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EXPLOSIVES & BLASTING The domino effect

Orica’s OrePro 3D is used by geologists, post- Automation, digitalisation, variable energy distribution, blast, to determine the location of the ore and mechanisation; all these elements and more are making define waste boundaries a difference for drill and blast engineers tasked with deployment and programming, eliminating improving performance, Dan Gleeson reports costly blast delays associated with misfires, the here is an exchange going on between the with others in its field to create what it calls the company says. mining and mineral processing segments ‘Connected Bench’. This initiating system comes with high-speed, Tof the industry as their customers push for Leveraging its proprietary Nobel Fire digital two-way communication that offers a large data greater efficiencies in the face of falling ore platform, the company has linked together its transfer to the DigiShot Plus.4G units, according grades, the need to decarbonise and heightened unique design capabilities, bulk explosives to Rounsley. safety concerns. products, explosives delivery and initiation “That is absolutely critical for allowing Mineral processing companies, cognisant of systems to enable “end-to-end automation of customers to know if the unit is ‘good’ or if they the optimal conditions for the use of their the ‘Connected Bench’”. potentially have a misfire on their hands, before equipment, are tracking drill and blast outcomes Robert Rounsley, Chief Technology Officer of the blast has occurred, avoiding the potential and, in some instances, advising on potential Incitec Pivot, Dyno Nobel’s parent company, disruption to the mining operation that comes changes upstream of their part of the flowsheet provided IM with a bit of background here. with no prior knowledge of misfires,” he said. to improve downstream recoveries. Those “The whole purpose of the ‘Connected Bench’ Then there is the company’s CyberDet I® vendors involved in the drill and blast process is to get much better blasting design and much “wireless-through-the-ground” detonation are looking downstream, considering mineral better execution of that design to create solution. processing when calculating drill patterns; reproducible blasted ground outcomes that give Tailored to the underground mining setting, emulsion/ANFO loading; initiation, detonation you better downstream mining efficiencies,” he CyberDet I sees a signal transmitted to a unit and timing practices; and more. said. while the is in the ground, according For the two segments to effectively meet in This concept is not new – the company to Rounsley. the middle, it will require an agnostic approach outlined it several years ago – but Dyno Nobel It has no tether, harness or wire connection to to hardware, software and networks where data has recently added new ‘building blocks’ on the the unit, he said. can freely be transferred and analysed across way to making it a reality. The first ever underground wireless detonator platforms, regardless of the origin. Wireless initiation and detonation will likely blast in Western was recently For their part, many in the drill and blast play a role here; an area the company has conducted using this system – at Westgold’s Big space are receptive to this concept. continued to make progress in. Bell mine – with 34 CyberDet I fired Dyno Nobel’s DigiShot® Plus.4G, equipped to produce “outstanding results”, including a The ‘Connected Bench’ with Commander system, initiates blasting well fragmented muckpile, Incitec Pivot In its pursuit to improve mining outcomes for its through a “wireless-through-the-air” reported. customers, Dyno Nobel is open to collaborating connectivity function that results in fast “It’s a wonderful technology, but it has a fairly

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surface “tie-in that most economic or best matched – technically – you have to deal blasting option for them in the specific with other than an application they are confronted with. antenna that comes Dyno Nobel’s offering flexibility goes beyond out of the top of a this, with a range of blasting consumables that blast hole”, can help miners achieve their production, Rounsley explained. sustainability and safety aims. “We see that as a Use of its DIFFERENTIAL ENERGY® (ΔE) solution for technology, a proprietary method for controlling automation in open- the energy profile in blast holes, in pit mining.” conjunction with the DigiShot Plus.4G With an detonators, is providing miners with enormous operational flexibility in blasting design, according to CyberDet II Rounsley. prototype already The company has seen some notable developed, the improvements in fragmentation and productivity company hopes to in Chile, for instance, where hard-rock miners be in the field are applying the two technologies. testing the product “We gave blast designers a tool in terms of towards the end of DIFFERENTIAL ENERGY and 4G detonation that 2021 before a allows them to change their design to solve larger-scale rollout particular