About the company
Foraco International is a leading global drilling services provider specializing in mineral exploration, production drilling and blasting, mine infrastructure drilling, and geotechnical solutions.
With operations across five continents, Foraco is recognized for its technical expertise, commitment to safety, and ability to deliver integrated drilling programs across diverse environments, from surface to deep underground. Its teams combine innovation, operational discipline, and collaborative client engagement to support sustainable resource development and long-term mining productivity.
Introduction
Foraco was awarded the directional paste-fill service hole drilling program by Pan American Silver at the Bell Creek Mine in Ontario.
The project began in September 2023, and the initial phase was completed in May 2024, taking approximately eight months. Following successful completion, Foraco was awarded an extension to continue drilling additional paste-fill infrastructure at Bell Creek.
The project involved approximately 50 personnel across Foraco’s Surface, Underground, Percussive, and Rotary divisions. This included drill crews, supervisors, directional specialists, and project management support.
Project execution and equipment
The drilling took place in a well-established mine site with existing access infrastructure, so neither man-portable nor heli-portable drilling was required. All rigs and equipment were positioned using conventional surface and underground access routes.
The program utilized multiple drilling systems, including the VD 8000 for surface coring, the LM 90 for underground coring, the Foremost DR24 HD for rotary drilling, the Cubex 5200 for percussive reaming, and the CRT25 system for lowering and cementing casing into the drilled holes, ensuring structural integrity and alignment of the paste-fill lines.
- VD8000: Completed two surface pilot holes to depths of approximately 415 m (1361 ft). Each hole was directionally drilled using the Continuous Wedging Tool (CWT).
- LM 90: Drilled six underground holes to depths between 265 and 310 m (869–1017 ft). Each hole was directionally drilled to align with the surface pilots, ensuring precise alignment and borehole continuity.
- Foremost DR24 HD: Completed reaming of the HQ pilot hole for approximately 410 m (1345 ft) to a final diameter of 12 in (30.5 cm), and installed casing from surface to underground. The casing was then secured and cemented to seal the annulus and ensure a stable surface-to-underground connection.
- Cubex 5200-ITH: Reamed six underground pilot holes to a final diameter of 10 in (25.4 cm). The holes ranged from 265 to 310 m (869–1017 ft) in depth and were lined with threaded hardened steel casing for long-term stability.
- Casing running tool—CRT25: A hydraulic casing installation system used for setting and cementing threaded steel casing in the underground boreholes, matching the same six holes drilled and reamed to depths between 265 and 310 m (869–1017 ft). The CRT25 enabled controlled handling and precise placement of each casing string, improving efficiency and reducing manual intervention during installation.
All coreholes for the initial phase were completed to plan. These consisted of two surface holes and six underground holes. Each hole was drilled to target depth and alignment without requiring re-drilling or modification. Based on this successful completion, Foraco has now been awarded additional follow-up work to extend the system.
Results and key factors
The project delivered highly accurate, on-target boreholes with no corrective excavation required, demonstrating exceptional precision in aligning surface and underground drilling. While no formal records were documented, the seamless application of multi-division teamwork and the use of advanced directional tools generated new procedural efficiencies and strengthened Foraco’s integrated approach to paste-fill drilling for future projects.
A key differentiator in this project was the use of the Continuous Wedging Tool (CWT), owned by BG Drilling Solutions of Bulgaria. Foraco holds preferential rights to use the CWT in Canada, which allowed for precise directional steering from both surface and underground. This technology ensured exact hole alignment prior to reaming and casing, significantly improving accuracy and efficiency for paste-fill infrastructure projects like Bell Creek.
The Bell Creek program demonstrated Foraco’s capability to execute complex, multi-division drilling projects with precision, safety, and strategic coordination. The successful completion of the initial phase and the awarding of follow-up work reflects the strong trust and collaboration between Foraco and Pan American Silver. We are proud to support the mine’s long-term development and look forward to continuing this partnership with the next phase of drilling.
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