A diamond hole is typically a reference to a hole made by a diamond hole saw, which is a tool used to cut precise, clean holes in very hard materials like tile, granite, glass, and concrete.
Diamond hole saws are designed to drill holes in glass, ceramics, porcelain, ceramic and porcelain tile, limestone, slate, marble, granite, stone, and fiberglass [1].
Diamond drilling is valuable in exploration for minerals because it provides higher-grade cylindrical core samples of the host rock. The samples allow geologists to study the geology below the ground surface, determine the type, grade, and size of the mineral deposits, and create accurate resource estimates and prudent decisions on the parameters of mining activity.
It is usually essential that a drill rig be set up on a specific location and with precise azimuth and inclination [2]. The following procedure is recommended to ensure that this is done correctly [2]:
- Mark the approximate position of the hole collar with a peg or some flagging.
- Clear the site by bulldozer (if necessary) and dig the water-return sump. A square flat area measuring a minimum 15–20 m of side will need to be cleared.
- The original peg has by now generally been destroyed. Reposition and mark the hole collar with a new peg. The exact collar positioning to within a metre or so is seldom vital. The important thing is that the actual coordinates of the collar can be determined by survey to any given degree of accuracy required after the hole has been drilled.
- Mark the peg with the hole number and the programmed bearing and inclination.
- Establish the azimuth of the proposed hole by placing fore-sight and back-sight pegs 20–50 m on either side of the collar. The drillers will use these sighters to position their rig. Make sure they know which is the fore-sight and which the back-sight!
- After the rig is set up, but before any drilling takes place, check both azimuth and inclination with compass and clinometer.
Reference
[1] “When to use a diamond hole saw,” Exchange-A-Blade. Accessed: Oct. 14, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.exchangeablade.com/blog/story/3/When-to-use-a-diamond-hole-saw/
[2] R. Marjoribanks, Geological Methods in Mineral Exploration and Mining. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, 2010. doi: 10.1007/978-3-540-74375-0.