problems,” Rounsley said. in 2022, Rounsley An example of this could be the need for a said. tighter fragmentation specification where the All these wireless flexibility of the ΔE chemically-gassed emulsion The whole purpose of the ‘Connected Bench’ is options are underwritten by the DigiShot product could be combined with the timing, to get much better blasting design and much Plus.4G detonator, which the company sees as accuracy and design flexibility the DigiShot better execution of that design to create being the “digital detonator standard”. Plus.4G detonator offers. reproducible blasted ground outcomes that give you better downstream mining efficiencies, In the underground setting using a centralised “You can use our ΔE bulk product to place Incitec Pivot’s Robert Rounsley says control system, BlastWeb, miners can choose energy very accurately in the blast hole, putting between wireless electronics, wired, electronics, high energy explosives only where needed (eg in niche application in that it is focused on traditional non-electric systems or hybrid hard-rock bands) and lower energy explosives underground mining and, within that, particular blasting techniques without any additional elsewhere (in softer-rock areas),” Rounsley said. types of underground mining,” Rounsley said. infrastructure. “Velocity of detonation can also be dialled up to The two most notable benefits are the ability “Whether I am using DigiShot Plus.4G, match rock types and strata, so there is an to allow operators to work in a safer EZShot®, a standard LP (long period) Nonel® outcome that is much tighter in terms of the environment during the blast loading process unit, CyberDet I, CyberDet II, or a DriftShot® unit, overall fragmentation.” and the capacity to conduct shorter blast cycles, I can run it all from that one control system,” DIFFERENTIAL ENERGY emulsion also comes providing the potential to increase the number Rounsley said. with a lower average density than the industry of tonnes mined. The latter benefit can provide This allows customers to choose what is the standard emulsion, meaning less product can be significant value for customers, according to Dyno Nobel’s case studies, with millions of dollars in productivity improvements observed. In addition to the trial at Big Bell, the CyberDet I system has also been tested out in South and Dyno Nobel has trial plans underway in North America. “The drawback with that technology is that it only offers one-way communication,” Rounsley said. “You have got to have a big energy source to transmit your signal and you cannot have that on a consumable unit that sits inside your blast hole. You can put one on your control equipment to send a message, but you cannot get one back.” This has led the company to develop a third wireless technology, this time for the open-pit mining space. CyberDet II® is what the company describes as “wireless-from-the-collar” technology that The first ever underground wireless detonator blast in Western Australia was recently conducted using provides both high speed data transfer and no Dyno Nobel’s CyberDet I

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applied in the blast holes to get the same result. able to “sense and identify humans, boosters range of technologies we offer as we continue to “If you can control your fragmentation to hit a and other products”, is currently in the explore continuous integration of our individual target specification with much more accuracy, prototype phase, with two models developed digital blasting technologies and the systems at then the energy used in the mill is going to be and a third moving into an open-pit mining our customers’ operating sites,” Mathiravedu less, creating efficiencies and reducing environment later this year. told IM. “The multiple integration points for our ,” Rounsley added. This is where it comes back to the ‘Connected suite of digital solutions ensures flexibility for The loading of blast holes with DIFFERENTIAL Bench’ concept and the Nobel Fire platform that our customers in leveraging the best ENERGY emulsion and the ΔE jumbo truck was started the discussion, where ingesting the combination of solutions that suit their carried out manually via a control system that correct data on the bench, carrying out the blast operational needs.” loads up a pre-planned blasting profile, but – through wireless or wired means – and Improved connectivity is proving key to Dyno Nobel has released a second-generation reconciling that data, post-blast, can improve enabling automation at multiple points and system of semi-autonomous loading, and overall blasting outcomes. scales of a company’s process, all aimed at Rounsley sees a future where there is fully- “If you have that pathway from the truck with supporting both upstream and downstream autonomous loading that also connects back to the data back to the cloud-based digital system, efficiency and productivity gains in mining, he the aforementioned Nobel Fire digital platform. you also have the ability to send data the other said. “With the generation one ΔE trucks, the