Borehole Drilling and Testing

A borehole is a narrow, deep, circular hole made in the ground using motorized equipment (drilling equipment). The process involves drilling the borehole and retrieving cylinder-shaped rock samples called core.

A wide range of testing is performed on samples of the core and in the borehole to investigate various geoscientific properties of the rock and advance understanding of the geology in the area.

For each area, the number, location and type of borehole to be drilled depend on the stage of the site evaluation process, the geoscientific uncertainties to be addressed and the geological setting in general – crystalline rock in northern Ontario or sedimentary rock in southern Ontario.

What to Expect

Boreholes are drilled using a conventional truck-mounted or track-mounted rotary drill rig. A drill site is about 60 metres by 60 metres, or about the size of two NHL-sized hockey rinks side by side. 

Trailers will be set up at the site for use as field offices, for on-site equipment storage, and for a small field lab for on-site testing and preserving rock core and water samples. 

For a borehole approximately one kilometre deep, the entire process can last about 90 days, depending on the number of shifts worked each day.

Planning for Future Studies

Once a borehole is drilled, geoscience specialists will need several months to review the data and share findings with the community. The findings, along with those from earlier assessments, will inform and guide us in working with communities to plan any future studies.

Ultimately, the project can only proceed with the involvement of the community, First Nation and Métis communities in the area, and surrounding communities.