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By Kis M

The purpose of seismic control of blasting is to indicate the vibration magnitude or to eliminate the occurrence of vibration damage caused by blasting. At the Mining Research Institute in Hungary, a new method has been developed to determine the method of delay. Near the blasting site (within 100-200 meters), the peak value of the particle velocity is determined by calculation and also by measurement. In the calculations, the time error of the electric detonators is taken into consideration. During the test program, the results of the experimental blasts and the calculated data have shown good correlation. The method of calculation helps the operator eliminate vibration damage, while the greatest quantity of charge can be detonated.

Jan 1, 1979

By Jack Eloranta

Building on previous work, this paper expands the template for modeling the economic relationship between blasting and grinding. The actual efficacy of various blasting enhancements is not addressed, however, placing costs and potential benefits in proper context should aid in designing mine/mill optimization trials.

Jan 1, 2014

By Bob de Raadt

For a long time industrial underwater blasting has stood in need of a calculation method, for the determination of shockwave-proof as well as shockwave-effective charge distances to objects in water. After a brief discussion of the physical background of the shockwave mechanism in water, the author discusses an empirical theoretical computing method based on the "Bubble boundary" concept. The practical application of this model is finally shown in an account of a few underwater blasting operations in which charge weights of c.1-1000 kg were involved.

Jan 1, 1980

By Chuck Kliche, Bill Clements

This paper relates some of the experiences, good and bad, of blasting adjacent to residences of the primary author during his 15+ years of field blasting in the Northern Great Plains region. During this highly-rewarding blasting career, the author has become aware of two major issues in residential blasting: 1) What we call “Risk/Reward Ratio.”Some questions that must be asked by the blaster prior to taking on any blasting job include: - Can we eliminate or minimize the risk? - Is the reward worth the risk? - Do I have a measure of “nervous confidence” about the shot? 2) Public Relations. Two key elements to public relations are: - Notification - Education All the education in the world to the adjacent populous of what’s happening, of blasting in general, or of what to expect from the blasting does little good without notification. Good public relations is a key to controlling the cost of liability in a litigious society.

Jan 1, 2009

By M Sampara, W Comeau

The introduction of large-diameter holes to underground mining has made possible the development of new mining methods such as the Vertical Crater Retreat (V.C.R.) method. It is not only the safest underground excavation system but also provides mass production at a lower cost than any conventional mining method (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).

Jan 1, 1981

By D Larson, M Finger

Chemical explosives may become a key element in many of the in situ energy and mineral recovery methods under development. This paper discusses the potential role of explosives in deep rock mining for resource recovery. Several energy and mineral recovery programs described are an outgrowth of the Plowshare Program and Explosives R&D conducted as part of the AEC/ERDA mission at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory. Several important aspects of the use of explosives in deep rock mining are reviewed. First, the status of knowledge of deep rock fracturing to create permeability underground is discussed. Completely contained blasting has not been a widely applied tool used in the mining industry. We conclude that data available on deep rock fracture is minimal and that the mechanisms that control the processes must be understood before technical and economic feasibility can be established. We also discuss the unusual problems in the selection of an explosive or blasting agent for deep rock applications including emphasis on the functioning at depth and safety aspects. Finally, a brief review of similar activities within the U.S. is given.

Jan 1, 1976

By Wayne Rogers, Sarma Kanchibotla, Alan Tordoir, Bryon Bisiauz, Seth Ako, Eric Engmann

Blast induced rock mass displacement can have a significant impact on ore loss & dilution. The mischaracterization of the grade boundaries both prior to, as well as a result of blasting can lead to significant financial losses on account of ore loss and dilution. Ore dilution occurs when waste material is miscategorised as ore and sent for processing diluting the run of mine head grade and recovery. Ore loss takes place when valuable mineral is miscategorised as waste and sent to the waste dumps, thus never being processed and recovered.

Jan 1, 2012

By Leslie Taylor, W. L. Fourney, Uli Leiste

Over the past few years, our laboratory has been investigating the loading on vehicles due to the detonation of buried explosives. We have been using target plates to represent the bottom of the vehicles that were being subject to the forces from the detonating explosives. Parameters shown to be important in the blast loading were type of soil, stand off distance (distance from the surface of the soil to the bottom of the target plate), and depth of burial (distance of the charge center of gravity to the sand surface). We conducted over the first year of our work a large number of tests which looked at the impulse being applied to the plates as a function of depth of burial, stand off distance, and type of soil. Of the three parameters we found stand off distance to be most important, depth of burial to be the next most important parameter, with type of soil least important. We also found that impulse could be scaled with explosive size quite accurately and that results (for impulse) were quite repeatable from one test to the next.

