Grade control drilling is one of the most critical activities in open pit gold mining — it directly determines how ore and waste are separated, which impacts your recovery rates and overall profitability.
At Banangi Drilling & Consulting Africa, we have executed RC grade control programmes for some of Ghana's leading gold producers, including operations at Edikan, Prestea, and Bogoso. Here is what we have learned.
Why RC Drilling for Grade Control?
RC drilling offers several key advantages over other methods for grade control purposes:
Speed — RC rigs can drill 150 to 300 metres per shift, allowing a programme to keep pace with the mine's blast schedule.
Sample quality — Dry, representative chip samples are collected through a cyclone, minimising contamination and dilution compared to rotary air blast (RAB) methods.
Depth capability — RC can reliably reach 200m+ where oxide transitions to sulphide, which is increasingly important as pits deepen.
Cost efficiency — For high-volume grade control work, RC is significantly cheaper per metre than diamond core drilling while still delivering reliable assay results.
What to Expect From a BDCA Grade Control Programme
Our crew arrives with fully maintained rigs, trained operators, and all consumables. We work closely with your mine geology team to agree on drill patterns, collar surveys, and sample dispatch protocols before the first hole is collared.
We provide daily production reports and can integrate with your mine's sample management system.
Get in Touch
If you are planning a grade control programme or want to discuss how RC drilling can improve your ore characterisation, contact our team at info@banangidrilling.com or call +233 24 764 6855.
