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By Benjamin Cebrian

Rock blasting at quarries represents multiple challenges not easy to see at first sight. Aggregate industries face similar or superior prices for explosives while extracting a material that usually is of less value of metal mining operations. Therefore, learning to optimize a quarry operation can be a perfect training for a position in blasting at larger metal mining operations.

Jan 1, 2010

By Robert B. Hopler

Hercules Incorporated has developed and introduced a totally new non-electric delay blasting cap system which utilizes a low energy gas detonation to activate the caps. Unlike any other initiation system, there is no hole-to-hole connection other than empty plastic tubing until the blast is to be set off. Only at that time, when all personnel and equipment are in the clear, is the special gas mixture introduced through the tubing. The actual time of firing is completely under the control of the operator, by pressing the fire button on the blasting machine.

Jan 1, 1977

By Paul Worsey, Gillian Worsey

The explosives industry is about to reach a critical turning point in human resources. The average age of employees of the largest US explosives company is over 50 and an estimated 5,000 engineers are due to retire from the mining industry over the next decade, with less than 200 mining graduates per year nationally. Not just in the USA, this is a worldwide problem. In Canada the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MIHRC), reported that older mining engineers are retiring early – at the age of 59.5 on average. It predicts that mining companies will need to hire 370 mining engineers by 2016 and 665 by 2021. The Minerals Council of Australia has predicted the need for an additional 86,000 mining professionals and skilled mine workers by 2020, and the Indian mining industry is also facing a shortage of between 2,500 to 3,000 engineers per year.

Jan 1, 2014

By J. -P. Tshibangu, E. Lefebvre

ABSTRACT : The Tournai’s region in Belgium is characterized by outcrops of limestone that were mined out long ago by different companies for cement and crushed materials. The region is densely populated and the vibrations generated by blasts in the quarries are of big concern. The occurrence of electronic detonators and development of computer sciences brought a new expectation in controlling the vibration level and, hence, carry out bigger blast operations. In this paper we present the results of two experimental blast programs that have been carried out by the Nobel explosive Belgium Company on the Gaurain-Ramecroix quarry to understand the effect of the delay on the vibrations generated in the neighborhood. The first program has been implemented during the early use of electronic caps in Belgium (1996) by performing some unit shots. An attempt to model the effect of the production blasts by the hybrid method (Hinzen 1988) gave promising but poor results compared to infield measurements. A new program (more than ten blasts) has been implemented in 2006 in which the delay and blast firing sequence (i.e. the order in firing adjacent holes in a row) have been changed; a new attempt is made to build unit signals by deconvolution and then try to model production ones. A comparison of the two approaches is made.

Jan 1, 2008

By P D. Katsabanis, W Roberts

Commercial explosives exhibit non ideal behaviour which is very difficult to model. The fume spectrum produced by commercial explosives apart from its practical significance for underground mining is of great theoretical importance since it reveals information about the chemistry of the detonation process. Emulsions, watergels and dynamites were tested under various degrees of confinement in an one cubic metre closed chamber. Sand, concrete, steel and copper pipes were used to alter confinement. The degree of confinement was found to significantly influence the quantity (litres/kg of explosive) and the relative proportions of toxic and non-toxic fumes (percent of total fume measured). These results lead to further confinement testing using various rock materials. Fume results, and thus detonation performance were found to be dependent on the type of rock material used for confinement. Materials such as dolomite, limestone, and granite were found to result in a relatively high detonation efficiency of the subject explosive as shown by the distribution of detonation fume products. Conversely materials such as sandstone, talc and massive sulphide resulted in fumes suggesting low relative detonation efficiency. Fumes appear to be a sensitive indicator of the completeness of reactions occurring within the expansion zone of the composite emulsion explosive, while the detonation velocity is relatively insensitive to small variations in confinement. Estimates of sonic velocities of the confining rock materials were found to show no correlation with VOD results. However good correlation between fume results and sonic velocity suggests that the performance of an explosive as indicated by the resulting fume spectrum is affected by the degree of confinement.

Jan 1, 1992

By Michael Laing

"Geology plays a critical role in many aspects of blasting, from fragmentation to wall control. One often overlooked component of blasting concerns blast results due to the effect of geologic features. The direction of blasting, with respect to strike and dip, can produce varied results, depending on thescenario. Working with geological features, as opposed to against them or without regard to them, can therefore dramatically improve blasting results. This paper focuses on the role of “geologic features”, which include joint-sets, natural fractures, and bedding planes (all of which are commonly referred to as “seams”) for the purposes of this paper. The goal of this paper is to promote understanding and mitigation techniques for various scenarios in which there are identifiable geologic features. Depending on the nature of these features (strike and dip specifically), blast design and pit advancement/development can be carefully considered to use make the best use of these features and optimize blast results."

