Boart Longyear has announced a new contract with Phu Bia Mining for grade control, horizontal drilling, surface coring, reverse circulation drilling, piezometer and water bore work at the company’s Phu Kham Copper-Gold Operation. The contract is a part of an effort to combine drilling contractors so the mine is only managing one contractor and can negotiate better rates.

“This drilling agreement to do the drilling work at Phu Bia Mining’s operations in Laos is a great opportunity to achieve greater cost efficiencies inaccessible with traditional contracting that typically engages multiple contractors. Boart Longyear has the infrastructure, expertise and people, to deliver the safe meters that Phu Bia Mining is looking for,” says Boart Longyear Country Manager Kenneth Reid. “We are excited to partner with Phu Bia Mining and build on our great working relationship.”

Phu Bia Mining was seeking a partner that would enable them to safely achieve higher efficiency. Boart Longyear has the safety track record, the technical expertise, and the necessary crews and rigs to deliver for Phu Bia Mining. Boart Longyear accepted productivity metrics as part of the agreement.

Boart Longyear operates a large fleet of rigs at both sites and provides a variety of drilling techniques, including diamond coring, reverse circulation and rigs for mine dewatering both large hole diameter water bores and horizontal drainage holes.

The Phu Kham Copper-Gold Operation is located within PanAust's Phu Bia Mining Contract Area in Laos, approximately 200 kilometers from the capital city, Vientiane. Phu Kham is PanAust's flagship operation and the cash flow generated by the Phu Kham Operation has supported PanAust’s growth.

The Ban Houayxai Gold-Silver Operation is located approximately 25 kilometers west of Phu Kham and comprises an open-pit mine feeding ore to a conventional 4 million tons per annum carbon in leach (CIL) and gravity recovery process plant.

Boart Longyear, based in Salt Lake City, offers drilling services, 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, visit www.boartlongyear.com.