Ann: Quarterly Activities Report, page-39

Bugsam

just a little bit of information on the drilling Contractors for some that might be interested



ABOUT US
Equator Drilling is a private, small-medium sized mineral focused drilling contractor, which provides exploration drilling services to the African resource sector. It is owned and managed by highly experienced field operatives and technicians, who have a well-developed understanding of the challenges and parameters of effective remote project management on the African continent. Despite the abundance of services providers in the industry, there remains a current market demand for a well-equipped and competent technical offering, with added emphasis on client-contractor integrity as well as human safety and environmental responsibility.

Through affiliate Group companies and diverse business sector initiative’s, Equator Drilling has the capacity to follow a broad operational footprint on the African continent, with specific reference to South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola. Our business model allows us to establish in-country business entities and operational bases before bringing in premium technical and support equipment and teams of qualified management, technical and operations personnel.
Within our operational jurisdictions, we give careful consideration to the laws, fiscal policies and customs of the Governments and the local people. We also aim to benefit local suppliers and service providers who are able to participate directly in our operations and/or supply chains.
MANAGEMENT
Bruce Olivier, Managing Director
Bruce is a founding Director of Equator Drilling and currently bases himself out of Nairobi. Prior to the establishment of Equator Drilling, Bruce has been involved in the exploration and resource drilling industry for the past nine years, and held various senior Management and Directorship positions with a leading Sub-Saharan drilling contractor. Bruce has extensive experience throughout the African continent, and has led field teams which facilitate and project manage 24hour drilling programs in remote locations, and in multiple jurisdictions spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. In Mozambique, he set up and established a successful drilling business subsidiary and operation. Bruce is also a trained game ranger and previously worked for one of the largest ecotourism groups in Africa.

Werner Kotzee, Country Manager – Mozambique
Werner started his career as a driller and progressed to the position of Site Manager for a leading Pan-African drilling company. He has operated in several jurisdictions including South Africa, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ivory Coast, Mozambique and Namibia. As well as working on a number of different types of drilling rigs, the minerals he has drilled for include gold, copper, iron ore, platinum, zinc, coal and graphite. Werner joined the company in 2015 and has taken on the role of Fleet and Asset Manager. He oversees the allocation, maintenance and deployment of all machinery and equipment resources. He also plays a pivotal role in the procurement of new assets. He now oversees all Mozambican projects from the ED operation’s base in Pemba.

Robert Silubonde, Finance Manager – Mozambique
Robert is the Finance Manager of Equator Drilling SA a subsidiary of Maris Africa Limited. A Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA), he also holds a Bachelor of Accounts (Hons) degree from University of Zimbabwe and Bachelor of Science in Applied Accounting (Hons) degree from Oxford Brookes University. With over 14 years experience, previously, he worked as the Finance Manager at Mimosa Platinum Mine and as a Project Accountant at Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company (ZISCO Steel), where he spearheaded the project on farming implements manufacturing.


Sam Stewart, Country Manager – DRC
Sam is currently heading up Equator Drilling’s operations in the DRC, whilst also looking to establish new commercial opportunities for the company in the Great Lakes region. He has managed remote exploration projects in Kenya and Mozambique and first started with Equator Drilling back in 2014. He decided to move out to Africa after graduating from the University of Bristol in the UK. Sam speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish, as well as French to a basic level.



Albert Robinson, Drilling Supervisor
Albert is a second generation driller and drilled the first borehole for Equator Drilling back in 2014. He spent the early part of his career drilling for platinum in South Africa’s Bushveld complex where he drilled down to 2,000 meters. He then moved to Mozambique in 2012 to work for a leading international drilling contractor where he worked with numerous drilling rigs including the Sandvik DE710, XY models 2000, 42 and 44, and various Boart Longyear rigs such as the LF90. Albert has drilled for a wide array of minerals spanning from coal to colored gemstones. At Equator Drilling Albert leads the production of a multiple rig project in northern Mozambique whilst also internally training a reliable team of rig operators and assistants.

HOW WE WORK
Although we are able to give an indication of general/provisional services rates and terms towards enquiries, in order to provide clients with a fast, clear and accurate quotation we follow a specific sequence:
OPERATIONAL – PROJECT SITE ASSESSMENT

Prior to any final quotation of rates and then mobilization of personnel and equipment, we first visit the country and project area in which the proposed drill targets are located, and conduct a thorough inspection of the various site characteristics, such as:

• Road Access: Distances, seasonal conditions and journey times from tarred/made up roads to the prospecting license/proposed area of activity, and proximity to the closest fuel, food and other re-supply point.
• Access Obstructions: Seasonal or all-year-round rivers or lakes and the viability of all known crossing points/methods, vegetation overgrowth, human settlements and/or any other access prohibitive factors.
• Water Source/s: Closest reliable permanent, seasonal or man-made water source/s for technical, operational and potable use.
• Safety Risk: Various human safety hazards such as, dangerous roads, tropical diseases (malaria, tick bite fever, bilharzia), wild and potentially dangerous animals (elephant, lion, venomous snakes or spiders) and viable emergency response procedure assessment in the event of a vehicle, illness, dangerous/venomous animal attack/bite and/or industrial incident (workshop or drill site).

