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By Rick W. Bellenie, Ronald L. Woolf

The Gregg River mine is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Hinton, Alberta, approximately 330 kilometres (205 miles) west of Edmonton and lies against the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Jan 1, 1994

By Daryl Andershock, Paul Worsey, Brandon Weeks, Kurt Kosman

Several derivatives of soybean oil are currently manufactured and sold on the open market. Of these, the use of methylsoyate as a direct fuel substitute in diesel engines has been thoroughly researched and practically applied. The use of this product as a fuel gave rise to the idea of using a similar substitution in ANFO blasting agent. The first year of a three-year research program has been sponsored by the Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council. The project is funded for the purpose of opening up of new markets for Missouri soybean products.

Jan 1, 1997

By Jeffrey N. Deisher, H Y. Fang, Richard P. Scheller, Robert M. Koerner

The need to adequately quantify cracking in structures in the vicinity of blasting activity becomes more important each year. This urgency comes about through a growing number of complaints and lawsuits between the various parties involved, i.e., operator/owner, government, and complaintant. It is felt that existing rules and regulations (mainly based on peak particle velocity of the soil or rock adjacent to the structure in question) fall short of such quantification and lead to confusion in adequately assessing structural damage.

Jan 1, 1977

By Salah A. Taqieddin

The blast casting technique of removing overburden is an innovative technique which was successfully used in the mining of certain surface coal and quarries. This method was found to be efficient in minimizing the labor and equipment cost while accelerating mining operation with safety. This method was successfully applied to horizontal as well as to dipping coal seams. Also it was practically applied to single as well as to multiple ore bodies

Jan 1, 1992

By Tapan Goswami, Geoff Keith

"At Bulga Coal, the objectives of drilling and blasting are to maximise safety and to minimise the totalcost of mining. A recent audit of two overburden blasts established that the standard of drilling and blasting is excellent. No apparent hazards were identified. Laser profiling showed that highwall free faces are reasonably planar with some exceptions, thereby promoting uniform burden distances along front-row charges. However, in three isolated areas along one face, small burden distances existed. The mean and the standard deviation of errors in the collar positions of front-row blastholes was found to be 0.3 + 0.03 m. A borehole video camera was used to show that blastholes did not feature open bedding plane partings, cavities or damage produced by the blast in front of them."

Jan 1, 1999

By Pierre Mousset-Jones, Jaak Daemen, Songlin Zhang, Jon Hurley

Most western United States open pit gold mine ore bodies are disseminated deposits. The mineralization is so irregular that it is difficult to visually identify the ore/waste boundary. Blast hole samples are used to interpolate digging polygons based on the pre-blast position of the bench. Dilution caused by blasting is of major concern at these mines, since blast movement can mix and dilute the ore and move it beyond flagged digging polygons established on the blasted rock according to their pre-blast location. Typically, mines try to reach a compromise between blast fragmentation and movement.

Jan 1, 1994

By M-C. Lee, Shomaker, R. Turcotte, B. Short

This research program was undertaken to better understand the factors causing abnormal NOx fumes generation from blasting operations in surface coal mining. More specifically, unusual quantities of nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide have been observed at several surface coal mines in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. All these mining operations have several points in common: (i) Blasting is performed using gravity loaded emulsions or emulsion/ANFO blends (ii) Unusual NOx (Oxides of Nitrogen) emissions are observed mostly when blasting is conducted in the overburden as opposed to the coal seam itself (iii) The overburden consists of very weakly consolidated ground strata, providing relatively weak confinement conditions for the explosives, and (iv) Significant ground water is observed.

Jan 1, 2002

By Dennis Alan Clark

An increase in construction and quarry operations has necessitated blasting activities in areas once considered rural and in the close proximity of transmission pipelines. A method to determine the maximum allowable bending stress by the formulas outlined by the Battelle Memorial Institute report of October, 1962, and the assumed stress comparison with actual measured data is presented. A direct relationship between pipe stress and ground particle velocity is shown, and a method to predict stress by relating stress to charge weight and distance from the shot point is discussed.

Jan 1, 1976

By Satish Kate

Mining of Iron Ore in India is done by Surface Mining methods and most of the deposits are massive and are occurring in Hills, surrounded by green forest cover. While majority of iron ore produced are from mechanized mining systems, some quantities are also produced from semimechanised mines. In mechanized mines, apart from state-of-the-art level of mechanization, the Run-off-Mine ore is subjected to multi-stage crushing, screening and washing/beneficiation, for improving the grade and ensure segregating of different size range. The steel plants within the country have been operating their own captive mines, where both lumps and fines are used in their furnaces. In case of mines, which exclusively supply ores to export market, the lumps produced yield very high price and thus efforts are being made to maximize lumps recovery. The mine, where the author had been associated, is an export-oriented mine which supplies iron-ore to Japanese steel plants.

