Category: Borehole Drilling

Drilling a borehole is one of the smartest investments for homes, farms, and businesses in Zimbabwe. With unreliable municipal water supplies and frequent shortages, having your own water source offers independence and long-term security.

However, one of the biggest challenges many people face is the high cost of borehole drilling. Before you start, it’s important to understand what drives these costs, why they can seem so expensive, and how you can make the process more affordable without sacrificing quality.

1. What Makes Borehole Drilling Expensive?

Several factors contribute to the overall cost of drilling a borehole:

a) Geological Conditions

The type of ground (rocky, sandy, clay, or mixed soils) can affect drilling costs. Harder rock requires heavier equipment, more time, and more fuel, which increases expenses.

b) Depth of Drilling

The deeper the borehole, the more expensive it becomes. In some areas of Zimbabwe, reliable aquifers can be as deep as 80–150 metres, which significantly increases the cost compared to shallow boreholes.

c) Equipment and Technology

Modern rigs, such as track-mounted RC drilling machines, come with advanced technology for precision and efficiency. While they ensure better results, the investment in equipment means drilling companies must charge accordingly.

d) Fuel and Logistics

Transporting rigs, staff, and equipment to remote locations adds to costs. Rising fuel prices in Zimbabwe also make mobilisation more expensive.

e) Permits and Compliance

In some cases, local councils or water authorities require permits and compliance paperwork, which add to overall project costs.

f) Labour and Expertise

Skilled drillers, hydrogeologists, and technicians are required to ensure proper site surveys, drilling accuracy, and pump installation. Expertise comes at a price but reduces the risk of borehole failure.

2. Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

Unfortunately, not all drilling companies are transparent about pricing. Some lure clients with low upfront quotes but add hidden fees later. Common hidden costs include:

• Extra charges for casing and lining.
• Unexpected fuel surcharges.
• Additional pump and piping costs.
• Post-drilling flushing and testing fees.

This is why working with a reputable company that provides all-inclusive quotes is essential.

3. The True Cost of Choosing Cheap Drilling

While everyone wants to save money, cutting corners in borehole drilling can be disastrous. Cheap drilling often means:

• No proper geological survey.
• Poor-quality casing and materials.
• Incomplete or shallow boreholes.
• Low or unreliable water yield.

In the long run, this means spending more money to fix or redo the borehole.

4. How to Manage Borehole Drilling Costs

Even though borehole drilling is expensive, there are ways to manage costs wisely:

✔ Choose Transparent Drilling Companies

Work with drillers who provide a full, itemised quote upfront with no hidden fees.

✔ Do a Hydrogeological Survey

A proper survey reduces the risk of drilling in the wrong location and increases the chance of hitting a high-yield aquifer.

✔ Select the Right Borehole Depth

Avoid drilling deeper than necessary. Professionals can guide you on the average depths for your area.

✔ Invest in Quality Pumps and Equipment

Durable pumps may be costly upfront but save money long-term by reducing breakdowns.

✔ Plan for the Long Term

A borehole is a 20–30 year investment. Spending more upfront on reliable drilling ensures consistent water supply and reduces future expenses.

5. How Ragnarock Drilling Provides Affordable, Reliable Solutions

At Ragnarock Drilling, we understand the financial burden of drilling. That’s why we provide:

• Transparent, all-inclusive pricing with no hidden fees.
• Hydrogeological surveys before drilling to increase success rates.
• Modern rigs and skilled drillers for efficient, accurate work.
• End-to-end service, including pump installation and borehole flushing.
• Long-term value, ensuring your borehole is sustainable and cost-effective.

Conclusion

Yes, borehole drilling in Zimbabwe can be costly — but it’s also one of the best long-term investments you can make for water security. By understanding what drives costs and choosing a reliable drilling partner, you can protect your investment, avoid hidden expenses, and ensure a sustainable water source for decades.

When it comes to drilling, cheap is expensive. Choose transparency, expertise, and reliability.

👉 Contact Ragnarock Drilling today for affordable, professional borehole solutions.

📞 +263 773 170 592

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Drilling a borehole is one of the most important investments for homes, farms, and businesses in Zimbabwe. It promises independence from unreliable municipal water supply and ensures access to clean water. However, one of the most frustrating challenges borehole owners face is unreliable water yield.

What is Borehole Yield?

Borehole yield refers to the amount of water that can be sustainably drawn from a borehole over time. A high-yield borehole provides enough water to meet household or agricultural needs, while a low-yield borehole struggles to keep up, forcing owners to ration water or seek alternatives.

Why Do Some Boreholes Have Low or Unreliable Yields?

1. Poor Geological Surveying – Without proper hydrogeological studies, drilling is often guesswork. Some drillers dig blindly, which increases the risk of striking a weak aquifer.
2. Seasonal Variations – Groundwater levels fluctuate, especially during droughts, reducing output in certain regions.
3. Over-pumping – Drawing water too quickly can reduce pressure in the aquifer, lowering yield.
4. Poor Drilling Practices – Inadequate casing, wrong depth, or poor finishing can affect water flow.

