I checked with DW on those self-propelled, low ground pressure rigs. They are Boyles 25A Rigs, the same as the ones they have been using for the last 7 years. They are owned by Foraco, which had bought out the Cdn ops of Connors.

Since these are very proven rigs and identical in capabilities to the ones taken apart and moved in pieces by helicopters, this is a good thing. It means steady drilling progress and reduced costs (no need to hire helocopters to move rigs).

It is exactly like one I used to drill holes deep in YK's rock for a geothermal project I did. Very efficient and steady rig. It's basically the same as the ones used for drilling blast holes at open pit mines. Very self-contained rig that can climb terrain like an tracked excavator can. I had 72 of these holes drilled when I needed to excavate 800 tonnes out of a house site in hard rock (Yellowknife), and it climbed up and around some very lumpy terrain to get to the site.

THis will really speed up drilling, in my view.

SKELEG