Critical Mineral Resources plc is due to begin drilling the first borehole with its new rig during the first half of December at Agadir Melloul, central Morocco.
SAVINGS
The fully refurbished Discovery HD track-mounted diamond core drilling rig arrived at the site on 20 November and is expected to double drilling capacity.
The company said that the rig had been fitted with brand new Caterpillar 308E steel tracks for rapid moves between drill pads.
The “compact, robust design” has a “heavy-duty telescopic mast and powerful hoisting winch capable of pulling the complete drill string from the ground and pulling in 20 ft sections”.
The rig can drill to depths of 1,400 metres NQ, for 47.6mm core, and 876m HQ (63.5mm core).
In order to minimise any risk of downtime, the rig has new consumable parts such as “jaws, bushings and comprehensive remote site spares kit”.
“The rig has undergone a comprehensive refurbishment and is effectively as good as new,” added chief executive officer Charlie Long.
“With proper care, we expect it to deliver consistent performance for the next decade and provide significant per metre cost savings.
“The additional refurbishment and some shipping complications meant the rig arrived later than originally planned.
“We are now carefully unpacking and inspecting all components, and with our newly appointed drill operator already in place, the team is ready to commission and bring the rig into operation without delay.”
Critical Mineral, which had been using a drilling contractor until the new rig arrived, is targeting a sedimentary copper deposit and a new rhyolite discovery.