Why Design Matters Now More Than Ever in Core Processing

In mining and exploration, your core processing facility isn’t just a storage space — it’s the engine room of your geological program. Yet most core facilities weren’t designed with that in mind. They weren’t engineered for efficiency, ergonomics, or growth. Instead, they evolved.

Over time, equipment was added. Racks were improvised. Layouts became congested. What began as a simple shelter for drill core slowly became a bottleneck for your entire operation. And that’s a big problem — because as drilling activity increases, so does the pressure on your facility to keep pace.

At Dynamics G-Ex, we’ve seen this story unfold countless times across Australia, North America, and beyond. And that’s why we’re here to challenge the status quo: it’s time to stop thinking of your core shed as an afterthought and start treating it as the performance-critical asset it really is.

From Makeshift to Master Plan

The best-performing companies in the world understand one thing: design is not decoration — it’s strategy. Just look at how leading industries operate.

🚗 Automotive

Car manufacturers like Toyota and BMW have built their empires on the concept of lean manufacturing. Every assembly line is meticulously designed to minimize wasted movement, prevent errors, and allow for continuous improvement. Workers don’t waste steps. Tools are always within reach. Parts arrive at the exact moment they’re needed.

In these factories, even the floor markings, lighting angles, and workstation heights are intentional — all designed to support human performance and safety.

Lesson for the core processing facility: Core processing should be treated the same way. By eliminating unnecessary lifting, walking, and tray/box handling through smart layout planning and roller racking, you reduce fatigue, increase speed, and improve accuracy.

🏣 Warehousing:

Companies like Amazon, DHL, and Woolworths Distribution Centres thrive because they treat layout as a science. Warehouses are optimized using data analytics to plan how goods flow in, are sorted, stored, and shipped out.

There are zoned areas for each function, automated roller systems, stacking protocols, and smart labeling systems. Everything is designed to reduce double-handling and lost time.

Lesson for the core processing facility: A modern core shed should reflect these principles. A designated flow from receiving to logging to cutting to storage, with no backtracking or crowding, increases daily core throughput. It also enables seasonal peaks or high-volume programs to be absorbed without chaos.

🏥 Healthcare:

Hospitals and surgical centres are high-stakes environments. Just like exploration programs, there’s no room for error.

Operating rooms are designed to support human performance under pressure — with surgical tools placed within reach, screens at eye level, sterile paths for movement, and lighting calibrated to reduce fatigue. Even the floor plans are engineered to ensure staff don’t cross paths or contaminate clean areas.

Lesson for the core processing facility: Core sheds may not be life-or-death environments, but they are high-stakes when it comes to sample integrity, safety, and time. Design elements like wet/dry zone separation, clearly defined pathways, core saw placement, and task-specific benches make work safer and help prevent costly mistakes.

So why should geology be any different?

These industries don’t tolerate inefficiency — because the cost is too high.

The same is true in exploration. Poor core shed design isn’t just inconvenient — it slows your data flow, increases injury risk, and wastes space you can’t afford to lose.

By learning from the world’s best designers — whether that’s an assembly line engineer in Germany, a warehouse architect in Melbourne, or a surgical planner in Toronto — you can transform your core facility from a bottleneck into a competitive advantage.

And that’s exactly what Dynamics G-Ex is here to help you do.

A well-designed core facility doesn’t just look cleaner. It works smarter.

Start with Design. Finish with Confidence.

You wouldn’t build a processing plant without a layout plan. You wouldn’t design a drill program without a model. So why settle for a core shed that “just gets by”?

With Dynamics G-Ex, you get more than just racking and trays — you get a design partner that:

• Understands your geological workflows

• Brings real-world site experience to the table

• Uses CAD and 3D visualisation to help you plan with clarity

• Helps future-proof your facility with flexibility and safety in mind

Let’s Design Your Next-Generation Core Facility

If you’re ready to step into the next phase of core facility performance — with faster processing, safer environments, and more space to grow — we’re ready to help.

Visit our Core Facility Design page and submit your details for a free design consultation with our team of experts.

Together, we’ll make your life easier — one smart design at a time.