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By Carlos Alvarado, Hernan Narea, Jhon Silva, Bryan Townsend, Katherine Gil, Brayan Caceres, Felipe Pontanilla

With the promising development of new technologies, automation in Drill and Blasting (D&B) is on the horizon. The data generated in all D&B activities, which is currently segregated, can be linked to become information and carry a logical meaning. This information can be used to identify critical activities and make decisions regarding corrective measures to accomplish the goals of D&B. Minera Caserones, supporting Alert2Gain (A2G), and Dyno Nobel, has been working on the development of a quality assurance and quality control (QAQC), system for the mine involving all D&B activities. The main variables in the model for D&B include data from the geology of the deposit, drilling, explosive products, and material loading, among others. To create the model, the mine is divided into blasting polygons. Those polygons are part of a block model. The block model is assembled following different rules, such as: • Block sizes of 4m x 4m x 15m, • Classification of the blocks to a particular blasting polygon using a geospatial intersection algorithm, • Algorithms connect all the pieces of data automatically with the minimum of human intervention and populate the block model, Because measuring data for each block is impossible, another set of rules and algorithms completes the model. Dyno Nobel generates an essential set of data for the QAQC system. Explosive truck loading rates and explosive products, among other data, are also included in the system. The system autogenerates reports every hour, and a summary of the results of each mining day (a mining shift of 12 hours) is distributed by email to all responsible persons to identify the critical tasks and then to make the proper adjustments to accomplish the goals of D&B. The information is updated every hour and available through a dashboard for easy and straightforward interpretation. This paper explains the conceptual details of the QAQC system implemented in Minera Caserones, how the data is aggregated automatically from the different sources, shows examples of the type of information in the dashboard, and presents a successful case where a deviation was detected, and the corrective measures that were implemented to keep the performance of the D&B activity. The paper finally discusses the next steps toward an autonomous D&B system based on new AI technologies, with minimum human intervention.

Jan 21, 2025

By Peter Duniam, Vivian Patz

History of the ExEx 1000 CAB system. l What we’ve learned using electronic timing. l Requirements for a second generation. EDD system. l The ExEx 2000 system - simple, versatile and cost effective

Jan 1, 1997

By Braden Lusk

This paper includes results from analysis of recorded Acoustic Responses of Structures to Blasting. The analysis was performed to determine specific characteristics of sounds experienced inside homes during blast events. Data was collected in a typical house within the Boone North No.2 Coal Surface Mine in Ashford, WV which was instrumented for several blast vibration and acoustic responses. The instrumentation consists of four acoustic microphones distributed throughout the internal areas of the house and three geophones buried near the house. Two additional channels collect the trigger signal and Air Blast information. For each blast event recorded by the system, the mine blast reports were used to obtain major blast characteristics such as distance from the blast to the instrumented house, weight of explosive used, number of boreholes, delays, and other important parameters. This information allowed study the relationship between the acoustic response and the blast design. From a database of 43 records, five records were chosen for complete analysis. These records were chosen based on distance from the blast to the house, and specific blast parameters. This paper presents the result of the relationship between the frequencies and amplitudes for the entire trace of acoustic records, the response due to ground vibration (GV), and the response due to air-blast (AB). Frequency content was obtained through Fast Fourier Transforms (FFT), using D-Plot software. The records have a typical shape that permits cutting and analyzing each part of the signal with respect to GV and AB separately. Some conclusions are reported concerning the relationship between blast parameters and acoustic response of structures.

Jan 1, 2009

By Markus Pötsch, Andreas Gaich

Optimization of surface blasting based on 3D models from drone imagery and a closed loop that starts with an automatic analysis of the geometry and the geological conditions and ends with an objective assessment of the blast result.

Feb 1, 2020

By Gloria Contreras

The study aims to optimize the density of holes per tunnel section. The energy distribution, the one with the highest density, is used in the center of the diagram and is distributed homogeneously towards the contours with the lowest energies up to the contours to produce a perimeter control.

