JOURNAL PAPERS

 

Blast optimization at Kriel Colliery

 

 

A.M. Neale

Department of Mining Engineering, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

 

 

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SYNOPSIS

Kriel Colliery has experienced some sub-standard blast results on the overburden. Blast results are considered poor when the fragmentation is too big, back break into the new highwall, capping is experienced and/or excess overburden material is thrown into the void. Poor blasting leads to lower productivity, equipment breakdowns, and poor drilling and blasting results on the adjacent blast, contamination of coal or loss of coal. A simulation was developed in Microsoft Excel to model blasting results while changing various parameters. From the simulation results, it could be seen that a change of blast design could be beneficial. As an example, smaller drilling patterns were simulated (10 m x 10 m to 8 m x 8 m, and 8 m x 8 m to 7 m x 7 m in Pit 5 and Pit 6 respectively) in combination with changes in explosives (P700 emulsion vs. ANFO) and drill bit diameter (311mm vs. 251mm). The results show that each of the options has a specific scenario that will be most beneficial to the mine. These results are quite specific and subject to variable inputs. The purpose of the example is to demonstrate how the simulation can be used as a tool to asses blast design variations.

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References

Bezuidenhout, D. Personal communication. 2008.         [ Links ]

Cunningham, V.B. The Kuz-Ram model for prediction of fragmentation from blasting. Proc. 1st intern. Symposium on rockfragmentation by blasting, Lulea, Sweden. 1986.         [ Links ]

Crosby, W. Lecture given to blasting personnel. 10 December. 2008.         [ Links ]

Dlamini, G. Personal Interview. 4 December. 2008.         [ Links ]

Kabinde, T. Personal communication. 2008.         [ Links ]

Kok, T. Personal communication. 2008.         [ Links ]

Kriel Colliery. Business Plan C 2008 and Forecast C 2009- C. 2008.         [ Links ]

Krugel, G. Personal communication. 2009.         [ Links ]

Lejuge, G. Blast design process in open pit mining. Sixth Annual South African Surface Mining Seminar. Pretoria. 1996.         [ Links ]

Levings, S. Personal communication. 2008.         [ Links ]

Lopez Jimeno, C. Drilling and blasting of rocks. London: Taylor and Francis. 1995.         [ Links ]

Olivier, A. Personal communication. 12 May. 2009.         [ Links ]

Singh, A. Kriel Colliery pit recons for 2008.         [ Links ]

Thompson, E.M. Surface Mining. Class notes. University of Pretoria. 2008.         [ Links ]

 

 

Paper written on project work carried out in partial fulfilment of B.Eng Mining