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By John W. Kopp

The U. S. Bureau of Mines investigated flyrock and burden movement from blasting at several limestone and basalt quarries in the upper midwest. Blasts have been studied at 14 different sites using high-speed cinematography. Blasting was accomplished in 75- and 150-mmdiameter holes using a variety of explosives. Films from each blast were analyzed to show burden velocities, observed flyrock distance, and direction of throw in relation to the shot layout. This technique, in some cases, allowed determining point of origin and cause of the flyrock as well as the flyrock range.

Jan 1, 1994

By Paulo Couceiro, Manuel Lopez Cano

"The Panama Canal is one of the most important engineering projects of the modern era and plays astrategic role in the global economy and international maritime trade since its inauguration in 1914. Now, a little more than one century later, the final phase of its expansion program, the largest infrastructure works undertaken since its inauguration, has concluded. This expansion program has created a new lane of traffic along the Canal with the construction of a new set of locks – one on the Pacific side and another one on the Atlantic side -, increasing the Canal’s capacity and its impact on the world’s economy even more."

Jan 1, 2017

By Ron Woolf, Corry Goumans

With increasing traffic volumes experienced thro u g hout North America, a common goal for Highway officials is to keep traffic flowing as much as possible and to keep disruptions to the flow to a minimum. Our experience throughout the US and Canada has shown that all Departments of Transportation are under extreme pressure from the private sector to keep highways open for various reasons, convenience and revenue being the most common. For example, on Highway 99, from Vancouver, BC to the Whistler resort area, local merchants, homeowners and ski hill operators exert extreme pressure on the Ministry of Transportation to keep the highway open, and in Pennsylvania, the Turnpike Commission requires traffic to flow on a continual basis. Loss of revenue in these two cases is the main impetus to keep the traffic moving.

Jan 1, 2003

By Joel Chipana, Roberto Laredo, Benjamin Cebrian

Ring blasting is a common production method in underground metal mines. As a drill and blast process, it presents particular features that do not correspond with bench blasting in open pit or underground mining.

Jan 1, 2017

By Jhon Silva-Castro, Russell Lamont

Understanding the behavior of materials subjected to high strain rate conditions is of fundamental importance to the mining industry. Several stages of the mining process involve high speed loading rates including blasting, scraping, comminution, etc. Technical comprehension of how rocks deform, fracture, and fail under these loads is a fundamental first step required prior to any serious attempts at optimization of the energy utilized for pertinent activities in the mining process. A Split-Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) was designed and constructed at the University of Kentucky to study the dynamic properties of various types of rocks.

Jan 1, 2017

By Yogesh Narula

Nevis Bluff Landslide - On September 17” 2000, a rockfall measuring lO,OOOm3 at Nevis Bluff, New Zealand, triggered a loday emergency. It ended when a hazardous column of rock that towered over State Highway 6 was finally shattered. The operation called for unusual and unique solutions using aerial bombing and inverted blasting techniques, not known to have been attempted before under these conditions, anywhere in the world.

Jan 1, 2002

By Ph. D. Favreau, Favreau Patrice B. Eng, R. F.

Geology is important in mining by helping to identify the rocks which contain sufficient valuable ore to justify their excavation. Geologists give a geological name to each rock type, so geology is a player in blasting; when a blaster has successfully blasted rock of a given geological name at a former site, and he later has to blast rock at another site whose rock has the same geological name, then his first trial often is the same method as he used at the former site, since the geological name of the rock is the same

