K-Drill

What K-Drill does

K-Drill Pty Ltd is a Western Australian drilling contractor founded in 2021 when its current owners acquired Swick's Surface RC division, starting with four RC rigs, one contract and 40 employees. From dual hubs in Perth and Kalgoorlie, the company operates a 12-rig fleet spanning reverse circulation, surface diamond, underground diamond, auger and air core drilling, serving mining companies across Western Australia from greenfield exploration through resource definition to production support.

The company sells drilling services on a usage-based, per-metre basis, with contracts ranging from short exploration programs to multi-rig production support and environmental water bore work. Its differentiators are field-first, founder-led execution (zero LTIFR, 95% fleet availability) and an integrated digital reporting layer that combines CorePlan for drilling data, Krux for underground performance reporting, SiteDocs for safety, MaintainX for maintenance, and Starlink for remote connectivity, giving clients live visibility into recovery, progress and cost per metre.

K-Drill monetises relationships rather than marketing, growing via repeat work and referrals. Anchor customers include Mineral Resources (over 500,000 metres of RC drilling delivered over more than a decade), Genesis Minerals (multi-rig ongoing contracts including the Bruno Lewis project where productivity reportedly ran 30-40% above an established contractor), Global Lithium (40,000 metres of surface diamond drilling completed in 2023), Red 5, and Westgold, with Rio Tinto, Newmont and Aruma also appearing as customer logos.

Name

K-Drill

Legal name

K-Drill Pty Ltd

Website

https://k-drill.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

K-Drill is a Western Australian drilling contractor operating a 12-rig fleet of RC, surface diamond, underground and auger rigs for mining companies across WA, delivering exploration, resource definition and production drilling from hubs in Perth and Kalgoorlie.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mining 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)

Keywords

• RC drilling services
• Diamond drilling
• Underground drilling
• Exploration drilling
• Mining contractor services

Headquarters

HQ city

West Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. RC Drilling Services: Reverse Circulation drilling services provided to mining companies across Western Australia. Revenue is generated on a per-metre drilled basis with cost-per-metre clarity and transparent reporting. Programs range from exploration to production support with depth capabilities up to 550m.
2. Diamond Drilling Services: Surface and underground diamond drilling services. Provides continuity from greenfield exploration through to resource definition and production, with high core recovery in complex ground conditions.
3. Underground Drilling Services: Underground diamond drilling including high pressure water, dewatering, gas management, exploration drilling from underground platforms, service holes, directional drilling, and grade control programs.
4. Exploration & Planning Support: Program design, mobilisation planning, logistics support, geotechnical and resource definition drilling support, and surveying services.
5. WaterBore & Environmental Drilling: Mine dewatering, water bore installation and monitoring, and environmental/monitoring bores for groundwater and environmental studies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

K-Drill is a Western Australian drilling contractor delivering RC (Reverse Circulation), surface and underground diamond drilling, exploration and planning support, and water/environmental drilling for mining companies. Using a 12-rig fleet based in Perth and Kalgoorlie, the company provides high-recovery exploration drilling up to 550 m, resource definition, grade control, dewatering and directional drilling, supported by real-time digital reporting via CorePlan, Krux, SiteDocs, MaintainX and Starlink.

