A hydraulic core drilling machine is a fully hydraulic-powered drilling system designed to extract intact, contamination-free cylindrical rock core samples for subsurface exploration projects. It serves as core drilling equipment for general surveys of metallic and non-metallic solid minerals, and also supports engineering geological investigation, hydrogeological survey and oil and gas field exploration work. It also works as a practical core drilling machine for mining reserve assessment and ore body mapping.
For field exploration teams, relocating heavy rigs across uneven terrain, maintaining high core recovery in deep holes and reducing pre-drilling preparation work remain persistent challenges. A crawler hydraulic core drilling rig solves these pain points by combining a mobile tracked chassis with high-precision hydraulic drilling performance, making it suitable for both shallow preliminary surveys and deep targeted exploration tasks.
Hydraulic Core Drilling Machine Parameters:
| Model | YGX-400 | YGX-600 | YGX-800 | YGX-1000 |
| Drilling Depth(M) | 180-400-500 | 200-600-650 | 400-800-1000 | 500-1000-1100 |
| Rated pressure(MPA) | 21 | 21 | 25 | 28 |
| Rated Flow(L/min) | 168 | 192 | 260 | 300 |
| Heat Dissipation Mode | Air cooling+water cooling | |||
| Engine Brand | Yuchai | Yuchai | Yuchai | Cummins |
| Rated power/speed | 78kW/ 2400r/min | 92kW/ 2400r/min | 92kW/ 2400r/min | 154kW/2400r/min |
| Drilling Angle(°) | 0-90 | 45-90 | 45-90 | 45-90 |
| Lifting Force(T) | 12 | 16 | 24 | 30 |
| Feed Force(T) | 6 | 8 | 12 | 15 |
| Hydraulic Mud pump flow | 30-90（L/min） | 30-90（L/min） | 90-180（L/min） | 90-180（L/min） |
| Hydraulic Mud pump power | 4-7(MPA) | 4-7(MPA) | 4-7(MPA) | 4-7(MPA) |
| Dimension | 4000*1900*1800mm | 4000*2000*1800mm | 5500*2100*2000mm | 6000*2200*2400mm |
| Weight | 4.3T | 4.5/5.5T | 6.5T | 7.5T |
Thin-Walled Diamond Wireline Coring: Higher Recovery, Better Samples
The quality of core samples determines the quality of geological interpretation. The YGX series core drilling equipment uses thin-walled diamond wireline coring technology to maximize core recovery.
How wireline coring works: The drill string remains in the hole while a wireline tool retrieves the core sample from the bottom. The operator does not need to lift the entire drill string to recover each sample—only the inner tube is retrieved. This dramatically reduces cycle time and improves efficiency.
The thin-walled advantage: The YGX series uses thin-walled diamond drill bits that reduce torque resistance and increase cutting speed. The thinner wall means less material to cut through, faster penetration, and less wear on the drill bit.
The result: Core recovery rates exceed 95%. The samples are intact, uncontaminated, and accurately oriented—providing reliable geological data for exploration decisions. The large core diameter allows for comprehensive laboratory analysis, from visual logging to assay testing.
Structural & Features of YG Hydraulic Core Drilling Machine
1. Optimized Whole-Machine Structure
The hydraulic core drilling machine integrates tower and main body into one unified structure, which enables fast hole positioning and relocation between adjacent drilling sites and greatly cuts on-site labor and material input.
- The crawler chassis adopts remote control operation, which allows operators to guide the rig into working position from a safe distance and improves on-site maneuvering safety.
- It uses a telescopic mast structure that eliminates the need for a separate drilling tower. This design speeds up rig transportation and disassembly, and reduces safety risks during erection and dismantling work.
- The top-drive power head runs along a long-stroke guide rail and advances via a hydraulic cylinder. It removes the need for frequent rod joint changes during drilling, and delivers excellent guiding and directional performance to keep borehole trajectory stable.
- The whole crawler hydraulic core drilling rig occupies a small floor area and requires no concrete foundation work, which reduces pre-construction preparation and causes less disturbance to the surrounding environment.
2. Full Hydraulic Transmission System
The fully hydraulic layout features flexible arrangement, light overall weight and intuitive operability, with simple and straightforward daily maintenance routines.
- It supports stepless speed regulation. Operators can run at high penetration speed for soft formations and reduce speed for hard rock strata. The whole drilling process runs stably with low vibration, which helps preserve core integrity during deep coring work.
- Real-time pressure readings allow crews to monitor downhole working conditions at all times. Built-in pressure limiting protection automatically triggers under abnormal load, which effectively avoids equipment damage and improves operational safety.
3. Thin-Wall Diamond Wireline Coring Technology
This specialized coring process is a core advantage of the equipment, directly determining core quality and drilling efficiency.
- The drill string system features full cross-section, high rigidity and straight alignment, which delivers excellent borehole deviation control even at large drilling depths.
- Thin-wall drill bits create low torsional resistance during rotation, with fast cutting speed and high overall drilling efficiency.
- The process produces large-diameter core samples with consistently high core recovery rates, which provides more reliable data for geological and mineral assessment.
- The narrow annular gap between the drill string and borehole wall reduces the risk of rock blocks falling and pipe sticking, which cuts down on downhole accidents and improves long-term operational safety.
Drill Bit & Rod Matching Guide For Different Formations
Many buyers only focus on rig parameters and overlook drill tool matching, yet correct bit and rod selection directly impacts core recovery rate and drilling speed. When configuring a core drilling machine for mining and exploration projects, follow these practical guidelines.
1. Bit selection by formation type
For soft soil and shallow overburden layers, alloy three-wing drill bits deliver fast penetration at low cost. For medium-hard rock formations, PDC drill bits balance drilling speed and service life for cost-efficient operation. And for hard, abrasive rock strata, diamond coring bits are the standard choice to preserve core integrity and maintain steady penetration.
2. Standard wireline coring tool specifications
Wireline coring systems follow an international standard size series, each engineered for specific depth ranges and core diameter requirements.
- BQ: Uses a 60mm drill bit to produce a 36.5 mm diameter core, suitable for shallow exploration in soft rock and soil formations.
- NQ: Uses a 75.7mm drill bit for 47.6mm core, the most widely used size for medium-depth exploration with high core recovery.
- HQ: Uses a 96mm drill bit for 63.5mm core, designed for deeper drilling in harder rock formations.
- PQ: Uses a 122.6mm drill bit for 85mm core, a large-format wireline size for specific deep-layer exploration demands.
For general exploration projects without specified tool size, NQ or HQ configurations work as versatile starting points for most common survey requirements.
Hydraulic Core Drilling Machine For Sale
YG provides detailed user manuals, online video tutorials, and remote technical support to ensure your team can quickly become proficient. Spare parts are available for long-term support. If you need a hydraulic core drilling machine for mineral exploration, the YGX series provides reliable, proven performance. Contact us with your depth requirements and formation type. We will recommend the right crawler hydraulic core drilling rig for your operation. Get a free quote for your core drilling machine for mining today.
