Calculation methodology of blasting and explosion operations' parameters for construction of horizontal and inclined excavations

Abstract

Calculation methods for blasting and explosion operations is a topical issue in mining industry as they allow to improve characteristics of excavation works and safety of explosion operations. The paper presents a novel methodology for calculations for blasting and explosion operations and design of parameters of prismatic gain. That methodology comprises various specifics of rock geology and mining engineering during works in horizontal and vertical excavations. The feature of the presented methodology is that the calculation is based not on definition of specific consumption of explosives, but on accurate definition of radii of rock massif destruction zone in a case of explosion of an elongated charge. The study contains designed parameters of structures of gain blastholes. The proposed engineering solution allows to increase efficiency of explosion operations by decreasing of explosions' consumption, reducing drilling works and decreasing throwout of rocks after explosion. The proposed methodology had passed large scale industrial testing at mines of arctic branch of Norilsk Nickel ltd., which resulted in increase of quality of aforementioned parameters of explosions.