Blast Modeling with DMC-BLAST - Open Pit and Underground

The DMC-BLAST (Distinct Motion Code) has been developed for modeling bench blasting to one or two free faces such as choked blasting in surface gold operation and cast blasting in coal mining, respectively. This computer code has been used to assist the analysis of rock mass displacement after a blast was initiated in an orderly delay sequence. Applications of this feature can be found in the studies of dilution control in surface mining of gold as well as coal involving complex rock structures. Recently, DMC-BLAST has been modified to include a designated delay firing order coupled with variable rock strengths in the blasted media. This newly added feature allows the investigation of the effects of delay firing order on rock displacement in blasting a complex interbedded ore-waste structure. Examples of blasting a steeply dipping coal seams and bedded rock structure, especially in coal mining operations will be addressed and the comparison of efficiency in blasting in an up-dip as opposed to blasting in a down-dip direction will be discussed. Also covered in the paper is a new application of DMC-Blast to simulate a stope blasting underground. Simulations of blasting in a few selected types of timing/structure combinations will be presented in this paper.