YG Machinery supplied a reverse circulation drill rig to a junior mining company in West Africa. The area was dry. There was no reliable water source. Conventional mud drilling was not possible.
The company bought a YG150RC reverse circulation drilling rig. Local workers received training from YG’s online support team.
Drilling started immediately. No water was needed. Samples were clean and uncontaminated. The deposit was confirmed as viable. The company raised funding to develop the project.
The exploration manager said: “In this dry region, RC drilling was our only option. But even if water was available, I would still choose RC. The sample quality is better, and we drill twice as fast.”
Customer Background
The junior mining company held exploration licenses in a remote part of West Africa. The goal was to define a gold deposit before raising investment from larger mining companies. To do that, they needed to drill 5,000 meters of exploration holes across the property.
The area was dry. There was no reliable water source for conventional mud drilling. Trucks would need to haul water from far away. That would cost time and money.
The company needed a drilling method that did not depend on water.
Why Conventional Drilling Was Not an Option？
Traditional mud drilling has three problems for this site.
Water dependency. Mud drilling needs large amounts of water. Hauling water to a remote dry site is expensive and slow. The project could not afford the delay.
Sample contamination. Conventional drilling pushes cuttings up the outside of the drill pipe. Samples touch the borehole wall. Material from different depths can mix. Lab results become unreliable.
Slow penetration. In hard quartzite, conventional drills are slow. The project had 5,000 meters to drill. Slow speed meant missed deadlines.
The company needed a reverse circulation drill rig that could operate without water, deliver clean samples, and drill fast through hard rock.
Why This RC Drill Rig Was the Right Choice？
The company searched for an RC drill rig for sale and found YG Machinery. Several features made the YG150RC the right choice.
No water needed. The RC drilling machine uses compressed air, not mud. Dry sites are not a problem. The company started drilling immediately after setup.
Clean sample path. The reverse circulation drilling rig uses dual-wall drill pipes. Air goes down the outer channel. Samples come up the inner channel. The samples never touch the borehole wall. No mixing. No contamination.
Fast penetration in hard rock. The down-the-hole hammer pounds the bit into the rock. Compressed air clears cuttings instantly. In hard quartzite, the rig drilled 18 meters per hour. Conventional methods would be much slower.
Crawler mobility. The 9000kg rig walks on tracks at 1.2 km/h. It moved easily between drill pads without trucks.
Diesel power. The remote site had no power grid. The 125kW Cummins engine ran all day on its own fuel.
This reverse circulation drilling rig was exactly what the project needed.
The Solution: YG150RC Reverse Circulation Drill Rig
Here is what the West African mining company received:
| Specification | YG150RC |
| Drill rig weight (crawler) | 9000 kg |
| Engine power | 125 kW (Cummins) |
| Nominal drill depth | 150 m |
| End-hole diameter | 110-250 mm |
| Drill angle | -10° to 90° |
| Max output torque | 8000 N.m |
| Feed stroke | 3500 mm |
| Track walk speed | 1.2 km/h |
The rig was shipped by sea from China to West Africa. A flatbed truck carried it the rest of the way to the remote site. YG provided online video training for local workers. Within days, the crew was operating the rig on their own.
Results: Clean Samples, Fast Drilling, Big Funding
The numbers tell the story.
Drilling started immediately. No waiting for water trucks. No delays for mud mixing. The rig was productive from day one.
Penetration rate of 18 meters per hour. Hard quartzite did not slow the RC drilling machine down. The project stayed on schedule.
Clean, uncontaminated samples. The lab reported consistent, reliable assays. The geology team trusted the data. No need to re-drill questionable holes.
Deposit confirmed as economically viable. The clean sample data proved the gold deposit was worth developing.
Rig moved to a second project. When the 5,000-meter program finished, the reverse circulation drill rig was towed 200km to a new site. Same fast results. No new equipment purchase needed.
The exploration manager said the RC rig saved the project.
Customer Feedback from West Africa
The exploration manager told us:
“In this dry region, RC drilling was our only option. But even if water was available, I would still choose RC. The sample quality is better, and we drill twice as fast.”
He said the clean samples made the difference. The lab results were reliable. Investors trusted the data.
The company is now planning to buy a second reverse circulation drill rig for their next exploration program.
FAQ: What Mining Companies Ask Most
Q: How deep can this RC drill rig drill?
A: The YG150RC has a nominal depth rating of 150 meters. Deeper models are available.
Q: Does it need water to operate?
A: No. The RC drilling machine uses compressed air. No water needed. Perfect for dry regions.
Q: How are samples kept clean?
A: The reverse circulation drilling rig uses dual-wall pipes. Samples travel up the inner channel and never touch the borehole wall.
Q: What is the penetration rate in hard rock?
A: In hard quartzite, the rig drilled 18 meters per hour. Softer rock is faster.
Q: Can it move between drill pads easily?
A: Yes. The crawler chassis walks at 1.2 km/h. No truck needed for short moves.
Q: What power source does it use?
A: A 125kW Cummins diesel engine. No grid power required.
Q: Do you provide training?
A: Yes. YG provides online video training and user manuals. Local workers learn quickly.
Q: What is the price of an RC drill rig for sale?
A: Price depends on configuration. Contact us for a quote based on your depth and diameter requirements.
Need a Reverse Circulation Drill Rig for Your Project?
If you have the same problem as the West African mining company, we can help. A reverse circulation drill rig can drill without water, deliver clean samples, and penetrate hard rock fast. Your drilling data will be reliable. Your investors will trust the results.
These RC drill rigs are not just for gold exploration. They also work for copper, lithium, iron ore, and other minerals. Geotechnical drilling and water well drilling are also possible.
Tell us your target depth, rock type, and site conditions. We will recommend the right reverse circulation drilling rig for your project.
