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By Jeffery L. Dean

Founded in 1974, the ISEE has grown to more than 3600 members representing 72 countries. The Society and its 35 chapters in the US, Canada and Australia promote research and education, provide forums for the exchange of explosives technology, serve as a repository of explosives information, provide expert help to governments, conduct certificate/training programs, and promote the teaching of the safe and controlled use of explosives.

Jan 1, 1997

By Michael D. McGill, Jeff Freadrich

There are many factors which affect the productivity of a front end loader. One of the most obvious is the characteristics of the material being mined. Characteristics such as size distribution, swell factor or heave, and material hardness / abrasiveness will all effect the efficiency of the mucking cycle. The focus of this paper is to look specifically at the size distribution of blasted material, and quantify the effects on loader productivity.

Jan 1, 1994

By Gregg A. Scott, Gordon F. Revey

"The Folsom Dam is a 340-foot-high concrete gravity dam with embankment wing dams located on the American River about 20 miles northeast of Sacramento, California. Folsom Dam is operated andmaintained by the U. S. Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation). As part of the Central Valley Project,Folsom Dam is a multipurpose facility providing water supply storage, flood control, power generation, and recreational opportunities."

Jan 1, 1999

By Thierry Bernard, Phillipe Cappello, Jean Marc Laboz

"The main reasons of the emergence of electronic detonators are linked to:-Local urban development close to mining operation sites-Environment regulations"

Jan 1, 1995

By Jack Elorenta

We often hear that, "Blasting was an art, but now blasting is now a science". 'Scientific' blasting implies that we have quantified and reproducible measurements of the feedstock and product of the blasting process. However, the industry's reluctance to adopt two key technologies, drill monitoring and optical size analyzers, sheds doubt on the claims of scientific blasting.

Jan 1, 2003

By D T. Froedge

At the 1990 Symposium of the Society of Explosives Engineering, D.T. Froedge, President of GeoSonics Inc., presented a paper entitled "Differential Topographic Vibration Isomapping", which detailed the capabilities of GeoSonics' new Iso-Seismic Service. In this paper Mr. Froedge described how one hundred or &ore free-standing miniature seismographs called Micro-Seis Units, randomly positioned around a blast, could accurately reveal the effects of sub-strata geology on surface ground vibrations. The paper went on to note the "regression analysis of scaled distance versus recorded particle velocity" as being an inadequate predictor of peak particle velocity. This is due to the fact that the calculated "regression analysis" formula for any site is predicted on the wars; case assumption because of a homogeneous and symmetrical sub-strata geology, a condition that rarely, if ever, exists.

Jan 1, 1992

By Barend Botha, Trevor Davids

The presence of an extensive soft siltstone layer in the middle of the inter-burden sequence of rocks at Syferfontein Colliery in the Republic of South Africa prompted tests to determine the effect of different mid-column decks of inert material in the siltstone layer. The objective was to achieve significant cost savings in explosives use whilst not degrading dragline productivity. An important factor that had to be considered was that the initiation systems available in South Africa are not accurate enough to ensure simultaneous initiation of explosives decks in a blasthole. A number of inert materials were tested including ash, drill cuttings, river sand and crushed stone. It was found that the ash, drill cuttings and river sand did not effectively attenuate the shock wave and that the risks of sympathetic detonation or partial disruption of one or the other explosives deck in a blasthole was high. This became much worse when the inert material was saturated with water. Crushed rock was the most effective in attenuating the shock wave, but this material was very expensive to use because it had to be imported onto the mine.

Jan 1, 2000

By David Sprott, Patrick Andrieux

In 1990 the Noranda Technology Centre commenced a project to develop an interactive three-dimensional blast design system using a commercial computer-aided drafting and design package (CADD). The objective was to alleviate the blast engineer from the tedious and time consuming blast layout and design functions normally done by hand. This would allow more time for optimizing blast designs through assessing multiple options. Since several blast design software "tools" already existed at Noranda, the need arose to integrate all the applications into one overall system that shared one common database. The result is BLASTCAD.

