamp has two sets of independent jaws with the upper having controls to function as a hydraulic wrench. Foot clamp jaws on most drills are replaced to accommodate the various sizes of drill rods, e.g., from a B- to P-size. The changeover time to swap the jaws ranges from 15 to 20 minutes. You are then also required to inventory multiple jaw sizes and the spares to back them up. The foot clamp on HC5000max will hold B rod to PW casing with the same standard carbide-tipped jaws, therefore, no jaw changes are required, and parts inventory is kept to a minimum. It is common in the industry for foot clamp jaws to only move 1/8th of an inch (3.18 mm); this results in the rods rubbing on the jaws and damaging them. In this case a very tight-fitting steady bearing must be used to center the rods; it must be removed whenever the core barrel is pulled. The foot clamp jaws on the HC5000max can move up to 1 in (25.4 mm); there is sufficient clearance between the rod and the jaws eliminating the chance of rubbing. This clearance also allows the steady bearing to Coring Magazine #18

remain in place during all drilling operations, including when pulling the core barrel. These design features save you both time and wear and tear. Rather than using steel springs which have a limited life to provide the foot clamp clamping force, HC5000max’s foot clamp is closed by a nitrogen gas accumulator. Using nitrogen gas is much more efficient compared to steel springs. The foot clamp closes automatically when the machine is shut down, ensuring a fail-safe operation and avoiding any loss of drill rods.

The resulting impact The beast operates at more than 260 hp, depending upon your engine choice, providing a massive 233 hp to the drill head and drills up to 3100 m N-size (10 171 ft). Max comes with an impressive pullback force of 70 000 lb (31 750 kg) and weighs a mere 8000 lb (3629 kg). The final increase in weight was minimal, therefore the mobility and versatile character of the machine were maintained. There is nothing in the core drilling industry that can come even close to it. HC5000max offers the highest power to weight ratio available in the industry, it was designed to be light yet tough, matching and exceeding the specifications of drills four to five times its size. C

↑ Designed for safety, Double Breakout Foot Clamp

For more information Visit: www.hydracore.com

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/COMPANY EXPANSION

Explomin’s global expansion plan by Peggy Silva Mayser, Commercial Manager at Explomin Perforaciones

Coring Magazine #18

Throughout the 20 years of its existence, Explomin has proven that business know-how is not enough to achieve success. Although the most important ingredients are the commitment and shared vision of people, their energy made a winning formula in order for Explomin to have a remarkable growth.

ormally, it is a great challenge to operate 24 projects simultaneously. The task becomes even harder with the huge variety of extreme conditions: from the Colombian jungle with temperatures up to 40°C (104°F) to the Chilean and Peruvian Andes with altitudes reaching over 5000 m (16 404 ft) above sea level. On top of that, in 2021 the COVID-19 pandemic severely affected South America and thus forced Explomin to discover new ways to operate under very difficult conditions and still be able to succeed on every project worldwide. Growing regardless of the tough scenarios, just proves the company’s resilience and capability to perform at their best even under high pressure. Now, Explomin’s expansion plan has targeted new continents. After establishing a solid position in Latin America, its next growth phases have led the company to new projects in Europe and North America. The first project of this plan is located in Spain (Iberian Pyrite Belt), which is going to be considered as the hub of the European/African operations of the company. From there Explomin is perfectly positioned to serve other countries such as Portugal and Morocco. Expanding even further during the first quarter of 2022, the company is now performing diamond drilling, RC drilling, hydrogeological, geotechnical and directional drilling, and is also promoting their other division of mining solutions, providing a whole integrated service line. Drillers’ trusted publication

↑ Explomin Perforaciones’ drill site in Spain 37

/COMPANY EXPANSION

Part of the company’s global positioning strategy is to combine the Eu-

All of these important strengths are confirmed by Explomin’s position

ropean drilling knowledge with the Latin American know-how strength-

in the prestigious Worldwide Drilling Rankings - 8th for drilled meters;

ening their multicultural expertise, achieving a worldwide rotation of skilled and expert workforce, thus improving their service quality and safety standards. It is important to mention that Explomin is certified as