way – with instructions going back to the truck,” Orica’s FRAGTrack™ is an example of this at loading of that tailor-made energy profile was Rounsley said. “This brings you into the realm of the “micro level”, Mathiravedu explained, with carried out manually via the control system,” ΔE Gen 3. The design information directed by the fragmentation measurement tool using Rounsley said. “Yet, there is a step after that modelling software like FDM (Fracture Density advanced machine vision technologies that saying: ‘why do I want that particular blasting Model, Dyno Nobel’s fragmentation simulation interface with a site’s crusher control to enable profile and what design is actually suitable software) or GEM (Geologic Element Motion, automated post-blast measurement and here?’ Dyno’s movement analysis software) will be sent analysis. “What you need to answer those questions is to the truck which will run away and deliver it to Usually delivered as part of Orica’s BlastIQ™ data from the ground. That could be measure- plan, without direct human control. Digital Blast Optimisation Platform suite, while-drilling data, the block model in a digital “Then, of course, once the blast has FRAGTrack has previously allowed Boliden’s form, the geologists’ input, etc.” concluded, you can measure the outcomes using Kevitsa mine to quantify the effect geology had ΔE generation two allows customers to use whatever third-party system you like, we create on its blast performance, with the data used to such data to calculate what the most the required APIs to bring it back into Nobel Fire make targeted design modifications to its drill advantageous energy profile will be for the and this information is then used to drive better and blast process. ground to be blasted and the outcome required. decisions in the next blast design. Further upstream of this, the recent addition This information is then directed to the truck’s “It all comes back to the ‘Connected Bench’ of Orica’s Orebody Intelligence division and the on-board control system to load the hole with concept.” Rhino™ measurement technology has allowed that specific profile. mine sites to infer more about their resources. “This isn’t automated driving of the trucks, it Open to integration Rhino comes as a set of drill string-mounted is automated pumping to a specific design,” Integrating and embedding its products and geophysical sensors that measure rock elastic Rounsley stated. “It’s doing a number of things – solutions into the wider mining process is also a moduli while drilling, streaming said data in real ingesting data, using that data to create a blast key aim for Orica. time to the cloud. design and then directing the truck to load the Through organic and acquisitive growth, the This platform, Mathiravedu says, creates a hole to that design. Instead of only relying on Australia-based company has become way more high-fidelity data stream that increases the level the site’s drill and blast experience to come up than a supplier of explosives and blasting of insight and automation that can be delivered with the design, you are getting the benefit of all equipment. Its solutions cover everything from across Orica’s platform. the skilled DynoConsult people that have put all bulk systems, packaged explosives, initiating Orica’s OrePro™ 3D blast movement of their intellectual knowledge into that ΔE systems and fragmentation tracking, to slope modelling solution goes even further, tracking algorithm to create the outcome you are looking stability monitoring (with GroundProbe), ground rock mass, post-blast, for effective ore and for.” support (through Minova) and gold leaching waste distinction ahead of processing. This solution is already available (through LeachIT™). Some of these elements come together on a commercially, according to Rounsley. This wide-ranging expertise – underpinned by macro level within Orica’s Design for Outcome The third generation ΔE platform is something digital solutions that ensure companies can software, which has helped improve to look forward to. track all-important productivity, profitability and performance at the Roy Hill mine in the This is where the truck delivering the ΔE sustainability metrics – allows the company to Pilbara of Western Australia. emulsion will come with automation capabilities, look beyond blasting. Design for Outcome applies machine learning picking the required profile, lining up with the Even with such an expansive offering, Raj to data integrated upstream and downstream of correct hole destination and loading the Mathiravedu, Vice President of Digital Solutions, the blasting process, providing an automated consumable in a “local remote method, a tele-op acknowledges that the company cannot – and workflow using algorithms to define the remote method, semi-autonomous or a fully- should not – take on the burden of improving geological hardness and generate blast designs autonomous fashion”, Rounsley said. He mine site performance alone. that accurately allocate the optimal energy to clarified on the latter: “That doesn’t mean it will Instead, the company should facilitate such consistently achieve targeted mining outcomes, drive around the mine by itself with no-one improvements through connecting its broad and according to Orica. there. Instead, it may be positioned to drive up connected offering with other systems present at These machine-learning algorithms domain and down the rows to load those holes by itself.” mine sites. the geology in each drill hole and match This generation of ΔE trucks, which will be “Our digital strategy is maturing beyond the explosives energy to the said domain,

