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By Kirstin Girdner, Tom BoBo, Brian Norton, John Kemeny

Split Engineering is a truly customer oriented company dedicated to providing quantified fragmentation information of the highest integrity to enable process management and control. Technical decisions, blasting costs, operational efficiency and productivity and equipment performance can all be related to optimum fragmentation. In the past, the lack of an easy, non-disruptive, economical measuring technique has meant that, in most cases, rock fragmentation has not been defined in quantitative terms. Now, the Split-Desktop@ software provides an economical alternative to manual sampling and screening and an objective measure rather than subjective qualitative estimates. This workshop will present the latest features of the Split-Desktop@ software and show users how to quickly get quantifiable results from their blast fragmentation. A step-by-step demonstration will display the software’s flexibility, user-friendly options, and ease of use. Outlining where other mines have benefited from using the Split-Desktop@ software will provide insight to a wide range of software uses and potential applications like creating a database of geologic zone specific post-blast fragmentation information, underground draw point monitoring, stockpile, leach pile, and waste dump size measurement and monitoring, as well as many other applications.

Jan 1, 2000

By Ralph E. Burnham, Jeff Taylor, Jonson Montgomery, J. Kelly Ratliff, Rennie Montgomery, Martin Brashear

Top priorities for all blasting companies and individual blasters are risk management, safety of company personnel and the general public, regulatory compliance, and liability protection. On a daily basis, hundreds of shots are detonated by well-trained, skilled, and experienced blasters without incident. Unfortunately, accidents inevitably occur, which is why blasting is considered an “ultra hazardous” or “inherently dangerous” activity from a legal perspective. Despite countless regulations, recent advances in technology, improved training, ongoing research, and improved communication in the industry, mistakes and the resulting incidents continue to occur during blasting operations. These result in dangerous or deadly flyrock, site security lapses, increased complaints, blast damage claims, and lawsuits, which lead to increased insurance costs and other financial tolls for blasting companies. In life, lessons learned the hard way are rarely forgotten. The same is true in blasting operations. Blasting missteps and the resulting events are often the best catalysts for improving risk management and thereby reducing accidents, liability, and financial tolls. This paper provides a summary of two incidents, one safety and the other liability related, and the errors that resulted in a fatality in one case and a multi property lawsuit in the other. The two incidents provide examples that serve as a case study for lessons learned the hard way in blasting operations and offer guidance for the considerations that blasters and blasting companies should incorporate into daily operating procedures.

Jan 1, 2018

By Francisco Sena Leite, Pedro Brito, Auã Kiahla, Raquel Carvalhinha, Tomi Kouvonen, Vinicius Miranda

Shockwaves that generate vibration in the surrounding environment of a blast, are one of the most important factors to control drill & blasting works near delicate buildings as well as in sensitive structures (wall control). On top of the damage to the buildings themselves, sensitive equipment such as computers, measurement apparatus and medical devices can be also compromised. The most commonly measured values from vibration are PPV (peak particle velocity), acceleration and displacement. Some devices and techniques have been developed in the last decades to measure the impacts of these vibratory phenomena. This information can be used to predict levels of vibration for future blasts and improve their quality of design using the attenuation law. From traditional studies to modern seismographs, a range of solutions are used for this propose. The main problem of applying this kind of technology is the high cost associated with each measurement device. In order to measure the ground vibration using new technologies while lowering the cost, a device has been developed using a microcontroller and electronic sensors commonly found on the market. This new equipment was tested side by side with traditional seismographs and the results were sent to a server for analysis. After several blasts, the necessary data was generated for the validation of the prototype. Through numerical mathematical processing (Taylor’s approach and numerical derivation) the original data supplied by the accelerometer’s sensors was transformed into velocity and, after the data mining, a statistics residue analysis was applied in order to evaluate if the data from the prototype and from the traditional seismographs were similar. The data from each system was used to estimate the attenuation law and the results are shown in this paper.

By Charles Pretorius, Henk Ludik

Navachab Mine experiences difficulties with pit wall stability in certain areas of the mine. The main reason for the instability is the fact that the geology comprises many joints and faults. Blasting, without impacting negatively on the stability of the pit walls, poses a major challenge.

Jan 1, 2006

By David G. Borg

"Although researchers have realized varying degrees of success in numerics modeling, computer blast simulations and small scale in-situ testing, most will agree that the greatest uncertainty in total success stems from the uncontrollable field variables. Given the diverse nature of field conditiorencountered, no reliable and proven method of evaluating fragmentation quantitatively, and the lack of adequate field controls found in many operations, it is unlikely that a universal plug-in model will be developed for all blasting in the imediate future. This does not imply that all research devoted to modeling should cease, for it is precisely here where more research efforts are desperately needed."