Feb 1, 2020

By G. A. Walsh, M. Timm, S. M. Geerts

This paper will discuss the effectiveness and the general use of improvised shaped charges. Testing was conducted by the New Mexico Tech Student Chapter of ISEE and held at EMRTC. The first series of tests conducted was to illustrate the performance of different features of the shaped charge. A PVC pipe filled with C4 with no cavity, PVC with an unlined conical cavity, PVC with a copper lined conical cavity and no standoff, and lastly a PVC pipe with a copper lined cavity and a 1.5 cone diameter standoff.

Jan 1, 2010

By Jeffrey A. Straw, Joseph P. Jr Shinko

Ground vibration produced by blasting operations within South Florida, due to saturated soil conditions, generates surface vibration waves that may be measurable over distances of 3 - 5 miles from the source, and perceptible at distances of up to 2 miles. Structures above ground usually receive the most of the attention from the effects of high vibration levels. During construction of the Trilogy Development of the Swerdlow Companies, blasting was completed in a lake excavation immediately adjacent to the City of Pembroke Pines Utility Department, Deep Injection Wells No. 1 and No. 2.

Jan 1, 1994

By Christopher Laughton

A new underground laboratory is under construction at the recently closed Homestake Gold Mine, Lead South Dakota, United States of America. The Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory is designed to meet the needs of an international group of scientists and engineers interested in conducting fundamental and applied research at depth in the Earth’s crust.

Jan 1, 2011

By Ashley Haslett

A European Directive on Identification & Traceability of explosives came into effect on the 4th of April 2008. This directive is intended to establish a harmonised system for the unique identification and traceability of all packaged explosives, detonators, reels of detonating cord and primers used in civil applications across the European Union. The directive must be adopted into the national legislation of each European Union member state by the 5th of April 2009 with compliance achieved throughout Europe by the 5th of April 2012. The requirements of the Directive apply to all explosives manufactured, used and imported into the European Union from 5th April 2012.

Jan 1, 2010

By Tristan Worsey, Jhon Silva

The paper discusses a limestone quarry case study that looks at change in fragmentation due to using different charge sequences when using the regular rhythmic timing method.

Feb 1, 2020

By Robert B. Hopler

This paper reviews, from the historical standpoint, the development of the commonly-used terms such as "No. 6 and No. 8" with regard to detonator strengths. The origin of the strength terminology is reviewed, and the many methods developed to compare the strength of one detonator to another are described, with the good and bad points of each method outlined. The "miniature cartridge test," very highly regarded by both the U.S. Bureau of Mines and Institute of Makers of Explosives in the 1930's and early 1940's, is described in detail, as is a test developed and used by IRECO.

Jan 1, 1992

By David Leidel, James Stuart

The 50 ohm resistorized electric detonator is commonly used in the oilfield for initiation of wireline conveyed perforating guns and other downhole explosive tools. This type of electric detonator provides some degree of safety above that of the conventional one ohm electric detonator, since a higher current level is required to initiate the device. In order to obtain the necessary data to develop safe distance tables from RF sources for the 50 ohm electric detonator, laboratory tests were conducted to determine the detonator’s “no-fire” current, AC impedance, and its susceptibility to ESD. The results were surprising as two types of failure modes were observed. The “no-fire’ current levels determined from Langlie “One-Shot” Test Methods were determined for the devices tested providing values for the 0.999 probability “no-fire” power level at a 95% confidence level. This data will serve as the basis for sets of safe distance tables from RF sources that will appear in the forthcoming edition of the Institute of Makers of Explosives Safety Library Publication 20, “Safety Guide for the Prevention of Radio Frequency Radiation Hazards in the Use of Commercial Electric Detonators, (Blasting Caps)”.

Jan 1, 2010

By Jonathan D. Aubertin

The unique nature of rock salt blasting is compared to traditional hard rock practices. Rock salt geomechanical nature is discussed in the context of rock blasting events. A cratering mechanism prevalent in soft rocks is presented and exemplified through a series of single hole blast tests performed in salt deposits.

