Type of performance:

• Drilling Passive Vertical Drain (PVD) wells for the Highland Valley Copper Mine
• Number of PVDs drilled: 27
• Drilling depth: 85–114.5m
• Drilling diameter: 1.20m
• Equipment: BAUER BG 36, 72m lockable kelly bar, 3x kelly extension a 13.5m, casing, drilling tools Ø 1.20m
• Drilling method: Kelly drilling using extensions for depth > 72m, borehole cased from 0–30m, in greater depth borehole supported with additives

The complete development and construction contract for BAUER Resources Canada included the following partial services:

• BAUER HPRC swivel power rotary head with six rinsing heads to mount on a drilling rig of third-party manufacture
• BAUER HPRC mining system control unit based on the hydraulic power of that drilling rig
• 36 HPRC mining drill rods, each with six pipe resp. channels
• HPRC mining head (in four different versions/configurations)
• HPRC air inlet assembly

Because this assignment is a research and development project, the system has been under continuous supervision since it was brought into service in April 2009. With each completed drilling, AREVA and BAUER use the acquired knowledge to optimize processes, increasing productivity and gains per bore.