Blast Design

What are the causes of Excessive burden in blast design and how to identify blast fragmentation that result from excessive burden or other ill blast design using WipFrag 4.

Starting with this quote from Singh et al. (1998), the mentioned that “Drilling errors are frequent but undesirable occurrences in mining operations and are composed of collaring, alignment, trajectory and length errors. Improved drilling accuracy has tremendous monetary benefits in terms of optimum fragmentation, reduced dilution, higher ore recoveries and less need for redrilling.”

Poor Drilling Operations Result

Going forward, the large effect of poor drilling operations on excessive burden creation necessitates a comprehensive assessment of blasting practices. Each mine requires a robust methodology for bore hole and blasting result assessment as this is essential for improving the predictability and overall efficiency of mining operations.

Considering the heterogeneous state of rock mass and the varying conditions of human operators and drilling machinery, below are some of the factors that contribute to excessive burden distance in blast design:

Factors that Contribute to Excessive Burden Distance in Blast Design

1. Rock Mass Variability: Differences in rock strength, density, and structure can lead to uneven excessive burden creation.

2. Blast Hole Deviation and accuracy: The deviations in drill holes from their intended (design) paths due to rock anisotropic characteristics can create inconsistencies in burden and spacing (Bradley, 1975).

3. Explosive Distribution: Considering the explosive energy per meter along borehole wall, Uneven distribution or incorrect loading of explosives can lead to improper energy release, affecting burden distance at detonation.

4. Rock Mass Discontinuities: The Presence of joints, faults, and fractures can also influence blast outcomes, causing uneven burden distribution.

5. Blasting Practices: Variations in blasting techniques and practices, including timing and sequence, can impact burden and fragmentation.

6. Equipment Performance: Drilling Equipment Wear and tear, maintenance issues, and technological limitations are one of the well known factor that affects drilling precision and blast outcomes.

7. Human Factors: Operator skill, experience, fatigue, and adherence to procedures play a significant role in achieving accurate drilling and blasting.

8. Environmental Conditions: Weather, ground conditions, and water presence can affect drilling performance and blast effectiveness.

One of the significant evidence of blasting with excessive burden distance is having oversize accumulation in blast result along throw path.

The video attached shows how to assess this using WipFrag 4 software:

In the Part 4 of this article, I will discuss some of the ways to avoid excessive burden effect on blasting fragmentation.

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Missed Part 1 and 2? Here you go:

Part 1: Effect of Excessive Burden Distance on Blasting Result – Part 1

Part 2: https://wipware.com/effect-of-excessive-burden-distance-on-blasting-result-part-2/

To ensure that you get the best material analysis system for your specific application, our team will work directly with you to help determine what you need. We provide solutions for your industry: mining, quarries, aggregate, forestry, agriculture, coarse coal applications, explosives and many more.

Manual sieving techniques are still used today but there is a better way. With WipWare systems, automatic data processing is available. Our systems are easily installed and completely autonomous, operating 24-7. They are user-friendly allowing the user to access data across multiple devices: Windows, iOS and Android. With their robust design, it’s perfect for industrial environments with operating temperatures ranging from -40°C to +80°C.

With a Universal frame design, our Solo 6 systems will install on any conveyor belt size needed. Also, the frame comes with an integrated high efficiency light source to get the best images for material analysis. Even better, all of our systems use WipFrag as the HMI (Human to Machine Interface) and no license required.

Maximum size or Colour detection system

Are you looking for maximum size or colour detection? Sometimes simpler is better. With our Solo 6 and Reflex 6 Basic material analysis systems, you can choose what is best for you. Whether you need the system at the primary crusher or on a conveyor, our Basic System product line is purpose-built to target material based on maximum particle size or material colour differentiation.

There are two options available for our Solo 6 Conveyor Analysis System: Solo 6 Basic and Solo 6 Complete.

