B L A S T I N G T E C H N O LO GY
3GSM's BlastMetrix3D system uses a calibrated digital camera and sophisticated software algorithms to collect and process bench face profile information, producing a
3-D image of the face and enabling design of blast patterns tailored to site conditions.
front row burdens can be verified using the minimum burden view.
Boreholes can be positioned to provide consistent energy throughout the rock mass, minimizing flyrock and air overpressures. Wall
damage can be minimized by designing blast patterns with consistent pattern geometry and energy distribution.
"The profile survey can be done quickly and remotely away
from the highwall and crest. Ease of use and training make it an
easy system to integrate into any operation," he added.
Eyes on the Ball
Another approach for designing more cost-effective blasts involves
the study of blast movement dynamics—determining exactly how far
material has been shifted from its original position after a blast.
Initially developed about a decade ago at the Julius Kruttschnitt
Mineral Research Center in Queensland, the concept was originally
regarded as a grade-control tool for minimizing ore dilution. Because
the potential value of ore lost to the dump through misidentification
was so great, mining companies funded a research project to develop blast movement dynamic concepts into a usable product.
Subsequently, Queensland-based Blast Movement Technologies
developed systems and solutions to identify and present blast movement information, based on those earlier research activities.
In BMT's approach, ball-shaped directional transmitters (BMMs)
are activated, programmed and installed in dedicated drill holes
prior to blasting. After the blast, an operator walks across the muckpile, carrying a portable detector to locate each BMM and record the
signal strength, which is later used by dedicated software to calculate the depth and the precise 3-D movement vector of each BMM.
This information is then used to redefine ore boundaries to reflect
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