Jan 1, 1989

By Troy Williams, Chris Preston, Ian Lipchak

"Underground blasting operations are challenging from the standpoint of the distribution of explosivesenergy representative of ring blasting. Energy from both shock and pressure regimes of commercialexplosives may appear concentrated in the collar region of a typical ring blast and diluted at the toes of holes due to the oblique geometries of blastholes. The non-homogenous nature of ore in whichexplosives are distributed via drillholes, adds to the complexities of generating particulate profiles from fragmented material with consistencies that are predictable from blast pattern to blast pattern - well suited for specific underground handling equipment and mill processing. In an ideal world, it would be the blasting operations themselves that represent the primary crushing mechanism, or at least mitigate mechanical crushing that can comprise a large component of the cost in generating suitable muck. This paper presents a dynamic break view in 3D that allows a planner to visualize the potential break zone around a blasthole generated by an explosive load using a Kleine field. Simple as it sounds, this methodology provides information that can be used in conjunction with cavity monitoring surveys (CMS) to potentially judge dilution due to overbreak as well as recovery for a typical blast. As examples, there are two break geometries that are examined regarding circular breaks and elliptical breaks around blastholes. Using a Kleine field to define break, a planner generated isosurface can be generated and compared to CMS data for calibration and prediction, using AEGIS 3D ring design software."

Jan 1, 2016

By Lon Santis, Dale Ramsey

The use of aircraft to support blasting operations in mines, quarries and construction sites goes back to the early days of aviation. Invaluable at times, aircraft use has been limited by cost, the unpredictability of weather impacts and other factors. Recently several technologies have matured to open up a new way to acquire aerial data with unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly called drones. Equally important, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has recently implemented an exemption process and rulemaking to implement the commercial use of UAS into the United States’ National Airspace. The skies are opening for many applications of UAS. The most notable may be photogrammetry, which is the science of making measurements from photographs, especially for determining the exact positions of surface points.

Jan 1, 2016

By W G. Szymczak, Leslie C. Taylor

The University of Maryland (UMD) has conducted a series of small-scale tests using explosive charges buried in saturated sand. Twelve different combinations of depth of burial of the charge and height of the target plate above the soil were tested. The target plates did not deform plastically. High-speed video was used to track the motion of the plate. The video data are analyzed to determine the position and velocity of the plate as a function of time. The results of this analysis are compared with computations performed at NRL using the BUB2D computer code. This code treats the saturated sand as an incompressible visco-plastic fluid which yields according to a Drucker-Prager (frictional-cohesive) yield surface. Comparisons of simulations with experiments are presented. In the cases examined so far, the velocity grows very quickly to a peak and then slows, first with a deceleration greater than one “g,” which then transitions to an approximately one “g” deceleration. An analysis of air drag on the plates has shown that its effect is negligible in the time span of interest. In all cases in which the BUB2D code can be applied, the computations compare favorably with the results of the data analysis. This suggests that the code and model used in the computation are properly capturing the physics of the interaction between the soil and a non-deforming plate.

Jan 1, 2007

By Roland Oliver

Detonators or blasting caps are made in several different grades of strength, because some powders require not only a greater, but a different initial detonation than others to convey their maximum energy through a whole charge, and the detonating qualities of each powder vary with changes in its physical condition––whether it be warm or cold, rigid, plastic, homogenous or otherwise.

Jan 1, 2007

By V. Sastry

Signgareni Collieries Company Ltd. is operating the JK Opencast Project, at Yellandu, with a rated annual capacity of 1.6 Mt of coal with an average stripping ratio of 4.3. This opencast coal project has three working sections, OC-II block, C-Block and D-Block These workings are operating in close proximity to the JR-5 Longwall Shed, 26-Dip Incline, other structures of 26-Dip, and a Township. There were complaints about ground vibrations and fly rock problems caused due to blasting operations, especially in OC-II and D-Blocks. In view of this, studies were taken up to eliminate the problems of ground vibrations and fly rock.

Jan 1, 2001

By William D. Hissem

While much technology has been developed and brought to bear in the area of blasting applications, the foundation work required for success in the muck pile begins with the drilling program.

Jan 1, 1997

By Patrick D. McLaughlin

Crater blasting techniques have had relatively little application in the surface mining industry. This is not surprising, considering the geometry required to efficiently use cratering. The more widely known blasting operations that employ some form of cratering are listed below.

Jan 1, 1992

By Mike D. J Bonneau, Malcom Jr Ford

Rietspruit Opencast Services was one of the first opencast coal mines to successfully employ cast blasting to aid in the burden removal operation. Initial work on cast blasting began at the mine in 1980 and has developed to a stage where approximately 26% of the total burden material is cast to a point where handling by draglines is no longer required.

Jan 1, 1991

By N T. Moxon, L W. Armstrong

Explosive manufacturers have for many years provided a service to the mining industry which has,until recently, been unchallenged by mine operators. Today mine operators are more aware of the properties of explosives required to perform particular tasks within their operations. These properties can be reliably quantified using the test procedures described in this paper for emulsion adn ANFO based explosives. Details of an end-user sampling programme desgined to provide quality checks on explosives supplied to a mine site are also discussed.