Jan 1, 1991

By Dale S. Preece, Matthew A. Reisenmay, Avione Northcutt

The ability to simulate the explosive effects of land mines on military vehicles is a valuable capability in the defense community. The current competency levels of such simulations, however, are in need of improvement. Experiments have been conducted to measure the explosive induced impulse of a land mine on a steel plate placed above the explosive charge. The purpose of this paper is to report the findings of a variety of simulation tests conducted in order to correctly predict the empirical impulse data gathered in corresponding experiments. The computer hydrocode, AUTODYN v5.0.01 (Century Dynamics, 2003), is the simulation code used to simulate, and process the results. The experimental data has not been made available to allow computer analysts to exercise their codes on the problem without the temptation to tweak parameters in order to match computer code predictions with experimental results

Jan 1, 2005

By Michael Peterson, Robert Davinroy, Robert Rapp, Gregory Hempen, David Herzog, Thomas Keevin

Fish sampling in a deep-water, high velocity, environment is extremely difficult. Conventional techniques such as electro-fishing and netting have been limited to depths generally less than 7 meters (m) and velocities below 1 meter per second (mps). The goal of our study was to sample a bendway weir field on the Mississippi River to assess the effects of the weir field on the fishery. In a bendway weir field, depths can exceed 20 m, and velocities can exceed 3 mps, making conventional sampling techniques inefficient.

Jan 1, 2002

By Fumihiko Sumiya, Shinya Tanaka, Yukio Kato, Kenji Tanaka, Tetsuya Sawada

When explosives are heated under an acidic environment due to metal sulfide and sulfuric acidity, their decomposition temperature falls remarkably and decomposition reaction occurs quickly, and then explosives have the risk of the deflagration to the detonation transition. Heat resistant commercial explosives which can be used under conditions of high temperature of 200ºC and an acidic environment were studied. We developed the explosive composition consisted of ammonium perchlorate (AP) as oxidizer, saturated hydrocarbon oil as fuel and binder, and calcium carbonate as decomposition inhibitor. The characteristics of this explosive composition show a heat resistance over 24 hours at 200ºC, and a detonation velocity over 2,500 m s-1. This explosive composition has a cap-sensitivity at temperature higher than 100ºC. Cost effective heat resistant commercial explosives were created by the optimization of the grain size of AP as a main component, the addition of saturated hydrocarbon oil and calcium carbonate, and the control of bulk density by the addition of micro-balloons.

Jan 1, 2003

By David A. Bacca

Hydraulically powered submersible borehole dewatering pumps and emulsion/ANFO blends evolved at about the same time and for the same reasons. Mining operators needed safe, efficient dewatering systems and water resistant products.

Jan 1, 1994

By Victor C. Bryan

One of the most sought after answers in any consideration of blasting activities relative to mines and quarries is how to safely and efficiently use explosives. While that discussion might be relatively straightfonvard in a “site specific” situation. it becomes more complex when viewed from a broad geographic perspective. Such is the case in considering the operations of one United States producer of crushed stone with surface and underground mines spread over a thirteen state area. Differing geologic environments set conditions that dictate to the blaster as now specifically to get optimum results from the blast hole. This treatise is a discussion of the various methods, materials, and principles used in conducting such blasting operations.

Jan 1, 1991

By M. Ramulu, A. Raina, A. Chakraborty, Jethwa Choudhury, Dudhankar

Application of digital image analysis technique for assessment of blast fragmentation is gaining grounds in India, very recently. Central Mining Research Institute, India made its maiden attempt to optimize blast design based on fragmentation assessment of one of the biggest opencast mines of Singareni Collieries Company Limited, India. Indigenously developed photoanalysis software called ‘FRAGALYST’ was used for measurement of blast fragmentation A series of trial blasts were carried out in overburden benches with ongoing blast parameters and pictures of muck pile were taken by video camera for image analysis. Cycle time study of loaders and dumpers was done to determine machinery performance for each and every blast. Optimization of pre-blast parameters like specific charge, specific drilling and post-blast results like shovel cycle time and dumper cycle time, was done to determine optimum range of fragmentation. Interpreting the mean fragment size (K50) obtained by image analysis the blast design parameters were modified.

