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By John Hutchings

Drilling and blasting is a clearly delineated work process, which has well defined inputs and outputs. Drilling and blasting is also a process with a number of steps each of which has measurable outcomes. Drilling and blasting is ideally suited to the application of Total Quality Management principles. Most drilling and blasting information is generally poorly managed with disjointed and unrelated Information Technology systems managing parts drilling and blasting data. Data is often moved from on system to another, sometimes manually. In the field, drilling and blasting is still very much a paper based system and which has not generally benefited from some of the recent hardware and software technology advancements now “on the shelf”. Data collected on paper rarely is transcribed back into an electronic system for further analysis. It is often difficult to collate or review historic drilling and blasting data. This paper will present a definition of Total Quality Management and demonstrate how it can be applied to the drilling and blasting work process. Total Quality Management defines the mechanisms for the application of continuous improvement to drilling and blasting. Continuous improvement will provide opportunities to modify drilling and blasting work process outcomes and generate real cost benefits within the overall mining process. A complete drilling and blasting management system frame work, called DBS, is presented in this paper. DBS provides all the components necessary to implement a full drilling and blasting Total Quality Management solution. Also highlighted will be appropriate “off the shelf” technology that can be applied to replace current paper based systems and provide the means to connect with other mine data systems. Various examples will be discussed which will demonstrate potential benefits of applying a structured Total Quality Management approach to a drilling and blasting work process.

Jan 1, 2004

By Charles E. Van Barneveld

RBH Note: the following item is a little different than the usual, in that it shows how explosives were used in the past to assist in putting down holes for iron ore prospecting on the early Mesabi Range of Minnesota. The way explosives were used would not even occur to the modern explorationist, given the equipment available today. The reason for the great difficulty in putting down a hole was that the area was covered with debris from the great glaciers of the past (the same ones that carved out the Great lakes). This debris consisted of boulders, clay, sand, and any other imaginable mixture of materials.

Jan 1, 2013

By Natalie Zeleznik, Brian Hawkins, David Bradley, Rachel Gooding, Patrick Wilson

"An Event Tree Analysis (ETA) is an established approach for logically deconstructing and assessing scenarios for probabilistic risk assessment. This deconstruction into a series of understandable eventsfacilitates probability estimation for explicitly defined explosive terrorism scenarios with consideration of modes of possible failure during execution (a scenario is defined through selection of a target, selection of an explosive material, and interdiction prior to arriving at general target location, etc.). Further, each event is decomposed into a range of possible outcomes. The physical action or reality ofthe outcome is statistically represented by “branches” of the event tree (e.g., the terrorist may choose totarget a stadium, hotel, or subway; terrorists may be successful or unsuccessful in acquiring the material)."

Jan 1, 2017

By R. Jacob Cefalo, Miguel Valenzuela

The modern drill and blast engineer operates in an environment often rich with data from drilling data and blast designs vs. actuals to fragmentation distributions and vibration records. Despite this abundance, much of the information generated remains underutilized, often collected as a matter of routine rather than for a means to an end. This paper explores how artificial intelligence (AI) can bridge that gap, transforming raw operational information into actionable insights that lead to more consistent and optimized blasting outcomes. Through AI-driven analysis of drilling logs, burden and spacing measurements in design vs. actual, fragmentation distributions, and vibration records, we can identify hidden patterns and correlations that traditional analytics overlook or that we may not be aware of. These insights enable engineers to proactively adjust designs and loading strategies, ultimately improving performance aspects such as improving fragmentation, minimizing ground vibration, and lowering overall operational costs. The paper examines the industry's reliance on lagging indicators, such as post-blast fragmentation surveys or actual powder factors, and suggests the need to shift toward leading indicators like real-time drill data monitoring and predictive fragmentation modeling. Utilizing AI to forecast outcomes before a blast is carried out allows engineers to take corrective actions early in the process, thereby creating a feedback loop that continuously improves performance. This integration of AI into drilling and blasting practices marks a pivotal opportunity for the explosives engineering field to evolve from reactive to predictive methodologies unlocking a new level of operational intelligence and value creation.