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generating automated loading rules for blast Orica’s new WebGen 200 suite of fully wireless Developed from the ground up as a multi-user initiating systems set to release in late 2021 charging, according to the company. This system, any number of domain experts can process has been supported using Orica’s smart collaborate simultaneously within IES explosives delivery systems (MMU™ – Mobile to configure and run a Manufacturing Units), capable of retrieving flowsheet that automated loading rules from the cloud and represents the real- facilitating accurate explosives charging in line world mining and mineral with the loading rules generated by the processing value chain, algorithm; all with “minimal interaction by the according to Orica. MMU operator”, Orica said. One notable area where IES is Execution of these designs is, again, captured making a difference to mining operations in the cloud, accompanied by excavation is its ability to underpin the implementation of productivity from the resulting blast, providing a Having, in late-2020, been mine to mill initiatives, Mathiravedu said. closed loop system to feed the machine-learning named the commercialisation “Blast designs are optimised based on the algorithms. partner for IES, developed by the Cooperative geotechnical and geometallurgical “Today, Roy Hill have successfully deployed Research Centre for Optimising Resource characteristics of the blast to produce the Design for Outcome across their mining Extraction, Orica recently signed a software maximum throughput and metal recovery operations to improve mining profit by removing licence agreement with JKTech Pty Ltd that gives without exceeding the functional capacity of the overcharging and redeploying energy to areas it access to models developed by the Julius plant,” he said. “IES is also making headway in that were previously under blasted,” Orica said. Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre used in the life-of-asset scenario planning space and The two firms are now working to expand IES’ comminution and flotation simulation. provides the ability to simulate each block of an Design for Outcome to increase mining “IES represents a generational advance in the entire block model across multiple mining or productivity, optimise ore fragmentation and technology of mining and mineral processing flowsheet scenarios to select the best strategies boost performance in the site’s crushing and simulation,” Orica said. “The system is the first for maximising net present value for the life of processing circuits. simulator with the capability to model multiple mine.” All this mining knowledge and more is being ore and mineral types simultaneously, the first to Orica sees much of this simulation capability introduced to the Integrated Extraction incorporate blasting into the mineral processing showcasing the benefits of its new explosives Simulator (IES), a cloud-based software platform flowsheet and the first to leverage cloud and blasting technology. that, Orica says, simulates and optimises every computing to access hundreds or even In the wireless initiation space, Orica is step in the mining value chain, from blasting thousands of servers if they are required to solve building on thousands of hours of operational through to final product. complex non-linear optimisations.” experience with its WebGen™ 100 underground

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wireless blasting initiation solution to develop a new product with both underground and open- pit applications. WebGen 200 harnesses digital technology to allow advanced reprogramming and digital inventory management, offering mine operations an integrated user interface with improved quality assurance, according to Adam Mooney, Vice President of Blasting Technology for Orica. “Built with customers’ needs and feedback built in, encoding capabilities and enhanced security, the reliability of each blast is further improved with the new generation WebGen 200 system,” he told IM, adding it has been designed to endure even greater shock resistance than WebGen 100. Mooney said WebGen 200’s development will support further “innovative and more complex mining operations”, enabling the first stages of automating underground development charging. Protect is helping customers to minimise this Changing the density of the emulsion product in the hole, depending on where more or less This is evidenced through the successful risk without compromising explosive energy,” energy