- ZAMBIA (LUSAKA): 1-4/4/25
- MALI (BAMAKO): 8-11/7/25
- NAMIBIA (WINDHOEK): 19-22/8/25
- GHANA (ACCRA); 30/9-3/10/25
Course Brief
This field/client site-based course involves exposing delegates to on-site participation in a ‘live’ drilling programme environment. It is designed to provide first-hand experience in drilling programme management and drill-rig control, together with core handling, logging, and sampling.
Training is aimed at geoscientists and mining professionals involved at all levels of exploration. It is supported by a short preliminary ‘desk-top’ introduction to the various elements of Drill Management, which is presented prior to the commencement of the field course and is concluded with a series of desk-top assessment exercises to be completed by the candidates, upon completion of the practical course.
The training covers all aspects of practical exploration, from the design of the drilling programme, through management of the operation, to the handling of drill core and samples. The emphasis is on the design and management of effective drilling and sampling programmes to ensure the best representation of both physical resource (through the implementation of appropriate drilling layouts), and quality attributes, through the presentation of properly representative samples to the assay laboratory.
The course covers the preliminary ‘in-the-field’ assessment of the physical and quality data for the purposes of evaluating and finessing the design of an on-going drilling programme.
The course will provide a solid but easily understood grounding in the management of exploration drilling programmes, as well as presenting the ‘tricks of the trade’ necessary for effective handling of day-to-day drill site logistics and control.
The course will be concluded with a short desk-top assessment exercises which will test the trainee’s grasp and understanding of the critical issues presented during the course.
The training will cover the design of drilling programmes and the field management of drilling operations, as well as the safety and environmental issues that need to be considered whilst involved in an ongoing exploration project.
The emphasis throughout the course will be on effective techniques that are designed to ensure that the results of the exploration programme provide the best representation of both the physical and quality attributes of the resource.
The following Subjects will be addressed:
PLANNING A DRILLING PROGRAMME:
- Preliminary Desk-Top Studies:
- Reviewing of historic data,
- Preliminary borehole layout planning
- Choice of appropriate drilling method
- Drill layout adjustments during an active drilling programme
BASICS OF DRILL CONTROL:
- Siting of boreholes
- Site accessibility
- Water supply logistics.
- Road and drill site bush clearance
- Managing drill rig deployment
- Planning of borehole drilling order to reduce inter-hole distances and ‘back-and-forth’ movements.
- Machine ‘set-up’ checking – vertical alignment, cordoning, bush clearance.
- Drill site visit checklist – safety, environmental, core quality and handling
- Documentation – recording of drilling progress