11th for sales volume; and 10th for drill rigs fleet - making it one of the World Top 10 drilling companies.

a ‘Great Place to Work’ - an honor achieved thanks to their own employ-

This ambitious growth plan is happening simultaneously in Europe

ees, which motivates them to expand this great work environment to all

and North America, setting an important milestone in Explomin’s prom-

of its operations around the globe.

ising future. Explomin is glad to tell the story of its impressive journey

Among other expansion strategies, Explomin will focus on its strengths, such as their award-winning safety and operation standards,

and is looking forward to sharing its next steps. C

which stand out among other competitors in the Latin American region. These strict standards guarantee a safer work environment for the personnel as well as efficient drilling and results. Additionally, the fact that Explomin’s state-of-the-art machinery, which can execute projects in timely manner and with outstanding results, is located in Europe adds a

For more information Visit: www.explomin.com/en/

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11/12/2021 5:33:53 PM

Coring Magazine #18

Exploration Mining Geology In this issue: Q&A from the experts: In conversation with Dr Benedikt Steiner, Director at XPLORE GLOBAL Ltd. Rupert Resources: The benefits of aggressive drilling by Jane Lockwood, Spotlight Mining Gold fever in Guyana by Ian Foreman, Principal at Foremost Corporate Services

/Q&A FROM THE EXPERTS

In conversation with FROM

THE EXPERTS

Dr Benedikt Steiner Director at XPLORE GLOBAL Ltd.

Timothy Strong: How did you decide to pursue a career in Exploration Geology? Was it something that you had planned or something that came to you after graduating with your BSc? Dr Benedikt Steiner: I have always had the desire to apply my knowledge to real-life and industrial applications, so pure geological science was not the direction I wanted to follow. After spending a year in the oil and gas industry, I realized that the only way to conduct industrial fieldwork, and to have actual ‘facetime’ with rocks in different geological settings, is to work in mineral exploration and mining. TS: You split your time between academia and industry, which one appeals more to you and why? BS: I am an exploration geologist and I enjoy working on industry projects, particularly if they involve grassroots exploration in remote environments. However, I see myself at the interface between academia and industry, passing on my knowledge and therefore preparing younger geologists for a future career in mining. 40

Dr Benedikt Steiner Dr Benedikt Steiner graduated from the University of Tübingen, Germany with a ‘Vordiplom’ (pre-diploma) in Geology in 2007, which was promptly followed by a Master of Science degree from Imperial College London, and subsequently a PhD focusing on the use of stream sediment geochemistry and automated mineralogy in the exploration of Lithium Cesium Tantalum (LCT) pegmatites at the University of Exeter, UK. In his professional life, Dr Steiner started his career with Rio Tinto in both Namibia and Zambia exploring for Uranium and Copper. Since 2016, Benedikt has worked as a lecturer and a senior lecturer in exploration and mining geology at the prestigious Camborne School of Mines in the UK. Alongside his teaching duties, he operates a consulting firm, Xplore Global Ltd., where he provides support and strategy insight to the exploration industry.

TS: You are actively involved in educating the future generation of exploration and mining geologists, what trends have you seen in terms of their career aspirations? Are less people willing to work overseas? BS: Compared to the 2000s when I graduated from University, and most graduates sought work overseas, particularly in Africa, I noticed a reversing trend over the last five to seven years. Whilst graduates are still keen to work in Australia, Scandinavia and North America, due to a better work-life balance and other available amenities, such as being able to do plenty of computer-based work, I have observed a decreasing willingness to work in remote and challenging areas overseas, may that be Africa, Asia or other locations. It is also