Jan 1, 2004

By Robert Hopler

In part one we discussed a Chinese seismoscope allegedly invented and used in the year 136 (or 132, depending on the source). Interestingly, historical references to the measurement of earth movements then seem to be nonexistent until up into the 1700’s. There could be two explanations for this hiatus: first, that there were no earthquakes in the world for 1600 years, or, second, the “Dark Ages” really did exist, where intellectual inquiry and all sorts of learning came to a halt. Of course there were earthquakes, so the explanation for the lack of a record of invention is the reality of the Dark Ages. explained is the fact that the Dark Ages ended in about A.D. 1000, but that is beyond the scope of this story.

Jan 1, 2006

By Marco Antonio Falquete

Conventional detonators and blasting caps make use, as igniters, of flame-shock-, andfriction-sensitive primary explosives, such as lead azide, lead styphnate, mercury fulminate, etc, most of them severe toxic and environmental contaminants. Sensitivity of primary explosives is one of the main causes of injuries and fatalities in explosives industry and in field applications. Intense research for a reliable, safe, and environmental-friendly non-primary-explosives detonator was conducted by the industry in the last years. A new detonator is presented, containing no primary explosive, employing only environmental-friendly substances while keeping reliability of performance. A series of performance tests is executed in prototypes of different output energies, including initiation by flame, shock tube, thermo tube (IBQ’s proprietary spark-generating tube, presented at 2005 ISEE Conference), energy transfer reliability, and extreme environmental conditions (according to MIL-STD 331B, test C1 standards). Results are compared, when pertinent, with standard blasting caps of different energy outputs, and with standard primary explosives.

Jan 1, 2007

By Ray Heater, Qian Liu, Alan Bauer

The channel effect is a phenomenon that takes place with decoupling explosive charges; an air shock wave propagating ahead of the detonation wave in the annular space around the explosive charge compresses the charge so that the process of detonation is modified and even stopped. For commercial explosives, such as AN/FO slurries and emulsions, the channel effect causes partial detonation under certain conditions. To simulate and evaluate the phenomenon, a hydrodynamic model was developed based on the assumption that the pre-shock wave is produced by Mach reflection at the tube walls. Based on instrumented experimental studies with the above explosives in diameters ranging from 25 to 90 mm in pipe sizes ranging from 35 to 127 mm, it has been possible to demonstrate that a criterion for failure based on a critical impulse concept fits the experimental data well. Critical impulse values for the various explosives tested are presented along with the necessary correlations between charge and borehole diameter required to produce this.

Jan 1, 1988

By Piyush Rai

Proper use of fi ring pattern vis-à-vis the blast requirements can provide optimal blast performance in terms of fragmentation. Further to this, each fi ring pattern has its own characteristic, for instance, although V-type and diagonal fi ring pattern provide same Se/Be ratio, the V-type fi ring pattern increases the opportunity for in-fl ight collision amongst broken rock fragments during their movement. Similarly straight V-type and skewed V type fi ring patterns (V1,V2 etc.) have their own characteristic strengths and weaknesses. In this light the present paper highlights the application of three different types of fi ring pattern on two different type of sandstone overburden benches of a large coalmine in India. The study reveals that Firing pattern infl uences the effective spacing to burden ratio at the time of detonation. By changing the fi ring pattern, effective burden (Be) changes and the ratio of effective spacing (Se) to effective burden (Be) during the fi ring is also subject to change in comparison to drilled spacing to burden ratio (S/B) Hence, the Se/Be ratio vis-à-vis fi ring pattern must be used to design the blast rounds. The results have been derived on the digital image analysis based fragment size characterization, excavator performance and evaluation of powder factor values on blasted muck piles. Skewed V- type fi ring yielded the best results in comparison to straight v-type and normally practiced diagonal fi ring pattern on the moderately strong sandstone benches, whereas, the existing diagonal fi ring pattern appears to be satisfactory on weak (weathered and gritty) sandstone benches. The presence of geological anomalies has also been investigated.

Jan 1, 2008

By Francis O. Otuonye

An application of a time series and systems analysis modeling technique to blast vibration data is discussed. The vibration data was taken from a rock support structure and the surrounding rock mass at distances close (less than 15 feet) to a blast. The analysis technique provides quantitative information on the frequencies of ground motion as well as the frequencies and damping ratios of a near-field support structure.

