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By Christian Dye

"The following paper focuses on the developing relationship between the members of theInternational Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE), and the mining students from the BritishColumbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). During the past two years mining students and theISEE members have worked closely in developing a student chapter within the society and onFebruary 1st 2015, the first Canadian Student Chapter was recognized at the annual generalmeeting in New Orleans. This paper discusses the benefits that both the industry and studentsgain with a strong relationship. The mining students recognize the importance for filling the rolesof retiring members of the society and industry. Prior to 2015 the school had only offered a twoyear diploma program in mining and mineral exploration methods. That included a brief sectionin the use of explosives in the mining industry. In September of 2015 students were recruited forthe first ever Bachelors in Mining and Mineral Resource Engineering program. This engineeringdegree includes a full four month course in advanced blasting and rock fragmentation. Studentssuccessfully completing the diploma program will have an entry level of technical understandingin how blasting is conducted. The students successfully completing the bachelor degree will havean in depth technical understanding of explosives and rock fragmentation. Having this uniqueand dynamic multi-level program provides the explosives industry with a pool of talent that canbe used to fill positions with graduates for all levels of the blasting industry."

Jan 1, 2016

By Catherine T. Aimone-Martin, Elena Oana Jacobs, Brent Meins

Accurate pressure measurements during underwater detonations are critical for the protection of structures and mitigating impacts to fish and marine mammals. Current guidelines that limit underwater pressures are based on past studies, many of which used sample rates of 48 and 65 kS/s (48,000 and 65,000 samples per second). These sample rates may be insufficient to accurately record high frequency, sharp rise time blast pressures. As such, pressure thresholds associated with fish and marine mammal injury or mortality may be underestimated, calling into question the pressure and sound pressure level guidelines that govern underwater blasting today.

Jan 1, 2019

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 Scott Stephenson

Making a tunnel through solid rock can sometimes be a dangerous task. Many things must be considered in order to complete such a task safely, and efficiently. Prior to starting things must be known such as, the type of rock, the purpose for the tunnel, the destination point, then angle of decent (or ascent). Once these things are known, the method to proceed must be considered. Factors such as cost, feasibility, and time to completion must be taken into account.

Jan 1, 2009

By Carlos Neto

Traceability is the capacity to recover background, application or localization of an item, through a single, standard and registered identification. It is the identification process necessary to follow all events, occurrences, handlings and movements of a product. Generally speaking, companies and governments in the world are seeking ways for tracing the distribution of controlled products, such as food, medicines, firearms and explosives, within the supply chain as to increase safety of its consumers and the environment (ISO 14000).

Jan 1, 2007

By Alejandro Berrios, Matheus DaSilva, Erick Siqueira

Vazante mine is an underground polymetallic mine that produces zinc, lead, and silver, which belongs to Nexa Resources in Minas Gerais, Brazil. The mine, a sublevel stope underground mine, mainly applies two subvariants: VRM – Vertical Retreat Mining and Open Stope. In a specific place of the mine, the geology allowed the design of a production stope with larger dimensions than the standard stopes, commonly called Super Stope. At this place, the plan was to apply both sublevel variants simultaneously. This mining block comprises rings in two different levels, with access by two ore drives on each level; the dimensions would be approximately 50 meters high, 50 meters long, and 35 meters wide. Opening the Free Face to mine the whole Stope was a challenge due to operational issues, such as hazard risks from loading over void space, exposure to uncontained places, and the impossibility of implementing the optimal blast sequence. Wireless blasting initiators have gained popularity recently due to their convenience, safety, and efficiency. This initiation system was applied to preload all the rings required to open the Free Face, ensuring a safe and optimal blast sequence. Wireless initiation prevented hazard risks, enhanced the blast sequence to guarantee the required void space, and optimized the equipment's operational cycle. The blast crew carried out the activity without exposure to the risk of loading over void space. The wireless detonators also avoided after-blast activities, which were required to provide secure access to the blast crew, optimizing the operational cycle.

Jan 21, 2025

By Robert Pumpelly

During my nearly 30 years with ATF, (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives), I conducted hundreds of inspections. In many cases hours of time were wasted because the licensee or permittee, who had basically done everything right, was not prepared for the audit. In these cases, required documents were scattered, personnel were unprepared and no plan was in place. This paper will provide some simple steps to avoid these embarrassing delays. A list of common violations is also provided.

Jan 1, 2010

By Grant Small, Deon Pieterse

Reactive ground conditions at an open pit manganese mine in the Northern Cape of South Africa resulted in an unexpected detonation.

Feb 1, 2020

By Javier Castaneda, Luis Zozaya, Noel Huarachi, María Rocha

The objective of the project was to implement and calibrate drill and blast models supported by Geotechnical and Geological models as well as the mine and operation characteristics. The models would then be migrated to HxGN Blast to ensure a productive process that is simplified, digitized and optimized.

