The core drilling rig is a specialized piece of equipment designed to extract cylindrical samples (cores) from the earth's subsurface, including rock, soil, and mineral formations.
It operates by rotating a hollow drill bit, which cuts through the material while a drilling fluid (like mud) cools the bit, removes cuttings, and stabilizes the borehole. The core—preserved in a core barrel attached to the bit—is retrieved at intervals for geological analysis, helping identify mineral deposits, assess soil stability, or study subsurface structures.
Available in various sizes, from portable units for shallow exploration to large, truck-mounted rigs for deep drilling, core drilling rigs are vital in industries such as mining, oil and gas exploration, geology, construction, and environmental testing. Their precision ensures intact core samples, making them indispensable for understanding subsurface composition and guiding critical project decisions.
Portable Hand - Held Rigs: These are small - scale, lightweight rigs designed for relatively shallow drilling and for use in areas where access is limited or where mobility is key. They are often used for quick soil sampling in construction projects to assess the bearing capacity of the ground before building foundations. They can be easily carried by one or two operators and are powered by either small electric motors or petrol engines.
Truck - Mounted Rigs: Mounted on trucks, these rigs offer greater mobility over larger areas. They are equipped with more powerful engines and larger drilling components, allowing them to drill deeper holes, often up to several hundred meters. They are commonly used in oil and gas exploration for initial exploratory drilling to determine the presence of hydrocarbon reserves. The truck's mobility enables the rig to be quickly moved to different drilling sites within a large exploration area.