is required, is not only optimising progression of Orica and Epiroc’s fully Mooney said. blasting effectiveness but also promoting mechanised development charging system, sustainability and safety, according to BME’s Joe Keenan Avatel™. This system, currently undergoing Sustainable blasting outcomes factory acceptance testing in Sweden, could South Africa’s BME is also looking to use real- move to mine site trials in 2022. time data for optimal blasting and improved vary the energy distribution across the chosen “WebGen 200 will come in four product decision making across the mining process. blast hole. variants and will open new markets, applications This is where its next-generation MMUs and Changing the density of the emulsion product and opportunities, including the large volume XPLOLOG™ blast data management system can in the hole, depending on where more or less surface market; continuing our commitment to help the sector, according to BME Managing energy is required, is not only optimising creating safer, more productive operations for Director, Joe Keenan. blasting effectiveness but also promoting our customers,” Mooney said. “Equipped with various monitoring sustainability and safety, according to Keenan. The development program for WebGen 200 is technology and a connected device that provides “This can even be applied in underground progressing to plan with further tests and field the ability to transmit data in real time, BME’s applications where low-emulsion density can trials to be conducted across multiple market smart trucks now track and measure key help reduce overbreak, helping optimise hanging segments in Australia, , Chile and Europe performance indicators such as total tonnes wall and side wall strata control,” he said. from July, according to Mooney. pumped, breaking this captured data down into Taking it one step further, BME’s combination “The commercially-ready solution, expected kilograms pumped per hole,” he told IM. of software, digital tools and specialised in late 2021, will include feedback on BME is working with a third-party technology products can also be leveraged to improve rock enhancements to the product and firing system provider to integrate the vendor’s blast data fragmentation and, as a result, reduce the from our extensive testing and consultations management system into its XPLOLOG system. energy mines consume in loading, hauling, with our customers,” he said. XPLOLOG gives customers a comprehensive crushing and milling of ore, according to Keenan. Ahead of the upcoming wireless initiation summary of blast block progress online, As with all the company’s individual projects, launch, Orica has released its Fortis™ Protect including information on dipping, priming, it will match the solution to the characteristics bulk explosive system as part of an overall risk charging, top up and stemming. This, the and densities of the rock for an optimal result. management approach. This will help customers company says, gives managers the power to BME has many solutions for such operating in difficult conditions minimise the improve the quality of blast preparation – customisation with its AXXIS™ advanced potential for nitrate leaching into ground water, leading to better blasting results and more electronic blast initiation system and the company said. profitable mining. BLASTMAP™ blast planning software (for “The product uses a combination of advanced The integration of the blast data management surface and underground applications) usually surface chemistry in combination with increased system into XPLOLOG will see data synchronised gaining most of the attention – usually linked viscosity to significantly improve the robustness to a cloud-based database for real-time with record blasts on the African continent. of the product,” Mooney explained. reporting and better decision making by mine Yet, the company has taken sustainability to a Orica has already registered significant management, according to Keenan. whole new level with its use of used oil in interest in the technology from Canada-based “Our goal with our smart trucks is to help to emulsion explosives. miners, and a major customer has recently do this by feeding back information through The Omnia group company has been commenced demonstration and measurement of XPLOLOG,” he said. “This allows the powder incorporating used oil into the emulsion mix for the technology benefits. factor to be optimised alongside a reduction in over three decades, making blasting greener “Concerns around nitrates in ground water of explosives used, while better control over while reducing environmental risk. operating mines is growing and the combination product volumes also improves safety.” Keenan said BME recently expanded its used of best-in-class operational practices with Fortis Such integration also unlocks the ability to oil technology beyond South Africa into