apparent that a significant amount of geology graduates do seek office-based roles after or within three years of graduation, or leave the industry altogether. With an aging workforce in mining and mineral exploration, this will have an impact on the availability of experienced exploration and mining geologists down the line. TS: With a post-COVID-19 boom in the mining industry, there has been a considerable labor shortage, have you seen a decrease in student enrolment on your geology courses? BS: Across the UK and Europe, we noticed a general decrease in student enrolment on undergraduate geology courses in the mid-late 2010s, which was largely due to a Coring Magazine #18

demographic shift. However, this has now rebounded, and we have up to 40 undergraduate students each year on the geology courses. My two MSc programs in Mining and Exploration Geology have a consistent intake of 50-60 students each year from across the UK, Europe and other parts of the world. Young graduates see the benefit of obtaining practical education that facilitates a career start in mining. TS: The Camborne School of Mines (University of Exeter) recently paused recruitment on their BEng Mining Engineering program. What ramifications, if any, does this have for the industry? BS: Unfortunately, the well-known and respected BEng Mining Engineering program, unique in the UK, was paused in 2021. However, there are currently exciting plans to develop and offer a degree apprenticeship course in Mining Engineering, which will allow students to work in mining companies and gain their BSc Mining Engineering degree at the same time. In any case, mining engineers are in great demand, but there is only a limited amount of universities left offering a relevant practical course. This will leave the industry to seek engineers from different backgrounds (e.g. chemical or mechanical engineering) who then have to be trained up, at the expense of time and budgets. TS: You are an advocate for teaching geology students and professionals across the world, including a course on orogenic gold exploration at the University of Guyana. Why is continued learning important to all levels of geoscientists? BS: The simple answer to this is: You never cease learning. No one can be an expert in all areas of geosciences, and in order to develop your career into either technical or managerial roles, you will have to upskill. It is also mandatory for registered and chartered geologists to maintain a healthy CPD (Continuous Professional Development) record demonstrating an annual progression of skill sets and experience. You should not forget, however, that CPD is not just about attending classroom-based courses. CPD can involve many activities, such as mentoring, learning foreign languages, progressing a certain task in your job, and watching YouTube videos and webinars, which really have led to a rise in online lecturing (e.g. Ore Deposits Hub). TS: You worked at Rio Tinto for six years. How has working there shaped you as a professional? Do you think that young Drillers’ trusted publication

geologists should strive to find employment in top tier mining companies? BS: Working for a multinational Tier 1 mining company after graduation has really helped me to find my feet in the mining industry. Not only was it a great experience to work on large, multi-commodity projects around Africa, but the ability to understand the bigger picture of mining operations and how mineral exploration fits in the mining value chain was very eye-opening. I believe that my past employment with Rio Tinto shaped my following career and helped me to develop into the geologist I am today. So, yes, I think that young geologists should aim to find employment in top tier mining companies, at least for a few years, in order to learn the ropes and appreciate the role of geologists in the mining industry.

‘Whilst I am and have been involved with projects in (sub)tropical environments for a long time, I think that working in Nordic countries, i.e. Scandinavia and Canada, offers a better work-life balance. It does make a difference if you sit in an isolated jungle camp for several weeks, or if you can take an afternoon off and climb a fjord or a glacier in Norway.’

TS: You have worked all over Europe, Asia and Africa, which country has been your favorite and why? BS: This is rather challenging to answer as I enjoyed working on many projects around the world. Whilst I am and have been involved with projects in (sub)tropical environments for a long time, I think that working in Nordic countries, i.e. Scandinavia and Canada, offers

