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By Brian W. Stump, David P. Anderson

Identification of seismic events detected under a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty requires a clear physical understanding of the different types of seismic sources including mining explosions, rock bursts, mine collapse and small, shallow earthquakes. Constraint of the operative physical processes in the source region and linkage to the generation of seismic waveforms with particular emphasis on regional seismograms is needed. In order to properly address the multi-dimensional aspect of data sets designed to constrain these sources, we are investigating a number of modern visualization tools that have only recently become available with new, highspeed graphical computers that can utilize relatively large data sets. The results of this study will provide a basis for identifying important physical processes in the source region that contribute to regional seismograms.

Jan 1, 1995

By Greg Parker

"As the Explosives Industry continues to evolve and condense, those involved, such as Blasters,Contractors, Distributors and Consultants, continue to be challenged by both internal and externalforces. Increased pressure by government agencies, higher safety standards, new levels of technology and mandatory certification programs, are forcing us to expand our awareness and increase our levels of efficiency. These higher standards require increased awareness. Increased awareness requires better training programs and better supervision with emphasis on production and the employee. This means the desire to improve must be instilled from the top down. this paper will explore the current impediments to this goal and discuss the possible solutions for achieving greater safety awareness, increased production and higher levels of personal achievement. Through the use of audio/visual aids, I will attempt to show the discrepancies as well as the solutions."

Jan 1, 1999

By Duan Baofu, Wang Xuguang, Song Jinquan

In this paper, the model of optimizing selection on preparation of Powdery Emulsion Explosives(PEE) is established by the Neural Net Theory(NNT). On the basis of some data in the study of PEE, the training, prediction and optimizing selection of the Neural Net (NN) model are finished by a compiling procedure. The results indicate that the model is helpful to the preparation of PEE and worthy to extend and apply broadly. KTYWORDS Neural Net Powdery Emulsion Explosives Preparation Optimizing Selection

Jan 1, 2003

By Keith Henderson

An open pit quarry operation in West Central Illinois provided a challenging proposition regarding the removal of a rock wall that once separated two pits, but was now in the middle of the north wall of the combined pit. Their mining plan included the development of a new ramp into the quarry pit in order to lessen the slope and to shorten haul truck cycle time. The task would be to remove a section of rock left behind from mining operations more than 20 years ago that was at or near the bottom of the designed ramp.

Jan 1, 2012

By Tacio Ferreira

How state-of-the-art software, data analysis and communication applied to drilling and blasting techniques have have allowed quarries in the Midwest of the United States to improve results downstream

Feb 1, 2020

By R L. Mayville

The author explains why the strategic location and important limestone reserves at Chattanooga Quarry led to a decision to extend operating life by continued benching down to lower levels. He discusses the steps taken to accomplish this objective. These include relocation of the primary crusher from the second level to the fourth level, pre-testing of explosives designs and powder factors, control of a substantial water problem, and computer monitoring of stone production costs.

Jan 1, 1984

By Rodney Pinksen, Remi Proulx

The IOC Mining and Operations Departments expressed an interest in reducing the amount of oversize material (>1.0 m x 1.0 m x 1.0 m; 39 inches x 39 inches x 39 inches) being produced and its subsequent downstream effects including in-pit sorting and reduction, damage to mobile equipment, and significant delays in the loading pockets and the primary crushers. To achieve this goal an oversize reduction project was undertaken by the mine and to date has significantly improved upon baseline measures.

Jan 1, 2011

By Dale Ramsey

Emulsion explosives have become the product of choice for many blasting applications and are not limited to just extreme wet hole conditions or special application environments as in the past. Today’s novel emulsion technology has evolved over many decades, allowing a great diversity of formulations, Emulsion explosives can be effectively designed to produce very high energies, cap sensitive high explosive cartridges to bulk blasting agents, with varying viscosities, stable VOD’s, excellent water resistance, long shelf life and sleep time. They are also conducive to the mixture of emulsion, An/F0 blends in varying proportions and are amenable to any type of sensitizer. The key to a stable, reliable and consistent emulsion formulation is the careful mixing of the internal phase, which consists of a solution of oxidizer salts suspended as microscopically fine droplets, with the surrounding continuous fuel phase. There are few blasting applications today where some form of an emulsion explosive cannot fit the application. In massive, hard rock, dense, tightly jointed and fine grained rock types, the emulsion explosives are the best choices in creating new fracture networks for good fragmentation with a few alternatives. In such environments, emulsions with expanded drill patterns often result in better economics than the use of straight AnLFo. This paper will cover emulsion formulations, sensitizing options, product testing, material handling, and blast optimization, Emulsion explosives characteristics have also proven to reduce adverse environmental effects such as noxious fumes, ground vibration, and airblast while still remaining cost effective.

