May 9, 2019

Mining in the snow caves continues

Measuring borehole: Dominic and Trevor in the drill trench while Dorthe is sitting in the cabin watching the progress of the borehole measuring device (borehole logger).

Again today, lots of snow blocks were removed from the trenches by a group of hard working people. In preparation of the planned arrival of AWI Polar 5 Basler tomorrow, a fuel tank was extracted from winter storage and placed close to the Basler parking spot. In the isotope warm laboratory, the setting up of equipment continues. The weather has returned to more normal for the season. It is significantly colder and with some wind, it can be felt. For our entire camp opening, it has been lucky for us that camp opening occurred during a warm period. We can take the cold now. We have all shelters built and heated, and a few days with tough weather will not affect our work. Dorthe spent all day at the console in the drillers cabin. Our borehole logging device has been lowered into the 1.7 km deep borehole to record temperature, borehole diameter, inclination and azimuth as well as pressure in the drilling fluid.

What we did today:

  1. Preparing for arrival of the Basler. Fuel tank in place. Fuel pumps are made ready.
  2. Logging of the borehole.
  3. Building 2nd outhouse.
  4. Trimming of the ceilings in the snow caves.
  5. All weatherports are ready, heated and outfitted with beds.
  6. Work on setting up the isotope CFA laboratory.

Weather today: Thin high overcast with periods of haze, clearing in the evening. Temp. - 17 °C to -25 °C. Wind: 3 kt to 14 kt from NW. Visibility: to 1 km during haze, later unrestricted.

FL, J.P. Steffensen