Jan 1, 2019

By E. Contestabile, B. von Rosen

Recently, the Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory (CERL) completed its investigation of a truck accident, which involved 18,000 kg of commercial explosives, 13,000 kg of which was ANFO. Over the three years of the investigation unconfined burns of piles of ANFO were performed. In its final phase of the investigation, two burn trials were performed in an attempt to recreate the accident and the ensuing fire, to identify probable mechanisms that led from burning to detonation. Two full-scale tests were performed using complete tractor-trailers. In each test, the trucks were placed in a jack-knifed position with the majority of the explosives located on the ground in front of the trailer. The explosives were placed in a manner to provide maximum confinement and to maximize the possibility of explosion/detonation while remaining as faithful as possible to the perceived accident geometry. The tests were instrumented using thermocouples and video cameras and observations were made on the burning characteristics of the explosives, tractor-trailer and tractor-trailer components. In each test the explosives burned calmly for approximately 80 minutes. There was no evidence of explosion or of unstable burning. The heat caused several truck components to rupture violently. These included the tires, some engine components, the spring brake chambers and possibly the fuel tanks. Of these, the most violent were the truck tires. Although no quantitative data was gathered on rupture violence or fragment velocity, it is speculated that several truck components might produce fragments with sufficient energy to initiate heat-sensitised explosives under favourable circumstances.

Jan 1, 2004

By Robert Hopler

On June 13, 1912, the final decree of dissolution of the DuPont explosives trust was handed down, and the resulting new companies began operating at the beginning of the new year. The property assets granted to (or retained by) the companies were as follows:

Jan 1, 2014

By Catherine Johnson, Barbara Rutter

The shock tunnel located at the Missouri University of Science and Technology Experimental Mine is 65 feet 9 inches (20.0406 m) in length. The tests performed inside of this tunnel are either arena tests or shock interaction and transfer (SIT) tests. Arena tests simulate a large open air blast, with lower explosive weights, by elongating the impulse of the blast wave. SIT tests are conducted to determine how the produced shock wave interacts and transfers its energy into a target object located at the end of the tunnel. The target used in this research is multilayered, with each layer being a different material. The targets are 2 ft. by 4 ft. (0.6096m by 1.2192m) pieces of Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), DOW polystyrene foam insulation, and gypsum drywall. The order of these materials varies with each test. This shock tunnel is unique, because the geometry changes along its length. To fully understand how the shock waves are affected by these changes, a working model was needed. The second purpose of this model is to confirm the maximum charge size of 400 grams (14.11 oz.) of C4 that can be detonated inside the tunnel without causing damage to or failure of the tunnel, thus reducing the amount of time needed in downtime and repair. The model predicts pressures in various locations both within the tunnel and the attached target, thus assisting in determining where failures would likely occur. In the process of generating this model, several problems were encountered, including filling the tunnel with air, meshing the complex geometry, and creating the tunnel in a CAD system. This paper will discuss how these problems were solved. A working model was created by using ANSYS Explicit Dynamics and ANSYS Autodyn. The tunnel geometry file was created using SolidWorks and includes the complex geometry changes along with the target and its mount located at the end of the tunnel. The results produced by the model were compared to the field SIT tests. The comparison of the results from both the model and the experimental testing showed a similar trend in the pressure traces.

Jan 1, 2018

By Lon Santis, Michael Swisdak, John Tatom

The Institute of Makers of Explosives (IME) and A-P-T Research, Inc. (APT) have developed a quantitative risk assessment tool called IMESAFR (IME Safety Analysis for Risk) for managing risk from various activities undertaken in the commercial explosives industry. The first version was completed in 2006 and Version 2.0 of the software was completed in 2012, incorporating several major new features. The platform is now based on a Geographic Information System (GIS), providing a bird’s-eye-view to help visualize facility layouts and risk. Spatial data on potential explosion sites and exposed sites can now be automatically transferred from the images to ease users’ data input. Use of GIS data provides the ability to check facility compliance with quantity-distance (QD) standards such as the American Table of Distances (used by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, ATF), the NATO standard (used by Natural Resources Canada and other nations), or a user-defined table. Research conducted and knowledge gained over the last 10 years enabled changes in the algorithms and models that provide greater fidelity and reduce conservatism. Expert users can change global settings to more accurately match actual site conditions and the program runs using either Imperial (English) or SI (metric) units of measure. These changes and other new features are discussed and demonstrated.