Jan 1, 2000

By Tom Snyder, John Brulia

"The U. S. commercial explosives industry annually transports thousands of tons of hazardous materials (HM) in the form of explosives, oxidizers, and combustible liquids by highway in truck-tractor/trailer combinations and straight trucks, including pickups. Managing risk during transportation is every commercial explosives industry motor carrier’s number one job."

Jan 1, 2014

By Ian R. Firth

For the majority of open pit precious metal mines in the western United States, grade control practices have evolved as a direct result of the variable geology of the ore body and the lack of a clear visual or geologic distinction between ore and waste material. These practices often include the extensive use of buffer or choke blasting, in an attempt to minimize lateral movement of the muckpile. The Mackay School of Mines is conducting ongoing research, which aims to develop a practical method of measuring the movement of discrete “targets” placed within the body of the blast. The movement experienced by these targets can then be used to interpolate the movement of the blast as a whole. Typically, the boundaries between different material types are known as digging limits or polygons and are marked using colored flagging on the muckpile. If material movement can be measured using targets placed in the blast, these digging limits can be altered to reflect the blast-induced rock movement, reducing dilution and improving value recovery.

Jan 1, 2002

By Thierry Bernard, Pierre M. Vuillaume, Michel Kiszlo

"In the context of its studies for the trench ministry of the environment and for the French national coal board, INERIS (the French institute for the industrial environment and hazards, formerly CERCHAR) has made a complete critical survey of the methods generally used to reduce the levels of blastingvibrations."

Jan 1, 1996

By Nick Lewis, Paulo Pereira

The Vulcan McCook quarry has been in operation for about 100 years. It is located about 17 miles from downtown Chicago and is surrounded by both industrial and private structures. Recent issues have forced the quarry to blast very close to structures and this will be necessary years into the future. This paper discusses the implementation of electronic detonators to McCook. It also discusses the advantages and savings that the Program has achieved

Jan 1, 2003

By Thierry Bernard

Considering rock fragmentation by explosive as the ultimate goal in mines and quarries, vibrations are definitely one of the main drawbacks faced by the Industry. If we can accurately predict vibrations level and frequencies, taking into account the whole set of the involved parameters, this will bring a major benefit to each of us, in our daily production process optimization effort. The model presented in this paper answers to this need thanks to a "holistic" approach of the vibration mechanism. By holistic, we mean that we approach the vibration effect (wave propagation) as a whole, by understanding all of the mechanisms that contributes to the process and comprehending how they are connected.

Jan 1, 2009

By Johan Hawinkel

This paper explores the journey through time of technology in the civil explosives market to provide testing, measurement, analysis and control tools. This ultimately leads to better decision-making, ensures full accountability of the decision maker and uses the same technology to review decisions for process improvement, in the settlement of disputes or for the investigation of incidents. Additionally, the paper discusses the application and integration of electronic and digital technology in explosives and initiation systems as engineering controls for blasting associated risks.

Feb 1, 2020

By Khiva Haidar Shauma Tassno, Zulham Ahmad, Farhan Harist Maharesi, Abdullah Badawi Batubara