Jan 1, 2008

By M Lemieux, R Mason

The SABREX blast modeling program was introduced to I.O.C.C.'s Carol Lake Iron Ore Project in December 1987. As part of CIL's Technical Services, SABREX was used to implement an optimization program designed to analyze and introduce various grades of MAGNAFRAC at a constant pattern while maintaining acceptable blast results.

Jan 1, 1989

By Joel Warneke, Cristian Caceres, Ed Mchugh

NIOSH researchers collected basic data from two blast rounds at the SSX-Steer Mine as a component of a larger study on controlled blasting, the goal of which is to reduce injuries from falling rocks in underground mines. Drilling and blasting procedures at the mine were observed. Rock mass property data were collected, a program of seismic monitoring and analysis was conducted, and 3-D laser survey scans of the workings before and after each blast were performed. The geologic data showed that the rock mass quality was characterized as poor to very poor. It was essentially uniform within the panels examined. The recorded seismic data indicated that fill material acted as an effective damper to seismic energy. The pre- and post-blast laser scans showed both over-break and under-break conditions, highlighting the problems associated with blasting a weak rock mass. By comparing the achieved results to the intended design, potential improvements in the drilling and blasting practices can be identified. Comparison of these data with similar data from other mines will help define how various combinations of rock and fill behave during blasting. Through studies such as these, data collection procedures and analysis techniques can be refined. An ultimate goal is to develop blast procedures tied to rock mass characteristics that can minimize damage to rock in the perimeter of the opening, limiting the amount of loose rock and improving the safety of miners.

Jan 1, 2008

By Michael A. Peltier, Dennis V. D'Andreal, Larry R. Fletcher

Accident data obtained from the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) were analyzed by the Bureau of Mines to determine the most frequent causes of blasting accidents in U.S. mining and to examine trends in blasting accidents. This accident analysis is an update of a similar blasting accident study conducted by the Bureau and published in 1983. The analysis shows that there has been a recent reduction in mine blasting accidents: The annual average number of nonfatal injuries has decreased from 107 for 1978-81 to 46 for 1982-85. The annual average number of fatal injuries was reduced from 11.3 to 5.0 during that time.

Jan 1, 1987

By Alan Tordoir, Mark Roberts

The drill and blast process is a critical function within the production cycle which significantly impacts the ability of an operation to effectively meet its safety and production targets. Acknowledging that D&B design and reconciliation practices were conducted inconsistently across operations, a Group wide initiative was launched to embed a standardized design and reconciliation platform in line with the company’s Operating Model principles. A technical system was selected to deliver the digitalization of critical D&B information and enable ‘analyze and improve’ routines for design compliance monitoring and downstream productivity optimization.

Jan 1, 2019

By Michael S. Wieland

This report discusses measurement techniques utilized in and trend results obtained from research on delay blasting malfunctions in underground coal shots at the U.S. Bureau of Mines. Charge malfunctions occur during delay blasting in underground or surface mines, rendering the explosive operations more hazardous and less productive. Modern instrumentation techniques reveal several types of reduced charge performance, resulting from cross-hole interactions. Two receptor (wave-target) charge malfunctions were detected in fourteen shots that were undeniable. There were other receptor charges that exhibited under-performance by registering out-of-tolerance or noticeably reduced detonation rates. Delay blasting generates tremendous shock waves and rifting forces that fracture and heave the surrounding stratum and unfortunately damage remaining unfired charges. This report contains two graphs, representing roughly 1% of total records, that show donor (wave-source) charge shock waves and rift (reaction-to-heave) compressions. These debilitating wave impacts precipitate modes of reduced charge performance ranging from weak detonations or misfires to sympathetic detonations. As recognized from previous research, impaired charges react poorly, perform less useful work, and yield fumes with atypical higher toxicity.

Jan 1, 1995

By Rafael Tadeu Pinto e Moura, Giorgio De Tomi, Jacopo Seccatore

This paper describes a research and development project in an open-cast mine with the goal to achieve an average P80 of 300 mm (11,8”) in the run-of-mine (ROM) product without altering the existing budget. The project included several variables in the blast design that were not previously taken into account, such as the orientation of natural joint sets in the rock mass, specific energy of the explosive and firing sequence. The new blast design method considered the directions of natural joint sets and determined the drilling pattern and the firing sequence accordingly to favor the movement of the blasted rock along its preferential direction, to reduce its confinement. At the end of the project, it was achieved an average P80 of 304 mm (12”) in the ROM, 50% lower than the one at the beginning of the project. The final blast of the project showed a reduction of 3% of the drill and blast cost, employing the same powder factor and the same drill pattern size used at the beginning of the project. The results achieved show how rock fragmentation is related to variables that are not contemplated in the most common fragmentation models: the firing sequence and the direction of movement in the blast.

