SME Annual Meeting

Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado

Preprint 04-19
ELEMENTS OF DRILL AND BLAST DESIGN AND 3D VISUALIZATION IN SURFACE COAL MINES

W. A. Wilkinson, Jr.
Mincom, Inc.
Englewood, CO

V. J. Kecojevic
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA

ABSTRACT advancements in mining software help them to visualize the complex-

ity and spatial distribution of rock strata parameters, allowing them to
Mining companies are increasingly looking at Global Positioning make engineering changes, and to test or compare new concepts
System (GPS) technology coupled with 3D mine planning and visu- even before the field action is taken. An integrated algorithm for drill
alization systems to deliver increased productivity and reduction in and blast design, as well as drill monitoring system is shown in Figure
operating costs in drilling and blasting operations. Leveraging GPS 1.
into drill and blast operations requires that a drilling plan be devel-
oped and imported into the GPS to guide the operation to a planned
and desirable outcome. State-of-the-art mine planning software sys-
tems provide the engineer with a 3D environment in which to design
and visualize drill and blast plans. This paper discusses producing
and exporting 3D drill and blast plans to GPS and how some coal
companies are utilizing GPS and mine planning software technology
in the drill and blast process.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of drilling and blasting operations in surface mining

is rock fragmentation. Drilling and blasting are the two key compo-
nents in the overall rock fragmentation systemthe first element of
the ore extraction process. This system, well designed, provides
appropriate rock material granulation or size that is suitable for load-
ing and transportation. According to the U.S. Geological Survey [1],
the U.S. surface mining industry uses almost 2 million tons of explo-
sives annually. Between 1989 and 1999, surface coal mines have
used 16.2 billion kilograms (35.7 billion pounds) while 3.3 billion kilo-
grams (7.3 billion pounds) have been used in nonmetal mines [2].
The proper design of the drilling and blasting system is essen-
tial to the success of mine operations. The major thrust is to maintain
safety, minimize the overall cost, and maximize the value of the
resulting products. Requirements of efficiency, timeliness, and accu-
racy must be satisfied simultaneously, to assure that companies
involved remain competitive and able to survive in a tough market.
Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and 3D mine design tools are
envisioned as a major vehicle in future improvements in mine design,
safety, efficiency in the drill and blast process, cost savings, and in
the education of mining professionals.
It is advantageous to utilize fully integrated software packages
which provide all the required tools in one package, including CAD,
topographic modeling, geological modeling, blast layout, hole charg-
ing, detonation time and Peak Particle Velocity (PPV) calculations,
plotting, reporting and finally, exporting designs to the drill monitoring
system. The 3D design tools have changed the methodology by
which mining engineers design, plan and maintain performance
records of mining structures throughout their life cycle. It has signifi-
cantly reduced development time, and graphics can be generated
very quickly. Mining engineers benefit from this progress, as parallel
Figure 1. Integrated drill and blast design flow
COMPUTER AIDED DESIGNS
Geologic & Topographic Models
Drill and blast design begins with models of the geology and cur-
rent mine topography. The mine topography must be accurate to
provide a reliable surface from which to locate the position and ele-
vation of the blast hole collars. Increasingly mining companies are
utilizing GPS or laser scan technology to quickly obtain accurate
existing topography data. It is generally a straightforward process to
import GPS and scan data into current state-of-the-art mine planning
software packages. Figure 2 depicts the process of constructing a
drill bench surface using survey data with a geologic cross-section
shown.
It is equally important to have an accurate geologic model,
which, at a minimum, identifies product zones that will be mined.
Product zones will typically be used to limit the depth of the blast
holes or define intervals for special blast hole loading. Other geolog-
ic zones should be modeled if deemed critical to the drill and blast
design. If modeled, weak rock strata, exceptionally hard zones, etc.,
can be utilized in determining how to charge the blast holes.