Jan 26, 2026

By Patrick Cahill, Jacob Miller, Nolan Mundwiller, Catherine Johnson

"The Experimental Mine at the Missouri University of Science and Technology is undergoing major developments. The underground workings are being expanded to include a ramp down to a second level which will comprise of larger opening and room sizes to better simulate modern mine layouts. Thisexpansion will enable the Experimental Mine to be utilized for many more generations. In addition, the new 15,000 sq. ft. Kennedy Mine Building is being constructed and will house the mine office,classrooms, and three laboratories to accommodate the mining and explosives engineering programs’ ever-increasing enrollment. With these new developments come an increasing need for safety and awareness in regards to explosives and blasting. This paper will utilize the Institute of ExplosivesMakers Safety Analysis of Risk (IMESAFR) software tool, to assess current magazine compliance withthe increased personnel limits and mine building location. Furthermore, this paper will assess theimplementation of a wireless blast warning system consisting of warning beacons and a centrally located siren which will be integrated with the construction of the Kennedy Mine Building. This warning system will provide the necessary precautions to safely conduct blasting-related experiential learningopportunities and research projects, and will enable facility staff to more efficiently oversee blastingoperations at the Experimental Mine. "

Jan 1, 2017

By David La Rosa, Matthew Craft, Lee Julian

Rules of thumb are ubiquitous in blasting. Typically presented as ratios, they assist with the initial assumptions of blast design and provide guidance for best practice. Examples include the blast hole diameter as a function of bench height, and stemming length as a function of hole diameter. The most common rules of thumb were developed in mid-20th century and it is important for a blaster to know if the rules of thumb are still reliable.

Feb 6, 2023

By Ulrich Leiste, David M. Fox

This paper presents the results from small scale testing aimed at measuring the loads on a rigid target due to the detonation of a buried mine. The aim of this research is to find how the impulse delivered to the target varies as the air filled void volume fraction within the soil changes.

Jan 1, 2013

By Paul Klaric, Nicholas Bodley

Every blasting engineer or professional can attest to the age-old conundrum of obtaining accurate hole information on a large scale prior to loading explosive charges in a blast hole. Even though the benefits of QA/QC are well known and documented and are becoming increasingly important when digitizing and automating mining operations, the QA/QC process itself has not changed significantly over generations. The current methods where operators deploy measuring tapes of variable standards recording their subjective assessment of hole length on a paper blast map or manually transcribing to a tablet, are unreliable and non-auditable. Additionally, the process in its current form is time intensive, obtaining only moderate results and benefits, making it difficult or impossible to resource in today’s tight labour markets. Often only two data points, depth, and water presence, are captured when visiting the hole resulting in a high cost per bit of data. For these reasons, the process is seldom done on a large scale, let alone integrated. The QA/QC process in its current shape is a gap that will need to be addressed if autonomous blasting and mining is to become a reality.

Feb 6, 2023

By Michael Wieland

The thermodynamics work-principle was used to develop the rupture-fracture-throw (RFT) model for ranking the performance of reduced-density explosives when shot in rock or other stratum. The RFT model revises techniques used for the rock-water-jelly (RWJ) model, where the reaction-zone remains trapped within the rock/stratum. Therein, ranking of performance refers to trends for the two resolved components of the total expansion work: the reversible mechanical work taken as the heave and the residual irreversible portion, taken as the undissipated shock. For numeric tractability, the RFT and RWJ thermodynamic efficiency were taken equal, while the RWJ late-stage confinement was replaced with restrained venting through the rock, to render the RFT inefficient heave. The transfer of heat from the reaction-zone was neglected and the root-power formula was used to render the gas-covolume. Ranking trends were found for a generic charge formulation over a wide ranging density, with underwater results noted for comparison. Realistic compositions, some with natural resource materials, were treated for just typical and reduced density. Rock characteristics, ranging from hard rock to weak stratum, were represented by their density and rupture compression strength. Quantitative test results for shock or heave in rock remain difficult, so qualitative guidelines remain helpful when reviewing the graphic trends. Theoretical refinements for rock fragment size-distribution remain under development, though some relationships are touched upon to gain insight.

