posted bythe Epiroc Exploration & OreBody Solutions team
September 4, 2019
We’ve written many blogs on drilling fluid additives and how they can make a dramatic improvement in drilling performance. In diamond drilling applications, additives can lubricate your equipment, reduce rust and wear and tear on parts, all of which can result in longer life.
They can prevent equipment becoming stuck in bore holes by reducing the swelling of clays, and the collapse of sand.
These are just some of the many benefits to using drilling fluid additives and we have previously focused on additives that are made for diamond drilling applications. This blog will introduce you to additives for RC drilling.
Matex additives for reverse circulation applications are also ideal for reducing wear and tear on RC equipment and improving performance. They are environmentally safe making them a great choice for projects near water sources of where environmental regulations are in force. There are three products that have been added to our line of additives.
RDO 302 ES
This is an environmentally safe product that was developed for reverse circulation DTH hammers. RDO-302ES is used to reduce wear and tear and to improve performance.
It lubricates more effectively than conventional rock drill oils but the best part is that it reduces contamination of surface and ground water. So for areas where environmental regulations are in force, this is the product to use.
ES THREAD COMPOUND
This next product provides excellent protection against wear and tear on threads and is highly resistant to water wash off. It is a great product for mineral exploration drilling projects where you need to get samples that are uncontaminated by heavy metals and where you need to make sure that ground water is not contaminated. ES Thread Compound has an environmentally safe formulation that is free of both petroleum oil carriers and all heavy metals, including lead, zinc, copper and aluminum.
HOLE CONTROL
As its name suggests, Hole Control is a unique cost-saving liquid that is formulated to stabilize the borehole wall. It can be used with down-the-hole reverse circulation hammers. It is great for reducing torque and increasing your sample size. By eliminating the regrinding of cuttings, it leaves you with bigger chips for sampling purposes. This product also acts as a dust suppressant.
As with diamond drilling, there are many drilling additives that can enhance performance in all types of drilling applications. If these products for RC drilling sound like something that could be helpful to your operation, feel free to contact our technical support team for more information. They can provide advice or guidance on the choice and proper use of drilling fluid additives.