Feb 1, 2020

By Orica Chile, Orica Brasil, Orica Brasil Victor Morais, Kinross Paracatu Leopoldo Muñoz, Kinross Paracatu Luis Marinho, Gubio Barsottini, Orica Brasil José Vergara, Lucas Steffen, Orica Brasil Washington Vilas

In drill and blast activities, it has been a challenge to sculpt walls accordingly to what has been designed in state-of-art mining design software. Obviously, the perfection of making neat and smooth walls – using aggressive sources of energy, like explosives – are time-and-money consumable and, sometimes, even unnecessary. But undoubtedly, it is vital to guarantee solid walls, safe operations environment, beyond to avoid ore losses and pit constraints caused by poor rock breakage on detonation. Kinross Gold Corporation owns the biggest Brazilian Gold Mine, located in Minas Gerais state. Morro do Ouro mine has reached over 30 years of operation, and due its mature age, the complex has developed its pits, becoming them deeper and surrounded by high walls.

Feb 6, 2023

By R. J. Cefalo

Blast and mining spillover between phases or critical areas of the pit is a continuing problem in the mining industry and a safety concern for operating mines. The challenge for many mines is to produce the highest value in the shortest amount of time for any project. For any project, the top priority of any mine is producing ore as fast as possible. The next challenge is to keep that ore feed continuous. To achieve continuous ore feed, pits are designed with multiple phases that are connected and are mined at different elevations. This difference in elevation causes dangers with spillover between the phases during mining, drilling, and blasting. This paper covers an incident that occurred at an active mine and the work completed in creating a spillover control program over an active mining phase. The drill and blast technical group was responsible for creating blast patterns to reduce spillover between these phases. Unrealistic goals and expectations were initially set for the area of the pit. The drill and blast technical group needed to figure blast objectives and work with the geotechnical team to align with these goals. This paper will go over the executed example of setting up spillover targets and expectations for multiple sections of an operating mine. Different sections of the pit had different control measures and blast objectives due to narrow laybacks and double benching. The use and value of blast objectives and goals were beneficial in setting expectations and measuring design success. Having unrealistic blast goals can set up the operations to fail or get frustrated in trying to work on an impossible task. The problems and risks of phase interactions for many open pit operations need to be considered in the design process, along with designed controls that minimize the probability of any safety incident. Mine designs are being created in the industry and do not consider phase-to-phase mining interaction and the impact it would have on safety or production. The best future for safer mines is blast patterns that reduce spillover between phases of mining and pit designs that might account for spillover interaction.

Jan 1, 2024

By Roger Favreau, Patrice Favreau

The article reviews the aspects which contribute to the quality of the results from a blast with explosives, namely a good floor, no large blocks, easy mucking, and explains the mechanisms of the blasting process which decide on the quality of these aspects for a given blast method, and how these mechanisms can be simulated from basic principles. It proposes that good fragmentation size distribution can also be important if the rock is going to a crusher, e. g. for the ore in a mine and for the rock excavated in a quarry.

Jan 1, 2012

By Sam Taoum, Omar Riahi

Few tools allow for accurately tracking ore dilution after blasting. Existing methods often rely on data analysis or linear interpolation of velocity, which can be imprecise and less effective in varied geological settings. A promising alternative is the use of numerical simulations, which involve complex mathematical calculations incorporating real physical data about explosives and geological characteristics. These simulations can model blast-induced fragmentation and subsequent ore dilution with greater accuracy, providing detailed insights into blast dynamics by considering factors such as explosive type, blast pattern, and rock properties. Numerical simulations integrate data from sources like seismic sensors, blast monitoring equipment, and geological surveys, offering a holistic view that single-method approaches cannot match. By simulating different scenarios, mines can predict the outcomes of various blasting strategies, optimize blast designs to minimize ore dilution, and maximize recovery. Advanced numerical simulations enhance the prediction of fragmentation distribution and size post-blast, crucial for effective dilution control and maximizing ore recovery rates.

Jan 21, 2025

By J Silva Castro, Braden Lusk

Information management is important in all disciplines. In mining; collection and analysis of information before, during and even after mining is a keystone to performance. During mining, information is useful to optimize the resources and make appropriate decisions. Current technologies allow for collecting information in real time. Records of blasting activity at the mine are common practice in surface coal mining operations. The most common blast information recorded contains the location of the blast, scaled distance, geometry of the blast, weight of explosive used and quantity of blasted rock. Sometimes due to the proximity of protected structures, seismograph evidence of the particle velocity and airblast levels is required. However, in the majority of cases, the seismograph information is not linked to the blast information. Blast related information is recorded separately from the seismograph information and seismograms are little more than an attachment to the blast record. This fact makes simultaneous visualization and analysis of the technical details of the blast with the vibration and airblast information difficult.

