Boart Longyear, the global provider of integrated drilling services and drilling products, has introduced the LS™250 MiniSonic™, a compact rig suitable for a wide variety of mining, environmental, geotechnical and water projects.
Capable of drilling to depths of up to 78 m when used with 4.75 in (121 mm) casing, the wide 600 mm rubber tracks provide low ground pressure (0.28 bar/4 psi) and make it well suited to jobs in the most sensitive and fragile terrains. Its smaller footprint also makes it appropriate for projects with small drill pads, environmentally sensitive areas or hard-to-reach sites. It also requires less support equipment making it a low-cost solution.
“Boart Longyear has had this sonic head in the field for 10 years, and its reliability is unmatched,” said Greg Guillot, Senior Product Manager for Capital Equipment. “That means more uptime and drilling hours between head maintenance, which results in lower operating costs and higher productivity.” Boart believes that the LS250 MiniSonic rig offers several distinct advantages over conventional rigs. “It provides a relatively undisturbed core sample of unparalleled quality and accuracy through any type of formation, with minimal deviation. When using the iso-flow groundwater profiling system, hydrogeological and geochemical data can be easily obtained. Additionally, drilling with the LS250 MiniSonic reduces waste by up to 80%. Sonic drilling is faster than conventional overburden drilling methods and greatly reduces the risk of project failure due to unknown or difficult subsurface conditions.”
Safety features of the rig include an interlocked rotation barrier, reduced noise levels, a dump mast and wiggle tail, and a rod presenter. The interlocked rotation barrier automatically slows head rotation when the barrier is open. The LS250 MiniSonic provides lower noise levels when equipped with the Tier 4i engine package. The LS250 MiniSonic’s articulated mast and wiggle tail enables the mast to shift from left to right and front to back to position the mast precisely over the hole, eliminating time-consuming rig movements. The dump mast allows the crew to work from the ground, enhancing safety by avoiding stairs and safety rails often required when working from a platform.
The innovative rod presenter allows the rod and casing to be loaded horizontally, with an actuator that then presents the rod and casing vertically to the head. The head rotates 28 degrees to the side for sample extraction, while the head slide shift allows for unobstructed winch use down the hole.
The LS250 MiniSonic is a suitable rig for a wide variety of soft ground, shallow drilling projects, including environmental, tunnelling, water management, grade control and leach pads. “Faster penetration, nearly undisturbed samples using little or no fluids and its casing advancement system make the LS250 MiniSonic ideal for a variety of applications. The LS250 MiniSonic offers unmatched versatility and reliability for an outstanding value.”
