Plastic Core Boxes for Drill Core

Plastic core boxes, often called plastic core trays, are widely used on exploration sites. They are light, they don’t rot or swell in wet weather, and a filled box can sit outside in the core yard without falling apart. We supply them for core diameters from 26 to 125 mm, each box holding cores of 1 m length.

Drill rig on an exploration site
Plastic core boxes for drill core

Which plastic core box fits your core?

Pick the box by the diameter of your core. The last column shows whether a lid is optional or included.

Item no.Core diameterCores per box (1 m)Outer size W × L × H (mm)LidMinimum orderQuote
DD-AP-6-36-K26–36 mm6340 × 1070 × 50optional300Request
DD-AP-5-48-K37–48 mm (NQ)5340 × 1070 × 60optional250Request
DD-AP-4-64-K49–64 mm (HQ)4340 × 1070 × 80optional200Request
DD-AT-3-86-K65–86 mm (PQ)3340 × 1070 × 100optional170Request
DD-AT-5-88-Kup to 88 mm5620 × 1080 × 95included50Request
DD-AP-2-115-K87–115 mm2340 × 1070 × 125optional100Request
DD-AP-1-125-K115–125 mm1235 × 1080 × 125optional200Request
DD-AT-3-125-Kup to 125 mm3520 × 1080 × 130included50Request

Not sure which size you drill? NQ core is 47.6 mm, HQ 63.5 mm, PQ 85 mm. For larger cores or other lengths, have a look at our custom-made boxes or our wooden core boxes.

Plastic core box with lid for 125 mm drill core

Why geologists choose plastic over wood

  • Weather: plastic doesn’t absorb water, so boxes keep their shape and labels stay readable.
  • Weight: an empty AP box weighs around 2 kg, which makes a big difference when you move hundreds of metres of core.
  • Stacking: the boxes stack, so a pallet of core takes up little space in the truck and in the core shed.
  • Clean samples: no splinters or wood fibres on the core when you photograph and log it.

Wood still has its place, for example for non-standard sizes or where a project prefers wood. We offer both, so you can decide per project.

Ordering

We sell to drilling contractors, exploration companies, geological surveys and labs. Minimum order quantities apply per item. Tell us the core size, how many metres you plan to drill and where the boxes need to go, and we’ll send you a quote.