Feb 1, 2020

By B. Papilon

Dynamic pressures during blasting can affect performances of both electronic and non-electronic detonators. Boreholes can develop tremendous amount of pressures during blasting. The effect of such elevated pressure especially during electronic delay countdown is probably more acute in electronic detonators. Measuring the pressures during blasting can aid to understand the relationship between magnitude of the pressure developed and the multitude of blasting conditions.

Jan 1, 2013

By Kerina Taylor

Due to their high amount of stored energy, explosives have been the cause of many serious injuries and fatalities over the last centuries. Despite safety advances and awareness in the last decades, injuries and fatalities continue to occur at mining operations due to blasting. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, from 1978 to 2001, blasting incidents claimed 106 lives and were responsible for over 1000 injuries in mines in the US. The main causes of incidents found today are flyrock, blast area security and premature detonations. The concerted efforts of the mining and explosives industries and labour and government agencies have greatly improved the safety record of blasting in mines.

Jan 1, 2011

By C. Yi, D. Johansson, C. San Miguel, M. Wimmer

Sublevel caving (SLC) is a mass mining method based upon the utilization of gravity flow of blasted ore and caved waste rock. Production blasting has significant impact on the efficiency and productivity of SLC output, affecting material fragmentation, flow and recovery. Misfires could occur during blasting in SLC, which results in the loss of explosives and poor fragmentation. Usually, the blastholes are top-initiated with redundant lower primers set at + 25 ms as a precaution. If the top primers fail, the lower primers may initiate the explosive, which will induce out-of-sequence delays that can influence fragmentation and gravity flow. This work investigated the impact of misfires and out-ofsequence delays on fragmentation and gravity flow through numerical simulations using a coupled finite element and discrete element method. Different scenarios of misfires and out-of-sequence delays were studied, and the fragment size distribution was obtained to evaluate the blasting performance. The material flow behaviour was investigated to assess the gravity flow process. The results indicated that misfires significantly affect the fragmentation and the gravity flow process while the effects of out-of-sequence delays are not so significant for the investigated cases

Jan 1, 2024

By Brian Sandhuas, Robert McClure

All flyrock incidents have the potential to result in injuries or fatalities that can result in loss of company reputation, license to operate with clients, and bear the exposure to high cost liability. From 2007 to 2009, one North American Quarry and Construction Business experienced a series of flyrock incidents. In the spring of 2009, this business declared that the frequency and severity of Flyrock Incidents had reached an unacceptable level. A Flyrock Elimination Program was launched.

Jan 1, 2012

By Mark Spaniel

Computer 3D modeling to evaluate the potential underground blasting fragmentation performance based on rock within calculated damage radii along drillholes, as well as the burden distance from explosives along each drillhole. The results estimated from the 3D computer models closely predicted results found in the real world testing.

Feb 1, 2020

By Kunihisa Katsuyama, Yuji Ogata, Takuya Taguchi, Toshinori Arikiri, Yuji Wada, Kiyoshi Hashizume

The impact sensitivity of hot emulsion matrices was examined to investigate the safety assessment in the emulsifying equipment which forms the emulsion matrix in a water-in-oil type emulsion explosive. The sensitivity could not be evaluated by the small fallhammer test device commonly used in Japan. Therefore, a large fallhammer test device was used. It was confirmed that an explosion, a decomposition, or a no-reaction took place according to the degree of the impact. When a decomposition took place in the hot emulsion matrix, the behavior of it was investigated further by a DDT test. It was found that a decomposition, or a no-reaction occurred according to the degree of confinement.

Jan 1, 1997

By Joshua Hofman, Braden Lusk, Erin Morris

Explosions in urban environments, whether of accidental or malicious cause, often result in extensive injuries, loss of life, and property damage. The ability to predict the damage inflicted by these events is highly sought after; in order to predict damage, the behavior of blast waves within these environments must be quantified and understood. Urban constructs such as buildings and roadway intersections affect the natural propagation of a blast wave, intensifying or rarefying the wave depending on their arrangement.

Jan 1, 2012