The Impact on Borehole Owners

For homeowners, a borehole with unreliable yield means:

• Constant frustration with trickling taps.
• High costs in pumping with little return.
• Dependency on water deliveries during shortages.
• Reduced property value, since water security is a key selling point.

How to Avoid This Problem

• Work with professional drillers who conduct geological surveys before drilling.
• Drill to the correct depth based on the area’s water table.
• Invest in yield testing to confirm sustainable water flow.
• Choose a reputable company with a proven track record, like Ragnarock Drilling, which ensures scientific surveys and reliable drilling practices.

Conclusion

While borehole drilling is a smart investment, ignoring geological assessments can lead to disappointment. Protect your investment by choosing experts who guarantee not just a borehole, but a reliable and sustainable water source.

1. State‑of‑the‑Art Track‑Mounted RC Rig

Ragnarock now operates a powerful track-mounted Reverse Circulation rig, engineered for maximum precision and mobility across rugged terrain. It enables deeper drilling (up to 500 m) while maintaining stable, aligned hole trajectories

2. High-Precision, High Yield Drilling

With RC drilling technology, clients receive clean, uncontaminated core samples efficiently. This allows faster progress and reliable water source planning in both farm and commercial settings .

3. Low Environmental Impact

The rig’s built-in dust collection system and cyclonic sediment extraction keep the drilling site clean and eco-friendly. This means less soil disruption, no toxic runoff, and better compliance with environmental standards .

4. Rugged Mobility for Remote Sites

Mounted on robust tracks, the rig easily navigates soft soil and off-road terrain, making it ideal for rural and remote locations where traditional rigs struggle to access .

5. Efficient Drill Performance

Equipped with a powerful 385 kW Cummins engine, hydraulic rod changer, and adjustable mast, the rig operates with impressive torque and precision up to 500 meters deep, drilling fast without compromising safety or sample quality.

6. Safety-Centric Design

Minimal manual handling of heavy drill rods, remote control options, and automated rod breakers significantly reduce risk to operators. The rig’s design follows modern safety best practices across Zimbabwe’s challenging terrains .

7. Versatility Across Applications

Whether for community water supply, agricultural boreholes, mineral exploration, or deep geotechnical drilling, Ragnarock’s new rig adapts seamlessly to each job type with unmatched speed, depth, and reliability.

Final Thought

Ragnarock Drilling combines cutting-edge equipment with expertise and local service. Their new track-mounted RC rig elevates water access projects by delivering deeper drilling, clean sampling, environmental protection, and site safety—all across the toughest terrain in Zimbabwe.

📞  +263 773 170 592 Contact Ragnarock today to deploy this advanced rig on your next project.

Welcome to the newest addition to our fleet! One of the key features of our track-mounted drilling rig is its mobility. Equipped with tracks instead of wheels, this rig can traverse rugged terrains, including muddy, rocky, or uneven surfaces. The design allows it to easily access remote and challenging drilling sites. Being track-based provides a more stable platform, resulting in better hole alignment. Our track-mounted rig can reach depths of up to 250 meters in rugged terrain, while also reducing environmental impact due to its increased manoeuvrability, which leaves a smaller footprint.

Gold RC Drilling  in Shamva

 Reverse Circulation (RC) drilling ideally produces dry rock chips, as large air compressors dry out the rock ahead of the advancing drill. This method is one of the most popular for mineral exploration drilling.

 Reverse Circulation drilling uses rods with inner and outer tubes, allowing drill cuttings to return to the surface inside the rods. The drilling mechanism employs a pneumatic reciprocating piston, known as a hammer, which drives a tungsten-steel drill bit. Reverse circulation is achieved by blowing air down the annulus, creating differential pressure that the cuttings up the inner tube within each rod. This material reaches the deflector box at the top of the drill string, then moves through a sample hose attached to the top of the cyclone.

 Our cyclone is equipped with two sample boxes and a built-in splitter. The drill cuttings travel around the inside of the cyclone until they fall through an opening at the bottom, where they are collected in a sample bag. For each drill hole, there will be a large number of sample bags, each marked to record the location and drilling depth from which the sample was obtained at 1 meter intervals . These sample bags are later taken for analysis to determine the mineral composition of the drilled hole. The analysis results for each individual bag represent the mineral composition at a specific sample point in the drill hole. Geologists can then review the ground analysis and make informed decisions about the value of the overall mineral deposit. Reverse Circulation drilling is one of the more cost-effective options for surface drilling. Generally, RC drilling is slower and more expensive than other methods like RAB but it achieves better sample recovery and has little to no cross contamination. It is also cheaper than Dimond (core sampling ) Drilling.