The Geoscience Ireland (GI) consortium will be joined by six new members from different disciplines. GI is the umbrella group for Irish-based consultants and contractors providing geo-services to industry and state agencies across several sectors in over 50 countries. GI now has twelve members and further expansion will follow.
The new members fall into three broad categories:
* Geological and Geophysical Surveyors – BRG
* Drilling Contractors – Priority Drilling, Irish Drilling, IGSL and Meehan Drilling
* Tunnelling Contractor – QME
BRG is an integrated supplier of geological services from reconnaissance mapping, geophysical surveying, design and implementation of mineral exploration programmes for base and precious metals, including major drilling campaigns. BRG is currently managing a +$15M annual exploration programme for XSTRATA at the Pallas Green zinc-lead project in Ireland.
Priority Drilling and its subsidiaries Priority Geotechnical and Hydrographic Surveys Ireland have been at the forefront of the Irish mineral exploration and mining industry for over 50 years; they also provide onshore and offshore geotechnical site investigation services together with bathymetric surveys in Ireland, UK, Jordan, Abu Dhabi, Bermuda and Gambia.
Irish Drilling has also been a provider of mineral exploration drilling services in Ireland, the UK and France since the 1960’s and has a well established onshore and offshore geotechnical investigation and testing division.
IGSL a leading specialist for over 30 years in geotechnical site investigation, testing and design, has been involved in major infrastructure projects in Ireland, the UK, France, Bulgaria, Jamaica, Lesotho and Zambia. It also provides specialist services in relation to pyrite and gypsum in underfloor materials together with aggregates testing and evaluation.
Meehan Drilling is a water drilling company providing domestic commercial and agricultural water wells and has expanded into energy drilling projects in recent years in the UK (oil and gas and geothermal); it is also involved in directional drilling and leachate abstraction.
QME is a hard rock tunnelling contractor specialising in contract mining services ranging from development, scaling , rock bolting, spraying and services for the mining and quarrying industries in Ireland and the UK. Based near the world class zinc-lead operations of Tara Mines in Ireland, QME also refurbishes mining equipment for reuse in North America and Europe.
Koen Verbruggen, chairman of GesocienceIreland, comments: “The addition of a cluster of experienced drilling and tunneling companies represents a considerable strengthening of GI’s offering and enables the promotion byIrelandof integrated geological services to international markets.”