Austin Powder Company

Blast Design for Surface Mining

Austin Powder Company
Corporate Technical Services
Austin Powder Company
Blast Design for Surface
Mining
1 Purpose of blasting.
2 Basic design considerations.
3 Blasting nomenclature.
4 Blast geometry mathematics.
5 Delay timing considerations.
Austin Powder Company
1 The Purpose of Blasting
Austin Powder Company
Purpose of Blasting
To facilitate the cost efficient
extraction of ore through rock
particle size reduction and
improvement of particle
presentation to excavating
equipment.
Austin Powder Company
Purpose of Blasting
Fragmentation should aim to satisfy the
demands of the processing plant and the end
product required.

Characteristics of the muck-pile should be
designed to improve the efficiency of the
excavating equipment.
Austin Powder Company
2 Blast Design Considerations
Austin Powder Company
Design Considerations
Drilling Equipment Available
Range of hole diameters
Optimum depth capabilities
Explosives Selection
Bulk or packaged products
Density, weight strength, VOD
Water resistance
Austin Powder Company
Design Considerations
Material and Region to be Blasted
Free face availability
Sinking cuts
Controlled blasting
Excavating & Processing Equipment
Size and variety (i.e. wheeled loader, front
shovel, back-hoe etc.)
Processing plant capabilities
Austin Powder Company
Design Considerations
Neighborhood
Proximity of residences
Noise and dust emission considerations
End use of material
Ore
Waste
Austin Powder Company
3 Blast Geometry Nomenclature
Austin Powder Company
Blasting Nomenclature
H
J
L
J
D
|
|
= Blast Hole Angle
L = Length of Subdrilling
D = Horizontal Stand-off
B = Layout (Apparent) Burden
D
D
1
B
L
L
1
J
B
H
J
H
L
H = Vertical Face Height
L = Face Length
L = Length of Blast Hole
B = True Burden
J = True (Vertical) Subdrilling
B
B
2
1
|
Austin Powder Company
4 Pattern Geometry Mathematics
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Geometry
Mathematics
Where do I start?
Required production rates
Pre-existing drilling equipment capabilities
Scaled distance considerations (lb. per delay)
Pre-existing mine site (established benches)
Fragmentation particle size limits (max. size)
In-situ geology (thickness of seams)
State and local regulations (max. blast size)
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Selecting a bench height or a hole diameter:
( ) D H = 12 . 0 06 . 0
H = Bench Height [m]
D = Drill hole diameter [mm]

Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Establishing the burden:
E
R
E
D
SG
SG
B
|
|
.
|

\
|
+
(

= 018 . 0 024 . 0
B = Burden [m]
SG = Specific gravity of explosives
SG = Specific gravity of rock
D
E
= Diameter of fully coupled explosive column [mm]
Konya & Walter
E
R
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Establishing the burden:
3
1
119 . 0
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
R
E
E
SG
SG
D B
B = Burden [m]
SG = Specific gravity of explosives
SG = Specific gravity of rock
D
E
= Diameter of fully coupled explosive column [mm]
Ash
E
R
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Establishing the burden:
B = Burden [m]
D = Diameter of fully coupled explosive column [mm]
Borg, Chiapetta
& Sterner
E
E
D B = ) 035 . 0 025 . 0 (
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Blast hole spacing:
H
B
> 4
H
B
< 4
S B = 2
S
H B
=
+ ( ) 2
3
S B = 1 4 .
S
H B
=
+ ( ) 7
8
Instant
Delayed
Konya & Walter
(1)
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Blast hole spacing:
Borg, Chiapetta
& Sterner
S = Spacing [m]
B = Burden [m]
( )
S B = 10 18 . .
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Sub-drilling depth:
Borg, Chiapetta
& Sterner
B = Burden [m]
J = Sub-drilling [m]

*Crater angle of 120
o
to 160
o

( )
J B = 0 2 05 . .
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Stemming Column Length:
Borg, Chiapetta
& Sterner
B = Burden [m]
T = Stemming [m]
( )
T B = 07 13 . .
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Stemming Material Particle Size:
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T = Stemming particle size [mm]
D = Drill hole diameter [mm]
T
D
S
=
20
S
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Stone Deck Length:
T
D
= Minimum length of stone deck consisting of
particles of size T
S
[m]
D = Drill hole diameter [mm]
D T
D
= ) 012 . 0 006 . 0 (
Wet Hole
Dry Hole
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Base Charge Length:
Borg, Chiapetta
& Sterner
E = Base charge length [m]
B = Average burden [m]
J = Sub-drilling depth [m]

Total E
b
= 50% to 100% of B
b
( )
| |
E B J
b
= + 0 3 0 5 . .
Austin Powder Company
Pattern Mathematics
Base Charge Length:
E = Base charge length [m]
J = Sub-drilling depth [m]
b
J E
b
= 2
Austin Powder Company
5 Blast Pattern Timing
Austin Powder Company
Blast Pattern Timing
Hole-to-Hole Delay Range:

Hole-to-hole delay = 0 to 15 milliseconds
per meter of spacing
Konya & Walter
Austin Powder Company
Blast Pattern Timing
Hole-to-Hole Delays to Maximize Fragmentation:
Sands, Loams, Marls and Coals 6 - 7

Some Limestones, Rock Shale and some Shales 5 - 6

Compact Limestones and Marbles, some Granites 4 - 5
and Basalts, Quartzite Rocks and some Gneisses
and Gabbros

Diabase, Diabase Porphyrites, Compact Gneisses 3 - 4
and Mica Schists and Magnetites
Rock Type ms/m
Konya & Walter
Austin Powder Company
Blast Pattern Timing
Row-to-Row Delay Range:
Row-to-row delay = 7 to 50 milliseconds per
meter of burden
Konya & Walter
Austin Powder Company
Blast Pattern Timing
Row-to-Row Delays and Effects:
Violent excessive air-blast and back-break 7

High pile close to face, moderate air-blast and back-break 7 - 10

Average pile height, average air-blast and back-break 10 - 13

Scattered pile with minimum back-break 13 - 20

Effects ms/m
Konya & Walter