News
Read the latest from our team on the ground along with geotechnical and geophysical news here.
It is amazing what can be learned after 30 years in a complex industry.
From three decades of involvement in Philippine mining, here are five lessons that consistently stand out.
🔗 www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-lessons-from-30-years-philippine-mining-rdcl-axdse
/ As published in the latest Philippine Resources Journal this week
(issuu.com/brimblepublishing/docs/prj2601_digital/58)
2 weeks ago
Thanks for sharing RDCL
Behind every set of reliable CPT data is a commitment to getting the fundamentals right.
Recently, Kaye from our Philippines team travelled to Malaysia to recalibrate RDCL’s CPT cones as part of our annual quality assurance programme. This type of work is essential.
Regular calibration ensures our equipment performs exactly as it should, giving our clients confidence in the data that informs design, risk management, and construction decisions.
It’s one of the many behind-the-scenes steps our team take to uphold the standard we expect of ourselves — and that our clients rely on.
Thank you Kaye for the travel, effort, and attention to detail. It matters.
Quality doesn’t happen by accident, it's built into everything we do.
#CPT #GeotechnicalEngineering #GroundInvestigation #QualityMatters #RDCL
3 weeks ago
Well done Kaye! Your hard work helps keep the Manila office running.
Cyclone Gabrielle left a mark on parts of Aotearoa New Zealand that many are still living with today — mentally, physically, and economically.
He mihi nui to those who continue to rebuild, those still affected, and the many people across councils, contractors, landowners and communities who stepped up in response.
One project we were privileged to put our energy into was a River Breach Rapid Repair in Waipawa, delivered alongside Hawke's Bay Regional Council. Following a 280m stopbank breach, rapid investigation and adaptive design were critical to restoring river function and protecting surrounding farmland and infrastructure.
Through integrated geotechnical and geophysical investigations — including MASW and ERT — the team developed a ground model that informed a resilient, fit-for-purpose repair solution.
Resilience is not just about rebuilding what was there before. It’s about learning, adapting, and strengthening for what may come next.
You can read more about the project here: www.rdcl.co.nz/projects/cyclone-gabrielle-river-breach-rapid-repair/
1 month ago
Excellent conversations at the Philippine Mining Club's first business luncheon for the year at Makati Shangri-La Hotel Manila.
From high grade technologies to modern mining contexts, and a keynote from Peter Hume, Technical Director, @Makilala Mining Company Inc., it was a fantastic chance to reconnect and stay informed.
/ Photos thankPhilippine Resources Journalurnal and Tony Valentine.
1 month ago
RDCL should support the Philippine Mining Club perhaps with a little sponsorship so they can market you and keep the Luncheon going.
It was great to have Tony Valentine present to discuss the work he completed on the Makilala Mining Company project.
From the coastline to cutting across jungle tracks, our team — Will (Wellington), and Marvin (Philippines) — were recently in the Solomon Islands delivering MASW (Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves) and downhole seismic testing in a varied field environment.
The focus of this survey was on the data. One of the key objectives was to define the contact between near-surface soils and underlying coral limestone, information that plays an important role in harbour and coastal infrastructure design.
The quasi-2D MASW results provided a clear picture of this transition — with slower velocities indicating softer soils and faster velocities indicating limestone coral at depth. Outputs like the example shown help turn complex ground conditions into clearer, more confident design decisions.
Like much of RDCL’s work across the Asia–Pacific, this project combined technical rigour with practical fieldwork — setting up where the ground allows, working with the landscape, and adapting as conditions change.
The support from the local community was a real highlight, helping the team gather the data needed while building shared understanding of the land and its future use.
This is the kind of work our teams get to be part of at RDCL — technically interesting, hands-on, and often in places that few people get to experience, all while delivering real value for infrastructure projects across the region.
#Geophysics #MASW #SeismicTesting #CoastalInfrastructure #AsiaPacific #RDCL #EngineeringInTheField
1 month ago
/ Electrical resistivity in action!
Our team was out in the Wairarapa recently carrying out Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) to look for earth faults on a greenfield site.
A non-intrusive method, ERT is especially valuable for identifying faults, geological boundaries, groundwater changes and material contrasts – early insights that help our clients plan smarter intrusive investigations, reduce uncertainty, and progress projects with confidence.
On this job, Geophysicists Siru & Alistair enjoyed working with the Syscal Terra Switch (by Iris Instruments), setting up multiple arrays up to 178 m long and capable of imaging down to roughly 50 metres below ground. The work is physical, technical, and often carried out in challenging conditions – but it’s also rewarding, with preliminary data visible in real time and the chance to work in some amazing landscapes.
A sample of an ERT output is shown here (not from this site): a 2D resistivity section where red shows higher-resistivity material and blue indicates lower-resistivity zones. This kind of information supports early hazard identification and helps shape the next steps in design.
And yes – getting around site in the ATV is one of the perks.
Across Aotearoa, the Philippines and the wider Asia–Pacific, RDCL’s geophysicists and geotechnical engineers work together to bring practical, decision-ready insight to greenfield and brownfield projects alike.
#Geophysics #ERT #GroundModels #Geotech #SubsurfaceData #Wairarapa #RDCL #IrisInstruments
2 months ago