Blasting operations can use a bulk emulsion explosive (EE) with a formulation based on used oil as a replacement for refined fuel oil. The most commonly employed used oil for making EE is a mineral based used engine oil that passes an impurity content standard. It is known that not all types of used oil are easily incorporated into EE formulations. Impurities in used oil can disturb EE stability resulting in crystallization and phase separation and consequently led to poor detonation quality. In 2024, a poor blast result occurred at an Indonesian mine due to utilization of used oil that was not within specification. A research project conducted from February to April 2025 found that used transmission oil differs from used engine oil in hydrocarbon composition. Transmission oil contains more additives that affect EE stability due to polarity differences and the disruption of colloidal state stability. Lab tests including stress testing and crystal growth observation aided the development of a stable EE formulation based on used oil and used transmission oil. In mid-April 2025, blast evaluations were conducted using the EE that was formulated using used engine oil and used transmission oil. Measurements of velocity of detonation, fragmentation, and digging time, demonstrated high quality EE was produced. Application of used oil in EE revolutionized the capability of mining operations to improve blast sustainability and cleanliness. Through comprehensive research, robust testing, and effective supply chain management, it is possible to replace some portion of refined fuel oil with used oil without compromising blasting performance. The inclusion of used transmission oil broadens the overall used oil specification and increases the volume of recycled used oil available for blasting. The increased volume of used oil available can reduce the amount of waste generated by mining projects while maintaining operational efficiency.

Jan 26, 2026

By Robert Hopler

Earthquakes, ground vibrations, seisms, or whatever you want to call the shaking of the earth, have been a fact of life throughout time. In spite of this, most people (except those unfortunate enough to live in seismicallyactive areas) have probably never felt this phenomenon, or if they have, only a very few times in their entire lifetime. However, when it does happen, nothing is more frightening than the sudden shaking of the earth beneath us - after all, we think of the ground we walk on as the unyielding, solid underpinning of our existence.

Jan 1, 2006

By Paul Sterk

In underground mining a great deal of time, money, effort, and resources have been used in the effort to minimize blast-induced damage. This damage occurs to the back, ribs, and pillars when the energy of the explosive is released back into the rock due to over confinement or the overloading of explosives in the perimeter holes. This damage can result in roof falls, dilution of ore, excessive rock bolting, scaling, screening, shot-creteing and other safety and support issues.

Jan 1, 2003

By Sandra Penttinen

There are several ways to get a positive reaction from abutters to blasting projects. When you need to enter structures to conduct a blast-blast inspection, the impression you make on the structure owner must be positive from the very start. Your public relations with neighbors is the key. The purpose of all communications with persons residing near planned blasting operations is to educate structure owners as to what will take place during the blasting operations, to explain that safe blasting practices will be followed and vibration and airblast limits will be imposed to protect surrounding structures from damage. Once access into structure is obtained, the structure owner can be shown, by careful documentation, all existing cracks and defects in the structure prior to blasting and construction. The objective of your visit and all communications is get your foot into the door and win the confidence of the structure owner so that he or she understands blasting will not compromise the structure.

Jan 1, 2005

By John Brennan

OK, I’ll admit it: I’ve always been a big Monty Atwater fan. Not only is the man credited with being the father of modern avalanche forecasting and safety in the United States, but he is also responsible for developing the avalauncher. Through its more than 40-year history, the avalauncher has gone through many changes yet continues to prove its worth in avalanche mitigation work.

Jan 1, 2007

By Ron Stewart, Richard Youmaran, Andy Adler

In the current context of heightened concerns with explosives security, there is significant interest in technological controls to improve security. It is important to be able to control what is fired, by whom, where and when. This paper describes research Orica has performed to investigate and test biometric systems to address the question of "by whom". The goal of this research is to incorporate the most suitable biometric system onto the 'blaster' unit of an electronic initiation system. This approach will ensure that only authorized personnel can initiate a blast involving electronic detonators. Requirements analysis: we initially explored many different biometric technologies to evaluate them against the requirements, including security, usability, ruggedness, size, form factor, privacy, and operational temperature range, This analysis identified chip based fingerprint sensors as the best candidate. Development of prototype units: in order to test the identified sensors, we modified standard, commercially-available, electronic blast initiation units ("blaster") to incorporate a fingerprint reader. Testing and evaluation: Biometric We conducted a biometric scenario evaluation in order to determine: 1) security level (measured by false accept rate (FAR)); 2) usability (measured by failure to enroll (FTE) and false reject rates (FRR)), and to 3) discover environment specific issues and challenges (such as temperature, humidity, dirt, or those related to the usage patterns of the user group). Tests were conducted at quarry sites in eastern Ontario, Canada. Results show rates of: FAR= 0%, FTE= 1.67%, FRR= 28.81%. Overall, these results suggest that this fingerprint biometric technology has a good level of usability in this application of electronic blast initiation control.

Jan 1, 2007