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countries in the Southern African Development Community, West Africa and . To meet the company’s stringent quality requirements, used oil is sampled at BME bulking points around South Africa, then collected and transported to its treatment plant near Delmas. Undesirable contaminants are removed before the oil is ready to be used as a fuel source in BME’s range of emulsions. In South Africa, BME is now the leading consumer of used oil in the explosives sector, using a considerable portion of South Africa’s total available volume in its emulsion explosives, according to Keenan. “Last year, we consumed about 15 million litres of used oil in the manufacture of our emulsion explosives, up from around 11 million four years ago,” he said. In other developments, the company is planning to launch its AXXIS TITANIUM™ system, the latest generation of BME’s AXXIS electronic blast initiation platform, soon, while Bulk benefits More than 14 historical studies and 30 specific Phase 2 of BLASTMAP Underground – to include Spain-based MAXAM is another company intent trial blasts in a broad range of mining and quarrying applications across five continents up-hole design capacity – is also in the works. on adjusting the explosive density of products to were factored into the MAXAM RIOFLEX study The company is also confronting the match the application at hand. ammonium nitrate problem in blast-affected The benefits of its high energetic, robust and groundwater. flexible density bulk product, RIOFLEX, have and “unique and revolutionary” product “From a sustainability and social licence point recently been proven in a study supported by applications to deliver the right energy for of view, we are looking at leveraging the benefits independent external consultants and customer blasting, managed by advanced digital of calcium nitrate as a buffer against the feedback. technologies, the company explained. potential hazards of post-blast ammonia RIOFLEX is part of the MAXAM X-Energy More than 14 historical studies and 30 specific release,” Keenan said. solution, a combination of rock characterisation trial blasts in a broad range of mining and

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quarrying applications across five continents fraction of the actual observed benefits of explosives on-site and load them; and the were factored into this study, together with RIOFLEX, MAXAM said. Stemming-iTruck can plug the blastholes with theoretical analysis and laboratories tests run in “Real overperformance of RIOFLEX goes gravel. USA and Spain, according to MAXAM. beyond the theoretical difference in energy,” it “Mine-iTruck was first used in 2018 for the The study compared the performance of said. “This unique feature relies on the different first tele-operated charging of ANFO in the RIOFLEX with that of standard bulk emulsion nature of RIOFLEX when compared to other world, carried out in a large Chilean open-pit explosives documented by MAXAM and authors products, due to the higher density of the matrix mine,” Morales said. “Mine-iTruck, together with in peer-reviewed literature during the last 35 and mechanical sensitisation and cross-linking Stemming-iTruck and RoboMiner, were used for years. The studies carried out in mines and technology.” the first full remote blasting in mining history. quarries in Africa, Australia, Europe and South Today, this package that includes the full set of America, and in laboratory scale evidence, An autonomous future robotic solutions is the only one of its kind in repeated the advantages of RIOFLEX technology, Reviewing the past, present and future of the market, and it is being successfully the company said. blasting technologies at the MassMin 2020 implemented in an important operation in The theoretical characterisation of RIOFLEX conference, Danko Morales, Enaex Manager of northern Chile.” and emulsion in different densities and non- Underground Mining, covered a lot of ground – He added: “From the point of view of open-pit ideal conditions – from its ideal thermodynamic from the transition to mechanised charging mines, tele-operated, robotic and autonomous characteristic to its non-ideal performance – using pumpable emulsions, to alternative pre- activities will increasingly define the future. Tele- demonstrated that RIOFLEX-based formulations conditioning solutions for dynamic weakening operation and robotics are technologies already have more energy to break and move rock than with explosives, to the ongoing shift towards in use by Enaex and they have helped gain formulations based on emulsions, MAXAM said. emulsions or other water-based explosives in access to places that are difficult and/or “The energy of non-ideal ammonium nitrate- the blasting process. dangerous to reach. Since 2019, Enaex has based explosive depends on the water content Morales stated: “In the near future…all demonstrated that complete tele-operated and of that explosive,” it explained. “While RIOFLEX operations will be mechanised, and explosives robotised blasting is possible in open-pit mines usually has less than 13% of water, some will become completely on-site manufactured. using RoboMiner, Mine-iTruck and Stemming- commercial emulsions can have up to 23% After the massive