Jan 1, 2001

By Noel Dent

Increasing interest is being expressed in the development and availability of Electronic Delay Detonators throughout the world. Particularly in open-cast mining, the benefits associated with precise, reliable initiation systems are perceived to be considerable. Many of the systems currently being developed have sophisticated programming requirements associated with them, or are numbered systems that require predetermined layouts to determine timing patterns, and importantly are far more expensive than existing initiation systems.

Jan 1, 1994

By Leon Lorenzen, Victor E. Ross, Anton W. Kleingeld

"Key to successful innovation, whether at organization, industry or national level, is the alignment and utilization of resources in the most appropriate and efficient way. Innovation needs to be directed strategically, and it needs to be auditable in a systematic and integrated fashion. In the light of these considerations, this paper describes the construction and use of a topographical map of the innovation landscape of an organization. The purpose of the map is to provide a holistic view of the key factors that enable innovation (the so-called 'landmarks'), how well they are aligned to support a particular type/nature of innovation in the organization (e.g. radical vs. incremental innovation), and to identify possible gaps between actual and sought performance.The landscape covers four domains that influence innovation - the attributes of the individual, the organizational context in which he/she functions, the business environment (the market / industry in which the organization is operating) and the external environment. The significance (importance) and height (performance) of the landmarks in supporting and enabling innovation within the organization is determined by means of a self-appraisal audit. The topography of the landscape derived thus is subsequently interpreted in terms of the organization's particular innovation strategy and environmental context."

Jan 1, 2003

By Stig O. Olofsson

The problem of overbreak in underground construction and mining is normally approached by a variety of smooth blasting methods. Numerous small diameter, low velocity explosives have been developed specifically for blasting the contour line. Increased mechanization in rock excavation has led to the development of several methods of mechanical explosive loading. A new mechanically loaded smooth blasting explosive was developed in Sweden . However, several limitations were realised, which after several trials resulted in a hybrid smooth blasting method, The Suaer Cautious Contour Blasting Method which will be discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 1994

By Ivan Carrasco, Benjamin Cebrian

Mining companies have traditionally organized their structure around a scheme easy to manage: Mining Department and Mill Department. In a challenging landscape for mining, with decreasing grades, increasing rock hardness and more expensive energy, this way to organize departments has resulted in internal disputes and often contradictory targets between both mine and mill. These compete for individual, separated budgets whose Key Performance Indexes often damage each other’s output. The results are increased total production costs and reduction of profits. Some companies have completed the first step in eliminating these inefficiencies by creating Fragmentation Engineers and Fragmentation Superintendents. With all the knowledge available on the overall fragmentation process and costs, in this document an overhaul of the traditional management structure is proposed. Is a step further Mine-to-mill and mine-to-leach programs. Since comminution is the most expensive step of the mineral exploitation, it should be taken as a whole, not divided into competing departments. Thus, mining departments should be re-grouped into: transportation, fragmentation and flotation.

Jan 1, 2014

By Richard Brummer, John Hadjigeorgiou, Patrick Andrieux

Some of the major challenges associated with underground mining at depth and/or under high extraction ratios are related to the resulting high stress levels, which can lead to the failure and collapse of the rock mass surrounding the excavations. Sudden and violent failures, which can have severe consequences, represent the highest degree of difficulty in terms of underground personnel exposure, erratic and unpredictable production, ground rehabilitation requirements, possible reserve losses and overall mining costs.

Jan 1, 2012

By He Guangyi

Combining living examples, the paper introduces the controlled chamber standing shot of more than 3000t explosives initiated at one time with Nonel under complicated circumstances and the experience obtained to keep environment safe and favour mechanical rock cleaning.

Jan 1, 1998