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Exploration Drilling Insights

Practical exploration drilling insights from Cylinder Exploration Drilling (CED), covering diamond drilling, RC drilling, Air Core, drill rigs, drilling costs, consumables, difficult ground, remote exploration, equipment, maintenance and contract drilling worldwide.

Air Core is one of mineral exploration's great reconnaissance tools. It can cover large areas, collect geological samples and help exploration teams decide where the expensive drilling should happen next.

Air Core Drilling Explained: Why Exploration Companies Use It Before RC & Diamond Drilling

Used in the right ground, however, Air Core drilling can be a brutally efficient way of turning a huge exploration area into a much smaller list of targets worth chasing.

Freddy Mann

3 days ago10 min read

You can have a perfectly capable diamond drill rig, a fresh bit and an experienced crew—and still spend an entire shift fighting the same few metres.

Why Do Diamond Drill Holes Collapse? How to Drill Broken Ground Without Losing the Hole

A diamond drill hole can become unstable when the surrounding formation cannot support itself after drilling.

Freddy Mann

Oct 68 min read

Sometimes the smartest move isn't immediately reducing diameter. Sometimes maintaining the larger hole until you've passed the problematic zone gives you more options later.

HQ vs NQ vs PQ Diamond Drilling: Which Core Size Should You Use?

PQ gives you more core. NQ gives you a smaller hole. HQ sits somewhere in the middle.

Freddy Mann

Sep 299 min read

You can buy a fantastic RC drill rig and still end up with a terrible RC drilling system.

How Much Air Does an RC Drill Rig Need? CFM, PSI & Compressor Sizing Explained

Deep hole, groundwater, large diameter, elevation—and a compressor selected because somebody found a cheap one sitting in a yard?

Freddy Mann

Sep 228 min read

RC Drilling vs Diamond Drilling: Which One Should You Actually Use?

CED manufactures and supplies both RC and diamond drilling equipment.

Freddy Mann

Sep 159 min read

The other is losing water, reaming broken ground, burning through bits, waiting on a helicopter and wondering which deity controls core recovery.

How Much Does Diamond Drilling Cost Per Metre? The Answer Nobody Likes: It Depends

So if you're budgeting a mineral exploration programme and trying to understand diamond drilling cost per metre, forget looking for one magic number.

Freddy Mann

Sep 87 min read

Exploration Drilling Insights

Air Core Drilling Explained: Why Exploration Companies Use It Before RC & Diamond Drilling

Why Do Diamond Drill Holes Collapse? How to Drill Broken Ground Without Losing the Hole

HQ vs NQ vs PQ Diamond Drilling: Which Core Size Should You Use?

How Much Air Does an RC Drill Rig Need? CFM, PSI & Compressor Sizing Explained

RC Drilling vs Diamond Drilling: Which One Should You Actually Use?

How Much Does Diamond Drilling Cost Per Metre? The Answer Nobody Likes: It Depends

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