application of water-based iTruck. The next step will be to automate all water. The amount of water negatively affects explosives, the industry’s next step will be the activities.” the total energy of the explosive.” full automation of the rock blasting sequence, Today, Enaex units can drive autonomously Underwater energy tests and confined velocity including priming, manufacturing, charging and thanks to Mobius® software, which is part of the of detonation (VOD) measurements carried out initiation.” partnership between Enaex and Automated highlighted that, under identical conditions, In 2019, simulation studies were carried out Solutions Inc, but there are special tasks still 100% RIOFLEX has a higher VOD than 100% to evaluate the potential performance of an requiring remote control. standard emulsion. On average, the VOD of autonomous charging process in an important As in underground mines, Enaex seeks to go RIOFLEX was found to be 15% higher than that block caving mine in central Chile, Enaex said. further in open-pit mining to achieve fully of standard emulsions, MAXAM said. With the incorporation of autonomous automated blasting in the short term. More than 30 full-scale production blasts equipment and emulsion, the exposure for On the digitalisation front, Morales highlighted were carried out in three different mine personnel could be reduced from more than Enaex Bright® as one of the company’s key operations to evaluate the outcomes of RIOFLEX 25,000 hours to zero, with six additional projects. This digital platform can provide versus different emulsion products regarding effective hours potentially added to available recommendations on blasting agent types, rock fragmentation, environmental effects and daily working time, according to the company. optimal mixtures and quantities based on data downstream impacts. All these blasts were Given the number of metres to develop, analysis, machine learning and artificial carried out under similar rock and ground autonomous charging would allow preparation intelligence. conditions, according to MAXAM. time to be reduced from 90 to 82 months (10% He explained: “Today, Enaex Bright is working The main results and conclusions obtained less), and, without interference, it could be on step one. It is collecting information from from the analysis were summarised as follows: achieved in just 41 months (55% less). manufacturing trucks, saving design data like n Rock blasted with RIOFLEX had a smaller size Beyond the use of autonomous activities and blasting geometry and rock type, and also than rock blasted with standard bulk emulsions, further developments in robotics are saving operational parameters such as emulsion as measured by the X80 fraction. projected in underground mines in the short quantities of explosive and depth of the drill The reduction ranged from 15-38%; term. These advances will transform many high- holes.” n Using RIOFLEX also allowed a powder factor risk human activities into more secure, remote, reduction of 10-18%, depending on the autonomous and robotised tasks, Enaex said. The digital network baseline, without compromising rock While this is yet to be realised underground, Becker Mining Systems’ newest product in its fragmentation and digging rates; Enaex is closing in on this achievement in open- line of networking solutions, smartblast® LTE, is n Better fragmentation facilitated 11-18% faster pit mining. designed specifically to help a remote firing digging rates and lowered truck cycle times. Robotic solutions, which include RoboMiner®, system work in conjunction with mine LTE One study found that truck cycle times Mine-iTruck® and Stemming-iTruck®, can form a communication systems. dropped by 8%; and complete family of equipment for performing full Just one of the benefits that comes with n In ore milling, significant improvements of up remote blasting in open-pit mines, it claimed. applying smartblast LTE units in a drill and blast to 13% in throughput rates and energy RoboMiner is a humanoid unit mounted on setting is the reduction in misfires due to the consumption were observed. four wheels that can moor and prime the minimal infrastructure requirements and ease- The study also demonstrated the theoretical blastholes; Mine-iTruck is a “sophisticated” of-use that come with applying smartblast LTE, models of the blasting results only predict a truck to transport raw materials, manufacture the company claimed.

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With the growing presence of measurements for individual rock particles can LTE technology in the mining sector, Becker be measured using the same Split HSL sought to develop a measurements to find the ratios of the product reliable LTE blasting type blends. device that wouldn’t require extensive The company concluded: “HxGN Split’s image training, all while processing technology delivers high-quality keeping safety a information, ensuring the key step of priority, Becker Varis’ Albert Bower says of fragmentation analysis is managed from drill to smartblast LTE mill, thus improving mine profits.”

