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By Dimitri Frantzos, Stewart Thompson, Ed Skiba, Hans Tammemagi

On behalf of Acres International we would like to thank Frank Chiappetta of Blasting Analysis International for inviting our organization to participate in this state-of-the-art course on blasting analysis techniques.

Jan 1, 1989

By Gary Kahn

The knowledge of how and when your explosives go off can help you make intelligent decisions regarding future application of explosives thus removing some of the black magic associated with blasting. The net result will be intelligently set-up shots with timing, explosive charges, and placement more accurately done. Lower operational costs can be achieved when the correct combinations are applied.

Jan 1, 1989

By L C. Taylor, H U. Lesiste

This is a preliminary study of the statistical variation of the pressures on a target above a buried explosion. The data were taken at various distances from the charge centerline for three heights of the target above the soil and one charge depth of burial. All tests were conducted in saturated sand. They show that peak pressures and times of peaks are neither repeatable from shot to shot nor rotationally symmetric within a single shot. The peak pressure and time of peak at each location can be represented by cumulative normal distributions. The paper describes the means and standard deviations of these distributions at eight distances from the charge center for each height of target. These are used to determine the change in standard deviation of the distribution with distance from the charge centerline and height of target. The effect of scale on the mean peak pressures and times of peaks and on their standard deviations at a single scaled distance from the centerline of the charge are explored using various charge weights.

Jan 1, 2010

By Rapheal Trousselle

For over 5 years, Davey Bickford has been developing and testing an electronic detonator blasting system. These new-technology detonators provide more accurate timing than conventional systems that rely on the combustion speed of a pyrotechnic composition.

Jan 1, 1997

By Dennis R. Jr Bell

Before beginning any site development or mineral extraction activity, it has been well documented that it is first prudent to gain an understanding of the prevailing geologic conditions.Whether it’s identifying the depth to type of bedrock, or determining the quality and quantity of the in place mineral deposit, these factors should always be considered in a project’s fatal flaw analysis. In situations where there is limited subsurface information, geologic models have been proven to be one of the most valuable and cost-effective tools used by the developer and/or his consultant.

Jan 1, 1997

By Jack Eloranta

The winning of metals often requires fine grinding of very hard ore. The US Bureau of mines measured compressive strengths exceeding 100,000 PSI (700 MPa) in Minnesota taconites. Grinding down to 300 mesh (50 µ) is required for some fine-grained taconites. While other metal ores may not be as strong, significant grinding costs are the rule rather than the exception. One author recently reported that a 7% drop in grinding costs would fully offset a doubling of the drill and blast budget. Another author found that drill and blast costs were 13% of the costs of producing iron ore concentrate while fine crushing and grinding were over 60% of the cost of producing concentrate.

Jan 1, 2013

By Alastair Grogan, Ron Elliott, Dale MacLean

Blasting for armour stone presents many unique challenges. Often, blasters get themselves into trouble when they assume that they can simply modify a production blast design to produce the required fragmentation size. They bid on the project using typical production blasting costs, and then find that they cannot produce the required fragmentation size and quantity with an acceptable waste factor. This paper outlines industry best practice guidelines for the production of riprap or armour stone. The paper examines the importance of initial geological mapping to determine the average in-situ block size, and the advantages to be gained from working with the geology to maximize production of the required block sizes. The paper also outlines the importance of proper explosives selection as well as blast designs that are unique to the production of riprap. The paper reviews challenges and experiences realized from multiple projects in differing rock types.

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 Pat McLaughlin

Environmental constraints are pushing many operators to change from large rotary blastholes to the smaller diameter holes drilled with down-hole or top-hammer rigs. Productivity improvements over the years with these two drilling techniques has taken some of the bite out of the transition, while improved fragmentation and more uniform muck due to the tighter patterns can help offset increased explosives costs.

Jan 1, 1995

By Greg S. Williams, Richard W. Givens

This paper examines the effect of prill size consistency, internal panicle density, and oil absorbency on Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO)-emulsion blends. By analyzing these physical properties of prill and the nature of the blending process, a mathematical model has been developed to theoretically predict blend densities. Calculated densities can now be compared to actual field densities to give an operator a basis for comparing various manufacturers’ emssions and Ammonium Nitrate (AN) during bid solicitation. The lowest priced emulsion and/or AN may not be the most economical, due to the impact of specific physical characteristics. These factors dictate the blending mechanics and resulting density yields for various mixes. The research was driven from observed ‘field’ mixing relationships and data. Ultimately, such a model can be an effective tool in evaluating blends from a cost and performance basis.

