China News Service, Jinan, October 22 (Zhou Yiwei) Geological drilling is the core engineering method of deep mineral exploration and geological scientific research, and is the basic guarantee for the implementation of the strategy of "marching into the depths of the earth". Currently, 83% of the domestic scientific drilling and extra-deep hole full core drilling projects of more than 3,000 meters are undertaken by the Shandong Provincial Geology and Mineral Exploration and Development Bureau (hereinafter referred to as the "Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources").
In recent years, the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources has closely adhered to a new round of prospecting breakthrough strategic actions, focused on the main business of drilling, and continued to break through the technical bottlenecks of ultra-deep drilling in complex strata. Relying on independent equipment research and development and professional team building, it has completed a large number of national-level scientific drilling and deep resource exploration projects, providing engineering support for deep mineral resource exploration and major geological research.
In Shaanxi, the Weihe Basin ultra-deep scientific drilling site selection project (ICDP International Continental Scientific Drilling Program WBDP Phase I) undertaken by the Third Geological Brigade of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (hereinafter referred to as the "Third Geological Brigade") successfully completed the final hole with a final hole depth of 3004.39 meters. It successfully completed the continuous coring construction task and once again refreshed the bureau's ultra-deep scientific drilling construction record in complex strata.
The 3,000-meter scientific deep drilling project at the Jijika Lithium Mine in Western Sichuan, undertaken by the Third Geological Brigade, overcame problems such as plateau low temperature, hole wall collapse, and deep hole drilling. The final hole depth reached 3,211.21 meters in only 231 days, setting a domestic plateau small-diameter solid mineral drilling hole depth and construction efficiency record. The technical results have been identified as reaching the international advanced level, ensuring the deep exploration of China's lithium resources.
In Xuancheng, Anhui, the Sixth Geological Brigade of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (hereinafter referred to as the "Sixth Geological Brigade") implemented a 3,000-meter deep drilling scientific research project at Chating Copper Polymetallic Mine. This borehole is the first ultra-deep exploration borehole in the Chating mining area. It is used to study the metallogenic rules of hidden porphyry copper-gold deposits and provide evidence for deep ore prospecting in the mining area. At present, the Chating copper-gold mine has been proven to have the potential of a super-large deposit.
In the Hezhang Zhugongtang lead-zinc mine in Guizhou, the mining area is densely covered with caves and fault structures, making drilling operations extremely difficult. The Sixth Geological Brigade project team optimized construction parameters and improved construction equipment, completing a total of 140,000 meters of drilling footage and 136 construction holes, helping the mine add more than 2 million tons of lead-zinc ore resources. In September 2026, the Ministry of Natural Resources released information that the Zhugongtang Lead-Zinc Mine had a registered lead-zinc metal resource volume of 5.178 million tons and an ore volume of 60.512 million tons, ranking among the top ten lead-zinc deposits in China.
The 801st Team of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (hereinafter referred to as the "801th Team") implemented the "East High Heat 1" deep high-temperature geothermal detection project in the Yellow River Delta. The drilling depth is 4002.17 meters, the bottom temperature is 162°C, and the wellhead water temperature is 138°C. It has built the highest temperature hydrothermal geothermal well in East China and accumulated engineering data for the development of deep geothermal resources in the Yellow River Basin.
At the same time, the 801 Team focused on deep geothermal drilling technology, developed high-temperature geothermal drilling and tail water sustainable recharge technology, and took the lead in compiling a number of industry technical specifications to solve technical pain points such as deep geothermal exploration drilling, recharge, and temperature measurement, and support the large-scale development of geothermal resources in Shandong and the Yellow River Delta.
In the iron ore survey drilling construction project in the Guodian area of Gaotang County, Shandong Province, the First Geological Brigade of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources overcame the construction difficulties of nearly 900 meters of huge overburden, completed 1800.80 meters of deep hole drilling, solved the technical problems of hidden iron ore exploration in the thick overlay area of the North China Plain, and formed a complete set of plain deep drilling construction techniques.
Localization of equipment is the key to improving deep underground drilling capabilities. The Sixth Geological Brigade teamed up with relevant companies to develop the ZJ50DB/XD70DB large-scale deep special drilling equipment, which can meet the construction needs of 5,000-meter oil and gas drilling and 7,000-meter core drilling, fill the gap in domestic ultra-deep core drilling equipment, and support the expansion of small-diameter core drilling to greater depths.
The 248th Brigade of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources (hereinafter referred to as the "248th Brigade") focuses on the localization of core drilling components and independently develops a four-speed gearbox for the drilling rig power head. Through gear switching, it can match different working conditions such as shallow hole exploration, ultra-deep coring, and complex formation drilling to improve drilling efficiency and reduce equipment losses.
From complete machine equipment and core components to drilling processes and green construction technologies, the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources and its affiliated units work together to achieve technological upgrading of the entire drilling chain and continue to consolidate its technological leadership in the domestic deep drilling field. With the support of technology and equipment, the bureau guides each team to follow a differentiated and professional development path, forming a "one team, one characteristic" drilling business layout and creating a stable engineering technology brand.
Among them, the Third Geological Brigade has built the Shandong Engineering Research Center for shallow sea and land deep geological drilling, creating an "ultra-deep, ultra-oblique, ultra-difficult" drilling business brand. It has completed multiple 3,000-meter-level ultra-deep drilling projects such as the Jiama Copper Polymetal Mine in Tibet and the Jiaka Lithium Mine in Western Sichuan, breaking domestic small-diameter core drilling records many times. It also undertook the offshore drilling construction of the gold mine in the northern sea area of Sanshan Island in Laizhou, helping to explore the largest offshore gold mine in Asia.
The Sixth Geological Brigade has the only national-level geological drilling skills master studio in the domestic geological exploration industry. It has long been engaged in the drilling of ultra-deep and complex formations, and its business has expanded to scientific drilling, clean energy drilling and other fields, with a total drilling footage of 5 million meters completed.
The 248th Brigade actively explores the overseas drilling market and carries out geological engineering in Congo, Cameroon, Angola, Ghana, Liberia and other countries, overcoming unfavorable conditions such as climate, epidemics, and wild environments. In the past five years, it has completed more than 130,000 meters of drilling footage in Africa, helping to discover many large and medium-sized mineral deposits, and continues to expand the influence of "nuclear drilling" overseas business.
The Second Hydrogeology Team of the Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources focuses on large-diameter deep drilling business, focusing on geothermal, hot dry rock, shale gas, and potassium-lithium resource exploration. The business covers 17 provinces (regions) in China. It has implemented more than 600 projects with a total footage of 1.6 million meters. It has completed 34 geothermal and resource exploration holes of more than 3,000 meters, including 7 large-diameter holes of more than 4,000 meters. It has repeatedly refreshed the depth record of large-diameter drilling holes in Shandong Province and even the country.
The Shandong Provincial Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources stated that in the next step, the Bureau will continue to rely on the advantages of deep drilling technology, continue to carry out research on drilling equipment and construction technology, steadily improve the drilling and construction capabilities of ultra-deep and complex formations, continue to serve a new round of prospecting breakthrough strategic actions, and provide engineering and technical support to ensure the security of national mineral resources and serve regional economic development.