“With the growing A well-needed boost presence of LTE technology in Storage and transportation of the mining sector, we sought to explosives and its associated develop a reliable LTE blasting raw materials come with a fair device that wouldn’t require amount of risk, with AECI Mining extensive training, all while Explosives looking to address keeping safety a priority,” Albert these issues with the development Bower, CEO of Becker Varis, the of a “ground-breaking” alternative Canadian division of Becker Mining booster technology manufactured from non- Systems, said. explosive raw materials. The 3GPP compliant system is comprised of company said. The manufacture of boosters or primers from two units: the Controller (RB1675-M) and the New to Split’s solution suite is HSL (Hue, pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), or cyclo- Remote (RB1675-R). The Controller features a Saturation and Luminance), a colour analysis trimethylene trinitramine (RDX) and historical log book and safe bi-directional feature that, Hexagon says, empowers mine trinitrotoluene (TNT), has been unrivalled for communication with all installed Remotes, while operators with real-time ore type detection. decades in terms of performance and reliability. being able to fire a total of 64 Remotes, “Real-time tracking of product types allows It remains the preferred method globally as an according to Becker Varis. for immediate decision making to optimise rock- intermediary part of the detonation train due to Both units are designed to withstand harsh size reduction and product-type treatments,” its ease of initiation from a detonator and high environments while the Remote includes sensors Hexagon said. “The new feature further supports VOD, according to the company. Yet PETN, RDX to detect seismic activity. operational efforts to improve product and TNT, due to their chemical make-up, require The benefits of the system have already been throughput and ore recovery.” sophisticated plants and specialised raw felt at Eldorado Gold’s Lamaque underground This is important when mining operations are material facilities for manufacturing. gold mine in Quebec, Canada, where, Becker continuing to maximise existing resources, using The handling of energetic materials and Varis, in partnership with Meglab (recently value-added technologies. explosive raw materials are, by their nature, acquired by Epiroc), commissioned the first HSL’s key benefits include: hazardous and, therefore, highly regulated in the smartblast LTE remote firing system. n The ability to monitor product type blending interest of public safety. This introduces some To ensure proper communication between the for optimum processing; costly challenges, according to Hazel Bomba, mine’s LTE network and the smartblast LTE units, n Reduce ore dilution by tracking product Product Manager at AECI Mining Explosives. multiple tests were conducted and provided source mining; As a result, the ability to position booster positive results as blasts were successfully n Maximise throughput with consistent manufacturing sites in more geographically initiated without misfires from multiple levels of product delivery to the plant; and suitable areas to make the product more the mine, Becker explained. n Immediately adjust ore recovery treatments accessible is limited. “We are very pleased with the results of the based upon product type. AECI Mining Explosives is developing an tests that were completed,” Sylvain Frigon, “Hue, saturation and luminance values are alternative booster technology wherein a high- Director of Technology Projects at Meglab, said. measured during live plant production and powered explosive booster is manufactured from “With the emergence of LTE communications provide a statistically relevant sample required non-explosive raw materials. The alternative technology in Québec, we believe that we will be to aid decision making,” Hexagon said. “A colour booster technology is currently being trialled in able to help our clients with a blasting system wheel is applied to the images to provide the field following lab testing. The company is that fits their requirements.” calculated HSL values for every processed confident its innovative PowerBoost product will In 2020, Eldorado Gold set up a private iteration. Evaluation of the Split HSL values are be market-ready by the March quarter of 2022. underground LTE network at Lamaque in correlated to the mine geologic product types to “This alternative technology opens up the collaboration with Meglab and Bell. find the unique image property signatures.” opportunity for so much more,” Bomba said. The HSL values are measured for the image “AECI Mining Explosives has been trialling and Split the difference samples to be trended on live operator screens. optimising the booster design to the extent that Hexagon has, once again, looked to improve Step changes in the Split results provide its PowerBoost technology outperforms the fragmentation analysis within the drill and blast immediate indicators for product type changes equivalent PETN and TNT boosters. The use of process by adding split colour features to its offering. that signal the need for operational responses, non-explosive raw materials in booster HxGN Split provides technologically advanced Hexagon explained. technology simplifies logistics, has the potential image-analysis techniques to help mines Timely decisions surrounding the operating to lower manufacturing costs and creates the optimise fragmentation, saving significant costs conditions lead to improved plant throughput ability to deploy simple mobile modular plants while improving drill and blast processes, the and product recovery, while additional detailed to strategically placed manufacturing hubs.” IM

AUGUST 2021| International Mining 101