a better work-life balance. It does make a difference if you sit in an isolated jungle camp for several weeks, or if you can take an afternoon off and climb a fjord or a glacier in Norway. TS: What has been the most fascinating project you have worked on? Why? BS: I have been involved with regional and camp-scale exploration in Rwanda (Central-East Africa) for several years now. What makes this exciting is the requirement to conduct exploration from scratch as most information and knowledge date back to the colonial period and the 1970s when a large UNDP (United Nations Development Program) was completed to generate regional data. Based on this historic work and recent academic research by Belgian scientists, I organized and ran regional exploration surveys for battery and technology metals to delineate new areas of interest for the Rwandan government and private companies. I was fortunate to work with a team of Rwandan, South African and Russian geologists who made these projects a success. TS: You have worked in Vosges Mountains, northeastern France. Tell us more about the project and the outcomes. BS: The Vosges Mountains form part of the Variscan Orogenic and Metallogenic Belt and therefore are conceptually prospective for lithium, tin and tungsten mineralization. However, the last comprehensive exploration surveys were conducted in the 1980s. My work involved the collection of stream sediment samples across a 300 km2 (115.8 mi2) large area, and the analysis of these samples using modern analytical instrumentation, including the use of automated mineralogy. The project led to the delineation of new occurrences of tantalum, lithium and tin mineralization in the project area, which were unknown and not described before, therefore providing a modern approach to re-evaluating a part of a metallogenic belt extending from North America to Europe. TS: You are considered an expert in the area of LCT pegmatite exploration, tell us why these deposits are important. BS: LCT pegmatites are host to ‘critical metals’ and ‘battery metals’, and in light of emerging EV (Electric Vehicle) developments, have been the focus of exploration for at least ten years. Whilst lithium-rich pegmatites generally contain less tonnage than lithium brine deposits in South America, they are present in most orogenic belts of the world, and also contain other technology metals and industrial 41

/Q&A FROM THE EXPERTS

minerals of interest, such as tantalum, tin and caesium, but also high purity quartz and feldspar. From an academic perspective, pegmatites generally represent the latest stage of magmatic fractionation, enriching the melt in volatiles and incompatible elements, and are therefore of interest to researchers and industrial geologists alike. TS: LCT pegmatites are considered to be ‘critical metals’ in many nations, including the US and Australia. Do you think that LCT pegmatites could be an important supply of these metals as the world moves to ‘green energy?’ BS: Yes, LCT pegmatites form an important mineral deposit type and supply of ‘critical metals’, particularly in light of their presence in most orogenic belts and metal enrichment.

TS: You have also worked in the worldclass greenstone belts of West Africa and Lapland, which are well-known hosts for major gold deposits. Do you see the potential for other metal discoveries in these areas? BS: Certainly. There is still abundant potential to use modern exploration and data interpretation techniques that could lead to new discoveries in these areas. Take for example the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt (CLGB) in northern Finland. There is currently only one operating gold mine (Kittila, Agnico-Eagle), and several advanced projects (e.g. Rupert Resources). Compared to other widely known greenstone belts, the current known metal endowment is low. However, this is a result of commercial interest and exploration efforts

commencing in the 1990s, resulting in only a few commercial discoveries made to date. The CLGB is currently staked out as companies consider this area to be very prospective for further discoveries. Similarly, the extension of the CLGB into Norway, known as the Karasjok Greenstone Belt, has been very poorly explored by industry and holds significant upside exploration potential. Companies are likely challenged by communities in northern Norway, and this is why exploration has not really taken off in this belt yet. TS: What are the different challenges of drilling in the Arctic (in Finland for example) and drilling in the tropics? How would you compare the two environments? BS: I would say that availability of drilling contractors, general logistics and ground

↑ Field exploration in the remote fjords of the Helgeland pegmatite field, northern Norway 42

Coring Magazine #18

conditions are three main challenges in these contrasting environments. In northern Scandinavia, you have several drilling contractors available that are experienced in the specific drilling conditions and, importantly, local to the area. In the tropics, contractors are mainly mobilizing supervisory staff from overseas, i.e. an understanding of the local conditions can sometimes be lost. General logistics in northern Scandinavia are generally very straightforward when compared to the tropics. You are in the Arctic Circle, yes, but most places are rather easily accessible (even in the winter), and supplies and procurement chains are within relatively short reach. In terms of ground conditions, I think that the often extensive lateritic weathering profiles in the tropics commonly lead to issues when choosing the right drilling equipment.

‘I remember an occasion in Southern Africa where the drill supervisor shut down a drill rig for an entire afternoon (on his own accord) to investigate after a nearmiss (hands in RC splitter box). I thought that this was a very good safety leadership attitude. Even now I use this example in my lectures and workshops to demonstrate how important safety awareness and leadership need to be.’

