“The company is now preparing for expansion into Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire in 2026.”
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Could you introduce Aurora Drilling Services?
Building on the legacy of our predecessor, Orbit Garant Drilling, Aurora Drilling Services was founded with the purpose of delivering world-class drilling services in Africa. Orbit Garant Drilling is a reputable global drilling business headquartered in Val-d’Or, Quebec, Canada, and listed on the TSX. They established subsidiaries in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, building local operational excellence and training over 250 local technicians. In 2023, we transitioned from Orbit Garant Drilling and established the fully independent, 100% locally owned Aurora Drilling Services, with a mission to continue providing global expertise in a more African-authentic way. We are currently consolidating the reorganization and governance of the company and preparing for regional expansion.
What is Aurora Drilling’s footprint in West Africa?
Aurora Drilling has a multidisciplinary drill fleet (of 10 rigs) for diamond drilling, reverse circulation drilling, grade control drilling, air core drilling, rotary air blast drilling, and other geotechnical drilling services. In 2024, we drilled roughly 180,000 meters. In preparation for expansion into Ghana, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire in 2026, we continue to increase our fleet and manpower. We currently have a workforce of 200 people, of which 98% are African, led by supervisors trained in both Canada and Africa.
How do you observe the demand for drilling services in West Africa for 2026?
Regional demand is extremely dynamic. West Africa is the engine for African exploration and accounts for 40% of the continent’s drilling, according to a recent S&P Global report. Strong exploration momentum, particularly in gold exploration and resource definition programs, has been evident in 2024 and 2025 across Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal and Burkina Faso. Though gold takes the largest share of African exploration spend, budgets for other commodities such as copper, zinc, and lithium are also increasing.
How would you describe the current mining environment in Burkina Faso?
Despite the security challenges, Burkina Faso remains the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa. It remains a high-potential, highly active mining market. The mining sector carries significant economic weight, representing 17% of Burkina Faso’s GDP, roughly 70% of the country’s exports, and creating more than 100,000 indirect jobs.
The security situation has made us rethink our strategies, both at an operational and management level. How a workforce will operate, how equipment will be run, how logistics will be handled, and how much we will be able to leverage and capture the potential of this country depend on our agility to mitigate security challenges. The government is addressing the issue, and safety has been restored in some areas that were impenetrable a few years ago.
How does Aurora Drilling differentiate itself from a technical and technological perspective from other drillers?
We operate the Schramm T450 series and EDM rigs, known for their hands-free pipe-handling systems. These innovations reduce the risk of injury by minimizing human exposure to dangerous environments, allowing us to continue operating LTI-free. Technologies such as real-time data and analytics minimize human error and allow for more accurate and consistent performance. They also support collaboration and informed decision-making, as an interactive dashboard can be populated with KPIs. Embracing these innovations is crucial in a context where clients are demanding increased performance in a safe and sustainable manner.
What are Aurora Drilling’s priorities for 2026 and beyond?
Since 2023, we have been focused on building and consolidating our governance, workforce, and equipment fleet. The company is now preparing for expansion into Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire in 2026. Our vision is to establish a pan-African footprint and become known for our robust technical expertise and expert local workforce.
Do you have a final message for our audience?
Aurora Drilling is a bridge between technical rigor and African authenticity. In today’s environment, where ESG, localization, and cost efficiency are key to the success of a business, we consider ourselves a local champion, combining technical excellence and social responsibility to create value for our clients. Aurora Drilling is more than just a drilling service provider; we are a reliable partner committed to exceeding standards of safety, quality, productivity, and sustainability.
We invite mining companies to join us in our mission to drill toward a more sustainable and equitable future, where mining and social responsibility go hand in hand.
Could you introduce Aurora Drilling Services?
Building on the legacy of our predecessor, Orbit Garant Drilling, Aurora Drilling Services was founded with the purpose of delivering world-class drilling services in Africa. Orbit Garant Drilling is a reputable global drilling business headquartered in Val-d’Or, Quebec, Canada, and listed on the TSX. They established subsidiaries in Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Guinea, building local operational excellence and training over 250 local technicians. In 2023, we transitioned from Orbit Garant Drilling and established the fully independent, 100% locally owned Aurora Drilling Services, with a mission to continue providing global expertise in a more African-authentic way. We are currently consolidating the reorganization and governance of the company and preparing for regional expansion.
What is Aurora Drilling’s footprint in West Africa?
Aurora Drilling has a multidisciplinary drill fleet (of 10 rigs) for diamond drilling, reverse circulation drilling, grade control drilling, air core drilling, rotary air blast drilling, and other geotechnical drilling services. In 2024, we drilled roughly 180,000 meters. In preparation for expansion into Ghana, Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire in 2026, we continue to increase our fleet and manpower. We currently have a workforce of 200 people, of which 98% are African, led by supervisors trained in both Canada and Africa.
How do you observe the demand for drilling services in West Africa for 2026?
Regional demand is extremely dynamic. West Africa is the engine for African exploration and accounts for 40% of the continent’s drilling, according to a recent S&P Global report. Strong exploration momentum, particularly in gold exploration and resource definition programs, has been evident in 2024 and 2025 across Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal and Burkina Faso. Though gold takes the largest share of African exploration spend, budgets for other commodities such as copper, zinc, and lithium are also increasing.
How would you describe the current mining environment in Burkina Faso?
Despite the security challenges, Burkina Faso remains the fourth-largest gold producer in Africa. It remains a high-potential, highly active mining market. The mining sector carries significant economic weight, representing 17% of Burkina Faso’s GDP, roughly 70% of the country’s exports, and creating more than 100,000 indirect jobs.
The security situation has made us rethink our strategies, both at an operational and management level. How a workforce will operate, how equipment will be run, how logistics will be handled, and how much we will be able to leverage and capture the potential of this country depend on our agility to mitigate security challenges. The government is addressing the issue, and safety has been restored in some areas that were impenetrable a few years ago.
How does Aurora Drilling differentiate itself from a technical and technological perspective from other drillers?
We operate the Schramm T450 series and EDM rigs, known for their hands-free pipe-handling systems. These innovations reduce the risk of injury by minimizing human exposure to dangerous environments, allowing us to continue operating LTI-free. Technologies such as real-time data and analytics minimize human error and allow for more accurate and consistent performance. They also support collaboration and informed decision-making, as an interactive dashboard can be populated with KPIs. Embracing these innovations is crucial in a context where clients are demanding increased performance in a safe and sustainable manner.
What are Aurora Drilling’s priorities for 2026 and beyond?
Since 2023, we have been focused on building and consolidating our governance, workforce, and equipment fleet. The company is now preparing for expansion into Ghana, Guinea, and Côte d’Ivoire in 2026. Our vision is to establish a pan-African footprint and become known for our robust technical expertise and expert local workforce.
Do you have a final message for our audience?
Aurora Drilling is a bridge between technical rigor and African authenticity. In today’s environment, where ESG, localization, and cost efficiency are key to the success of a business, we consider ourselves a local champion, combining technical excellence and social responsibility to create value for our clients. Aurora Drilling is more than just a drilling service provider; we are a reliable partner committed to exceeding standards of safety, quality, productivity, and sustainability.
We invite mining companies to join us in our mission to drill toward a more sustainable and equitable future, where mining and social responsibility go hand in hand.