Product overview

K-Drill is a WA-owned drilling contractor offering an integrated portfolio of exploration and production drilling services. The core offering spans three primary drilling capabilities: RC (Reverse Circulation) Drilling for exploration up to 550m depth, Surface and Underground Diamond Drilling for resource definition and production support, and Underground Drilling services including dewatering, directional drilling, and grade control. These services are supported by Exploration & Planning Support for program design and logistics, and WaterBORE & Environmental Drilling for mine dewatering and environmental monitoring. The company operates a 12-rig fleet (RC, diamond surface, diamond underground, auger, and air core) from dual hubs in Perth and Kalgoorlie, supported by digital platforms CorePlan, Krux, SiteDocs, MaintainX, and Starlink connectivity for real-time reporting and operational transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RC Drilling Services Reverse Circulation drilling services delivering high-recovery exploration drilling up to 550 m depth, equipped with rod magazines, hands-free handling and dust suppression systems. Provided to mining companies across Western Australia on a per-metre basis with cost-per-metre clarity and transparent reporting.
• Diamond Drilling Surface and underground diamond drilling services delivering high core recovery in hard rock conditions, providing continuity from greenfield exploration through to resource definition and production support for mining companies in Western Australia.
• Underground Drilling Underground diamond drilling services for mining operations, including high pressure water, dewatering, gas management, exploration drilling from underground platforms, service holes, directional drilling, and grade control programs.
• Exploration & Planning Support Program design, mobilisation and logistics planning, geotechnical and resource definition drilling support, and surveying services for exploration and mining companies. Includes digital integration with CorePlan and Krux platforms for real-time data visibility.
• WaterBORE & Environmental Drilling Mine dewatering, water bore installation and monitoring, environmental and monitoring bores for groundwater studies, provided to mining operators needing water management and compliant environmental drilling.

Quantifiable outcome

• 30-40% higher daily productivity achieved at Bruno Lewis project compared to established contractor
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swick (Surface RC Division Acquisition)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021K-Drill was founded in 2021 through the acquisition of Swick's Surface RC division, starting with one contract, four RC rigs and 40 people. This acquisition formed the foundation of the company and its growth trajectory.
• Traditional Owners and Indigenous-Owned BusinessescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerK-Drill actively works with Traditional Owners and Indigenous-owned businesses across Western Australia. More than 10% of field crews are Indigenous. The company mentors a WASM student in leadership and field operations.
• CorePlancoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital integration with CorePlan for real-time drilling data management, reporting, compliance and progress visibility from day one of programs.
• KruxcoreTechnology or IntegrationDigital integration with Krux for reporting and compliance in underground operations, providing real-time data and visibility.
• Third-Party Registered Training Operator (RTO)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerK-Drill uses a third-party registered training operator for verification of competency (VOC) on-site sign-offs, ensuring nationally accredited drilling qualifications.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Perenti (Ausdrill): Large ASX-listed mining services group (parent of Ausdrill and DDH1) offering drilling, contract mining, and other services. Broader portfolio than K-Drill, but directly comparable drilling capability through Ausdrill and DDH1.
• Boart Longyear: Global drilling services and equipment company with a sizeable Australian presence. Offers RC and diamond drilling capabilities comparable to K-Drill's, alongside products and consumables used across the industry.
• Major Drilling Group International: Global drilling contractor with surface and underground diamond drilling operations. Directly comparable service offering, particularly for resource definition and exploration work, with significantly larger scale and geographic reach.
• Foraco: Global drilling contractor operating in Australia and other mining jurisdictions. Provides comparable RC and diamond drilling services to mining customers, with broader geographic diversification than K-Drill.

Regional players

• Orbit Drilling: WA-based drilling contractor offering RC and diamond drilling services to the resource sector. Comparable in core service offering and customer base, with a similar mid-tier fleet and regional focus.
• Strike Drilling: Australian drilling contractor providing RC and diamond drilling to the exploration and mining sector. Comparable in service mix and customer segment, with operations focused on Australian mining regions.

Direct peers

• Topdrill: WA-focused drilling contractor offering RC and diamond drilling for the resource sector. A direct competitor; K-Drill's Operations Manager previously held a leadership role at Topdrill, indicating similar operational scope and customer alignment.
• Swick Mining Services: Australian drilling contractor with underground and surface diamond drilling operations. K-Drill was founded when it acquired Swick's Surface RC division, making the two companies directly comparable in rig capability and customer overlap.
• DDH1 Drilling: WA-based drilling contractor offering RC, diamond, and underground drilling services. A direct competitor sharing K-Drill's customer base, including tier-one WA miners, and overlapping senior talent (K-Drill's Operations Manager previously led at DDH1).
• Mitchell Services: ASX-listed Australian drilling contractor providing RC, diamond, and underground drilling services to mining companies. Comparable in service mix and target customer base, with broader geographic reach across Australia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/k-drill

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 K-Drill