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Story: Soil investigation

Portable drilling rig

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Portable drilling rig

This trailer-mounted drilling rig allows undisturbed cores of soil to be taken from depths of several metres. This is better than using an auger, which can only reach depths of 1–2 metres, and often disturbs the soil.

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University of Waikato

by David Lowe

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How to cite this page

P. J. Tonkin, Soil investigation – Golden age of soil survey: 1951–1985, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/14198/portable-drilling-rig (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by P. J. Tonkin, published 1 March 2009.