PSD Analysis – Complete system

Alternatively, you may be looking for full PSD analysis to measure real-time particle size, shape distribution, volume and colour differentiation of unconsolidated material. Our Complete product line provides this option, unlocking the full potential of our material analysis systems.

There are two options available for our Reflex 6 Vehicle Analysis System: Reflex 6 Basic and Reflex 6 Complete.

Processes that our material analysis systems can help with:

• Crusher gap control
• Detecting broken screens
• Colour-based sorting
• Contamination/dilution detection
• Detect irregularities by colour
• 25-user defined sizes
• Optimize SAG throughput
• Optimize crusher throughput
• Pre-primary crusher oversize detection

We strive to provide our customers with the best technology for PSD analysis, colour sorting or oversize detection.

Contact us today or reach out to one of our VARs around the world to answer any of your questions.

We are excited to announce our new Product and Tutorial Video Page available to our future and existing customers to help understand our online fragmentation analysis systems and software.

This page will be a great resource with short tutorial videos for using WipFrag fragmentation analysis software and its various capabilities. As well, there are videos about our online systems and how each system works.

In addition, each video can be found on the individual product page.

We have a wide variety of online systems available to meet your analysis needs. Whether you work in surface mining, quarries, aggregate, forestry or the coal industry, we have the solution to automate your process and increase productivity.

From our Momentum 5 Online Conveyor System to our New Vertex Instrument designed to measure maximum particle size or material type, WipWare has what you need from Pit to Plant.

We will be adding new informative videos as they become available so stay tuned!

The information is at your finger tips!

On October 29th, one of WipWare’s Technical Specialists visited the Nickel Rim South Mine to gather information about particle size distribution of the standard run material.  This project was carried out through cooperation with Glencore Canada, Hatch Ltd, Jenike & Johanson Ltd. and WipWare Inc. The companies involved needed data on what material would be carried by the belt, and how the material would be processed. WipWare’s involvement was to gather photographs of the material and determine particle size and shape data through photo analysis with WipWare’s WipFrag software.

The visit to Nickel Rim South Mine was efficient and effective. The information needed was gathered quickly and safely. All parties were very accommodating of the required equipment that WipWare had to bring into the mine to effectively photograph the material. Excellent pictures were taken at the various locations that ensured an appropriate amount of data was collected and analyzed.

A special thank you to everyone on site for accommodating this project.

From November 14-15, our Technical Team made their way to the NORCAT Training Centre in Sudbury.

The first class slated for WipWare trainees Marty, Tom and Andrew was the Working at Heights training modules. This lasted through the day. At the end of the program, the trainees quickly made their way to the computer room. They completed some final online multiple choice tests. Everyone passed with flying colours.

On the second day of training, our technical specialists headed to the NORCAT Underground Centre. This training facility was formerly Fecunis, a production mine owned and operated by Falconbridge (Xstrada Nickel). It was established in the 1940s and NORCAT now uses it as an underground training centre for students. It is located about an hour northwest of Sudbury, past Chelmsford and towards Onaping, ON off of Highway 144.

The day was spent in an underground classroom watching safety videos and slides, as well as sharing pertinent anecdotes about how safety saves lives. There was also a brief tour and a sounding and scaling demonstration and our technicians had an opportunity to experience how dark it is underground when the lights go out.

It was an interesting exposure for Marty, Tom and Andrew, and a great team bonding experience for the Technical Specialists to get to know one another. Plus, the team is fully prepared for an underground experience should one arise.

WipWare would like to welcome Andrew Palangio to the team as one of our Technical Specialists. Andrew was born and raised in North Bay and  a supporter of the community. He graduated from the University of Ottawa with a Honours BA and has excellent experience in sound and lighting. Andrew has worked for the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum, Electronic Language Communications Ltd, and North Bay’s own Capitol Centre. His experience brings a new perspective and knowledge to the team. He is looking forward to discovering new things at WipWare Inc. and exploring an international business network while living in hometown North Bay.

Welcome to WipWare and the Tech Team!!!

We look forward to working with you.