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By Jose Luis Pineda Villarreal

New technologies emerge every day with practical applications for open pit mining. For every operation, managers need to understand the best way to increase efficiency in drilling, blasting, fragmentation and hauling routes.

Jan 1, 2018

By Peter Dare-Bryan, Will Hunt, Lee Julian

It is well-known that blasting has an economic effect on grade control activities. However, until recently, methods did not exist for measuring the grade control value change caused by the blast. Rules of thumb were the best method to minimize ore loss and dilution, as simulation has been traditionally constrained by time and computer power. Even with these rules followed, an extensive study performed on over 150 blasts showed that the value change caused by the blasts followed a normal distribution – some blasts created value, and some blasts destroyed value. The question naturally asked was “How can we ensure the blast designs are optimized to create value?” Recent advancements in computer power have enabled real-time blasting simulations that create post-blast grade control models before the blast is fired. Understanding what will happen before it happens allows blasters and grade control personnel to iterate designs, searching for the highest value achievable.

Feb 6, 2023

By Jeff Hiedeman, Clint Sestrich, Christopher Hyle

Westslope Cutthroat trout have declined in distribution and abundance across their range and currently occupy about 59% of their historic habitat. Due to hybridization with non-native species such as rainbow trout, genetically pure populations persist in only 10% of that range. A westslope cutthroat trout population with relatively high genetic purity (97%) and conservation importance persists in less than two linear stream miles in the headwaters of the South Fork Madison River in southwest Montana. The relative purity of this population has been maintained through the presence of a downstream intermittent reach. However, spring flows fill the intermittent reach, creating a connection between occupied westslope cutthroat trout habitat in the headwaters and the habitat of competing trout species downstream.

Jan 1, 2011

By Benoît Pinier, Jason Furtney, Gustavo Sampaio Lopes, Jorge Valencia, Johan Hawinkel

This paper describes a numerical modeling study on the effect of airdecking on vibrations, fragmentation, and movement in mining-related rock blasting. Practice has shown that air gaps reduce blast vibrations and damage while maintaining the required fragmentation and movement, yielding similar blast outcomes with less explosive mass per hole. Given that the premise of “replacing explosives with air” for better blast results is counterintuitive, this paper aims to shed light on the physical mechanisms and processes occurring in a blast with airdecks. It is hypothesized that airdecks are effective and beneficial because they load the rock at pressures lower than what is required to crush the rock. In the airdeck, the explosive gasses directly fracture rock and avoid energy loss due to crushing. In essence, the airgap allows similar outcomes in fragmentation and throw with less total explosive product, as the lower pressure gasses in the airdeck are still effective at breaking and moving the rock. This is distinct from only having less explosive and more stemming, as the stemming reduces the pressure more than an airdeck at the same position. This study uses the blastFoam software (for modeling of single and multiphase flows) to accurately calculate the pressure history throughout a blasthole and air gap. The pressure and gas loading are coupled to numerical models of vibration, fragmentation, and blast movement. Using this modeling technique, a suite of blast scenarios for typical configurations in a range of commodities is assessed with and without airdecks. Rock blasting practitioners have a responsibility to protect communities, infrastructure, and heritage — demystifying airdecks through a better understanding of the physics provides another tool in the blasting engineering toolkit to serve this goal.

Jan 21, 2025

By D. Lynn Gordon, Larry B. Weston, Michael W. Manhart, Patrick R. Bowden, Michael W. Redmond

Study of confinement effects on detonation characteristics and subsequent fitting form development as a function of confiner strength and thickness.

Feb 1, 2020

By Tyler Rockley, Cara Rosen

Blasting at a granite quarry in eastern Maryland produces elevated air blast readings that can fall into the cautionary zone for the state of Maryland environmental regulations on a semi-regular basis. When designing blast patterns in this quarry, challenging geology creates rough and uneven blast faces that can be difficult to capture with 2D laser profiling fully. Utilizing several methods known to manage high air blast results like pattern adjustments, decking, and timing changes have not achieved consistent outcomes.

