Specialist Vacuum drilling

A specialist vacuum drilling company delivering minimal disturbance drilling solutions across Australia.

Contact Scarto Contracting

Call us on 0422 012 556 or submit the below enquiry form.

About Scarto Contracting

Scarto Contracting has been founded on a long and proven history within the drilling and mining industry. Our purpose-built drill rigs are designed to operate efficiently in forested and challenging environments, allowing us to access areas others can’t — while minimising environmental impact. Our company is built on generations of experience through a family-owned drilling business, combined with many years of hands-on operational experience across surface drilling and mining environments.

More About Scarto Contracting

This background has provided Scarto Contracting with a strong understanding of site requirements, production expectations, safety systems, and operational standards typically required on mining and drilling projects. We bring established industry knowledge, practical capability, and a professional approach to every aspect of our work.

Scarto Contracting has the skills, experience, and capability to meet, and where possible exceed your expectations. We are committed to delivering high-quality, reliable vacuum drilling across the full scope of works, with a strong focus on safety, efficiency, and compliance.

Safety and environmental responsibility are core to our operations. Our experience within the mining and drilling sector has reinforced the importance of robust safety systems, risk management, and alignment with client health, safety, and environmental requirements.

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of this proposal, please do not hesitate to contact us on 0422 012 556.

Benefits of vacuum drilling

Minimal Ground Disturbance
Our tractor mounted drill rigs spread their weight over a bigger tyre footprint so leaving less intrusive impressions on sands and vegetation.
Smaller turning circle than Landcruiser mounted drill rigs or truck mounted drill rigs.
Power to weight ratio superior to Landcruiser mounted rigs enabling penetration through solidified ground zones (more weight on bit).

View History of Vacuum Drilling

History of Vacuum Drilling

The Vacuum Drilling method has been utilised for many years for finding minerals. As early as the 1970’s vacuum drilling has been utilised and has remained the preferred drilling method for many mine sites around Australia.

Mine operators are currently using this method as their preferred drilling method. ALCOA and South32 bauxite operations in Western Australia’s south-west region for their resource development; RioTinto in Nhulunbuy, NT; Newmont Boddington Gold for their exploration and expansion; Metro Mining in FNQ; Diatreme Resources for their Silica Sands in Cape Flattery.

Superior Sample Quality

Unlike auger drilling, which can smear, compact, or mix material layers, vacuum drilling:

Preserves stratigraphy.
Reduces contamination between horizons.
Delivers cleaner more representative samples.
Unlike Aircore or RAB (Compressed Air), all minerals are contained and represented in the sample. There is no loss of fines (e.g. Silica within Bauxite zones).

1m of sample. Before it went through the cone splitter

Safer Operations

Our vacuum drill rigs comply with WHS (Mines) Acts and Regs. No operator is exposed to rotating parts, excessive dust, excess noise or unsafe manual handling.
There are no heavy rods or augers to manually handle. Drill rods are easily handled by the Driller as they are 1.8m in length and weigh only 9kgs.
No compressed air so safer for all personnel involved in the drilling operations.
No exposure to high pressure hydraulic hoses.
ROPS/FOPS protection for relocating rig through thick forest canopies.
Fewer moving parts than other drill rigs.
Sealed sample return system - minimal dust exposure to working crew.

Experience & Reliability

Built on generations of experience through a family-owned drilling business, combined with many years of hands-on operational experience across surface drilling and mining environments.

Access Advantages

Our vacuum drill rigs are lighter, more compact, and highly manoeuvrable, allowing access to more targets.

Specialising in remote and difficult terrain.
4WD and diff lockable and creeper gears.
Tight access sites. Our rigs have rake buckets on the front of them so therefore capable of creating access into drill sites. This flexibility reduces the need for additional site clearing or heavy support equipment.
Specialising in forest areas. These drill rigs are tried and tested within thick Jarrah forests of Western Australia on some of the steepest and uneven terrain
Very capable working over sand dunes and coal stockpiles.

Faster Rehabilitation & Lower Overall Impact

Benefits that translate into time savings, cost efficiencies, and stronger stakeholder outcomes.

This drilling method is tried and tested throughout Western Australia, Northern Territory and Queensland.

We have experience in mine sites operated and owned by Tier 1 mining companies and have completed all projects successfully.

Vacuum drillings only limitations are it cannot drill through water tables, it does not drill through bedrocks, and ground conditions should be 85% dry.

Vacuum drilling should be considered for your next Gold, Bauxite, Silica Sands, Mineral Sands