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In early 2025, a small bauxite exploration company in Boke, Guinea, contacted YG. Their old drilling machine broke down frequently, and water was extremely scarce during the local dry season. They had almost stopped work for nearly two months. After communication, they decided to purchase a reverse drilling machine to solve the problem of drilling without water. This YG-RC400 arrived at Conakry Port in April 2025 and was then put into use at the mining area. This article shares the actual application of this rc drilling machine in Guinea.
Parameter Table of Rc Drilling Machine
| Item | Specification | Item | Specification |
| Max drilling depth | 400 m | Drilling diameter | 115–305 mm |
| Air pressure | 1.05–3 MPa | Air consumption | 16–42 m³/min |
| Drill pipe length | 3 m | Recommended drill pipe diameter | 89/108/127 mm |
| Axial pressure | 5 T | Lifting force | 12 T |
| Fast lifting speed | 14.5 m/min | Fast feeding speed | 21 m/min |
| Max rotary torque | 4000–5700 Nm | Max rotary speed | 0–120/0–150 r/min |
| Auxiliary winch lifting force | 20 T | Drilling efficiency | 10–25 m/h |
| Driving speed | 2.5 km/h | Uphill angle | 21° |
| Weight | 7 T | Dimension | 6.8 × 2.1 × 2.8 m |
| Working condition | Overburden and bedrock | Drilling methods | Top-drive hydraulic rotation & feed, DTH hammer or mud drilling |
| Matched DTH hammer | Medium & high-pressure series | Optional accessories | Reverse circulation device, mud pump, generator, foam pump |
Why Is Reverse Drilling Machine more Efficient Than Ordinary Drilling Machines?
After the reverse drilling machine arrived at the mine, we first carried out a comparison test with the old drilling machine. The old one was an ordinary water-circulation rotary drilling rig, which often stopped work due to water shortage in the dry season. The new machine works in a completely different way:
- Pneumatic impact crushing: It uses an air hammer to drive tungsten carbide bits to break rock, instead of grinding by bit rotation. In the laterite and bauxite layers common in Guinea, the drilling efficiency reaches 10–15 meters per hour, about twice as fast as the old machine.
- Continuous slag discharge without interruption: Compressed air reaches the hole bottom through the drill pipe gap and carries cuttings back to the surface through the inner pipe. This allows continuous drilling, without lifting the drill to take core every 1–2 meters like the old machine, so pure drilling time is greatly increased.
- Stable daily drilling progress: According to the operator, under normal working conditions, the rig can drill 150–200 meters per day. Although not as efficient as large mines, it is sufficient for this small exploration company.
What Are the Advantages of the “Double-Wall Drill Pipe” Of Reverse Drilling Machine?
What satisfied the customer most about this rc drilling machine was its double-wall drill pipe design. The drill pipe consists of an outer pipe and an inner tube. This simple structure brings several practical benefits:
- Clean samples: Cuttings enter the sampler directly through the inner tube without touching the hole wall or other formations. The operator said that with the old machine, samples were often mixed with mud and impurities, but now the cuttings are much cleaner, and the laboratory also reported better sample quality.
- No water needed: This was the main reason the customer chose this rig. Reverse circulation drilling uses compressed air instead of water, free from water supply. In the past two months, the old machine stopped three times due to water shortage, while the new one kept working normally.
- Strong formation adaptability: The formation in Boke is complex: soft laterite on the top, gravel layer in the middle, and hard bauxite below. The double-wall drill pipe performed stably in different formations without sticking or inner pipe blockage.
Practical Application of the Reverse Drilling Machine
The actual application of this reverse circulation drilling equipment is as follows:
Equipment Arrival
In mid-March 2025, the rig arrived at the mine from Conakry Port. The mine is about 200 km from the port, including 30 km of dirt road. The rig weighs 7 tons and was easily transported by flatbed truck. YG technicians guided local workers to complete assembly via video.
First Drilling Hole
The first hole was located in an exploration target area east of the mine, with a designed depth of 200 meters. Drilling records:
- 0–30 m laterite layer: fast speed, about 18 m/h, dry and loose samples
- 30–80 m gravel layer: speed dropped to 12 m/h, slight increase in rig vibration, but still within normal range
- 80–200 m bauxite layer: stable speed at 10–13 m/h, cuttings in powder and small particles with good representativeness
The whole hole was completed in three days, including equipment commissioning and operator training.
Staff Arrangement
The customer assigned 3 workers: one operator to control the rig, two samplers to collect and mark samples. The operator had experience with old rigs and learned quickly, mastering independent operation in about two days. Samplers must wear earplugs, masks and safety shoes due to high noise and dust.
Minor Problems Encountered
Some small issues occurred during use. For example, once the connector of the compressed air hose became loose, causing air pressure drop and slower drilling. The operator found and tightened it in time, and the problem was solved.
Reverse Circulation Drilling Rig supplier – YG
The cooperation between YG and this Guinea customer went smoothly:
- Simple and direct communication: The customer contacted us via WhatsApp, stating their needs and budget. We recommended YG-RC400, sent the parameter table and quotation, and confirmed the order in about one week.
- Reasonable price: The customer said they had inquired about other brands, some of which were too expensive. YG’s price was within their budget with sufficient configuration and no unnecessary functions.
- After-sales support: After delivery, technicians guided installation and commissioning via video. Later, several operation problems were solved promptly by message. We suggested the customer prepare a set of common wearing parts to avoid long shipping waits.
Contact Us
If you are considering purchasing a reverse drilling machine, or have questions about equipment selection in Guinea and West Africa, welcome to contact us:
- Model suggestion: Tell us your drilling depth and local rock conditions, we can recommend the suitable reverse circulation drilling rig model without forcing large-tonnage equipment.
- Price inquiry: Provide separate quotations for main machine, air compressor and optional parts for your budget choice.
- Case sharing: Contact this Guinea customer or our other African users to learn their real experience.
- Technical support: Remote guidance or on-site guidance after delivery; operation and maintenance questions are welcome at any time.
- Contact: Leave a message on the official website or send a message via WhatsApp.