Jan 1, 1992

By Robert McClure

The detection, recovery and disposal of commercial explosives and explosive waste has always carried a level of risk and requires specialized equipment and technical expertise. Improperly stored, discarded, deteriorated, misfired, stolen or surplus products are often the primary sources of explosives that require safe disposal. Detection and disposal tools available today have advanced significantly due to developments in Counter-Improvised Explosive Devices (C-IED) operations and commercial blasting technology. These technologies have provided safer more efficient ways to detect, investigate and dispose of commercial explosives products in order to minimize property damage and potential harm to disposal personnel and the general public.

Jan 1, 2015

By Richard Hosley, James Daley

Every grey haired member of the explosive’s industry has said at least once, “We have to get some younger blood into our industry, I might want to retire someday.” And many a youngster who loves to see explosions has wondered how to get involved in such an exciting, yet intimidating, industry. While there are many answers to these questions, an internship program is a great answer to both

Jan 1, 2014

By John H. Weigand, Stephen V. Crum

"VIBRONICS, INC. instrumented and monitored a residential structure for response to,blasting at aMidwestern surface coal operation. The residence was owned by the mining company and was extremely close to the operation. Blasting was conducted within 120 feet (36.5 meters) of the test structure. Up to seventeen (17), four (4)-channel seismographs were used during the monitoring period. The basement walls and floor were monitored. VIBRONICS, INC. also monitored a brick chimney in the basement and attic. Structural responses were then compared to outside vibration measurements taken in the soil near the foundation."

Jan 1, 1998

By Noelia Valencia, Carlos Agreda, Jean Arenales, Juan Llerena

"In this technical paper is reported the several tests and the preliminary results that has been obtained so far. It must be emphasized that this investigation was started several months ago.On the other hand, it is known that acid water exists in some underground mining operations as well as in open pit mining operations all over the world. Taking into account this problem, our work teamdecided to carry out the present investigation. Therefore, it ensures a decrease in blasting costs avoiding this problem and as well as this, it allows to reducing fatal accidents that could occur caused by poor control of acid waters within mining operations."

Jan 1, 2016

By Sam Ammermann, William Heasley

"The mining industry is on an ever accelerating path to complete mechanization. As companiesutilize more sophisticated and efficient methods of blasting, a more thorough look should begiven to the pros and cons of mechanized shaft sinking. Historically, Vertical Shaft SinkingMachines (VSSM) have been capital intensive, making it hard to enter lowest bidder marketssuch as the United States. As advances in safety and technology have occurred, VSSM methodsare becoming increasingly common in many countries outside the United States. Decreasedcapital requirements, a greater amount of competition within the VSSM market along withgreatly improved safety practices, have made it more competitive with traditional drill and blast(D&B) methods. However, VSSM technology has yet to be embraced by the United States. Alarge culture shift will have to occur before VSSM technology will become common in theUnited States. The history, and advent, of raised boring machines will be discussed and how itrelates to the current development of VSSM technology. The researchers will analyze the uniquerisks of D&B methods and how they compare with the unique risks of VSSM technology. Theresearchers will put an emphasis on risks directly affecting the safety of personnel working onthe shaft sinking operation. Many of these risks are identified by contracting companies withregards to geology, relative location of resources and the chosen shaft sinking method. Theresearchers will discuss specific risks a given shaft sinking company will want to consider whenchoosing between D&B and VSSM methods."