Feb 1, 2020

By Tyler Rockley, Cara Rosen

Blasting at a granite quarry in eastern Maryland produces elevated air blast readings that can fall into the cautionary zone for the state of Maryland environmental regulations on a semi-regular basis. When designing blast patterns in this quarry, challenging geology creates rough and uneven blast faces that can be difficult to capture with 2D laser profiling fully. Utilizing several methods known to manage high air blast results like pattern adjustments, decking, and timing changes have not achieved consistent outcomes. Accurately capturing and modeling this geology is the key to controlling high air blast. 3D modeling and profiling by drone is the solution to understanding accurate face profiles and real minimum burdens. Using 18 months of blasting data and air blast results to establish a baseline, the comparisons between blasts designed with 2D profiling and blasts designed with drone 3D profiling show improvement in air blast levels. Additionally, shots with completed drilling were drone profiled to understand precise amounts of burden for each borehole. This 'audit' of a blast allows for custom loading of explosives, accommodating the amount of burden present on the blast face. 3Dprofiling is not a new tool in the blasting industry, but a drone alleviates some of the restrictions ground systems face. Controlling and managing air blast, as it pertains to face burdens, requires an understanding of those burdens from all angles. A drone provides that distinct level of insight. The results of this study indicate that drone profiling is managing the customer's air blast readings, allowing the customer to maintain their license to operate within the community.

By P. Couceiro, J. Navarro

A new methodology to perform selective blast designs by adapting the explosive energy, hole by hole (or in the hole), to the rock properties as a combination of their strength properties through the X-Rock model has been developed based on drill-monitoring data from both autonomous and manual rotary drilling modes. For that, a thorough normalization process has been developed to minimize external influences in the data induced by the different rig system and the operator interventions during manual drilling operation. Principal component analysis has been used to combine drill monitoring information. Data from 48,385 blastholes, comprised in 102 production blasts at 7 different levels in one expansion of the mine have been used for the analysis. The methodology, called X-Energy, combines the X-Rock model outputs with actual blast design parameters (drill pattern, stemming and borehole length, explosive mass/density and others) and a constant variable obtained from a machine learning algorithm, to estimate size distribution and percentage of fines and coarse material, hole by hole, by combining and recalibrating the Kuznetsov (Cunningham, 1987) based equation. From it, a new shovel-independent diggability model has been developed as combination of the P80 size, the rock properties (from the X-Rock) and a constant variable obtained from a machine learning algorithm. The X-Energy application presented in this study have been implemented in Minera Escondida Limitada (MEL), to design and operate production blasts with the goal of varying the explosive density to the rock properties to obtain a more uniform size distribution and digging rates, hole by hole, based on a target size and rate, and improving slope care, preventing active faults to fail. The methodology has been applied and validated in 17 production blast (8,277 blasthole), unlocking an average of 12.8% reduction in explosives costs (explosive consumption), by combining a pattern expansion strategy and a better distribution of the explosive density within the blast. The results demonstrate how a better distribution of the explosive energy by varying its density in the hole according to the rock and blast geometry variables can reduce powder factor (explosive consumption) while improving or maintaining blasting and digging results.

Jan 1, 2024

By Roland Alford

The ballistic pendulum is a well-established piece of test equipment originally developed for estimating the velocity of bullets and projectiles. When trying to understand the effects of different tamping methods on explosive performance, the ballistic pendulum is an excellent tool allowing calculation of explosive charge impulse. Most ballistic pendula for this application are limited to narrow impulse ranges as the pendulum mass determines the angle of swing; and a mass capable of being moved by a small charge would be far too small for a larger charge. This paper describes a modular design (the Alford Modular Ballistic Pendulum) which overcomes this problem.