Jan 1, 2013

By Ignacio Humeres Valdivia, Alejandro Ferrada Vergara

In the latest years, the use of innovative blasting techniques has become more frequent in mines all over the world. Such techniques allow the miner to be more aggressive in the distribution of explosive energy into the rock mass, e.g., stretching blasting patterns to improve fragmentation. Considering the different rock mass conditions and more energetic blasting designs, misfired shot events have occurred. After cause investigation, initiators have shown evidences of deformation by impact and/or loaded boreholes have resulted in emulsion desensitization, both presumably affected by dynamic pressure.

Jan 1, 2015

By Radhe Krishna, Mutale William Chanda, Timothy Mwale

Blasting as a process is the emplacement of industrial explosives into blast holes suitably located to a free surface and detonated. Every blast hole containing a certain amount of explosive charge undergoes impulsive loading when detonated and results in the dynamic transfer of a powerful shock wave to the surrounding rock. It is the shock wave that brings about rock breakage when the tensile stress produced upon reflecting from the change in material density or free face overcomes that of rock material tensile strength. However, this shock wave comes along with unwanted destructive consequences such as damage to remaining rock, ground vibration, noise and fly rock. The above mentioned consequences pose a great threat to the Community of Wusakile, Kitwe as Mopani Copper Mines Plc wishes to increase its production by expanding the pit towards the community that lies within 150 m (164 yd) from the pit rim. As a requirement from the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), all blasting operations close to the community must maintain at least below the maximum vibration threshold of 10 mm/s (0.3937 in/s) PPV-Peak Particle Velocity or else risk closure of the mine (AMC,2009). In order to satisfy the above statement, a good understanding of explosives is required. This paper therefore presents the phenomenology of rock breakage by explosives with much emphasis on electronic blasting and how best this process can be controlled in densely populated communities. Factors affecting maximum projection distance such as, size of the fragment, shape of the fragment, angle of projection, the state of confinement of an explosive charge, were also studied. In addition, design faults, deviation in implementation and unforeseen geological conditions were also considered. The paper discusses the above facts based on research.

Jan 1, 2015

By Samir Garcia, Alain Mestanza

This technical work was carried out in an open pit copper mining unit, located in central Peru, which has a daily production of 440 thousand tons per day. Currently the pit consists of three mining phases, however, in phase 05 north, there is the construction of a shaft with a height of 375 meters, the function of this structure is to collect and drain the water coming from the pit, there is the importance of preserving its stability and keeping it operational, guaranteeing the sustainability of the operation. For this, a controlled blasting plan was developed that goes from level 4530 to level 4455 to place the central well on a bench, reactivating the pools.

Jan 21, 2025

By A. Andrades, E. Arias, Y. Pizarro, J. Alarcón

Division Ministro Hales - Codelco (DMH) is located at 2600 meters above sea level, 10 km north of the city of Calama, Antofagasta region, Chile. In operation since 2010, it corresponds to a porphyry copper deposit that is exploited by the open pit mining method. The ore is mainly composed of sulfides, which is concentrated by comminution processes such as crushing, SAG milling and ball milling to liberate the mineral particles, and then separated from the waste (concentrate) in flotation stages, including a concentrate regrinding stage. Reports from the DMH processing plant area have identified a decrease in fine copper recovery, with the first hypothesis being the high percentage of ultrafine particles (% <45µm) in the flotation feed. Due to the above, DMH & Orica decided to carry out activities to identify the controllable variables that can impact the generation of low size particles in ore and adjust them to reduce the percentage of fine material generation, with special focus on the Drilling and Blasting processes. Based on the data provided by DMH, we evaluated what could be integrated to make an analysis. The different attributes associated with the ore and their effect on copper recovery were evaluated. In parallel, at the mine, a fragmentation measurement campaign was carried out at the loading faces and granulometric analysis of the drill cuttings. Once the correlations between the attributes and copper recovery were identified, hypotheses were established and reviewed with the Drilling & Blasting, Geotechnical, Geology and Process Plant areas. With the validations of the hypotheses and the results of the in-mine (cutting) measurements, we proceeded to review the criteria for the classification of Blastable Geotechnical Units and their associated D&B designs. Using software and the Crush Zone Model (CZM) tool, which considers rock and rock mass parameters, scenarios for various D&B design proposals were simulated with the objective of reducing the generation of ultrafine particles from the blasting process. Next steps include trial blasting with the D&B design recommendations, which will require follow-up to the flotation process to identify the impact on the reduction of ultrafine material from blasting.

