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By Jack Eloranta

Optimization of blasting requires the comprehension of processes including drilling through milling. The author has previously considered the role of powder factor in relationship to downstream processing costs. Recent modeling done by Lownds provides improved prediction of fragmentation based on the distribution and level of blast energy. Many recent studies have indicated improved downstream costs due to higher powder factor. However, changes in powder factor are accompanied by changes in pattern. The purpose is to segregate the effects of higher powder factor from powder distribution. This paper will attempt to use typical Mesabi Range iron ore parameters and costs to illuminate the subject of total process optimization.

Jan 1, 2001

By David G. Paton

"Electromagnetic surveys were conducted at the BXL Bulk Explosives Limited Mixing Plant andsurrounding area to characterize runoff from the site and possible impacts of salinity. The BXL Plant is located at the edge of a depressional area and any escape of soluble ions, such as nitrates, would have ended up in the slough to the west of the plant. Two electromagnetic (EM) instruments were used in the survey. A Geonics EM 3 1 was used in October 1997 and in June 1998, a new multifrequency instrument, a GSSI GEM 300 was also tested. Both instruments were individually mounted on a plastic sled with Teflon runners and towed with an ATV quad. Position was determined using a Trimble Pro XL global positioning system (GPS) with a real time correction mode Landstar receiver for an accuracy of about *l m. Both GPS and EM instruments were set to collect data at 1 second intervals. The quadrature maps for both instruments showed essentially the same information, namely of very high conductivity, appearing to emanate from the mixing plant. The levels of conductivity were highest where the saline water appeared to pool, at the southern end of the slough. Soil sampling locations were identified from the EM maps and navigated to using the real time GPS. Composite samples were collected by hand using a Dutch auger, from two locations, in increments of O-1 5, 15-30, 30-60 and 60- 90 cm. The analysis of the soil samples indicated a complete absence of nitrate or ammonium ions; the major anion was sulphate, indicating naturally saline subsoil conditions. The GEM 300 made the collection of data more efficient, as only one pass was required to collect the data from four depth intervals. The EM survey combined with the real time GPS allowed rapid characterization of the site with respect to soil salinity and proved to be cost-effective for Phase l/ Phase 2 site assessments and targeting sampling locations."

Jan 1, 1999

By Josee Boudreau

Transport Canada has regulatory requirements that pertain to the transportation of explosives. An important component includes the requirement for an approved Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP). The ERAP may be traced to the recommendations made by Justice Grange following the enquiry into the Mississauga train derailment of December 1979. Justice Grange recommended that any shipper of dangerous goods must have a plan to control any release of dangerous goods in the event of an accident, and that the plan must be submitted to the Minister and approved by the Minister or by an organisation or person designated by the Minister. The right to ship could be withdrawn at any time if the plan is found inadequate either in its conception or in its operation.

Jan 1, 2010

By Calvin Konya, Steven S. Spagna, Ed Smith

During Summer 2001, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers awarded a contract to the construction firm of Bush and Burchett of Allen, Kentucky, for the purpose of developing a 13 acre redevelopment site by removing approximately 2.5 million cubic yards of rock (fig. 1). The Redevelopment Site will be the future home for a large portion of the City of Grundy, Virginia. Additional work items include the construction and relocation of 3,000 feet of the Norfolk Southern railroad bed, the placement of 95,000 cubic yards of fill and the placement of 16,000 cubic yards of stone slope protection along the Levisa Fork River. Bush and Burchett received a notice to proceed with construction in July 2001. Currently, the contract is near completion. Current activities include: hauling of material from the Redevelopment Site to the disposal area; placing fill material on the Redevelopment Site, and placing Stone Slope Protection (SSP) along the Levisa Fork river. Approximately one year into the construction highly weathered rock, degraded to near soil- like condition, was encountered in the upstream portion of the excavation. Over one-third of the original cut slope was adjusted and the blasting specifications had to be amended to accommodate for the material that was encountered in this area.