Followed by;
TECHNICAL – GEOTECHNICAL TOOLING & EQUIPMENT EVALUATION

In order to tackle the sampling program effectively, we engage with our client’s Geological representatives to gain as much of an understanding as possible of the likely ground conditions to be encountered. This is pivotal when evaluating which cutting, recovery tooling and equipment will best interface with these geotechnical conditions, some of these include:

• Rock Formation Types and Densities: Critical for the selection of the correct drill bits (through the various rock formation types) and core recovery tubing option to be used.
• Overburden Characteristics: Likely depths and conditions of the overburden, or initial ground covering from surface to the known geological ore bodies or seams. This information impacts significantly on the techniques used during this phase of ground penetration. This part is often the most technically risky due to incompetent ground formation at the early stage, which often results in multiple borehole collapses at regular intervals.
• Geological Ore Body/Seam Depths: This information can assist with additional technical suggestions which could expedite the clients program and in some cases, reduce the costs. Such as: pre-collaring the first section of the borehole by way of the Reverse Circulation (RC) technique, followed by coring through the ore body/seam only.

Followed by;
COMMERCIAL – QUOTATION OF RATES & SUBMISSION OF DRAFT CONTRACT
Following the site assessment, and subject to, we reply to the enquiry with a final quotation of rates and term sheet. The terms will outline any pre-contractual particulars with specific reference to the rates definition, fuel policy, tax policy, site assessment notification and mobilization/de-mobilization policy. The rates categories are distinguished as follows:

• Standard Technical: refer to services which are all inclusive as per the itemised schedule, such as; rate per meter and per core size (PQ, HQ, NQ, and non-core or Large Diameter); rate per meter of casing installed; rate per meter for water pumping and/or cartage; rate per meter for chemicals and additives used.
• Non-Standard Technical & Operational: refer to chargeable services/items due to exceptional/unforeseen geo-technical drilling circumstances and/or client instructed standby time, such as; rate per hour for the reaming and conditioning of a borehole; rate per hour for the recovery of un-fixed rods and casing; rate per hour for client instructed standby time.

Following any further clarification or explanation, and subject to the acceptance of our rates and terms, we submit a draft contract and/or any other supporting documentation such as company registration, trading and tax clearance certificates, CV’s of competent persons and safety and environmental policy for review by the client. A preferred and realistic mobilization date is set by both parties prior to the signing of a contract.

@EQUATOR_DRILLING

Exploration drilling to the African resources sector.


@EQUATOR_DRILLING

Exploration drilling to the African resources sector.



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CAPABILITY
Our operating structure is made up of premium technical and operational equipment. Our capability allows us to carry out simultaneous projects in various jurisdictions whilst ensuring the best possible service to the client.
DRILLING RIGS
Sandvik DE710 – Coring

• Depth Capability: AQ – 1,841m; BQ -1,440m; NQ – 1,126m; HQ – 754m; PQ – 509m.
• Power Plant: 180hp John Deer/Cummins diesel engine.
• Mobility: Track mounted with safety cell driver cabin.
• Safety: Auto cut-off rod spin guard.

Superrock 100 – RC/Air Core/Auger

• Depth Capability: 5-8” up to 100m; 250mm–300mm
• Power Plant: 85hp Kirloskar diesel engine.
• Mobility: Double-axle trailer mounted.
• Diversity: RC & Air Core capability when coupled with Doosan 21 bar compressor.

ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES & LIGHT VEHICLES

• IVECO Trakker 6×6 truck fitted with PM 9 ton hydraulic hydraulic crane.
• IVECO Trakker 4×4 fitted with PM 9 ton hydraulic crane.
• IVECO Daily 4×4 double cab crew carrier, capable of transporting seven passengers, all forward-facing, complete with Minecorp safety accessories & lighting and a 300kg crane jib for ease of loading/offloading a 220L drum of oil and the spare wheels.
• Toyota Land Cruiser double cab pick-up, capable of transporting five passengers, all forward facing, complete with Minecorp Roll Over Protection Systems (ROPS) safety cell, accessories & lighting.
• John Deere 5503 Tractor with 4-wheel drive and detachable front end loader, complete with mesh protection plates.
• JCB 3DX Backhoe with auger drilling attachment, complete with mesh protection plates.

WATER LOGISTICS

• Pumping Capability: Mobile HATZ Diesel-FMC35 combination high pressure water pumps, HATZ Diesel 3” high volume water pumps and HATZ Diesel-Worm pump combination water pumps. Pumping is an effective low-impact alternative to carting and we only use class 16 PVC water pipe.
• Water Storage & Transport: 5,000L horizontal extra heavy duty “armadillo” water tanks, suitable for water carting by truck, range of collapsible 7,500L to 10,000L site water storage reservoirs.

