Boart Longyear, the world’s leading provider of integrated exploration drilling services, equipment and performance tooling, is proud to announce that Edmund J. Longyear has been nominated in the exploration category for the International Mining Hall of Fame. Longyear has been nominated for his influence in contract diamond drilling, geological services and shaft sinking in the early part of the 20th century, serving the rapidly growing U.S. iron ore mining and steel industry In 1890, Longyear drilled the first diamond core hole in the Mesabi Iron Range in northern Minnesota. He later formed the E.J. Longyear Company, which would eventually become Boart Longyear. The company developed the wireline-retrieved Q core barrel, which revolutionized the exploration business in the 1960s and is still the standard used for exploration drilling.

“We were excited to hear that Mr. Longyear has been nominated for this international award. As an early leader and innovator in exploration mining, he help set the stage for our industry to grow to where it is today,” said Richard O’Brien, Chief Executive Officer of Boart Longyear. “Boart Longyear continues to honor his legacy by developing innovative drilling methods, performance tooling and equipment.” A panel of 200 experts and leaders in the fields of exploration, mining and processing will vote on the nominations for the International Mining Hall of Fame — which proclaims to be the only hall of fame to recognize the global innovators in the mining industry.

Of the accepted nominations, only 14 will be inducted into the International Mining Hall of Fame during a gala dinner hosted at the Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City, Utah on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014. Categories for the nominations include safety, exploration, underground development, underground production, underground load and haul, underground support, surface mine production, surface mine load and haul, mining software, comminution, concentration, bulk handling, tailings management, and outstanding innovator.