Jan 1, 2011

By Mohammed Alkazimi, Katie Grantham

The purpose of this paper is to quantify the risk to both the environment and surrounding infrastructure from a pipe sealing implosion. Both accuracy and the precision in determining how a submerged infrastructure damaged by underwater explosions performs provide better decision-making capabilities for managers facing impending oil spills. This determination is vital, especially for both emergency and crisis management teams, as categorized consequences based on both the nature of the structural layout and the surrounding marine environment assist in identifying whether or not the utilization of this technique is applicable. Thus, the decision maker’s aim, in a crisis, is to minimize any associated risk that might result in aggravating the situation by endangering both the infrastructure and marine life. Therefore, the resulting risk matrices will enable technical personnel who are not experts in explosive technologies to be armed with the information necessary to determine if this mitigation technique is applicable to their situation.

Jan 1, 2013

By O Omidi

Selection of delay times to optimize fragmentation has been a controversial topic among researchers and blasting practitioners. This paper reviews previous experimental information and presents the results of new tests conducted in small blocks constructed using a commercial grout. The effect of the delay on the average fragment size, coarse fragmentation and uniformity of fragmentation is discussed. Fragmentation was coarser at extremely short or extremely long delays, while a fairly constant average size was obtained at a variety of intermediate delays. Uniformity, defined as the slope of the fragmentation distribution through the average fragment size, was poor at short and very long delays and relatively constant at the intermediate delays. Some tests attempted to minimize the effect of gas penetration by lining the boreholes with copper tubes. When this was the case average fragmentation changed marginally, while uniformity was significantly affected by delay and was typically smaller than in the unlined tests.

Jan 1, 2014

By Mario Alvarez

Drilling with tricone drill bits is widely used in the mining industry with a direct impact on drilling safety and costs, however it can be challenging to implement a new supplier of tricone drill bits, choosing a new model of this accessory due to the normal variations of the rock mass or even due to the acquisition of new and modern drilling equipment for open pit blasting operations. This article identifies the most common mechanisms of failure in productive drill holes of tricone drill bits, both in open-pit coal and metal mines, in two South American countries. It also emphasizes the important issues that must be addressed for the optimization of the performance of these accessories, such as the correct identification of the rock mass, the drilling parameters, and the impact of autonomous drilling on new equipment with this technology. The article presents some of the successful actions to economically improve the performance of drill bits considering the close relationship in the field with the supplier's technical representatives and factory designers, as well as the commercial interrelationship between their respective business areas. The article concludes by discussing the future of tricone drill bit design development, its environmental management, and possible new advances in its manufacture.

Jan 21, 2025

By Luan Monteiro, Francisco Biulchi

The AngloGold Ashanti - Cuiaba mine sought innovative approaches to minimize lateral development and stope extraction time while maintaining optimal gold recovery and minimizing dilution. The stope 8GAL EXT 30 was selected as a case study. Traditionally, conventional blasting methods in such a scenario would necessitate either a single mass blast or slot development at each end of the stope. These methods typically compromise recovery and dilution or increase development time and risk. Additionally, conventional wired detonators require workers to re-enter the stope between blasts to load blastholes and connect detonators. The wireless initiation system offers a solution by initiating blastholes using magnetic induction signals that can penetrate rock, air, and water. This technology allows a pre-charged stope to be mined without requiring workers to re-enter the area between blasts to charge and connect blastholes. Engineers from Orica and AngloGold Ashanti designed a new extraction sequence utilizing the wireless initiation system. The process began with the opening of one end of the stope using a conventional slot and wired electronic detonators. Subsequently, pre-loaded rings were fired in three blasts to extract the opposite end and the intersection. The 8GAL EXT 30 stope was successfully mined using this technology enabled method. Each blast was meticulously monitored, and the stope void was scanned to assess blast performance. The results demonstrated a 4.6% improvement in recovery and a 16% reduction in dilution compared to the initial plan, and reduced exposure of people to hazardous locations in the stope. These results represent an additional value of USD 200k, gained from implementing wireless initiation to enable this particular blasting schedule.