1 Copyright 2004 by SME


Figure 2. Bench surface constructed from survey data (surface is rendered and geologic section is shown for visualization).
Software which supports expression surfaces (surfaces represented
by formula referencing modeled intervals/surfaces) is valuable in
cases where an identified zone of interest has not specifically been
modeled, but can be calculated in relation to another modeled inter-
val or surface
Drill Pattern Design
Typically, sets of parameters associated with blasting pattern
include bench height, hole diameter, hole depth, burden, spacing,
hole inclination, sub-drilling, hole positioning, and hole pattern.
Integrating the blast design with the geologic model, mine design and
mine topography facilitates drill hole pattern positioning on the actu-
al drill bench elevation as individual blast holes are projected to
benches or surfaces critical to the design. With the implementation of
GPS, drill monitoring systems, and a 3D drill and blast design sys-
tem, hole pattern designs need not be limited because of field stake-
out considerations. Figure 3 shows a typical drill pattern located on
a bench with a coal seam.
Blast Design
Selection of the appropriate types of explosives depends upon
such major factors as health and safety, environmental considera-
tions, rock properties, rock fragmentation requirements, drill hole
conditions, drill hole diameter, etc. While designing the blast hole
patterns, the key parameters considered should include: the depth of
stemming (rock chips, dirt, or other non-explosive material placed on
top of the charge), the charge amount, the charge interval (multiple
charge intervals separated by stemming), explosive type, specific
gravity of explosive, the detonator type, and the delay timellisec-
2 Copyright 2004 by SME
SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado
onds). Similarly, hole conditions, such as wet holes, will also have an
impact on the selection of blasting agents and how holes may be
loaded. 3D drill and blast software can provide the designer with
tools to interactively categorize the blast holes which control how the
holes are charged and visually displayed to the engineer. Influence
polygons for the blast holes, blast consumables and powder factors
can be calculated to predict the impact and cost of the designed
blast. The blast holes can also be tied with designed delays, interac-
tively, or as a batch. Once the blast holes are tied, the detonation
times and blast sequence can be visualized as 3D graphics. Figure
4 shows an example of a blast hole loading plan and a charged blast
hole design.
The resulting 3D drilling and blasting design provides the oper-
ator with a visual representation of the pattern to be drilled, and
allows for visual assessment of blast holes distribution in reference to
the local rock strata features and verification of compliance with the
approved mine plan. Providing blasting personnel with typical blast
hole loading plans helps ensure that the blast design is implemented
in the field. The blast design effectiveness and cost can be evaluat-
ed before blasting by utilizing the actual mine topography and an
accurate geological model. In addition, the entire geological domain
can be visualized from different angles thus forewarning about possi-
ble trouble spots before drilling. As a permanent record, such visu-
ally enhanced designs could have a significant impact in document-
ing both successful and unsuccessful blasting events tied to the local
geology and rock structure. More detailed description on 3D design
of drilling and blasting patterns can be found in authors papers pub-
lished by Swets & Zeitlinger [3] and International Society of
Explosives Engineers [4]
 SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado

Figure 3. Staggered blast hole pattern positioned on the drill bench with areas of influence polygons displayed.

Figure 4. Charged and tied blast holes with typical loading sheet detail.

3 Copyright 2004 by SME


GPS DRILL MONITORING SYSTEMS
In a new, technology-rich era, the high precision systems are
used to address drilling and blasting challenges in a technologically
efficient and cost-effective manner with far-reaching impacts. Using
GPS technology and advanced control systems, traditional survey-
ing, stacking, and human errors are virtually eliminated.
Drilling machines can be instrumented with a variety of sensors
from which data can be digitized and transmitted to any location for
analyses. The INTELMINETM High-Precision Drill System by
Modular Mining Systems [5] uses GPS technology, information from
computer-aided design of drilling and blasting, and an on-board color
graphics console to provide the precise location of boreholes drilled.
Each borehole can be surveyed as part of the drilling operation to
provide an as-built record of the drilling accuracy accomplished at
each location. The Aquila Mining Systems [6] has developed a pro-
duction monitoring system, a material recognition system, and a guid-
ance system for vertical and inclined drilling. The production moni-
toring system provides the operator with immediate information on
drilling productivity and performance, while the material recognition
system is equipped with vibration sensors and pattern recognition
software to determine hole geology while drilling. Guidance systems
for vertical and inclined drilling enable the operator to position the
blast hole with centimeter accuracy.
Figure 5. Output - Aquila and DrillNAV drill hole information and graphics output are supported. Blast cost reports can
also be easily generated.
4 Copyright 2004 by SME
SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado
With GPS systems on the drill rig, the as-drilled blast hole
information can be imported back into the drill and blast design sys-
tem via wireless network and the design blast holes reconciled with
actual drilling. Additionally, geologic information captured by drill
monitoring systems and assays from drilled blast holes can be used
to update the geological model, as well as provide quality control
information for blasting and production. An example of the interface
between the Mincom MineScape Drill & Blast product [7] and GPS is
shown in Figure 5. The MineScape system provides for export of drill
hole locations, depths and reference graphics to Aquila and DrillNAV
GPS Systems.
FIELD EXPERIENCES
The author interviewed two U.S. surface coal mining companies
that have implemented a drill monitoring system to learn of their
experiences and discover if their planned objectives for utilizing a
GPS system in drilling and blasting were met. Company 1 began
implementing their drill monitoring system in March 2003 and
Company 2 has been using a drill monitoring system for several
years. The two companies interviewed are using Mincom MineScape
for drill and blast planning, while the Aquila drill monitoring system
provides the drill monitoring system. While neither company inter-
viewed could provide a definitive analysis on costs savings, they