FUEL LOGISTICS

• Mobile: 1,000L and 2,000L diesel bowsers, complete with 12v fuel pumps, filtration, calibrated usage meters, fire extinguishers and capable of being towed behind light 4×4 vehicles.
• Storage: 2,500L heavy duty steel fuel site storage tanks.

CAMP EQUIPMENT

• Electrification: Mobile 15kva HATZ Diesel power generation.
• Accommodation: Military configured canvas tented accommodation.
• Refrigeration: Minus 40 chest freezers with ultra-thick wall insulation as well as specialized radiator and tropicalized compressor technology, capable of reaching optimal cooled temperature in 6 hours and maintaining this ambiance for up to 18 hours thereafter, ideal for remote location camps.
• Ablution: Heavy duty and portable ablution accessories.
• Workshop: Full range of tools, work bench, steel cutting, grinding & welding as well as accessories.

COMMUNICATION

• VHF Radio: Motorola mobile VHF units fitted in all vehicles, drilling rigs and within the camps.
• Satellite: Hughes Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) voice, fax and data communication camp units.

The essence of a successful drilling campaign is effective operational support and facilitation of the qualified technical site crew. We believe that a high ratio of operational personnel, vehicles, water supply and power plant versus a single drilling rig and its crew is essential in delivering the highest quality service to the client. This high level of support is an uncompromising feature of our operational model.


Through many collective years of field experience across a multitude of sectors, the Equator Drilling management team has developed a very good understanding of the potential risks associated with remote operations and logistics in the African bush. The management team is well versed in best practice methods in mitigating risk in the natural environments in which we work. In order to spread this knowledge to all sectors of the company, we have proudly created and introduced an occupational credo known as SiteSafe24™, which refers to our philosophy that: any member of staff, management or others, who may work on, manage or visit an Equator Drilling operated site, should be kept safe from injury, illness or harm, 24 hours a day. SiteSafe24™ sets out to address the ongoing health, safety and environmental challenges which are a constant presence within the mining and exploration industry. We use this as our “house brand” in our continued efforts to improve on our standards and methods of training. A few examples of how we go about managing our safety risks are as follows:
Ensuring that adequate training, risk assessment protocol and administration controls thereof, are fully in place before an individual undertakes a given task within the operation. An example of this is Toolbox Talks (TBTs) that are carried out on weekly basis focusing on a variety of topics from food hygiene to the correct usage of fire extinguishers.
Strict implementation of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including heavy duty and high visibility coverall garments, steel toe safety boots, internationally rated hard hats, PVC or leather work gloves, protective eyewear and the use of ear plugs for tasks which expose an individual to certain noise decibel levels.
Establishment of effective Emergency Response Procedures (ERP’s), in the event of an accident or incident and for each field area worked in, including effective and reliable communication operational hardware as well as systems thereof.
Managing malaria risks through the use of mosquito nets, fumigation, encouraging all personnel to wear ankle and wrist length garments from dusk until dawn and constant vigilance on potential mosquito breeding grounds around the camp.
Managing the industrial risk associated with up to 24 hour production shifts can only be achieved through rigorous site supervision by highly qualified Drill Site Supervisors who constantly monitor the production, technical and safety activities on drill site/s for the duration of the program.
Enforcing strict driving policies, including daily & weekly vehicle checks and administration controls thereof, regular and routine preventative maintenance scheduling, ongoing driver competence assessments, adhering to legal vehicle speed limits and introducing conditional speed limits when off road, and especially when passing through rural villages.
A common misconception is that exploration drilling is a precursor to an eventual open pit mine, and so environmental management can be careless on this basis. We prefer to conduct our activity as though there may not be a future mine where we are exploring, and take whatever measures necessary to ensure minimal environmental impact and to reduce our carbon footprint. Some of these include:
Encouraging the use of well beaten tracks when mobilizing into new field areas and preventing the excessive opening of new access tracks from the main routes to the drill site/s.
Ensuring that camp sites are selected with care and that they do not impact negatively on the local communities, fauna and/or flora.
Preventing hydrocarbon spills, from the transportation, delivery and storage of fuels, on a daily/weekly/monthly basis and; ensuring that motor oils are carefully handled, stored and removed safely once used.
The preferred use of environmentally friendly and biodegradable chemicals, relating to technical and operational use.
Encouraging all stakeholders within the supply chain to comply with the preferred environmental best practice methods, through awareness and training.

CAREERS
A drilling operation consists of qualified, capable, level-headed and safety conscious individuals who have chosen a life of practical occupation, working in the field and often in tough, relatively uncomfortable conditions, in foreign countries and far away from home. If you think that these career characteristics match your particular attributes or qualifications, please send your curriculum vitae or resume to the following email address: [email protected]