Jan 1, 2015

By Joshua Hoffman, Braden Lusk, Perry Kyle

With the advent of any new technology comes the necessity of fully understanding the mechanics of that technology. The Shock Tunnel is one such technology that provides a cost effective means of simulating large-scale explosions while requiring a fraction of the explosive and space. Although the technique is known and practiced, the dynamics and mechanics of this technology has yet to be fully understood. A relationship between the energy potential of a given explosive and the energy realized at a set of distances was determined. This data was then compared to the energies realized from the same explosive when utilized in conjunction with a shock tunnel. A relationship between potential and realized energy outputs from explosive based shock tunnels exists and the understanding of this relationship would allow all for predictions to be made to forecast a specific amount of explosive required to produce a desired energy output. This energy output should then be relatable to peak pressures produced via the shock tunnel. Two shock tunnels are currently accessible for this study, the first under the direction of the University of Kentucky, and a second under the direction of the Missouri University of Science and Technology. The two shock tunnels differ in dimensions but share common construction materials. Energy realized from a shock tunnel is hypothesized to be a function of the shock tunnel’s dimensions. This study explores how different geometries affect the shock tunnel’s performance; this exploration is broken down into three phases. Phase 1: Open arena testing in which theoretical energies produced by the detonation of small (<1.0 kg) charges are compared to actual experimental values. Phase 2: Shock Tunnel testing in which realized energies are experimentally recorded for the UK shock tunnel. Phase 3: Analysis of the data to lay down the ground work for producing a pressure-forecasting tool given shock tunnel dimensions and explosive characteristics with the possible detection of avenues for optimization of shock tunnels.

Jan 1, 2009

By Yves Lizotte, Malcom Scoble, Sanu Hanspal

"This paper reviews the physical, chemical and mechanical components of what is considered to be the anatomy of a blast muckpile. These relate principally to geometry, floor, fragment size and shapedistribution, density, hydrology, weathering, and diggabiity characteristics."

Jan 1, 1995

By M E. Hanson, K Chong, R H. Jacobson, S C. Way

To create conditions for economic rates of mineral recovery in a deep, hard rock mass, enhancement of naturally occurring permeability is necessary, and may be achieved through explosives detonated in boreholes. Previous theories of explosively created permeability are reviewed and found to relate permeability solely to the degree of fracturing, neglecting porosity. A theory is presented that includes both fracture density and porosity, and its results are applied, together with a knowledge of explosive behavior, to derive design parameters for in-situ mining.

Jan 1, 1983

By A. K. Sirveiya

A major concern with blasting at surface mines is generation of ground vibration, air blast, flyrock, dust & fume and their impact on nearby structures and environment. A study was conducted at a coal mine in India which produces 10 million tonne of coal and 27 million cubic meter of overburden per annum. Draglines and shovels with dumpers carry out the removal of overburden. Detonation of 100 tonnes of explosives in a blasting round is a common practice of the mine. These large sized blasts often led to complaints from the nearby inhabitants regarding ground vibrations and their affects on their houses.

Jan 1, 2005

By Alain Blanchier, Pascal Bernasconi

Blasting operations took place on Channel coast NW of France to extend Flamanville Nuclear Power Plant (EPR new generation). The closest operating reactor building was monitored by a 24 remote vibrations transducers network to fulfil, on one hand, the severe environment constraints and satisfy high degree of productivity required by the project, on the other hand. Although these requirements usually are incompatible, this challenge compelled to introduce a seismic modelling technique to optimize blast designs using electronic initiating system. The “Hybrid Seismic Modelling” (MSH) uses blastholes signatures (seismic vibrations records) which are greatly dependent on geology and alteration of rock mass, explosives, charge geometry, blast configuration, and the final excavation shape. In order to respect severe vibrations limits, excavation layout was divided into areas with specific blasting modules - type and number of charges, single charge, initiating sequence. Thanks to this technique, it has been possible to reach lowest blasts vibrations levels and a better productivity compared to classical blasting operation at the same location in the past. After the modelling method presentation - principle and use precautions, technical improvements are reported.

Jan 1, 2008

By Michael Wieland

Sharp transient stress waves generated during the delay blasting of underground coal can damage unfired borehole charges remaining in the delay pattern. These tremendous stress pulses in coal bear a strong resemblance to underwater shock waves, despite differences in rise times, damping rates, and scaling relations. "Shock wave" terminology is adopted to distinguish the sharp transient waveforms propagating through the coal from the gas-driven stresses that rift the coal. Reported waveform characteristics of shock waves through underground coal were utilized to design a simulator test for rating the impact resistance of cap-sensitive explosives. Theoretical minimum borehole separations were determined for each cap-sensitive explosive from the requirement that worst-case waves hitting an unfired charge would not exceed its impact resistance rating. Rugged explosives have higher impact resistance and will function properly at smaller borehole separations. Additional work is required to verify the findings from the simulator technique and modeling relations reported here.

Jan 1, 1990