At about 350 m current depth, and 20-25 km paleo-depth, surprises come in the form of cavities like this finger-size, crystal-padded niche. Microbes may like to live here! (Spoiler
We past 300 m depth with a borehole deviation of less than 1.5° from vertical, which is well within the wished tolerance. After a logging session over the weekend, we resumed drilling and changed from PQ to HQ diameter. Using HQ, we collected 15 m of cores in a single day shift. The foliation we observe now is at an angle from vertical.
Today the 300 m line was passed still using PQ. This will allow the broadband seismometer to sit there comfortable in the future. During the weekend logging will now take place before we resume drilling using a smaller, HQ, diameter. -we'll know better after this week-end's logging where we are structurally, indeed in the recent days many cores showed axis parallel foliation, which we don't want to see for too long -after the logging, drilling will continue with HQ and hopefully speed up a bit -there have been interesting mineralogical news, graphite, some sulphides, and very nice ductile deformation features
No drilling shifts on Saturday night or Sunday but we have plotted the first 180m of Magnetic Susceptibility data recorded at 10cm intervals along the core. After (core-diameter) volumetric corrections we can clearly see some lithologic changes and localised anomalies.
Core bit n.7 is performing well with another great 24hrs of drilling and 24m of core recovered. Now at core number 110. We also have intersected graphite.
Currently passed 160 m with trials of different drill bits continuing. The softer matrix of the bits exposes new diamonds more regularly, but at the expense of higher bit wear.A fine balance needs to be found. Photo of Bit # 3
A bigger rig has arrived. Il piccolo carro di perforazione has left site and il medio carro di perforazione has arrived. A new diamond drill bit will be put the test in the hope of getting a better RoP in this very hard rock, and we also cased off the upper section of the borehole 3m during the change over. Fingers crossed no more obstacles ahead.
We have reached our first 100m with the best production day to date. And, the bigger rig arrives tomorrow with more crew and double shifts starting soon.
Another week of drilling and a new set of young geologist on site to help. We are itching to break the first 100m, but things are still slow. Trial and error with different drill bits to try and beet this extremely hard, but beautiful, rock,continues.
Another couple of big days for the DIVErs. Only a half day of drilling on Saturday, but we are now at 20.7m with over 95% core recovery from 0.0m. The core is amazingly competent with near 100 % RQD. Going slow with the RoP to ensure absolute verticality for the future borehole seismometer c.a. 300m. ICDP Scientists Katja Heeschen and Thomas Wiersberg are on site helping with mDIS, core scanning, and setting up the online gas monitoring (OLGA) system. ISTere Grenoble are ready to go with the OLGA support. The science offices are still evolving and we expect to have lots more core images, and analysis in the next days.
The collar coring rig is in a Vertical position ready to start turning rods tomorrow. The Science containers, have finaly arrived and we can start setting up the analysis instruments/spaces. First core almost here.
The small, pre collar and casing rig, has arrived. It is capable of drilling the first 100m @ SQ 146mm diameter (and more). The larger rig will arrive before we swap to PQ.
Drillers are progressing with the site set up, and expecting the first (casing) drill rig tomorrow. Exciting. SWD seismic while drilling sensor are mostly deployed with all the hard work done. We will be monitoring every foot step. 3 geophones permanently encased in concrete within the collar well.
