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By K Lombardo

Numerous small- and intermediate-size cratering experiments have been conducted in Piceance Creek Basin oil shale at the Colony and Anvil Points oil shale mines near Rifle, Colorado. The purpose of these experiments was to evaluate scaling as a tool to infer the behavior of large-scale tests from small-scale experiments, to calibrate the hydrodynamic computer codes used to model explosive fragmentation of oil shale, and to investigate the influence of bedding plane orientation, natural joints, fractures, and the grade of oil shale on rock fragmentation.

Jan 1, 1983

By Alan Bauer

During the past several years, the trend to large-diameter blastholes in both open pits and underground mines along with the continuing developments in slurried explosives and delay systems has kept things exciting for the drilling and blasting engineer. This has been particularly so in underground mining, where new mining systems having lower cost and higher productivity have emerged. Crater technology has produced new large-scale methods for resisting front penetration in tar sand mining and also new underground retreat mining methods and methods of raising.

Jan 1, 1978

By Roger E. Scholl

Data on off-site low-rise building damage from underground nuclear testing at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) of the United States Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) [The AEC has been called the United States Energy Research ant Development Administration (ERDA) since 1975, but because the data presented here were gathered between 1966 and 1970, the AEC rather than ERDA is referred to in this paper.] are available for seven large tests in the period from 1966 to 1970. The data, while sparse, provide an adequate sample for the investigation of motion-damage relationships. Damage in the study is statistically described in terms of the incidence of damage complaints, the incidence of buildings damaged, and damage cost. Using 5%damped response spectrum acceleration amplitude to characterize ground motion, the plotted data fit reasonably well with previous motion-damage relationships established from extensive data available from the 1969 RULISON underground nuclear explosion (UNE) experiment conducted in western Colorado.

Jan 1, 1976

Blasting in a development heading or breasting operations starts from a cut. The void created by the cut provides a free face for the remainder of the round. It is the most critical part of the round because the later firing charges cannot pull to the desired depth unless the cut comes out as planned. The Burn cut is most commonly used in Canadian mines.

Jan 1, 1995

By Dale Preece, Stephen Chung, D. Scott Scovira

The DMC_BLAST (Distinct Motion Code) has been developed to model rock motion and displacement during the gas expansion phase after the detonation of an explosive in a borehole. Recently, a designated delay firing order algorithm was written into the DMC_BLAST code. The model can now be used to analyze rock mass displacement for a V-cut, center opening, or sinking cut initiation sequences. This new feature allows the investigation of the effects of delay firing order on rock displacement when blasting complex inter-bedded and ore-waste structures. The model provides important ground movement and mixing indicators for dilution control in surface gold mining relative to the initiation sequences employed. Echelon blasts as compared to center opening type blasts show differences in their internal muckpile displacement. These displacement differences can be important to operations that mine narrow strike driven ore bodies. The model also has applications to through coal seam blasting and demonstrates that down-dip blasting is a better alternative than up-dip blasting. There is less disturbance to the dipping coal seam and less mixing of the rock and the coal.

Jan 1, 2000

By Peter Cameron, Tom BoBo

Comminution, being the energy intensive part of a mining operation receives much scrutiny by cost controllers, CEO’s, investors and others as the mining industry goes “back to basics” to reverse the decline in productivity which occurred during the mining super cycle.

Jan 1, 2019

By Earl C. Hutchison, Wade C. Hutchison

To effectively evaluate property damage that is claimed to have been caused by blasting activities and in order to lay the proper foundation to build the best legal defense, identification of the actual causation for the damages are necessary. For the past twenty years, engineering personnel from VCE, Inc. (previously Vibration Control Engineering, Inc.) have been evaluating claimed blasting damages with pre and post blast inspections, with analysis of seismic levels, blasting amounts at given distances, and with other engineering considerations. In addition to these evaluations, they have also documented other causes for damages which are of the types that are often claimed as blasting damage.

Jan 1, 1995

By Joshua Hoffman, Rhys Baker, Tim O’Brien

Numerous agencies in the Executive Branch of the United States Federal Government have regulatory jurisdiction over the explosives industry. These agencies develop the rules by which the explosives industry must operate, and many have the authority to enforce those rules. Likewise, there are entities in the Legislature that have oversight of those agencies and develop the laws that agencies must operate under. These entities in the Legislative Branch are Congressional Committees. Each committee has their respective jurisdictional authority over various agencies and issues. There are several Congressional Committees with jurisdiction over the agencies that govern the explosives industry and they differ slightly between the House of Representatives and the Senate. This paper discusses this division of power as it relates to the explosives industry. Each branch is responsive to the public and the processes through which each promulgates regulation and legislation require public input in different forms. Options for civic involvement for engaging each of these bodies of power in their respective processes are presented. The differences between legislation and regulation are highlighted along with the processes by which each are promulgated. A proper understanding of the governmental mechanics that affect the explosives industry are critical for the industry to be able to be proactive in playing a role in these processes in a democratic way.

By Lon Santis

This paper describes several applications of quantitative risk assessment in the management of commercial explosives operations. The Institute of Makers of Explosives’ (IME) quantitative risk assessment software modeling program IMESAFR was used for this analysis. Modeled activities include the unloading of a ship at port, locating a safe haven, and dealing with encroachment on a manufacturing facility. The layout of actual explosives sites were used for the analysis. The risk of fatality is analyzed and shown it can be used to make informed operational decisions for each activity. A study of the risks to individuals from activities involving commercial explosives compared to individual risks from other daily activities or exposures is also presented.

