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Activity 7 - Drilling & Blasting - RATILLA

This report presents a blasting plan for an open-pit copper mine, focusing on safety, efficiency, and environmental compliance. The plan utilizes a Heavy ANFO blend for its high energy, water resistance, and controlled vibrations, while detailing the necessary explosives, accessories, and initiation systems. The proposed methods aim to optimize rock fragmentation and minimize environmental impact, ensuring reliable and effective blasting operations.

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Celso Bernal
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11 views6 pages

Activity 7 - Drilling & Blasting - RATILLA

This report presents a blasting plan for an open-pit copper mine, focusing on safety, efficiency, and environmental compliance. The plan utilizes a Heavy ANFO blend for its high energy, water resistance, and controlled vibrations, while detailing the necessary explosives, accessories, and initiation systems. The proposed methods aim to optimize rock fragmentation and minimize environmental impact, ensuring reliable and effective blasting operations.

Uploaded by

Celso Bernal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Name: Joey I. Ratilla Instructor: Engr.

Nathaniel Tiu
Course & Year: BSEM-4
ACTIVITY 7
DRILLING AND BLASTING

Blasting Plan for Open-Pit Copper Mine

1. Introduction
This report outlines the blasting plan for a large-scale open-pit copper mining operation. The
objective is to design a safe and efficient blasting plan while ensuring compliance with
environmental regulations, particularly regarding ground vibration and noise control. The report
provides a detailed selection of explosives, blasting accessories, and an initiation and priming
system tailored to the site’s specific conditions.
2. Explosive Selection Criteria
2.1 Chosen Explosive: Emulsion
Explosive (Heavy ANFO Blend
70/30)
For this large-scale open-pit mining
operation in hard granite (150 MPa),
a Heavy ANFO blend (70% emulsion,
30% ANFO) is the optimal choice
due to the following reasons:
o High Energy &
Efficiency: Emulsion-
based explosives have a
high detonation velocity
(4,500–5,500 m/s),
ensuring effective rock fragmentation. The blend balances energy output with cost-
effectiveness.
o Water Resistance: Emulsions perform well in wet conditions, unlike pure ANFO,
which is ineffective in water.
o Controlled Vibration & Noise: Compared to high-velocity explosives like dynamite,
Heavy ANFO has a moderate energy release, reducing ground vibrations, a critical
factor given the 500-meter proximity to a residential area.
o Better Fragmentation: The blend ensures uniform fragmentation (20-30 cm target
size), improving efficiency in loading and crushing.

2.2 Alternative Explosives Considered and Rejected


1. Pure ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil)
o Rejected Due to Poor Water Resistance: ANFO is highly cost-effective but unsuitable for
wet conditions. If groundwater is present, it will degrade and fail.
o Lower Energy Density: ANFO has a detonation velocity of 2,500-3,000 m/s, which may
not provide the necessary energy for hard granite.
2.Straight Emulsion
o Rejected Due to Higher Cost: While emulsion provides superior water resistance and
detonation performance, its cost is higher than a blended solution.
o Overkill for Hard Granite: A 70/30 Heavy ANFO mix provides a balanced performance
while keeping costs manageable.
2.3 Slurry Explosives
o Advantages: Moderate energy and good water resistance.
o Disadvantages: Lower detonation velocity compared to emulsions, leading to less
efficient fragmentation. Additionally, slurries have variable sensitivity and require extra
priming.

2.4 Explosive Quantity Calculation


To determine the required amount of explosives, the following calculations were performed:
- Blast Volume:
50 x 30 x 15 = 22,500 m³
- Powder Factor (selected at 0.5 kg/m³):
22,500 x 0.5 = 11,250 kg (adjusted based on rock hardness).
22,500m 3 ×0.5 kg/m³=11,250 kg of explosive
o If fragmentation is not optimal, we may increase the powder factor to 0.6 kg/m³,
requiring:
22,500𝑚3×0.6=13,500 kg of explosive
o Thus, between 11,250–13,500 kg of Heavy ANFO will be required.

3. Blasting Accessories

The effectiveness and safety of the blast are enhanced by the use of appropriate accessories. The
following three accessories have been selected:

3.1 Stemming Materials (Crushed Rock/Drill Cuttings, 2m per hole)


o Function: Stemming prevents premature venting of gases and enhances energy efficiency.
o Material Used: Crushed rock or drill cuttings.
o Recommended Stemming Height: 30% of the hole depth (~4.5 m for a 15 m blast hole).

3.2 Delay Detonators (Non-Electric System)


o Function: Delays improve fragmentation, reduce vibrations, and control the muckpile.
o System Chosen: Nonel shock tube system, which is immune to electrical interference and
allows precise delay sequencing.
o Recommended Delay Sequence: 25–50 ms between rows to optimize fragmentation
while minimizing vibrations.

3.3 Booster Charges


o Function: Boosters ensure complete detonation of the main charge by initiating the
emulsion explosive efficiently.
o Type Used: Cast boosters.
o Placement: Positioned at the bottom and midsection of the hole to maintain consistent
detonation velocity.

3.4 Accessory Layout


o Stemming height: 4.5 m (30% of hole depth).
o Booster placement: One at the bottom and another at the midpoint of the explosive
column.
o Delay timing: Progressive row-wise initiation with 25–50 ms delays.

4. Initiation and Priming System


4.1 Chosen Initiation System: Non-Electric Shock Tube
A non-electric initiation system using shock tubes is selected due to its:
o Elimination of electrical hazards: Reduces risks associated with stray currents and static
electricity.
o Precision timing: Ensures controlled blasting with minimal ground vibration.
o Reliability: Less susceptible to misfires caused by environmental factors.

4.2 Priming Method: Bottom Priming with Boosters


o Booster Type: Cast booster.
o Placement: Bottom of each hole to ensure full detonation of the emulsion explosive.

4.3 Blast Pattern Layout (5 Rows × 10 Holes Per Row)


o Drilling Pattern: 5 rows × 10 holes per row (50 blast holes total)
o Hole Spacing: 5m x 5m grid pattern
o Burden (Distance to Face): 5 meters
o Hole Depth: 15m
o Charge Distribution:
o Bottom charge: Pentolite booster + Heavy ANFO column
o Stemming: 2m of crushed rock
o Delay system: Non-electric shock tube with millisecond delay detonators

Initiation Order:
 First row fires, then sequential rows at 17ms delays, and holes within each row at
42ms delays.

Here is the blast pattern layout diagram for the open-pit mining operation. The red dots represent
blast holes, spaced 5m apart in a 5-row x 10-hole grid. The annotations show delay times (42ms
between holes in a row, 17ms between rows) to control vibration and fragmentation.

5. Conclusion
The proposed blasting plan is designed to optimize fragmentation, ensure safety, and minimize
environmental impact. The selection of emulsion explosives provides effective rock breakage
while controlling vibration and noise. The use of stemming materials, delay detonators, and
booster charges further enhances efficiency and safety. The non-electric initiation system ensures
precise sequencing and reliability, making this approach well-suited for the given site conditions.
This plan will facilitate efficient rock excavation while adhering to environmental regulations
and safety standards.

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