Jan 1, 2024

By Jason Rock, Rob Thompson, Lee Julian

This paper presents an innovative shift in inhibited bulk products with specific reference to their manufacture and application.

Feb 1, 2020

By Daodu Opeyemi

This paper describes several damages of blasting operations on some case studies, analyzes causative factors, and emphasizes preventive measures. Due to several complaints from some host mining communities as a result of blasting operations; two quarries from Nigeria suburbs were visited for study. The blasting design parameters in the mining companies were examined. Also, the history and existing conclusion of the neighboring buildings were studied using structured questionnaire, personal contact and visual examination. From the study carried out, it was discovered that varying negative environmental and socio economic problems resulted from the effects of vibration and flyrock on the nearby agro mining communities. The consequences are not limited to distortion of landscape but also include extinction of some animals, poor agricultural productivity; such as damages to economic trees and reduction in the yield of crops, health problems as a result of shock resulting to psychological disturbances, communal conflicts, blast induced cracks of structures and sometimes total collapse of host agro mining buildings, thus indicating that most mines did not comply with the safety concept of the existing environmental laws and regulations. Based on the results of the study it was recommended that proper blast design of quarries/mines should be conducted and the compulsory use of seismograph will be crucial in developing predictions. Environmental impact assessment should always be conducted before, during and after each blasting operation. Other possible control of vibration, flyrock and airblast, are also discussed in the paper

Jan 1, 2009

By Robert Hopler

THE KEYSTONE NATIONAL POWDER COMPANY is an Independent organization, incorporated under the laws of the State of Pennsylvania. It has three dynamite mills near Emporium, Pa., with a daily capacity of 165,000 pounds. It maintains branch offices in practically all the largest cities east of the Rocky Mountains, and has distributing magazines located in every section where there is a demand for high explosives, with facilities for wagon deliveries. Our mills are all of modern type and are equipped with the most improved machinery for the manufacture of high explosives. The efficiency of our laboratory in conjunction with the high class of labor employed, has enabled us to put on the market an explosive, the quality of which is the result of extensive research and scientific knowledge. Our modern and complete equipment for harbor and railroad transportation insures our patrons of prompt deliveries, which is an essential feature particularly to contractors and those whose facilities for storage are limited.

Jan 1, 2013

By Dale Preece, Mike Stern, Steve Piercey, Ayman Tawadrous, GC Zhao

The McArthur River uranium mine in Saskatchewan, Canada is the world’s largest high-grade uranium mine. It has employed a freeze-wall system consisting of multiple freeze pipes to control the large quantities of water encountered during mining.

Jan 1, 2011

By Weiying Zeng, Shouwei Wang, Jinbei Zhong, Xiangdong Meng, Lingtian Meng

"Due to a drainage problem, the Lanzhou to Chongqing high-speed rail line had been out of service during the 2015 wet season, so a drainage tunnel is to be constructed for the line and required to be accomplished before the 2016 wet season. This drainage tunnel is only 5 meters below the line which is in service, therefore blasting vibration needs to be strictly controlled. This paper introduces all theapplied blasting methods, parameters and detonation throughout the entire project, finally bringing in the electronic detonator stagger phase technique and corresponding time difference for detonation."

Jan 1, 2017