Jan 21, 2025

It is a case study of huge rock-mass, loosened out from the parent rock-body, & posing a potential danger to structures down below the slope on which this rock mass was standing. Case was dealt in two phases, by tying/stitching the rock mass to the parent rockbody and breaking it using controlled blasting technique.

Jan 1, 1997

By Pierre-Louis Migairou

After a period of development and experimentation ranging over 20 years, electronic detonators have now come to maturity and are becoming the first choice in many diverse applications like tunnelling, civil works, demolition works, quarrying, large scale open pit mining and underground mining. This paper demonstrates the versatility of electronic initiation systems by detailing a number of case studies in several applications as different as their geographical locations, and gives specific reasons explaining the popularity of electronics in each case.

Jan 1, 2009

By Karl Ingmarsson

A model for drilling productivity and total drilling cost is presented. It specifically addresses down-thehole drilling, but also covers other drilling methods. The important factors are: 1, productivity in tons drilled; and 2, total cost per drill ton. For non-blasthole applications these factors are measured in drill feet and cost per foot. The model focuses on the entire system and allows the operator to optimize the system based on individual drilling conditions.

Jan 1, 1998

By Jim Davis, Calvin J. Konya

The methods used to confine the gases within a borehole can influence the amount of useful energy obtained from the explosive charge. Improper confinement not only wastes energy and raises cost but also can result in airblast, excessive ground vibration, flyrock and boulders. The type of stemming material and amount of stemming used will definitely influence the degree of confinement and the efficiency of the blast. In order to extract the maximum energy from the expanding gases, the stemming plug should never blow out and allow the gases to escape prematurely.

Jan 1, 1978

By Dale L. Ramsey

Blasters in the field for years have been faced with the task of plotting blast locations for future reference and calculating scaled distances or seismograph placement from maps,aerial photo's etc.'With the constellation fully operational, GPS provides a satellite signal transmitted to a ground receiver which will display the desired coordinate positioning worldwide, 24 hours a day in any kind of weather conditions. There are a variety of GPS receivers available with varying levels of accuracy. The field trials of a handheld navigational quality instrument for plotting blast and seismograph locations along with other necessary industry related data is the basis of this paper.

Jan 1, 1994

By Paulo Couceiro, Manuel Lopez Cano, Carlos Rodgriguez Calvo

Apart from its difficult execution, underwater blasting is one of the most critical operations of the blasting techniques; mainly because of the ground vibrations - normally associated with low frequencies -, destructive hydraulic shock waves, the difficult coordination, and high costs. To solve these challenges during the underwater blasting on the expansion program for the Panama Canal “Widening and Deepening of the Pacific Entrance and the South approach Channel to the Third set of Locks of the Panama Canal”, a new method to blast using bulk explosive, developed by MAXAM, was used. The project was successfully executed, and more than 800.000m3 were blasted in less than 5 months, jointly with the biggest underwater drilling platform ever build, the Yuan Dong 007, with ten hydraulic drills on board guaranteeing a high production, excellent fragmentation result, total control of the vibration levels, no complain of the neighborhood surrounding the area of the project and simple local logistic due to the classification of the main product used (an oxidizer classified as 5.1). That was finally sensitized down in the hole.

Jan 1, 2011

By M Scoble, J Szymans

During the past year, the Canadian Centre for Automation and Robotics in Mining (CCARM), McGill University, Montreal, has been involved with INCO Ltd.'s Manitoba Division in investigating the extent and mechanisms of blasthole deviation. Drilling accuracy can well be regarded as perhaps the single greatest "controllable" factor influencing dilution in INCO's open sloping operations. As INCO and other underground mines seek to minimize dilution, while attempting to maximize productivity, issues of drilling accuracy become increasingly significant. It is important therefore, that means exist by which true blasthole trajectories can be determined, so that if needed, modifications to hole loading instructions or redrilling of holes can be ordered, thus avoiding poor blast results.

Jan 1, 1991