STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES

FOR
DEEP AUGER

DEFINITIONS APPLICABLE TO THIS DOCUMENT

Word / Term used Definition
Deep Auger Sampling Using an auger drill to collect soft sub-surface material for
geochemical sampling, to a depth of up to 10 metres
Auger bit Metal tube between 8cm and 10cm diameter, used to
collect soil/ saprolite material. Driven into the ground by
rotating while forcing downwards. Typically has hardened
steel teeth to cut through the ground.
Auger rods Steel rods 1 or 2m long with threaded joints, which are
connected to allow increased sampling depth
Chip tray Plastic tray, divided into 10 or 20 compartments of
10cm³ , used to collect small reference samples of the
auger sample material
Outcrop A portion of bedrock or other stratum protruding through
the soil level
1 INTRODUCTION

This document has been developed for the way Deep Auger is supposed to
be done in the field.

2 PURPOSE

The purpose of this procedure is to ensure that deep auger drilling is being
done in the right and safe way and that we can gather all the information we
want.

3 SCOPE

This procedure applies to the Technicians, Crew leaders and Fieldworkers

4 RESPONSIBILITIES

 Technicians: Supervising the crew and logging the sample

 Crew leaders: Logging the sample (if there is no technician),
Quartering and taking the sample
 Fieldworkers: Doing the Augering

5 RISK ASSESSMENT

The following hazards/risks, and control measures, have been identified:

Hazard/Risk Control Measures
 Use full PPE at all times.
People at risk
It can be a risk for
workers, because they are
working with tools and
usually in a remote area.
The risks include: being
bitten by a snake or stung
by bees; being hit by a
falling branch; injuries
walking through the bush;
not using the tools (auger
drill, machete) in the
proper way. In particular,
handling a 10-metre
length of steel auger rods
requires particular care,
especially when putting
them into or withdrawing
them from the auger hole.

Environment at risk
The potential of land
disturbance is small for
the auger drilling itself. It
might be increased by the
fact that before starting
with the auger drilling you
have cut lines and if
necessary also make new
roads for access.

6 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

 Coverall
 Safety boots
 Back support belt
 Hand gloves
 Safety helmet
  Safety glasses
 Snake leggings

7 ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

The Auger is done in a forest or Savannah environment.

Some areas are flat but other areas have high hills.
The auger cannot be done when it is raining hard

8 DESCRIPTION OF ACTIONS

Deep auger sampling should be done at each 25m station on the survey grid
including stations obviously on alluvial flat areas or in ground disturbed by
porknockers. Auger samples will be taken every 1 metre to a depth of 10
metres.

Deep Auger Sampling

1. Locate the auger station. Auger holes should be within a radius of 5

metres of the station.
2. Clean the area around the station with a machete before starting with
the augering, so there is enough space to work.
3. Try to recognize and/or describe the soil type or any outcrops, this
information is very important and can be used to make a regolith
map.
4. Position the auger bit vertically on the ground (Figure 2). Turn the
auger handle clockwise while pressing downwards to collect material
in the auger bit.
 Figure 1. Auger bit and auger rod

Figure 2. Starting the augering

5. Discard the topsoil and vegetation from the first 1 or 2 auger bits
(depending on the thickness of the organic material).
6. After the topsoil has been removed, collect all further material until
the first 1 metre on the sheet of plastic (Figures 3 & 4). Check the
depth of the hole with a measuring tape.

Figure 3. Collecting the sample on the plastic sheet

 Figure 4. Sample on plastic sheet (before homogenization).

7. After all the material for the 1-metre sample has been collected,
homogenization is required to produce a uniform and consistent
sample which will deliver a more representative result. The
homogenizing of a sample is done by rolling as follows: two people
each hold 2 corners of the plastic sheet; the material should be in the
middle of the plastic sheet. Take one of the corners and bring it to the
one which is diagonally across from it (Figure 5). By doing this action
with all 4 corners, the material is mixed and becomes homogenous.
 Figure 5 homogenizing the sample

8. After that the sampler needs to divide the sample into quarters
(Figure 6) and collect an equal amount of material from each quarter
by hand (Figure 7). Around 9 pieces randomly chosen from every
quarter should give around 1.5 kg for a 1-metre sample.

9. On the sample bag, write the sample tag number on both sides of it
(Figure 8). Put one of the two duplicate sample tags in the sample bag
and close the bag tightly. Keep the duplicate of the same tag and
write the Hole ID, Line, Station and the Depth on this.
Figure 1 Quartering the sample
 Figure 7. Sampling the material from the plastic sheet

Figure 8. Required information written on the sample bag and rice bag.
10. Also store representative material from this sample in the plastic
chip tray (Figure 9) and identify it on the inside of the lid with the
sample number and the depth. Note: Place them in sequence in the
tray.

Figure 9. Storing a representative sample of the material in a chip tray.

11. Clean the plastic sheet and the auger bit every time when
beginning with the next meter of sample to avoid contamination. The
technician/ Crew leader must log (describe) the sample material on a
log sheet.
12. On the log sheet the following will be described (Figure 10):
 Date: logging date
 Logged by: who logged the sample
 Hole ID: e.g. A1245
 Line: e.g. 10000 E
 Station: e.g. 10000 N
 Sample ID: The number on the sample tag e.g. 42600
 From: beginning sample depth e.g. 4.0 m
 To: end sample depth e.g. 5.0 m
 Sample type: A = alluvial material; P = pisoliths; D = duricrust; C
= massive clay zone; M = mottled zone; S = saprolite
 Remarks: describe the sample (colour, veins, etc.)
  Regolith mapping: mark nearby the station and/ or line with
creeks, outcrop, porknocker pits, etc.

13. Making the hole deeper means that the rods are continually
extending in length. It is very important to be careful while pulling
these rods out of the hole. It is required that 2 persons pull the rods
out of the hole. While pulling them out, let the rods lean on something
(e.g. a tree branch). Also when putting the rods back down the hole,
people must stand clear, otherwise they might be hit on the head or
shoulder by the falling handle.
14. Continue with the sampling until the required depth (typically
10m). When encountering difficulty going deeper (e.g.
laterite/duricrust, boulder, other obstacle) try augering for 2 times in
the nearest vicinity of the station (up to 5m), otherwise proceed to the
next station.
15. When the hole is finished, write down the total depth, line and
station number on a piece of flagging tape and tie it on the station.
16. Move then to the next hole and repeat the steps again.

Note: Keep in mind that every 50th sample is a blank, every 100 th sample a
standard and every 21st sample is a duplicate of the 20th sample.

For example:
Blank – 21350, 21450, and so on
Standard – 21300, 21400, and so on
Duplicate – 21321 is duplicate of 21320, 21341 is duplicate of 21340, and so
on.
Figure 10. Deep auger logsheet
 Figure 11.
Typical weathering profile

9 APPENDIX

Equipment
 Auger drill (complete with bit, rods and handles)
 Pipe wrenches to join/separate the rods
 Machete
 Tape measure (10m)
 If needed transportation

Consumables
 Sample bags
 Flagging tape
 Sample tags
 Deep auger log sheets
 Rice bags
 Log box with all necessary office supplies
 Chip tray
  Marker
 Area map

Clean Up
Make sure no non-biodegradable material like PET bottles, flagging tape or
any other trash is left in the field.