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By Brad Bulow

Blasting is an essentially violent process aimed to disrupt and loosen rock for productive excavation. Some dilution of any ore present is the inevitable result. This makes blasting a dirty word to most geologists, particularly in narrow vein gold mines. A 1% increase in gold recovery may be worth $1 M extra revenue to a large mine.

Jan 1, 2000

By Richard R. Marston, Scott Herr, Steve Pries, Donald L. Jr Ewart

The purpose of this paper is to identify and examine alternative methods (other than shovel/truck stripping) of effecting the pre-stripping of consolidated overburden, in conjunction with dragline stripping operations, at surface coal mines. The analysis will be case study oriented with practical mining considerations and comparative economics being evaluated. Alternatives that will be examined include blast casting, dozer push, and multiple pass dragline sequences.

Jan 1, 1992

By Francis O. Otuonye

The results of an ongoing study to determine the response of full contact rock bolts to shock waves due to blasting are presented. A time domain systems modeling and analysis technique was used to identify the axial and bending response of the bolt when explosives charges are detonated at close-in distances.

Jan 1, 1993

By Michael Beattie

A large open-cast limestone mine had its blasting operations severely restricted by the imposition of limiting PPV levels to protect a water pipe-line passing through the mine property. Attempts were made to measure the strains induced in the pipe by ground vibrations, so that a less restrictive blasting limitation could be established on a scientific basis.

Jan 1, 1992

By Winfried Rosenstock, Hans-Jochen Blatte

"The guidelines of fire-fighting strategies have to be rewritten, latest since theYellowstone-Fire.CF- and S3- procedure are developed to achieve firelines of 500 ms/ h length and 100 mswidth per unit. Thereby two stretched charges burried in different depth and fired delayedin one round covering 50,000 ms2/ h with non-combustible, natural material (soil) at oncein seconds."

Jan 1, 1993

By Stephan Iversan, Janae Singer

High resolution seismic refraction tomography has proved to be a useful tool to effectively estimate depth of blast induced damage in rock. Excavation blast damage can be as shallow as 1 to 2m (3 to 7ft) and requires resolution at a fraction of a meter for effective imaging. We used an accelerometer with flat frequency response to 1000Hz to record data at spacings of approximately 0.25 to 0.5m (0.8 to 1.6ft) along mine walls. The resulting tomograms of P-wave velocity show low velocity zones which we interpret as residual fracturing from blasting. Experiments on a concrete test block and at two underground mine locations give results that are consistent with fractured rock transitioning to competent rock.

Jan 1, 2009

By Thomas R. Scotese, John L. Ackerman

The Hanging Lake Tunnel Project represents a major portion of the Glenwood Canyon Project, the last piece of Interstate 70 to be constructed. The project features twin bore, large span rock tunnels and six open cut portal excavations, all excavated by drilling and blasting. This paper presents descriptions of the methods used by the Owner and Engineer to control and monitor the drilling and blasting practices in the tunnels and in the portal areas.

Jan 1, 1992

By R Wing, D Corkery

"Several mines in the region of Sudbury, Ontario, occur in or near populated areas. In anattempt to examine the effects of environmental changes and blast induced vibrations onhomes in the area, a monitoring study was conceived. The study was conducted fromNovember 1990 to May 1991 in homes located near the 880 Stope at INCO Ltd.'s CopperCliff South Mine."

Jan 1, 1993

By Douglas Bartley, Brian Wingfield, Robert McClure

Recent studies and limited tests indicate favorable results utilizing high accuracy electronic detonator technology over conventional non-electric pyrotechnic systems. This study discusses the application of this technology using the Daveytronic programmable system in an on-going production basis. The study quantifies the performance as it relates to fragmentation, excavation, vibration and productivity in an eastern U.S. aggregate mining operation. In order to insure accurate data, tight field controls were adhered to during the drilling and blasting process as they related to blast design, bench preparation, pattern layout, drilling and blasthole loading. Following the blast the excavation and crushing procedures were studied to quantify any down stream advantages due to improvements in fragmentation. This study will help provide the industry with information as to the advantages of high accuracy electronic blasting systems over conventional pyrotechnic systems and show the results of an operation utilizing electronic detonator technology through their production season.

Jan 1, 2000

By Thierry Bernard, Pierre M. Vuillaume, Michel Kiszlo

In the context of its studies for the french ministry of the environment and for the French national coal board, INERIS (the French institute for the industrial environment and hazards, formerly CERCHAR) has made a complete critical survey of the methods generally used to reduce the levels of blasting vibrations.

