As with any job, it is easy to become complacent over time. You may forget the fundamentals learned at the start of your career and develop bad habits. Based on visits to numerous sites, our technical team has identified ten common bad habits that diamond drillers should avoid.
Lack of Patience: Rushing to put core in the box is common, but deep-hole drilling requires patience. Mistakes at depth are far more costly and difficult to resolve than those near the surface.
Not Lubricating Enough: Lubrication is a driller’s best friend. Use the right products for moving parts, grease points, and threaded connections consistently.
Not Having an Open Mind: Drillers often stick to preferred methods or products. However, new drilling fluid additives and innovative processes can significantly improve performance. Stay open to modern solutions.
Not Keeping a Log and Sharing Information: Detailed logs are essential. Sharing information about hole conditions, stuck rods, or operational issues with your cross-shift partner prevents them from encountering the same problems.
Not Performing Maintenance: Regular maintenance prevents catastrophic equipment failure. Taking a few minutes to inspect parts beforehand saves significant time and money compared to stopping operations entirely during a failure.
Not Maintaining the Bore Hole: The hole itself needs care. Proper flushing after every run, gaging diamond tools, and using stabilizers or additives prevents wall collapse and ensures stability.
Over-Torqueing Threads: “Snapping” rods together causes damage to the shoulders of pin and box ends, leading to galling. Always take the time to join threads by hand.
Not Using Good Thread Compound: Grease is not thread compound. Use a compound with at least 50% zinc particle content and apply it regularly to clean threads to extend rod life substantially.
Not Listening to the Drill: A good driller listens to the rig and feels for vibrations. Sudden changes in sound or engine laboring are early warning signs of trouble brewing at the bottom of the hole.
Not Ensuring Proper Bit Flushing: The diamond bit must always be flushed with sufficient drill water. Insufficient fluid allows rock cuttings to damage the bit prematurely.
Most of these bad habits stem from rushing. While efficiency is important, never skip tasks that are vital for equipment longevity and operational success.
Source Reference: Epiroc - Top 10 Diamond Driller Bad Habits (https://www.epiroc.com/en-ca/applications/mining/exploration-and-geoscience/resources/the-drillers-blog/top-10-diamond-driller-bad-habits)