I worked on several projects that required a re-thinking of the project scope as high groundwater tables and the resulting mud did make RC drilling impossible. Switching to diamond drilling (DD) resulted in further budget constraints, i.e. less holes could be drilled.

TS: As a geologist, you know how important quality control (QC) is when sampling. Do you think that drill crews take the same level of interest in quality control, or they only care about meterage? BS: I have experienced both scenarios – this will entirely depend on the professionalism, attitude and values of the drilling contractor. All drill crews I have worked with were very good in HSE and performed an appropriate amount of quality control on the reverse circulation (RC) chips, diamond drilling core, etc. they performed. We should not forget that at the end of the day, drill crews are service providers and paid for the meterage they achieve. Good leadership can make a significant difference though. TS: What improvements would you like to see in the drilling industry in order to make quality control more prominent and easier? BS: I think it all comes down to leadership and training. If drilling contractors are led by experienced managers, and regular training in not just drilling techniques, but also monitoring quality control, then many QC issues can be resolved. Sometimes I have the impression that core marking and core recovery measurements at the drill site are conducted in a routine fashion without thinking about the bigger picture. This has, in my experience, occasionally lead to issues further down the line when geologists try to piece together the depth that was actually drilled, as downhole measurements return different EoH values. TS: Please share your most memorable experience with a drilling contractor. BS: I remember an occasion in Southern Africa where the drill supervisor shut down a drill rig for an entire afternoon (on his own accord) to investigate after a near-miss (hands in RC splitter box). I thought that this was a very good safety leadership attitude. Even now I use this example in my lectures and workshops to demonstrate how important safety awareness and leadership need to be. TS: As previously mentioned, you have worked a lot in lithium. Lithium is obviously important for the electric vehicle industry and there has been a lot of hype around finding new deposits, however,

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/Q&A FROM THE EXPERTS

am I right in saying that lithium is quite abundant on Earth? BS: Yes, compared to gold, silver and PGEs (Platinum Group Elements), for example, lithium is quite abundant in the continental crust. However, economic accumulations are restricted to certain geological environments (e.g. granites, pegmatites, evaporation lakes), and even then the distribution can be quite patchy. The task of geologists and exploration companies, therefore, is to appropriately delineate accumulations of lithium minerals which can be economically exploited. TS: What makes a lithium project economic? BS: In terms of LCT pegmatites, grade and tonnage are obviously important. In this regard, a necessity is to outline not just a single LCT pegmatite, but instead an LCT pegmatite field that ideally contains several LCT pegmatites with a proven average grade of above at least 1% Li2O and a strike extent of at least several hundred meters. Furthermore, it needs to be established whether lithium is contained in spodumene (pyroxene), lepidolite/zinnwaldite (micas) or other minerals. This has important implications on downstream mineral processing and

capital requirement routes. What explorers often forget are geotechnical, slope stability and mineral processing considerations. Pegmatites I have worked on in (sub)tropical environments commonly have a leached and weathered surface expression, which not only removes lithium from the saprolite, but also leads to issues with slope stability in open pit mining scenarios and problematic mineral extraction due to the presence of kaolinized clays. It is, therefore, necessary to take into account these technical considerations, along with economic and infrastructure factors, to evaluate the feasibility of a lithium pegmatite project.