Jan 1, 2012

By Jonathan Heiner

Rio Tinto Bingham Canyon Mine started its South Wall Push Back (SPB) in 2011. This push back will mine through the only road to the pit bottom (the 10%). The pit bottom is the main ore sector for the mine and supplies about 80 to 90% of the ore. In late 2017 the mine set off a blast in SPB that created a small wedge failure on the high wall between SPB and the 10%. This wedge failure released a rock approximately 20 minutes after that blast that rolled down the wall landing on the 10% near and then contacting a light vehicle

Jan 1, 2019

By Thierry Bernard

To be able to precisely predict the result of a mine blast before pressing the button is a goal for many blasters due to the environmental and economic constraints of our century. Based on the fundamental fracturing of the mechanism of rocks by explosives, the most recent research in digital modeling, the power of present computers, and the possibilities offered by drones, we have designed a realistic digital 3D simulation model for mine blasts

Feb 1, 2020

By Thierry Bernard

It was in the 1980s that USBM published one of the first regulations to protect constructions from the effects of vibrations caused by mine blasts. Several countries have made their own regulations or recommendations since then with vibration limits that are often lower. However, on many sites, operators choose vibration limits that are lower than those of the existing standards, in order to limit the number of complaints received. The real question is how can we know what level of vibration is susceptible to create or worsen an existing crack in a construction. MCM, to the north of Quebec, is working a deposit on the periphery of the town of Malartic. Within the scope of its environmental monitoring programme, together with the joint monitoring committee, MCM has equipped four sample houses for over 18 months, in order to learn if there is a relationship between the evolution of damage to existing constructions and the seismic levels of vibrations created by mine blasts. The publication presents the results of this unique study that has analyzed millions of measurements (seismic, extensometric, and temperature) to define what relationship exists between the levels of vibration and the movement of cracks. Some surprising results versus some published previously (see ref) might change our perception of the subject.

Jan 1, 2018

By Bethany Witter, Dyno Nobel

In the past decades, a technological explosion has caused generational shifts. First, millennials experienced a technological shift to computers and cellphones. Next, Generation Z experienced a shift to smart phones and social media. These two generations are immersed in technology and are accustomed to constant connectivity. How do the extractive and construction industries gain the interest of younger generations and integrate them into the industry?

Feb 1, 2020

By P. Lozada

The objective currently demanded from controlled blasting techniques is to minimize damage to the remaining rock mass while protecting the integrity of mine walls and ensuring the quality of the fragmented material for easier extraction. Finding this balance represents one of the three main challenges faced by large open-pit mines. They must achieve mine stability by complying with slope designs while also maintaining good results in terms of fragmentation and equipment productivity. The main constraints are related to unfavorable geological conditions, water presence, limited drilling diameters and available explosive products, as well as managing drilling times and blast scheduling, among others. For slope control, in addition to presplitting, blasting designs generally include buffered rows, drilled with smaller diameters, and loaded with fewer kilograms of explosives than production holes. The objective is to reduce the powder factor (kg/t) to minimize the energetic influence on the walls and attenuate damage. However, this often requires using very short charge lengths compared to the bench height (one-third or less) and reducing the pattern geometry, which increases the number of holes per ton and drilling costs. This traditional technique of reducing powder factor in the buffered rows has the main limitation of not being able to distribute the explosive energy throughout the entire column, leading to fragmentation issues mainly in the steaming area. Measurements conducted by Orica in their operations indicate at least a 30% increase in P80 particle size in the buffer zone associated with this condition. To improve energy distribution, techniques such as decking, or vertically decoupled charges can be employed. However, these techniques cannot be applied under wet conditions, and strict control over implementation quality is required to avoid deviations, which increases loading operational times and resource required. In this sense, the use of less energetic and lower-density explosives is a better alternative. On one hand, they allow for complete charge columns in the buffered rows, ensuring homogeneous fragmentation, and on the other hand, they reduce the energetic influence on the slopes, significantly decreasing vibration levels. With less energy per kilogram of explosive (MJ/kg) and less charge per linear meter (kg/m), it becomes possible to handle higher specific charges and longer explosive columns, providing flexibility in drilling and loading design options without compromising slope stability.

Jan 1, 2024

By Bethany Witter

In the past decades, a technological explosion has caused generational shifts. First, millennials experienced a technological shift to computers and cellphones. Next, Generation Z experienced a shift to smart phones and social media. These two generations are immersed in technology and are accustomed to constant connectivity. How do the extractive and construction industries gain the interest of younger generations and integrate them into the industry? The Virginia Tech Student Chapter of the International Society of Explosives Engineers handled this same issue with its recruitment efforts and event planning from 2017-2019. The first critical component of integrating Generation Z college students into the extractive industries is clear and frequent communication via email. Next, Generation Z often values the motivation behind work when choosing a career, so advertising technological advancements, benefits, and ways people can contribute to improving the industry also helps attract young generations. Similarly, advertising opportunities for people to work outside with their hands, travel, and secure stable careers can attract students. At Virginia Tech, the most effective way to attract and maintain the interest of students in extractive industries is to put the students in the field. Field trips to mines and factories experienced the most stable attendance and highest survey reviews of all other chapter events. Guest presentations from industry professionals were often well attended, but attendance tapered off as the academic year progressed and students grew busier. Periodic trips throughout the year maintained student engagement and often supplemented their curriculum. The student chapter was relatively successful in attracting students, but it struggled to maintain attendance levels in the latter portion of the academic year. In the future, the industry can increase its recruitment of Generation Z and Millennials into the workforce by working more closely with university programs to provide resources and opportunities for hands-on experiences for students.