Boart Longyear has unveiled a new compact rig, the LS250 MiniSonic. The rig is a low-cost solution for mining, environmental and geotechnical drilling projects.

It sits on 600 millimeter wide rubber tracks that provide low ground pressure, good for fragile terrain. It can drill to depths of up to 250 feet when used with 4.75-inch casing. The LS250 MiniSonic’s smaller footprint makes it ideal for small drill pads, environmentally sensitive areas and hard-to-reach sites.

“Boart Longyear has had this sonic head in the field for 10 years, and its reliability is unmatched,” says Greg Guillot, senior project manager for capital equipment. “That means more up time and drilling hours between head maintenance, which results in lower operating costs and higher productivity.”

The new compact drilling rig is designed to provide a relatively undisturbed core sample through any type of formation. It also reduces waste by up to 80 percent.

Safety features include interlocked rotation barrier, reduced noise levels, a dump mast and wiggle tail, and a rod presenter. The interlocked rotation barrier automatically slows head rotation when the barrier is open.

The LS250 MiniSonic’s articulated mast and wiggle tail allow the mast to shift from left to right and front to back to position the mast precisely over the hole. This eliminates time consuming rig movements.

The rod presenter allows the rod and casing to be loaded horizontally, with an actuator that then presents the rod and casing vertically to the head. The head rotates 28 degrees to the side for sample extraction, while the head slide shift allows for unobstructed winch use down the hole.

Boart Longyear, based in Salt Lake City, touts itself as the world’s leading provider of drilling services and equipment, and performance tooling for the mining industry. The company has more than 9,000 employees worldwide, manufactures equipment in six global factories, and sells to customers in more than 100 countries. For more information, go to www.boartlongyear.com.