Jan 1, 1994

By Carlos Agreda

A general review of the comminution theory and also the general differential equation of the comminution are described, analyzed and discussed in order to be applied to rock blasting. Some size distribution functions are reviewed and discussed to determine which of them represents better the cumulative low size distribution F(x) as a function of the nominal particle size (x), for the rock blasting fragmentation. Based on the mathematical comminution model before presented a formula to calculate the burden (B) is developed and discussed.

Jan 1, 1994

The most common method for identifying the potential for blast damage is the peak particle velocity. But this can depend on many factors such as the type of blast, explosive, confinement, timing and the rock mass. The value must then be used to estimate damage. But the amount of damage will depend on the rock mass quality and the excavation size and shape. The amount of damage that can be accepted will depend on the purpose of the excavation. This paper presents a logical, but very approximate, procedure that the mining engineer can follow in order to assess the potential for damage in the control of that blasting.

Jan 1, 1987

By Gregory P. Lorsbach

Significant information about any blast is contained within the seismic signal generated by the blast. In this study, standard digital signal processing techniques are utilized to extract source parameter information from a seismic signal recorded at distances commonly used in compliance monitoring. Specifically, digital seismic data was analyzed using the cross-correladon and autocorrelation functions for the purpose of determining delay timing. The initial results are interpreted to indicate that: 1) Individual delays can be identified analytically but not visually for short delay periods and large source to receiver distances, 2) Delay timing can be resolved to a few milliseconds, and 3) Results can be obtained from data collected at a minimal number of locations.

Jan 1, 1991

By Wendell W. Harris, Stanley J. Vitton

In the United States each year it has been estimated that expansive soils cause approximately $9.0 billion in damage to buildings, roads, airports, and other facilities. This figure alone exceeds the damage estimate for earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes combined. Unfortunately, some cases of expansive soil damage (swelling) are blamed on rock blasting operations if the blasting operations are located within the immediate area. While simple tests, such as the Atterberg limits test, can characterize a soil as expansive, it does not necessarily answer the question whether the foundation soils are causing distresses to a structure. In particular, it appears that once a soil has been labeled as nonexpansive it is no longer considered as a problem soil, in which case blast vibrations become the prime suspect.

Jan 1, 1996

By Robert Martin, Brian W. Stump

As part of a series of seismic experiments designed to improve the understanding of the impact of mining blasts on verifying a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, a sixteen station network of three-component seismic sensors were deployed around a large cast shot in the Black Thunder Mine. The seismic stations were placed, where possible, at a range of 2.5 kilometers with a constant inter-station spacing of 22.5 degrees. All of the data were recorded with the seismometers oriented such that the radial component pointed to the middle point of the approximately 2 kilometer long shot. High quality data were recorded at each station. Data were scaled to a range of 2.5 kilometers and the sum of the absolute value of the vertical, radial, and transverse channels computed. These observations were used to construct radiation patterns of the seismic energy propagating from the cast shot. It is obvious that cast shots do not radiate seismic energy isotropically. Most of the vertical motion occurs behind the highwall while radial and transverse components of motion are enhanced in directions parallel to the highwall.

Jan 1, 1997

By Greg Mclellan, Mark Johnson, John Pepper

Several large quarrying projects recently occurred in Miramar, Florida. These were closely monitored by the Seismologist of Record and Broward County in accordance with County and City regulations. In addition to this monitoring, the City of Miramar employed The Pepper Engineering Group, Inc., to provide additional spot check monitoring and to review the records of the other two parties on a routine basis. Broward County ordinances require that the location of each shot and the nearest protected structure be recorded along with seismograph measurement of each shot at the nearest protected structure. The positions of the blasts and nearest protected structures were determined using GPS. The blast vibrations were measured by seismograph. Over 600 shots, which are the subject of this study, were measured both by the County, the Seismologist and, on many occasions, The Pepper Engineering Group. As such, the vibration data was constantly cross-checked for consistency. The blasting contractor also provided blast designs for each shot. In this paper, the measured vibrations are plotted in terms of Resultant Peak Particle Velocity (RPPV) versus Scaled Distance (SD) on logarithmic scales. The data curves are fitted with least squares and upper 95% and 99% prediction limits are provided. Equations are presented to predict the RPPV based on scaled distance and prediction level using power fits. Statistical information concerning the derivation of the various limits is presented. The raw data used to develop this paper, along with other information concerning the shots, will be posted on the Internet for use by other researchers.

Jan 1, 2000