Jan 1, 2016

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 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 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 J. Meissner

In this paper vibratory crack response is compared to that produced by volumetric changes in foundation soils induced by natural events. These natural phenomena include changes in the water table, changes in soil moisture, and formation of ice lenses to name a few. Previous papers have compared vibratory responses of cracks to atmospheric effects such as those produced by the passage of weather fronts and daily changes in temperature and humidity. Periodicity of these atmospheric effects is on the order of a day to half a dozen days. Thus it is possible to observe atmospheric effects with measurement over a period of weeks to several months. On the other hand, crack response produced by volumetric changes in foundation soils occurs over a period of many months and/or may be seasonal in nature if not longer in the case of drought. Thus its measurement requires long periods of observation (many months to significant fractions of a year) or observation during critical seasons. Since it occurs over long periods of time, its observation may be obscured by climatologically induced crack response. These soil volume changes are compared with climatic data to describe the correlative nature of crack response in time with the soil volume change phenomena and likely climatic causes.

Jan 1, 2009

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

"The United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Directorate of Science and Technology (S&T), utilizes a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) approach to explore the risks (anduncertainty) from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) threat agents to the Homeland.This end-to-end risk methodology considers a broad range of hazards incorporating emergingtechnologies, available countermeasures and input from the Intelligence and Law Enforcementcommunities (IC/LE) to evaluate the acute risk to human health due to an attack on the U.S. homeland. The PRA generated output provides a mechanism to examine risk mitigation strategies, critical vulnerabilities, critical data and knowledge gaps and relative risk rankings of materials, targets, classes of compounds and scenarios."

Jan 1, 2017

By George Young Mosteller

This paper is summary of the practical solutions developed in the excavation of drilled piers (caissons) at GPCo's Plant Scherer, Juliette, GA. Plant Scherer is a 3,245 Megawatt Fossil Fuel Powerhouse and, when completed, will be one of the largest fossil fuel plants in the Southeast.

Jan 1, 1980

By S. Huang, K. Xia

The down-stream size reduction processes such as crushing, grinding and milling, represent major expenditure of energy. The present study is aimed at linking the fragmentation characteristics of the rock feed in a crusher with the physical and mechanical properties of the rock and the energy expended in the process. This is done through a modified Hopkinson Pressure bar apparatus, where both the impact velocity and energy input can be carefully controlled. A single layer of rock particles of very narrow feed size range (9 mm - 12 mm) and occupying a fixed volume in a chamber is impacted by means of a striker. The resulting fragment size distribution is determined for two different rock types (e.g. a granite and a limestone), involving single and multiple impacts, with all other experimental parameters remaining constant. The progressive reduction in overall product size and detailed fragment size distribution curves are obtained through sieve analysis, for specified number of impacts. The resulting fragment size distribution is analyzed in the light two distribution functions, Rosin-Rammler and Swebrec.

Jan 1, 2015

By Michael Karmis, Syed Muhammad Tariq, Zeshan Hyder

Secondary or boulders blasting is a regular feature of quarrying operations in Pakistan, especially in cement and stone crushing industries. The main reason for secondary blasting is the production of a large number of boulders during the production blast. These boulders are larger than the feed hopper of crushers and require further breaking. The complex geometry of boulders, relative lack of restraining burdens, and the availability of number of free faces make this kind of blasting more hazardous than production blasting. Secondary blasts have generally unpredictable results and may cause flyrock, airblast, and over-crushing of rock material. Thus, it is essential to have an appropriate amount of explosive charge/powder factor, and for it to be properly distributed in the blast hole. The greater the amount of explosive over the required amount, the more violent is the blast, which will result in more flyrock, airblast, and excessive crushing of boulders.

Jan 1, 2012

By Frank Lucca

This study is based on a six month study performed for Lee County, Florida. The study was based on blasting for land development and how this type of blasting affects structures. The study is investigates peak particle velocities and the relationship to other environmental and manmade forces that affect structures. The study also explores the effect of geology on blast vibration. After completion in Lee County, the study was then continued in the quarry environment in Vermont and extremely tight blasting environment of New York City. Charge diameters were 127mm (5 inches) or less.

Jan 1, 2006

By Trevor Ames

Highwall instability, and sometimes referred to as ground failures, historically are a consistent contributor of mine injuries and fatalities within surface mines. To combat this several efforts, including those from NIOSH (CDC), to educate the mining community with insightful literature focused on hazard recognition and advances in ground monitoring systems have been performed. The question is can more be done or is this our last line of defense to manage potential dangers? Is there a more effective method to reduce hazards presented by ground failures including rockfalls?

Jan 1, 2015

By Albert G. Funk, Gary M. Thornley

The available energy of aluminized ANFO and aluminized slurry blasting agents has been measured by seismic methods, calculated theoretically, and compared. With aluminized ANFO it is concluded that aluminum concentrations should be restricted to less than 10 percent because of diminished energy yields at high aluminum concentrations. However, with aluminized slurry it is concluded that efficient use of aluminum can be made at aluminum concert"rations up to 18 percent. It is further concluded that the difference in efficiency of use of aluminum by these two classes of blasting agents results from a higher contribution to useful work from the condensed detonation products of the relatively higher density aluminized slurry blasting agent.

Jan 1, 1981

By W. Reisz

The fear of heights is a natural defense against performing a dangerous and unnatural act such as standing on the edge of a hundred foot wall. Yet through familiarity, a casual attitude often exists. Those of us, who work near highwalls on a daily basis, may become overly comfortable in our surroundings, losing sight of the disaster which may often rest a single misstep away. And this is where the hidden dangers lie.

Jan 1, 2009