Barrick, BHP Billiton, Boart Longyear, CSIRO, Curtin University of Technology, Geoscience Australia, Gold Fields, Newcrest, the South Australian Government (PIRSA), the University of Adelaide, the University of Western Australia and Vale Exploration have all joined to launch the new Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre (DET CRC). The Centre was launched in Adelaide in early November by Ms Patricia Kelly, Deputy Secretary of the Commonwealth Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research, the Hon Paul Holloway, South Australian Minister for Mineral Resources Development, and Dr Tom Whiting, Chair, DET CRC.

The eight-year research program is funded by A$28 million cash from the Australian Government’s CRC program, A$21 million cash and A$12 million in-kind from industry participants and A$50 million in-kind from research providers. The CRC’s three research programs are: drilling technologies; data fusion; and deep targeting. Much of CSIRO’s research in drilling and logging is being undertaken through the DET CRC. In addition, CSIRO played a role in the establishment of the CRC and a significant role in designing the dilling technologies research program. The CEO of the CRC is Prof. Richard Hillis, formerly Mawson Professor of Geology and Head of the Australian School of Petroleum at the University of Adelaide.

A drill bit design that provides a method of steering has been conceived and tested under limited laboratory conditions by the CSIRO using a full-scale percussive drill. Patent applications have been lodged and further research may be undertaken through the Deep Exploration Technologies CRC. This technology will be coupled with CSIRO’s SweetSpot patented drilling technology which works to maintain the optimum weight-on-bit for any rock conditions encountered.