Foraco International SA services

There are multiple parameters that drive an exploration drilling contract, ranging from the accessibility of the drilling site, topography, water supply, ground conditions and the customer’s technical requirements. The Company addresses the needs of each project, providing technical advice to the client and proposing a package of equipment, drilling methods and procedures to fulfill the needs of the contract. The Company specializes in operating in harsh environments, including deserts, rain forests, high altitudes, Arctic territories and remote locations.

Development stage drilling is typically undertaken to define (quality and quantity) a resource for the planning and construction of a new mine site, or the expansion of an existing mining project. External and internal financing requires a definitive review of the project economics (grade and volume of mineralization) before funds are committed to advance a project, regardless of whether this is a new mine or an extension to an existing operation. To obtain sufficient definition of the ore body, development drilling often requires very large volumes of drill holes to be created to both provide detailed definition and to probe the boundaries of the ore body. During the development phase, the Company often mobilizes additional rigs to the site, performing larger drilling campaigns, “ramping up” from the earlier exploration stage. Drilling services are often of the same type, but volumes and duration much larger.

Production stage drilling involves drilling within the mine boundaries and includes both surface and underground operations. Operating mines require drilling services to further delineate the ore body for mine planning and grade control over the life of the mine. Production drilling is also required to control or obtain water. Large diameter water wells are often drilled to supply the mine with process water, or to extract water from the vicinity of the mine to improve mining conditions (depressurization wells). One specialized area of production stage drilling is drilling for the solution mining industry such as potash, magnesium or uranium.