The influence of drilling process automation on improvement of blasting works quality in open pit mining

The article describes the monitoring system of blasthole drilling process called HNS (Hole Navigation System), which was used in blasting works performed by Maxam Poland Ltd. Developed by Atlas Copco's, the HNS system – using satellite data – allows for a very accurate mapping of the designed grid of blastholes. The article presents the results of several conducted measurements of ground vibrations triggered by blasting, designed and performed using traditional technology and using the HNS system and shows first observations in this matter

Study of the Influence of Sensitizer Content on the Density of a Bulk Emulsion Explosive Used in Underground Operations

Emulsion matrix sensitization is typically performed by chemical reduction of the density using different sensitization agents. Mixing of the components takes place directly inside the loading hose, which is equipped with static mixing devices. Precise dosing of the components, due to the multi-ingredient nature of the mixture, has a significant impact on the detonation and operational parameters of the end product. However, the operation and maintenance of the mixing-charging units in underground mines is very difficult due to the local conditions. As a consequence, different values for the detonation parameters may be expected when charging the same explosive into blastholes using two different charging units. The present article presents the results of laboratory testing of the influence of the sensitizing agent content on the density of a bulk emulsion explosive. Analysis confirmed that increasing the concentration of the sensitizing agent by 30% and 50% led to density reductions by 4% and 7%, respectively. In turn, reducing the sensitizer content by the same percentages resulted in an increase in the final density by 7% and 8%, respectively

Determination of the Detonation Velocity of Selected Ideal Explosives by the Use of Continuous and Start-stop Methods

W trakcie oznaczania prędkości detonacji górniczych materiałów wybuchowych przy użyciu urządzenia MicroTrap pojawiło się wiele wątpliwości dotyczących dokładności otrzymywanych wyników pomiarów ze względu na zastosowany materiał badawczy. W związku z powyższym przeprowadzono serię pomiarów prędkości detonacji idealnych materiałów wybuchowych (oktogen flegmatyzowany, heksogen flegmatyzowany, trotyl) przy użyciu Explometru Wielokanałowego oraz rejestratora MicroTrap. W trakcie badań, te same ładunki materiału wybuchowego i w tych samych warunkach zostały uzbrojone sondami do obu systemów pomiarowych. W ramach artykułu przedstawiono wyniki pomiarów prędkości detonacji idealnych materiałów wybuchowych przeprowadzonych metodą ciągłą i odcinkową (zwarciową).During the measurements of the detonation velocity of mining explosives using the MicroTrap VOD/Data Recorder, many doubts arose regarding the accuracy of the results obtained. Consequently, a series of detonation velocity tests of ideal explosives (phlegmatized HMX, phlegmatized RDX, TNT) by the use of multi-channel Explomet and MicroTrap recorder were carried out. The same explosives under the same conditions were fitted with continuous and start-stop probes during the tests. The article presents the results of detonation velocity measurements of ideal explosives carried out by the use of continuous and start-stop methods (short-circuit)