Jan 1, 1991

By S. Paul Singh

Rock is a heterogeneous medium, a fact often ignored during blast design. In reality, the rock mass characteristics have a controlling influence on the outcome of a blast. If the optimum blasting results are to be achieved over a range of rock mass conditions, it is prudent to understand the role played by the geological features of a rock mass in producing overbreak around the periphery of an excavation. The field work was performed in a drift located in a geologically dominant rock mass and also included observations and assessment of blast damage at several operating mines. The blast damage was estimated on the basis of the half cast factor. The effect of rock strength, rock quality designation, orientation , frequency and aperture of joints, number and thickness of layers and hydrogeological conditions on blast damage has been described.

Jan 1, 2000

By Robin Shepherdson

Security concerns have prompted the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the use of recording systems on all vessels holding materials used for blasting; a new regulation is expected in the near future. By measuring the strain developed in the legs of vessels with bolt-on sensors, it is possible to monitor the weight of vessel contents. Several companies make this type of sensor and recent versions give the required accuracy. This paper describes two generations of sensor, the second generation having a simpler method of installation that uses standard power and hand tools. Three types of indicator are available to monitor the material weight. 1) A simple electronic bar-graph indicator with a digital weight display. 2) A touch-screen display showing bar-graphs of multiple silos with digital weight displays plus their associated trend graphs, recent readings and an alarm log. 3) A data acquisition unit which acquires the weight digitally from up to 32 vessels and stores the raw and filtered date and time stamped data in a local computer database. This local computer then transmits the data via an Internet connection to a secure central database which allows the weights of all the storage vessels for a company to be viewed anytime and anywhere via the Internet. Historical trend graphs can be viewed and the data can be uploaded into an Excel file for further processing; for example to determine filling or discharge amounts. In addition, E-mail and SMS (Short Message Service) text alerts can be sent automatically when selected alarm levels are reached. Current research and development includes connection of vessels to the central database by a cellular wireless modem when a local computer or Internet connection is not available, as well as connection of remotely located vessels to a central point via “Wi-Fi bridge" radio data links. Future versions will include digital I/O (Inputs and Outputs) to record, for example, activation of filling and discharge devices as well as opening and closing of doors.

Jan 1, 2015

By Robert Hopler

Earthquakes, ground vibrations, seisms, or whatever you want to call the shaking of the earth, have been a fact of life throughout time. In spite of this, most people (except those unfortunate enough to live in seismicallyactive areas) have probably never felt this phenomenon, or if they have, only a very few times in their entire lifetime. However, when it does happen, nothing is more frightening than the sudden shaking of the earth beneath us - after all, we think of the ground we walk on as the unyielding, solid underpinning of our existence.

Jan 1, 2006

By Adrian J. Moore, Alan B. Richards

Airblast overpressure levels can commonly be increased by up to 20 decibels (dBL) by the effects of meteorology, due to inversions and wind shear. Existing atmospheric refraction models can provide a good evaluation of the effects of meteorology, but have been limited in the accuracy of their outputs by the accuracy of the meteorological data that is available for input. This paper uses case histories from open-pit coal mine blasting in the Hunter Valley area of Australia to provide examples of increases in airblast due to inversions, wind shear, and a combination of both. It gives details of our experience of the accuracy with which predictions and assessments can be made using meteorological data of various levels of accuracy, and on the design buffer that is required to prevent the exceedence of airblast limits. The accuracy of meteorological prediction and assessment will shortly be improved by the use of sounding equipment that gives continuous measurements of temperature and wind velocity at significant levels above the ground. The paper also gives details of an industry funded research project that aims to permit the effective use of this data at distances many kilometres (km) (miles) from the location of the sounding equipment, and to develop a short term predictive model that will permit the amount of meteorological reinforcement that will occur at firing time to be determined before a decision is made to tie up a shot.

Jan 1, 2005

By M. Hokkanen, M. Hagfors

The Finnish Defence Forces has destroyed old and spoilt munitions in open surface mass detonations at Hukkakero fell in municipality of Kittilä, Lapland, since 1988. The technique was learned from Sweden. The destruction camp is organized every year at autumn and it lasts 4-5 weeks. During the disposal period one or two charges are exploded per day. The gross weight of a typical charge varies from 150-250 tons including 15-25 tons of explosives. They mainly consist of TNT, but may also contain smaller amounts of amatol and hexotol. As a booster there have been used 2-3 tons of emulsion explosives.

Jan 1, 2015

By C. Sawmliana, P. Pal Roy

Near-field blast vibration response of restrained pipelines either buried or exposed was studied during rock excavations at sensitive locations for Stage-II (4x500 MW) commissioning work in a super thermal powerplant of the National Thermal Power Corporation Ltd. (NTPC) of India. The existing running plant of capacity 1000 MW has many important installations including pipelines of varying diameters. These pipelines were very close to the blasting locations (mostly within 12m). Blast optimization and consequent monitoring of vibrations were carried out simultaneously for more than 250 experimental blasts conducted by the authors. This paper emphasized, particularly, on the safety of pipelines and their responses due to repeated blasting impacts. A few guidelines supported by theoretical derivations are provided for futuristic research.

Jan 1, 2001