Drilling And Blasting At The Mission Mine

The basic aims of the drilling and blasting program at the Mission mine are fourfold: 1. To provide 100,000+ tpd of broken alluvium and rock material for shovel excavation; 2. To obtain fragmentation that will permit the most efficient digging of the broken material and provide an acceptable crusher feed; 3. To conduct the drilling and blasting program in accordance with approved safety procedures; 4. To obtain these objectives at the lowest possible cost. The material that is mined from the pit is divided into four different rock types and the overlying alluvium. Each of these materials is broken by using procedures tailored to its individual characteristics.