Blast Design for Improved Productivity using a Modified Available Energy method

In this study, a new drilling and blasting design methodology is introduced and applied at a case study mine to improve productivity. For the case study copper mine, a blast diameter of 203mm has been proposed to be used in the ore zone to meet the new required production rate of 90mtpa from 75mtpa. Currently, Konya and Walter’s model is used to generating drilling and blasting design at the blasthole diameter of 172mm. The new drilling and blast design approach is advantageous in the sense that it generates a lower specific drilling value and predicted average fragment size than the current method being used. In this regard, a Modified Available Energy blast design method that incorporates the blastability index of ore zone in the calculation of the input powder factor has been introduced. The results of the blast design simulations at 203mm blasthole diameter showed that the Modified available energy model generates drilling and blasting design with a specific drilling value that is 15.3% less than that generated by Ash’s and Konya and Walter’s model. Further, the Modified Available Energy model generated a blast design with a predicted average fragment size that is 3.4 % smaller than that generated by Ash’s model, and 6.7% smaller than that generated by Konya and Walter’s Model.