Jan 1, 2008

By Christian Dye

"The following paper focuses on the developing relationship between the members of theInternational Society of Explosive Engineers (ISEE), and the mining students from the BritishColumbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). During the past two years mining students and theISEE members have worked closely in developing a student chapter within the society and onFebruary 1st 2015, the first Canadian Student Chapter was recognized at the annual generalmeeting in New Orleans. This paper discusses the benefits that both the industry and studentsgain with a strong relationship. The mining students recognize the importance for filling the rolesof retiring members of the society and industry. Prior to 2015 the school had only offered a twoyear diploma program in mining and mineral exploration methods. That included a brief sectionin the use of explosives in the mining industry. In September of 2015 students were recruited forthe first ever Bachelors in Mining and Mineral Resource Engineering program. This engineeringdegree includes a full four month course in advanced blasting and rock fragmentation. Studentssuccessfully completing the diploma program will have an entry level of technical understandingin how blasting is conducted. The students successfully completing the bachelor degree will havean in depth technical understanding of explosives and rock fragmentation. Having this uniqueand dynamic multi-level program provides the explosives industry with a pool of talent that canbe used to fill positions with graduates for all levels of the blasting industry."

Jan 1, 2016

By Bill Paysse, Lyle Ruffle

My intention is to produce a video, pictorial, and oral presentation on utility blasting, primarily power pole holes and ditches. Included will be blasting for a take-off structure inside of Wanapum substation, jointly owned by BPA, PSE, and Seattle City Light, and blasting for 230kV steel tower foundations.

Jan 1, 2007

A case history is presented where a variance was permitted by the court to change a 500 foot limit to 250 feet for blasting overburden at a surface coal mine in the proximity of a historic structure.

Jan 1, 1991

By William Yutmeyer, Meredith Hardwick

Since 1996 there have been at least two teams formed within the U.S. Government to develop a consistent set of risk-based standards to be used to govern safety. The first of these was the Risk and Lethality Commonality Team which developed risk criteria associated with protecting personnel during launches at the national test ranges. The second team titled the Risk-Based Explosives Safety Criteria Team (RBESCT) is the subject of this paper.

Jan 1, 2007

By Chapman Young, William L. Fourney, Richard D. Dick

During 1981 and 1982, an extensive oil shale fragmentation research program was conducted at the Anvil Points Mine near Rifle, Colorado. The primary goals were to investigate factors involved for adequate fragmentation of oil shale and to evaluate the feasibility of using the modified in situ retort (MIS) method for recovery of oil from oil shale.

Jan 1, 1985

By R Ludeling, Klaus G. Hinzen, Ulrich Steiner, Friedrich Heinemeyer, Peter Roh

A method for hybrid modelling of blast vibrations in time domain is developed. Field seismograms of single shot experiments are combined with computer simulations. In this way firing times of blastholes in a pattern can be optimized due to diverse criteria like maximum velocity amplitude and frequency content of the vibrations.

Jan 1, 1987

By George P. Jr Schivley

Data is presented showing Penetration Rate (PR) versus Force-on-the Bit (FB) and Bit Angular Speed (N). Using this data, it is shown how FB and N each uniquely contribute to the PR for any particular drilling situation. This data represents many mining situations; including coal, copper, gold, iron ore and limestone quarrying. The important relationship between Penetration per Revolution (P/R) and the height of the cutting elements of the bit (CH) is discussed. Drill performance is then reviewed, considering the effect of FB and N on bit life. All this leads to recommendations for the operating values of FB and N for drilling situations where the rock is not highly abrasive and bit replacements are because of catastrophic failure of the bit cone bearings.

Jan 1, 1995

By Alday B. Andrews

A computer program called Seiswise that predicts the character and intensity of ground vibration generated by surface blasting operations was developed and field tested. The program uses the time histories of one or more pilot shots in combination with various initiation sequences to construct synthetic seismograms which are examined to select designs that will produce low levels of ground vibration.

Jan 1, 1990

By W Russell

The Hercudet Non-Electric Delay Blasting Cap System provides a means of achieving greater flexibility in the use of delays, using totally enclosed gas detonation circuits which eliminate the concussive effects of detonating cord trunklines in the confinement of access tunnels beneath pillars of ore. This is an account of one such pillar blast.

Jan 1, 1985

By A Lance McAnuff, Robert T. Booren

Construction of a dock facility for the Lake Erie Development Project of Stelco Steel involved underwater blasting in commercial fishing waters near Port Dover, Ontario. The most stringent environmental constraints were imposed and a monitoring program involving water overpressure recordings, using equipment developed specifically for this assignment, correlated with observation of caged fish specimens at various distances from the blast source, was undertaken to determine the effects on fish life and to establish whether a protective air-bubble curtain system should be installed around each blast area.

Jan 1, 1989

By Rodney C. Espley-Jones, John C. B Wilson

South Africa is well known for its shaft sinking exploits, and many of the world's biggest and deepest shafts are to be found there. Blasting practice differs in a number of respects from that followed elsewhere.

Jan 1, 1979