DRC Drilling

What DRC Drilling does

DRC Drilling Pty Ltd is an Australian private contract drilling services provider headquartered in Somerton Park, South Australia, with a secondary operations location in Orange, New South Wales. The company was founded in 2015 when the owner of Raise Bore Australia acquired the assets of Pinnacle Drilling, including a fleet of late-model Sandvik multi-purpose surface rigs and Boart Longyear underground coring rigs. It serves mining and resource companies across Australia, delivering surface mineral exploration drilling and underground diamond core drilling services including diamond, reverse circulation, air core, geotechnical, rotary mud, wedging, Navi-hole steering, grouting, and hydro-fracturing methods. Surface rigs are capable of directional drilling up to 3,174 metres, while the underground fleet consists of 13 Boart Longyear drills (ten LM1300, three LM700 with LM90 Power Packs) plus one LM110 equipped with the LM Drill Control Interface (DCi) for semi-autonomous operation.

The company operates a fleet of approximately 20 rigs supported by Mercedes Benz support trucks, Atlas Copco compressors, Komatsu tool carriers, mobile camps, and lighting towers. Its competitive positioning emphasises leading-edge directional drilling technology, a 40-plus year combined industry pedigree, a zero-harm safety management system, and certified personnel (all Drillers Certificate 3 qualified, Driller's Assistants Certificate 2 or higher), with a proprietary training matrix database and partnership with an Australian Registered Training Organisation. The company shares facilities and resources with the Raisebore Australia Group of Companies, providing operational synergies within a broader mining services platform.

Revenue is generated through project-based B2B contracts quoted on a per-project basis depending on drilling depth, rig type, site conditions, and duration. Go-to-market is direct enterprise sales to mining and resource clients across Australia, supported by a corporate website (drcdrilling.com.au), LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube channels for top-of-funnel visibility, and phone/email/enquiry-form engagement for bottom-of-funnel conversion. DRC Drilling is privately held with no external funding rounds, no public ticker, and no disclosed financials; it operates as a subsidiary within the privately held Raise Bore Australia Group.

Name

DRC Drilling

Legal name

DRC Drilling Pty Ltd

Website

https://drcdrilling.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

DRC Drilling Pty Ltd is an Australian contract drilling services provider that delivers surface and underground directional drilling for mineral exploration to mining and resource companies nationwide, operating a fleet of approximately 20 Boart Longyear and Sandvik rigs with depths up to 3,174 metres.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Mineral Exploration Drilling Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (2131), Support Activities for Mining (21311)

akta.pro primary industry

Exploration & Production Drilling Services (RC, Core, Directional, Sonic, Auger) (IMAKAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Drilling Rigs & Drill Systems (IMAHAMAA), Rock Drilling & Blasthole Drilling Equipment (IMAHAMAC)

Keywords

• Contract drilling services
• Mineral exploration drilling
• Directional drilling services
• Surface underground drilling
• Diamond core drilling

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Contract Drilling Services: DRC Drilling operates as a contract drilling provider delivering surface and underground drilling services to mining and resource companies. Revenue is generated through project-based contracts for mineral exploration drilling, geotechnical drilling, and directional drilling projects across Australia. Services include deep hole drilling, reverse circulation, diamond core drilling, air core, rotary mud, and grouting services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

DRC Drilling is a contract drilling services provider delivering surface and underground directional drilling for mineral exploration projects across Australia. Services cover diamond core drilling, reverse circulation (RC), air core, geotechnical, rotary mud, directional/navi-hole steering, wedging, grouting, pressure grouting, and hydro-fracturing using a fleet of 13 underground Boart Longyear rigs and 7+ Sandvik surface rigs. The offering includes full project execution with certified drilling crews, support equipment, and ancillary plant delivered on-site to mining and resources clients.