Feb 6, 2023

By H. S. Venkatesh R. Balachander, G. C. Naveen

During the construction of a 1020 MW underground hydroelectric project in Bhutan a huge rock fall took place in the Downstream Surge Chamber (DSC) during March 2016. The total quantity of rock in the fall area is estimated to be about 1,50,000m3 (2.6 billion cubic feet), out of which about 25,000m3 (0.44 billion cubic feet) of muck was removed. The removal of muck was stopped apprehending that the cavity formed due to the rock fall may get further aggravated leading to widening and destabilising the adjacent transformer hall cavern or it might day light as the top cover was about 190m (623 feet). As the fall has virtually blocked the 314m (1030 feet) long cavern and divided it into two different chambers (south and north), and that the muck cannot be disturbed, it was decided to erect concrete wall on either side of the fall up to the cavern roof and then later address the filling of the cavity with appropriate fill material. As the access to the DSC was there for the southern side it was decided to extend a cable tunnel which was terminated at a distance on the north side of the cavern by D&B so that once it gets punctured into the north wall of the DSC it can be used to access the fall from this front too. This is a unique situation where in every blast approaching the DSC, the parting between them is diminishing and hence the tunnel blast will be exerting axial load on the parting wall leading to dynamic transient loading conditions and buckling may take place on the northern wall of DSC. This paper describes the various drill blast combinations adopted for successful excavation of this tunnel.

Jan 1, 2019

By M. S. Dotto

The knowledge of the explosive/ rock mass interaction process is important in predicting blast performance. It includes understanding rock properties, energy usage, and attenuation in the rock mass. The paper proposes a method to quantify blast-induced rock mass damage from the field measurements and apply it to modeling blast fragmentation.

Feb 1, 2020

By E. Líder, J. Pavez, J. Rivera

The application of new technologies, methodologies, and the use of new products in mining operations is a practice that is becoming more common in the industry every day, added to the new challenges and restrictions found in the operation. In the city of Tierra Amarilla, the interaction between mining operations and the community presents a constant challenge given the proximity to the community and the limitations that this presents. Explosive charge mass, in conventional blasting using traditional explosives (ANFOs, packaged explosives for example) limits the explosive charge lengths (they are reduced), impacting the explosive charge productivity. To improve the productivity of explosive charge and fragmentation, the use of low-density explosives was proposed, allowing the increase of the explosive charge length, trying to maintain the vibration levels within the established limits (2mm/s), preserving the fragmentation of the rock in the required sizes. The present study shows the results obtained from the application of low-density bulk emulsion for production blasting charges using upward and downward fan drillings. During this process, 18 blasting events were carried out, of which 8 were Up-hole loading (average density of 0.75 gr/cc) and 10 with Down-Hole loading (average density of 0.95 gr/cc). In summary, a total of 110,760 tons of ore have been broken, using low density emulsion, meeting the proposed objectives such as: 33% reduction of vibrations, 12% overbreak (within the theoretical design), P80 of 11in and 4.6% in fines.

Jan 1, 2024

By Sérgio Augusto Ferreira, Alan Gerson Diaz Butron, Carlos E. Arroyo, Marcus Neves, Jorhs Enrique Casimiro Huayhua, Dieggo Santos, Eventomar Junior

The presence of natural underground cavities is normally a characteristic of iron ore deposits, specifically in tropical deposits. Brazil and the United States are the only countries that have a legislation to protect these structures, but in Brazil this legislation is very specific for the existing cavities in the federal territory. These cavities are classified by their level of relevance as high, medium, and low. From this perspective, its preservation becomes mandatory, especially, for those of high relevance in order to protect the species (flora and fauna) that live in them. When these structures are within the production phases, it becomes a challenge to exploit these reserves with the use of commercial explosives, since these structures condition and may restrict the use and amount of explosive charge. This paper presents the methodology of controlled blasting associated with predictability via realistic simulation in production polygons, applied in a Brazilian iron ore mine where there is a presence of high relevance natural cavities with restrictions in relation to the limits of Peak Particle Velocity (PPV), which is product of detonation.