TS: Other than lithium, what other metals are going to be key in the next five years? BS: Battery metals in general will continue to see a boom, along with copper and gold. I would not be surprised to see uranium emerging, at least temporary, as well.

minerals), will be required to move into a sustainable future. Despite the common belief that exploration needs to target mineralization at greater depth, I think that there are still rather unchartered and poorly studied metallogenic belts in Central, Southeast and Far Eastern Asia, for example. The unlocking of these destinations will depend on political changes and revised mining codes. Furthermore, I believe that a solid understanding and application of geological concepts, along with the ability to comprehensively ‘squeeze’ and analyze geoscientific information will be key to locate and develop new mineral deposits. Advanced artificial intelligence and modelling workflows will help to achieve this, but it is still the task of mining professionals to evaluate and synthesize the data in the context of geology, mineral economics and mining techniques. C

TS: What does the future hold for Mineral Exploration in general? BS: I feel very positive about the role of mineral exploration in the future. The current commodity trends demonstrate that bulk commodities, as well as previous niche commodities (lithium, graphite, REEs, industrial

For more information Visit: https://xplore.global/

Coring Magazine #18

Safety - Efficiency - Trust EDM MK-2 ROD FEEDER (Patent Pending) An Independent Diamond Rod Handling System that is compatible with Multiple Machines and Eliminates Hazardous Hands-on-Steel Opertions associated with Diamond Drilling

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/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

Rupert Resources:

The benefits of aggressive drilling by Jane Lockwood, Spotlight Mining

Aggressive spending on drilling during exploration is usually a good strategy for advancing a project quickly, and nowhere demonstrates that fact better than Rupert Resources’s (Rupert) (TSXv:RUP, OTCQX:RUPRF) almost 4 million oz (113.4 tonnes) Ikkari gold discovery in Finland. This project is remarkable not just for its size and quality, but also because the company took it from discovery to a maiden resource estimate in just 18 months, during a global pandemic, no less.

Coring Magazine #18

upert has consolidated a 595 km2 (229.73 mi2) land package in the Central Lapland Greenstone Belt, an area that only began to draw serious attention in 2009 with the opening of Agnico Eagle’s Kittila mine, now the largest primary gold producer in Europe. Since then, there has been something of a gold rush in the area, and Rupert has come out on top. Thomas Credland, Rupert’s Head of Corporate Development, explained the company’s early interest in the region: ‘Central Lapland already hosted a number of other orogenic gold and base metal deposits comparable to greenstone belts such as the Abitibi in Canada, Birimian of West Africa and Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, but it was apparent that it was extremely immature in terms of exploration activity - probably 100 years behind.’ The entire area around Ikkari is a swamp with no outcrop, and beneath that is glacial till from the last ice age that overlies the bedrock to a depth of between 5–40 m (16.4–131.2 ft). This meant that there was no option but to drill on the site, in contrast to Kittila and Rupert’s other deposit in the region, Pahtavaara mine, which were both discovered in outcrop. Between 2017 and 2019, Rupert focused on characterizing their assets on a broad scale. Naturally, they employed geophysical methods to get a better picture of what lay under the ground but, most importantly, they stumped up the cash for percussion drilling down to the base of the glacial till and got geochemical analyses from the interface between the till and the bedrock. This was vital as it was the only way to really know what sort of rock was hiding under all that cover. Thomas Credland explained that Rupert’s strategy in the area was guided by the discovery of Anglo American’s nearby polymetallic Sakatti deposit, which hosts the dizzying array of Ni-Cu-Co-PGE-Au-Ag mineralization. Base-of-till drilling was used to discover Sakatti, and Rupert took note of this success. The company also had a new geological model to work with, which suggested a 25 km (15.53 mi) regional structure underlay part of their property. Rupert geologists had identified a possible basin margin in the south-west of their land package, which was confirmed when they drilled sediments in that area, as opposed to volcanic rocks in the east of the property. The company performed ‘tram line’ drilling – two lines of sampling 100 m (328 ft) apart, covering a large area. They then followed up anomalous results with more closely-spaced holes, and the Ikkari resource was one of those.