Jan 1, 2005

By B Mohanty

Currently there exist several explosive quantity-distance (Q-D) rules variously exercised by most countries to protect personnel and property against the effects of accidental explosions. These regulations apply to manufacture, transport and storage of explosive products. This paper reviews the technical basis behind these regulations, as they apply to commercial and military explosives. The characteristics of a blast wave and missiles issuing out of an explosion site and their role in determining the level of damage to a target are discussed. The need for further research on the effect of detonation of charges of non-standard geometry, and under confined conditions such as tunnels is discussed. The challenge in estimating the net quantity of explosives involved and calculation of its TNT-equivalency is also highlighted.

Jan 1, 2014

By Rick Lamkie

When investigating citizen complaints about blast vibration and airblast, it is important to be able to establish the spatial relationships between blasts, blasting seismographs monitoring the events, and complainant structures to assess any directional impacts. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) routinely uses hand-held GPS receivers to document these relationships. The waypoint (structures and seismograph monitoring locations) and tracking (blasting and permit areas) features are used to map a site. These data are imported into the software for editing and conversion to GPS Exchange (.gpx) format.

Jan 1, 2008

By Douglas A. Anderson

The US Bureau of Mines, in RI 8507, has shown that blast vibrations at low frequency are more likely to cause damage and complaints than those at higher frequency. Since that publication in 1980, the Office of Surface Mining and many state and local regulatory authorities have incorporated frequency in their regulations for acceptable ground vibration from blasting. Even when frequency is not explicitly stated in regulations, it may become an issue in hearings or in court.

Jan 1, 1992

By Amos Bryant, Jesse Davis

This paper compares the predictions of the latest Institute of Makers of Explosives Safety Analysis for Risk (IMESAFR) model versus physical test data recovered from ISO-1 and ISO-2 tests in Woomera, SA. ISO-1 testing included placing 1054 kg (2324 lbs) of ANFO (ammonium nitrate-fuel oil) inside an ISO container on a flat bed truck. ISO-2 testing was identical except the NEW was 4000 kg (8818 lbs). The IMESAFR predictions are based on model runs using the best match available to the actual donor type involved in the test. This type of debris analysis is not the standard output of IMESAFR, as the program is designed to assess the probability of human fatality. However, all of the IMESAFR predictions presented were obtained from the use of the actual model equations and algorithms without adjustment. Test results from ISO-1 and ISO-2 will be presented as well as findings from the comparison between model results and actual explosive results from the ISO testing efforts.

Jan 1, 2010

By Brendan O'Reilly, Outokumpu Zinc, Geoff J. Johnston, S Durucan

Historically vibration monitoring has dealt primarily with surface blasting or "near field" monitoring of underground blasts. The Situation at Tara Mines is different, blasting occurs up to 400m underground, with a number of blasts occurring daily and occasionally with residential properties directly above the blasting site. Tara Mines, due to both its location (1.5 km from the rural town of Navan) and stringent planning conditions have always had to monitor, carefully plan and control the levels of vibration from blasting. The statutory vibration limit at Tara allows a maximum peak particle velocity of 7.62 mm/s with no frequency limitations. Levels of vibration have been monitored continuously since mining operations began in 1972.

Jan 1, 1994

By John Montgomery

This paper discusses the major changes to the Commissioners Rules and Regulations, Chapter 120-3-10 “Rules and Regulations for Explosives and Blasting Agents”; how the changes came about, and a summary of the status of the blasting industry in Georgia.