Product overview

DRC Drilling is a contract drilling services provider specializing in surface and underground drilling for mineral exploration throughout Australia. The company operates two primary service lines: Surface Mineral Exploration Drilling using a fleet of seven Sandvik multi-purpose drill rigs capable of drilling up to 3,174 metres, and Underground Diamond Core Drilling using thirteen Boart Longyear underground rigs (ten LM1300's and three LM700's). The equipment portfolio includes Sandvik DE710/DE740/DE810 Coring Rigs, Sandvik DE840/DE880 Multi Purpose Rigs, an RD20 Large Diameter Drill Rig, and the Boart Longyear LM110 equipped with semi-autonomous LM Drill Control Interface (DCi) technology. Support equipment includes Mercedes Benz trucks, Atlas Copco compressors, generators, and mud systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Surface Mineral Exploration Drilling Project-based surface drilling services delivered on-site at mining and resources client locations across Australia, using a fleet of Sandvik multi-purpose and large-diameter drill rigs. Methods include Diamond Drilling, Reverse Circulation (RC), Air Core, Geotechnical, and Rotary Mud, with capacity to drill directional holes up to 3,174 metres. Targeted at mining and resources companies requiring exploration, resource definition, and geotechnical drilling programs.
• Underground Diamond Core Drilling Project-based underground drilling services delivered on-site at mining and resources client locations, using a fleet of 13 Boart Longyear underground drills for deep hole drilling (NQ to 1400 metres, HQ to 700 metres), directional wedging, navi-hole steering, LTK60 360° infill drilling, full hole/part hole grouting, pressure grouting, and hydro-fracturing. Targeted at mining and resources companies requiring underground exploration and resource definition drilling.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deep directional surface drilling capability up to 3,174 metres
• +1 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Leading Australian Registered Training OrganisationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC Drilling has formed a strategic partnership with one of Australia's leading registered training organisations that delivers industry-specific, live and in-real-time drill training on a global scale. The e-platform program meets the growing demand for trained drilling-specific personnel and can be managed from remote locations.
• Raisebore Australia GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDRC Drilling centralised its services in Adelaide, SA creating efficiencies by sharing facilities and resources with the Raisebore Australia Group of Companies. DRC Drilling was established in 2015 when the owner of Raise Bore Australia purchased assets from Pinnacle Drilling. The two companies now operate as part of the same corporate group.
• Boart LongyearcoreTechnology or IntegrationDRC Drilling operates a fleet of Boart Longyear underground coring rigs (LM1300, LM700, LM110) and uses Boart Longyear LM90 Power Packs. Equipment sourcing from world-best suppliers including Boart Longyear for drilling rigs.
• SandvikcoreTechnology or IntegrationDRC Drilling's surface drill fleet consists of late-model Sandvik multi-purpose drill rigs including DE710, DE740, DE810, DE840, DE880, and RD20. Equipment sourced from world-best suppliers including Sandvik for drilling rigs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Orbit Drilling: Orbit Drilling is an Australian exploration drilling company providing diamond core, RC and underground drilling services to mining clients — a smaller-scale direct peer competing with DRC for similar contracts in Australia.
• Terra Drilling: Terra Drilling is an Australia-based mineral exploration drilling contractor offering diamond core and RC services to mining companies — a directly comparable regional competitor for DRC.
• Major Drilling Group International: Major Drilling is a global mineral exploration drilling contractor with significant Australian operations, providing surface and underground diamond drilling and directional services to mining companies — a clear international comparable to DRC.
• DDH1 Drilling: DDH1 is an Australian mineral exploration drilling contractor offering underground and surface diamond core, RC, and directional drilling — directly comparable to DRC's service mix and customer base across Australia.
• Ausdrill (Perenti Limited): Ausdrill, now part of Perenti, is one of Australia's largest mineral drilling contractors with surface and underground fleets and a strong presence in directional and deep-hole drilling — directly competing with DRC for mining exploration contracts.
• Ausrocks Drilling: Ausrocks is an Australian drilling contractor focused on surface and underground exploration drilling for the resources sector; comparable scale and service mix to DRC.
• Foraco International: Foraco is an international drilling contractor serving the mineral exploration and mine services market with surface and underground capabilities, including deep directional drilling — comparable in service offering and target customer base to DRC.

Broad incumbents

• Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions: Sandvik supplies DRC's surface drill fleet and also operates its own contract drilling services; it represents an OEM/services hybrid player operating in the same mining-drilling category.
• Boart Longyear: Boart Longyear is a global drilling services and equipment provider; it supplies DRC's underground rigs while also operating its own drilling services business, making it both a supplier and competitor across the Australian mineral drilling market.

Emerging players

• Pinnacle Drilling: Pinnacle Drilling is a Western Australia-based drilling contractor; notably, DRC was founded in 2015 through the acquisition of Pinnacle's drilling assets — making it a historical predecessor and indirectly comparable operator in the same Australian market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpm9J9_akRqhmr3a65Ds7nA

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DRC Drilling