At Ikkari, a single anomalous sample with 0.2 ppm gold was investigated with infill drilling on a 50 x 25 m (164 x 82 ft) grid, which turned up a cluster of samples with up to 1 ppm Au. At that stage, Rupert knew they had a significant geochemical anomaly on their hands, so from April 2020, they began focusing more drilling there. The first hole (hole 120038) intersected 54 m (177 ft) grading 1.5 g/t Au, and subsequent holes showed that the mineralized area was large, with an initial strike length of more than 500 m (1640 ft) and was also high-grade in parts. At Ikkari, 100% of holes to date have hit gold mineralization. It quickly became clear that the feature controlling gold mineralization at Ikkari was the unconformity between the komatiite-dominant Savukoski Group and the sedimentary Kumpu Group. As COVID-19 shut down much of the world, Rupert took extensive health and safety precautions at their site and drilled on. In September 2021, just 18 months after Ikkari’s discovery, they were able to define an estimated mineral resource of 3.95 million oz (111.98 tonnes) for the deposit, with cut-off grades of 0.6 g/t Au for open pit mining and 1.2 g/t Au for underground. Rupert has not slowed down after this major success and are now targeting their drilling efforts in a 60:40 ratio at Ikkari and other discoveries. News at the end of November announced grades from tighter drill spacing at Ikkari of up to 7.7 g/t Au over 30 m (98 ft), and at the satellite Heinä Central deposit, which was not included in the resource estimate, both high-grade copper and gold have been found over multiple intervals. It’s clear from Rupert’s example that aggressive drilling from the start of an exploration campaign can pay off immensely. Thomas Credland said that investors understood the need for such an approach due to the lack of outcrop and the fact that the non-productive overhead of the program becomes proportionally bigger the fewer meters that are drilled, so other juniors looking to make substantial discoveries in fresh territory might want to take note. C

↑ Drilling is still ongoing at the property, with the company working to both expand and better define the resource

↑ Extensive drilling resulting in plenty of core has been the key to rapid resource estimation at Ikkari

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/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

Gold fever in Guyana by Ian Foreman, Principal at Foremost Corporate Services

An exciting new gold player from Vancouver, Canada – Alerio Gold Corp. (Alerio) (ALE:CSE) – has recently acquired highly prospective gold projects in Guyana, South America. Guyana is a democratic state that is still a member of the Commonwealth and has English as its official language. It is a mining-friendly country with a government that has supported the mining industry on many levels for years. Guyana is known for its significant endowment of natural resources. Gold has historically accounted for a large 35% of the country’s exports, with production exceeding 625 000 oz (17.72 tonnes) in 2019.

The location of Alerio Gold’s Tassawini project situated in the Barama-Waini District, Guyana

Author’s note: this article is intended for information purposes only. The reader is encouraged to perform their own due diligence if they are interested in investing in the company. 48

Coring Magazine #18

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/EXPLORATION & MINING GEOLOGY

he mining sector has been a major piece of Guyana’s history, and its democratically elected government has long held a pro-mining stance, encouraging investment in the responsible extraction of natural resources through a stable Mining Act. Guyana is situated in the heart of the Guiana Shield — a 1.7-billion-year-old geological formation that shares much of its geological makeup with the West African Shield. Due to this interpreted tectonic relationship, many explorers are betting on the similar geological terrains known from decades of exploring and mining in the precious metals-rich West African Shield. Well-known players such as Newmont, Reunion, Troy, Omai Gold and G2 Goldfields have long since developed Guyana. The Guiana Shield has long been a target for prospectors and holds an estimated 140 million oz (≈ 3970 tonnes) of gold - the best-known deposit being the Aurora Mine with resources of over 6.9 million oz (≈ 195 tonnes) of gold. In addition, Omai Gold is once again a major part of this new resurgence of interest in Guyana with plans to re-establish the Omai gold mine.

The Tassawini Property Alerio has recently secured the licenses for the Tassawini Gold Project in Guyana. The property has a historical resource estimate of 499 000 oz (14.15 tonnes) of gold. CAD 34 million has already been invested in exploration and development on the property, and current management is pushing progress to further expand exploration on a total of 1381 hectares of land with the medium-term goal of developing a producing mine. The infrastructure on site is very good as the project is located on a navigable river.