Jan 1, 1996

By K D. Sexton, T J. Tope

Manufacturers and users of energetic material (e.g., propellants, explosives, pyrotechnics (PEP)) generate unserviceable, obsolete, off-specification, damaged, and contaminated items that are characterized as "reactive wastes" by definition, and therefore regulated under RCRA, Subtitle C, as hazardous waste. Energetic wastes, to include waste ordnance and munitions items, have historically been disposed of by open burning/open detonation (OB/OD), particularly by the Department of Defense (DoD). However, increasing regulatory constraints have led to the recent reduction and limited use of OB/OD treatment.

Jan 1, 1996

By Albert van Niekerk, Mick Lownds

Overview of the UNI Tronic™ Electronic Blasting System

Jan 1, 2004

By W. Reisz

Dealing with misfires can be one of the most difficult and serious issues that blasters must confront. Most of us will - at some point, have to deal with a misfire situation.

Jan 1, 2009

By William H. Snyer, Victor A. Sterner

A cache of buried explosives was discovered by ICI Explosives, USA Inc. at one of their sites near Gillette, Wyoming. An intensive investigation conducted by ICI management indicated that nitroglycerin sensitized dynamite might be present. Information also indicated that up to 20,000 pounds of explosives may have been buried.

Jan 1, 1997

By Cam Thomas

The initial application for reflectorless laser technology was for profiling rock faces to determine front row burden and improve flyrock control and airblast. Over the past fifteen years a number of laser systems have been developed for general ground modeling purposes and GPS offsets, but these advances have yet to gain common acceptance in construction, mining and quarry blasting. This paper will outline a number of applications for reflectorless laser technology, including the latest method for rock face profiling, mapping, and 3-D modeling to calculate available and excavated rock volumes. Drilling deviation measurements will be presented in conjunction with rock face profiling to demonstrate how this information can be used to improve blast results. In complicated excavations, the actual quantity of rock excavated for payment purposes and the amount of overbreak can be very controversial. Procedures to calculate these volumes using laser technology will be outlined and comparisons will be made between these results and traditional techniques.

Jan 1, 2003

By Robert J. Nothnagle, Kristen Franz Begor, Rodney W. Sutch

Recovery of contaminated groundwater in a fractured bedrock system presents some unique problems. Typically, the most common problem occurs from the inability to adequately characterize the discrete fractures through which contaminants may be migrating. Without adequate characterization, difficulties arise in properly positioning recovery wells and verifying the performance of the system. To overcome these difficulties at a site in Upstate New York, an innovative approach was developed involving the creation of an artificial fracture zone through controlled blasting to intercept contaminated groundwater flow.

Jan 1, 1988

By Kevin Landey, Eric Gerst

Expanding blast patterns to near the limit of an explosives’ ability to do the necessary amount of work is a common practice to reduce drilling and blasting costs. Choosing less expensive explosives such as ANFO vs. emulsion, bulk product versus packaged product, etc. are also common cost savers. Both practices are only effective as long as the pattern geometries are accurately drilled. However, will pushing the limits on pattern sizes and explosive products produce consistent results at the face, minimize oversize, produce superior fragmentation, and improve crusher throughput? Sometimes, but no amount of explosives can overcome a poorly drilled pattern. Knowing the probable outcome of any changes in drilling and blasting is valuable in achieving success.

Jan 1, 2018

By R. Wharton, M. Bagley

Following a series of papers relating to the certification of explosives for sale in member states of the European Union presented at previous ISEE conferences, this poster paper has been prepared to stimulate discussion and debate on the recently published European Directive on Pyrotechnic Articles.

Jan 1, 2008

By John Brulia, Grant ODell

The AIRDEK blasting method has recently been introduced as an overbreak control blasting technique. This paper discusses the use of a modified AIRDEK blasting method for use in open-face blasting to make cap stone riprap (6-20 ton size) at the Clinton Point quarry of New York Trap Rock Corporation, Lone Star Industries.

Jan 1, 1990

By Eddie L. Catbagan

The Escalante silver-bearing deposit, consisting of a relatively wide and continuous quartz vein, contains openings ranging from minute to a few feet wide on the footwall and hanging wall. These openings (water courses or vug holes) are I believed to have been created by the fluctuation of the water table.

Jan 1, 1983