RE:RE:RE:RE:RE:Timeline is tickingIt's not so clear cut...we have to remember this is essentially exploration drilling. They wanted bulk sample which couldn't be achieved using a typical diamond core rig...(PQ max size). A rotary crush method like triconing would have got the large diameter samples for them, but it would have been ground down and damaged far worse than the RC rig, so that said I believe they had the right method. Just needs some fine tuning on the processes, or a sure shot calculation to determine breakage afterwards. I'm not sure of the groundwater conditions on site but the water would have acted as a bit of a buffer coming back up the drill pipe...if the hole was dry, then maybe injecting water into the air flushing media would have helped.
In terms of experts, there's a huge knowledge pool in Canada...we also have the best drilling school in the world at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Lindsay, Ontario. There's only a handful of educational facilities globally, and the Resources Drilling & Blasting Program is by far the most comprehensive. I went there 15 years ago for Drilling, then stayed on for Geological Technologist, worked for a consulting engineer for a couple of years doing rig supervision/sample collection/lab testing, then started my own geotech/enviro/water well drilling business in Southern Ontario called Determination Drilling. Small company, operating 8 rigs but we've worked on some pretty amazing sites throughout Canada. Drilling is a great career, hard work, tough elements, big mosquitos, but you get to learn something new every day, make the impossible happen, and travel to some pretty remote places throughout Canada. But to answer your question, there's a million people out there with a passion for drilling, and many with kimberlite specific knowledge, so their resources for drilling expertise is virtually unlimited.
Back to to work for me...the joys of being a small business owner ;)