↑ An outcrop at Tassawini showing the complex folding within the mineralized envelope Historic exploration at the Tassawini Property concentrated on a core of gold targets that include Tassawini West, Tassawini South, Tassawini East, Black Ridge, Mine Creek and Sonne. There are in an excess of nine additional targets that have yet to be tested. Mineralized zones with reported true widths of 10 m (32.81 ft) to over 50 m (164 ft) have been defined by diamond drilling. Preferred host lithologies are highly deformed silica-invaded phyllite and black metamudstone. Gold mineralization occurs in or close to the contacts with the intrusive units. In most cases, the mineralized envelopes dip between 45° and 75° to the north and northwest, and plunge at an average of 15° to 25° towards the southwest. However, at Tassawini South, the mineralized envelopes are nearly horizontal as they are controlled by the contacts with the intrusive bodies. In detail, all the mineralized zones are extremely complex in shape, but they have been interpreted to be linked as they appear to belong to one single larger system that was disrupted by intrusive bodies and faults. The gold mineralization occurs in spatial association with silica, pyrite and arsenopyrite in zones of silicification and carbonation alteration. Gold deposition and/or remobilization are controlled by deformed micro-quartz and quartz-carbonate veining related to linear high strain zones, fold hinges and intrusive contacts.

The Guiana Shield

↑ There has been extensive artisanal mining within the Tassawini project 50

The Guiana Shield spans over 2000 km (1242 mi) and stretches from western Venezuela, through Guyana, Suriname, and French Guyana and ends in northern Brazil. The shield is composed of a Palaeoproterozoic granite-greenstone terrain with a general east to northeast trending structural trend. This terrain is considered to be the extension of the West-African Palaeoproterozoic Birimian Supergroup metasedimentary/greenstone terrains, which, in northern Guyana, was originally mapped as part of the Lower Proterozoic Barama-Mazaruni Supergroup (approx. 2200-2000 million years in age). The Barama-Mazaruni Supergroup consists of metasedimentary/greenstone terrains intercalated with Archean-Proterozoic gneisses that were then intruded by Trans-amazonian granites as well as mafic and ultramafic rocks (see McConnell and Williams, 1969). The geology at Tassawini is dominated by a series of lower to upper greenschist facies altered fine-grained Coring Magazine #18

metasedimentary rocks that have been intruded by a series of granitoids. The dominant lithologies are phylite, finely banded fine-grained metaclastite, carboniferous schist, and garnet-sulphide-graphitic rocks. These rocks are interpreted as originally being deposited as siltstones and mudstones in a carbonate-sulphide iron formation that was formed under reducing submarine conditions. This proto-sedimentary sequence is part of a manganese-rich proto-basin that can be traced from the Tassawini property over 100 km (62 mi) to where manganese was historically mined. Within this sequence are localized disconformable incursions of turbidic wacke as well as coarser sedimentary units such as sandstones and conglomerates.

Additional information

↑ The Guiana Shield and the West African Shield showing significant gold deposits

Alerio also holds the Harpy project, an early-stage exploration play. It is adjacent to the Aurora gold deposit owned by Guyana Goldfields that was recently purchased by Zijin Mining for USD 323 million. Alerio is looking to progress both of these projects and make further acquisitions in 2022. C

References McConnell, R. B., and Williams, E., 1969, Distribution and provisional correlation of the Precambrian of the Guiana Shield. Paper presented at the 8th Guiana Geol. Conf., Georgetown, Guyana.

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Coring Magazine #18

The new era of safety.

Safety is the challenge, CX Line is the answer. Compact design, hands-free rod handling system for fully automated and remote controlled operations: it’s the new range of exploration drilling rigs. Are you ready for the new era?

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Coring Magazine Issue 18

Articles inside

Explomin’s global expansion plan

Geodrill: Africa’s preferred drilling partner

Rupert Resources: The benefits of aggressive drilling

From Russia with core strength RS-90 drill rig manufactured by Rusmining Export

Exclusive interview

Meet MAX: The 8000 lb beast that drills up to 3100 meters N-size

Steel-made precision tubes for drill rods

A technical note on dogleg severity