Jan 1, 2016

By Steven Putt

Seismic While Drilling (SWD) is a newly developed technology in the mining industry. Improving upon Measurement While Drilling (MWD) systems, SWD measures mechanical properties of the rock at incremental depths down a blast hole at a much higher resolution. SWD is also immune to common failures and inconsistencies of MWD such as operator and drill specific variation. Seismic While Drilling records the velocity and elastic modulus of the rock with centimeter accuracy in real-time. These properties measured while drilling blastholes are then used as a proxy for density which can be used for: • High resolution geologic modeling • 3D ore control • Drill and blast optimization • Drill to mill tracking One of the distinct challenges with SWD systems is the sheer volume of information acquired. With thousands of measurements per blasthole, the data can be overwhelming for even an experienced engineer. To overcome this complex challenge, the latest cloud computing and analytics models have been simplifying and organizing the data. These newer technologies can amplify an engineer’s capability by delivering actionable insights into their drilling and blasting workflows. The paper presents new results from Datacloud during recent Seismic While Drilling trials in iron ore, metallurgical coal, and hard rock mines around the world. The measurements are compared with wireline geophysical logs, core data, drill cuttings, and conventional measurement while drilling (MWD) systems to validate the technology and show how the data can be used.

By Wawa Jaka Sungkawa, Slamet Rachman Jaka, Tom Dermody

Nowadays, with such a focus on environmental protection, surface mining activities have come under pressure to ensure their activities do not adversely affect the local surroundings. As part of the extractive process, blasting activities are an integral part of a mining company’s operational cycle. Consequently achieving beneficial blast results while complying with environmental requirements has become a key focus. This especially is the case when firing blasts within close proximity of residents where additional control measures need to be implemented to control vibration. One case where this occurs in Indonesia is in the Paringin Pit, one of the operational areas of the company's. The pit has complex geological conditions and is surrounded by several residential areas. Between 2014 to 2017 there were 12 cases of ground vibration exceedance due to blasting. As part of a continuous improvement project the company's targeted minimizing the vibration exceedance in this area. A project was undertaken to research and develop a method to confidently predict vibration. It was decided that the scaled distance formulas were not adequate to predict vibration when using non-electric detonators, as accurate wave propagation could not be achieved. The problem is how to manage of complex geology condition related with wave propagation in ground vibration control. Geological condition mapping with specific spatial range can and combine with Signature Hole Analysis be a solution to make wave propagation easier to accommodate in ground vibration control. With this new approach geological condition mapping with specific spatial range was produced that would minimize vibration while ensuring beneficial blast results. Introducing the new prediction produced nil cases of vibration exceedance in 2018 and beyond and proved that the Signature Hole Analysis in specific spatial range of geological condition is the preferred method to optimize blast result and maintain vibration control.

By L C. Taylor, H U. Lesiste

This paper describes a method for estimating the density distribution in the soil cap as a function of distance from its top at the time of impact with the target. It provides an estimate of the density distribution in the soil on the center line of the soil cap at the time of target impact for a single depth of burial of the charge and two heights of target and shows that, for the heights of target and the depth of burial considered, the thickness of the soil cap first increases from the in situ value and then decreases. The distribution of soil density along the centerline of the soil cap changes significantly with distance from its original position. These results can be used for validating hydro-code computations and the soil models used in the computations.

Jan 1, 2011

By Tianrui Xu, Chaohong Liu, Bangqing Ding

The authors were responsible for a series of large scale multiple chamber charge blasts conducted in the granite mountain area for making construction space on the southeast sea coast in China during 1993-1996. This paper describes the blast design and damage control of one mountain blast 320m in length and 280m in width in the vicinity of two wharfs and a dam. In order to obtain better rock fragmentation and muckpile, the explosive charge should be well-distributed in the mountain. The charge pattern, therefore, was designed with mainly 5 rows of tunnel charge in regular terrain in combination with a chamber charge in irregular topography area and the maximum burden was limited to be less than 38m. In order to protect the dam and wharfs the firing sequence was carefully arranged in 29 intervals and the distance between different charges of the same delay to the dam or wharf was taken into account as an additional delay interval based on the difference of p-wave propagating times. The maximum charge fired in an interval was also limited to less than 34t explosives through dividing the larger charge by a stemming deck.

Jan 1, 1998

By Douglas Rudenko

Most engineers, mine operators, or contractors acknowledge the importance of having accurate subsurface information in order to plan a project or solve a problem. Conventional methods of exploring the subsurface such as augering, core borings, or test pits can provide information, but it is often costly and sparse. Geophysical methods offer an alternative to help supplement sparse information~ gathered through conventional exploration techniques.

Jan 1, 1998