Feb 6, 2023

By Dr. Calvin J. Konya, Anthony Konya

Beginning on the Niagara Power Project, presplitting became a widely used blasting technique to obtain smooth walls in mining and construction projects reducing scaling, creating more stable pits, allowing the application of slope steepening to reduce waste removal and increase mining depths, and increasing the safety of mine and construction workers. This technique has been minimally studied in comparison to production blasting and currently two separate theories are present on the mechanics behind the presplit. The first is that shockwave collisions between boreholes cause a tension zone to develop causing the split formation. The second is that gas pressures build in the boreholes causing hoop stresses between holes leading to a presplit formation. Practical blasting methods in presplitting such as propellant presplitting and precision presplitting would not be applicable based on the shockwave theory yet are widely used and documented in the industry. Along with this, modern research using a borehole simulation device and advanced pressure gauges have allowed the authors to obtain true borehole pressures in decoupled blastholes. This paper will present this research which correlates the borehole pressure to variables such as the Young's Modulus and Tensile Strength of various rock types giving blast designers the ability to design a presplit to function in many rock conditions, including weak rocks such as siltstones and mudstones.

By Anthony Konya, Calvin J. Konya

This paper will present this research which correlates the borehole pressure to variables such as the Young's Modulus and Tensile Strength of various rock types giving blast designers the ability to design a presplit to function in many rock conditions, including weak rocks such as siltstones and mudstones.

Feb 1, 2020

By Paulo Couceiro

Highly non-ideal explosives usually tend to react expressively below their ideal detonation velocities. In these cases, dimensional effects and product heterogeneities become important to proper model the detonation state. Although Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) techniques can provide a complete and exact solution for this problem, its actual computation cost is still not practical for industrial applications. In order to minimize these constrains, a simplified two-dimensional steady non-ideal detonation model for cylindrical stick explosives is developed.

Feb 1, 2020

By Enrique Munaretti, Vitor Rosenhaim, Jair Carlos Koppe, Joao Francisco Feijo

The B3 mine is a multiple coal seam strip mining in operation in Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state in Brazil. A traditional truck & excavator operation is used to remove the overburden and selectively mine coal seams, ranging in thickness from 30 cm (1 ft) to 2.5 m (8.2 ft). Blasting is required in order to excavate part of the sedimentary rock overburden where the rock is too hard for mechanical excavation, and to mine the coal seams, selectively.

Jan 1, 2012

By Alan Minchinton, Ian Kirby, Jim Chan

It has long been known that successful blasting in soft and hard rock can require the use of different explosives. While choosing an explosive of the right energy density is important, the dynamics associated with non-ideal detonation behaviour play an equally major role. Tuning the energy release rate of an explosive to optimise its blast efficiency can be likened to tuning an internal combustion engine to improve its performance.

Jan 1, 2014

By Jorge Blázquez, Pablo Ravanal, Paulo Couceiro, Juan Navarro

Blasting performance is influenced by rock mass properties and blast design parameters. From them, the rock is the only variable that cannot be modified, but it can be measured, so that, blast design variables can be adapted to optimize the results. A new methodology to assess rock mass quality from drill-monitoring data from both autonomous and manual rotary drilling modes is described to guide blasting in open pit operations. For that, a thorough normalization process has been developed to minimize external influences induced in the data by the rig system for autonomous mode and by the operator intervention for manual mode. Principal component analysis has been used to combine MWD information. Two rock description indexes are derived directly from Measurement While Drilling (MWD) data collected. The first index is a Structural factor that classifies the rock mass condition in three classes (massive, fractured and heavily fractured). The second index is a Strength factor that classifies the rock according to the strength properties. Both indexes have been combined to obtain an overall drilling rock factor along the hole. This has been named by the authors as the X-Rock model.

Feb 6, 2023

By John Wall

The use of electronic detonators in civil tunnelling applications, to reduce vibration is small firings has been successfully utilised for a number of years. As part of the mining industry’s commitment to reducing blast damage during the development cycle in underground mining applications, a series of development blasts using eDevTM electronic detonators in typical mining applications was conducted in North Queensland, Australia.

Jan 1, 2012