Jan 1, 2003

By Jeffrey Loeb

Recent trends in blasting engineering and its related fields, at the level of professional academia, have tended to exclude detailed discussion and examination of the formative experiences of the engineering student. In particular, the extra-curricular aspects of the undergraduate program in engineering—focused, in this case, on the summer job—will be shown to contain a wealth of heretofore underappreciated knowledge in the field. In Surveying the Damage: Post Traumatic Stress and Pre-Blast Surveys, I intend to outline and examine some of the more unusual experiences afforded me by my work as a preblast surveyor in the summer of 2007. In this capacity, I was required to make a visual note of existing conditions of surrounding residential and commercial structures within 100 m (328 ft) of two separate blasting sites in central-east Ontario. In the interest of both convenience and specificity, I have attempted to organize the paper as a crossdiscipline survey of the field according to the conference’s list of suggested topics. In the paper’s first section, I will discuss the topic of Environmental Improvement and Remediation by using a case study in which not one, but two dead cats were found during the course of a routine pre-blast survey. The second section will undertake a discussion of on-site blaster gossip as an entry point into a wider discussion of Workplace Communications Management. In the paper’s final section, I will detail an early morning encounter with a 300 lb, stark-naked trailer park inhabitant as a cross-sectional analysis of the topics of Drilling in Hostile Environments, Vibration and Seismology (Sizemology?), Ethics in Blasting, Crisis Management, Risk Assessment and Public Relations. It is my hope that this paper will begin to open up a critical space for discussion of the formative experiences of engineering students during the undergraduate university program in terms of their far-reaching effects on later performance within the industry.

Jan 1, 2009

By Eduardo Lozano, Vilem Petr

The use of explosives bring countless benefits to our everyday lives in areas such as mining, oil and gas exploration, demolition or avalanche control. However, because of the potential destructive power of explosives, strict safety procedures must be an integral part of any explosives operation. The goal of this paper is to provide a solution against the hazards which unfortunately accompany the use of explosives. For this reason, a blast shield is specifically designed and tested for protecting personnel against these unpredictable effects. This document will develop a complete analysis answering the following questions: what are the potential hazards from an air blast; what are their effects; and how can we be protected against them. In order to answer these questions, theoretical, analytical, and numerical calculations are performed. Finally, a full blast shield prototype is tested under blasting conditions proving its effectiveness as a safety device while explosives are used.

Jan 1, 2015

By Roberto Folchi, Hans Wallin, Mara Battocchio

An understanding of explosives science and technology, and the competence to harness it is central to maintaining Explosives capability, national security, and in sustaining a competitive industry. A consequence of eroding this competence is the increased likelihood of explosives accidents. These are often catastrophic as demonstrated by accidents in Nigeria, Russia, Toulouse and Enschede. In addition to the serious loss of life there was the very significant damage to houses, domestic and industrial infrastructure and to the environment at a cost of many millions of Euros.

Jan 1, 2013

By Sandra Penttinen

To assist blasting professionals with the creation, documentation, and appropriate methodology to standardize the data collection of the pre and post blast investigation process. Penttinen Associates will present a logical non-technical presentation focusing on: Why pre-blast surveys SAVE How to prepare for pre-blast inspections What to do in preparation of pre-blast inspections The creation of an industry standard all-inclusive pre-blast document Establishing pre-blast inspection operational standards Preserving the data.

Jan 1, 2001

By Chanhwi Shin, Hyeongmin Kang

Mine optimization is a key strategy in the mining industry that focuses on improving the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of mining operations. To achieve mine optimization, digitalization is essential for modernizing mining operations and attaining optimal performance. Due to the importance of mine digitalization, various software and platforms have been released to support this effort. Furthermore, by integrating these advanced technologies, mines can enhance processes, leading to significant economic and operational benefits. However, integrating data from various sources and collaborating across different platforms remains a significant challenge in the mining industry. Generally, data for mine optimization, such as mapping, smart drilling, FMS (Fleet Management Systems), fragmentation analysis, or vibration analysis, are collected and analyzed separately on different platforms. This separation makes it difficult to aggregate and utilize data comprehensively for overall mining process optimization. During the digitalization process, obstacles arise due to these complexity, variability, and sharing issues of data across different maker, sources, and methods. These challenges highlight the need for seamless integration to achieve optimal mining operations. Thus, this study applied a total solution that can cover the entire Drilling and Blasting (D&B) processes. The blast design was performed using actual terrain mapping data, and drilling and charging were conducted following a guide based on the blast design plan. After blasting, loading and hauling distances and fuel consumption were measured, and fragmentation for each blast was evaluated. All measurement tasks were automated to minimize human error. By collecting all data in one server, it became possible to perform an overall evaluation for each blast, allowing the identification of optimal values. In conclusion, to evaluate the optimization effects for each mining process, one month of integrated data collected on a single server was used. Compared to the period before the Total solution was implemented, there were notable improvements: a 25% enhancement in hole spacing, a 60% improvement in floor flatness, a 23% reduction in average fragment size, and a 19% improvement in fragment uniformity. Regarding cost savings per blasting volume, the improvements were 11.7% in drilling, 9.3% in explosives, 7.6% in loading, and 17.5% in hauling.