could identify efficiencies and benefits from employing a drill monitor-
ing system. Requests from companies not wishing to be identified
have been honored and thus they have been given an arbitrary name
in this paper.
Company 1
Company 1 is a multiple seam surface coal mine located in the
western United States that mines approximately 5.4Mt (6 million short
tons) of coal using a dragline for overburden removal. Blast hole
drilling is performed by three Drilltek 75K drill rigs producing 1.55Mm
518km per year (1.7 million ft. per year). Twelve (full time operators,
one supervisor, one engineer working part time and six to eight
backup drill operators staff drilling and blasting operations. Blasting
operations consume 12.24Mkg (27 million lbs.) of ANFO and
3.786Mkg (8.5 million lbs.) of emulsion per year. The drill and blast
procedure for Company 1 historically involved the surveyors staking
out the first column of drill holes. Day shift drillers would be respon-
sible for locating the night shift drill hole locations by offsetting from
the surveyed holes location. The drill hole location process reduced
the amount of time the daylight shift drillers spent drilling by one half
day.
Company 1 has recently implemented the Aquila drill monitoring
system and rock recognition system in an effort to achieve better uti-
lization and productivity in the drill and blast process. Anticipated
cost savings were expected in the areas of increased drilling produc-
tion, improved bit life, reduction in over-drilling, and reduced powder
consumption.
MineScape was utilized to develop the geologic model and drill
and blast patterns Survey data of the drill bench was also gathered
and modeled in the MineScape system. The MineScape Drill & Blast
product was then used to locate user-defined blast hole pattern col-
lars onto the bench surface and then projected to the coal seam to be
mined. The resulting designed blast hole pattern information was
then exported to an Aquila format provided and transmitted to the drill
rigs wirelessly through the Aquila METS manager system.
Company 1 has not yet achieved all of the objectives it had
anticipated with an Aquila implementation as of the writing of this
paper. Initial equipment problems have affected the reliability of the
rock recognition system, which have prevented the consistent use of
information so far; thus, no evidence of powder reduction and
improved drill bit life has been seen. The vendor has since provided
solutions and the mine is currently undergoing an evaluation phase.
While measured drill production has not increased, efficiencies
gained by the system in the drilling process have increased produc-
tivity, through an 87% reduction in drill stakeout delays.
Company 2
Company 2 is a one and two-seam surface coal mine located in
the western United States that mines approximately 52Mt (62 million
short tons) of coal per year using draglines for overburden removal.
Five drill rigs perform the blast hole drilling; where three units drill
overburden and two drill coal. The overburden drills produce
1.219Mm per year (3.9 million feet per year), while the drills in coal
produce 274.3km per year (900,000 feet per year). Drilling and blast-
ing operations are staffed with twenty-six drillers and loaders and
two supervisors. Blasting operations consume 73.02Mkg per year
(161 million pounds per year) of ANFO for both overburden and coal
blasting operations.
MineScape is utilized to develop the drill and blast patterns,
while the geologic model is imported into MineScape for mine plan-
ning purposes from another software package. Survey data of the
drill bench is obtained using laser technology and modeled in the
MineScape system. The MineScape system is then used to locate
user-defined blast hole pattern collars onto the bench surface and
then projected to the coal seam to be mined. The resulting designed
blast hole pattern information is then exported to an Aquila format
provided and transmitted to the drill rigs wirelessly through the Aquila
METS manager system.
5 Copyright 2004 by SME
SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado
This company has identified several benefits from using the
Aquila system. Firstly, correct drill rig alignment over the designed
inclined blast hole location ensures that the blast hole is drilled to the
desired direction, thus achieving the desired fragmentation.
Additionally, the positioning of blast holes at the designed locations
and angles is critical to achieve a designed cast blast of approximate-
ly 30%.
Secondly, since existing and designed drill holes can be pre-
cisely located, misfires can be addressed by utilizing GPS to locate
new blast holes between the misfired holes. Finally, when required,
a safety bench will be constructed on the high wall. To achieve the
required blasting production, blast hole drilling must also occur on the
safety bench, which is drilled vertically. Blast holes drilled at the crest
are angled. Blast hole design, GPS positioning and depth control
ensure that blast holes do not intersect and maintain the correct
spacing. Company 2 is now beginning to take a harder look at
designing blast hole charges by incorporating data collected from the
Aquila drill monitoring system as well as computerized hole loading
equipment in an effort to achieve the required fragmentation with just
enough powder factor.
CONCLUSION
The discussion presented in this article provides an overview of
the benefits of leveraging technology into computer-aided design and
high-precision systems in drilling and blasting. Benefits provided by
this cutting-edge technology include:
1) Improved engineering design andjob training, case his-
tory analysis;
2) Accurately locating blast holes resulting in improved
implementation of the blast planmapping of blasting
activities in combination with the local rock strata char-
acteristics;
3) Improved results in the areas of drilling, fragmentation,
loading conditions, explosive usage, production, energy
usage, and eliminating toes accurate blast plans );
4) Retention and utilization of data acquired through drill
and blast operations to improve the geologic model and
to better predict the grade;
5) Improved health and safety; and
6) Wireless connectivity to and from the mine office.
While many benefits can and have been identified, the coal min-
ing companies interviewed for this paper have not yet been able to
definitively quantify cost savings. It has been observed that imple-
mentation of GPS technology for drilling and blasting is performed in
stages. Aside from start-up glitches in assembling a GPS drill moni-
toring system, companies just beginning to implement GPS drill mon-
itoring systems focus on developing blast hole patterns and commu-
nicating the drilling plans to the GPS system. As companies become
more familiar with the system, the focus can be directed at incorpo-
rating data collected from the drill monitoring system into blast hole
planning and geologic modeling. Alternately, and possibly in parallel,
coal mining companies will focus on blast hole charging plans in an
effort to reduce powder factor while achieving the desired fragmenta-
tion.
REFERENCES
1. USGS: Mineral Industry Surveys. Explosives 1999 Annual
Review, U. S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia, 2000.
2. Kramer D.A. : Mineral Industry Surveys, Explosives 1999
Annual Review, Reston, Virginia, 2000.
3. Kecojevic V., Mrugala M., Wilkinson W., 3-D Visual Drill and
Blast Design, International Journal of Rock Fragmentation and
Blasting FRAGBLAST, Vol. 7, Issue 3, Swets & Zeitlinger, 2003.
 SME Annual Meeting
Feb. 23-25, Denver, Colorado

4. Kecojevic V., Wilkinson W., Computer-Aided Design & High-

Precision Systems in Drilling & Blasting, The Journal of Explosives
Engineering, ISEE, Volume 20, No. 4, 2003.
5. Modular Mining System: ProVision Drill Technical Bulletin.
Technical Bulletins, www.mmsi.com, Tucson, Arizona, 2002.
6.Aquila Mining Systems: Aquila Mining Systems Products:
http://www.aquilamsl.com/frameset2.html, Montreal, Quebec, 2003.
7. Mincom: MineScape Products, http://www.mincom.com/prod-
ucts/minescape, 2003.

6 Copyright 2004 by SME