Element Six, a developer of polycrystalline diamond and ultra-hard materials, and Master Drilling, a provider of mechanized rock excavation technology solutions, have partnered to deliver a new synthetic diamond-enabled tunneling solution, according to a Feb. 18 press release.

Building tunnels poses technical and environmental challenges such as geological unpredictability, water ingress, high costs, waste generation and safety concerns, the companies said.

The diamond-enabled solution is designed to tackle these challenges and increase tunneling development speed, reduce costs and minimize the environmental impact of tunnel construction, the release stated.

The technology has outperformed traditional methods during tests in the U.K. and South Africa, the companies said.

"This innovation holds great potential for expanding underground operations in industries such as mining, energy, transportation, and infrastructure," said Koos Jordaan, executive director of Master Drilling. "By combining our technologies and expertise, we can offer quality tunnel development with competitive productivity, lower costs and reduced waste, enabling safer, faster, and more economical tunnel construction."

Element Six is part of De Beers Group, which designs, develops and produces synthetic diamond materials.

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