Jan 21, 2025

By Ryan Brogden

On the 5 September 2014 a road train (tractor-trailer) with two trailers carrying ammonium nitrate was involved in a single vehicle accident on the Mitchell Highway, 30 kilometers (18 miles) south of Charleville in Central Queensland, Australia. The ammonium nitrate was being transported to a mine site for use as a blasting explosive. The truck came to rest in the creek bed adjacent to a road bridge and caught fire. The vehicle burnt for over one hour before the load of ammonium nitrate exploded. Miraculously there were no fatalities; however eight people nearby sustained injuries, some seriously. The road and rail bridge over Angellala Creek were destroyed and vehicles in the nearby vicinity were seriously damaged. The truck carrying the ammonium nitrate was completely destroyed with over 2500 pieces of debris scattered up to one thousand yards (one kilometer) from the blast site.

Jan 1, 2018

By Kenneth Eltschlager

Blasting represents the highest risk of any surface coal mining activity that could result in injury and/or property damage off the permit area. In addition, blasting related issues e.g. flyrock, vibrations, air blast, etc., are responsible for a large percentage of citizen complaints. Thorough and consistent regulation of individuals certified to conduct blasting by the Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement in Federal Program states and on Indian Lands under Federal jurisdiction is vital, as it serves to: facilitate coal production to meet the nation’s energy needs; protect people and property on and adjacent to Federal mining permits; form a basis for states to grant reciprocity certificates to Federal blasters; and be a positive example to primacy states. OSM issues Federal blaster certificates for blasting on Federal surface coal mine permits. The certification program includes experience, training and testing components similar to many of the states. But where a state program may focus on the specific blasting applications within its boundary, the OSM certificate requires a very diverse test to cover all potential blasting applications and products across the nation. Therefore, the Federal certificate is a good surface mining credential for blasters anywhere in the United States.

Jan 1, 2010

By Wm. Reisz

There is no universal standard for Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s). Every blasting operation has its own unique circumstances, its own methodologies and its own unique demands. It would be nearly impossible to create a one-size-fits-all document that would be totally appropriate for every blasting scenario. But there are universal objectives that should be adopted in any set of blasting SOP’s.

Jan 1, 2010

By Joshua Hoffman, Braden Lusk, Kyle Perry

Shock tubes are used to simulate large-scale arena explosions without the use of full-scale arena sites that utilize large quantities of explosives. Instead, small explosive charges can be used to drive shock tubes. When this is done, the geometries of the explosive charges can alter the resulting pressure time curve. A common geometry chosen for the explosive charge is a sphere in order to be congruent with the spherical shockwave that emanates symmetrically in three dimensions from the detonation point. This paper reports on the findings from experiments that study the effects of altering the charge geometries and explosive types while keeping the TNT equivalency constant. Peak pressures and durations were affected by these changes. Directional phenomena are exaggerated by the use of certain charge shapes and detonation points. The speed of the detonation front in the explosive being greater than the speed of the shockwave in air played a critical role in the resulting pressure time waveforms. Waveform manipulation can be used to generate job specific waveforms that ultimately benefit the shock tube operators and their clients.

Jan 1, 2010

By Kush Patel

This paper presents methods currently available for the evaluation of bulk explosives and discusses the results of the evaluation of bulk explosives using each of the methods. Through the preliminary experimental analysis, wet chemistry and the Bulk Explosive Analyser were found as methods most suitable for the evaluation of bulk explosives. This paper also presents data obtained from the experimental comparison of the wet chemistry method and the Bulk Explosive Analyser.

Feb 1, 2020