1. INTRODUCTION
Blasting operation is one of the mine operation begin communition process. It is define as the process of using energy generated through explosive detonation for rock mass fragmentation. In a simple definition, I explain mining engineering to be a profession that provide needed mineral resources through application of safe technology. Mining related with the earth crust in a safe approach to release the naturally deposited mineral resources for human use. Mining Field surely make sense and can't be look down on because of the need for Innovation and technological development in manufacturing companies. The world currently have enough space ships, aircraft, cars, motorcycles and many heavy equipment that demands high supply of metals and fuel minerals. Currently, we consumed more salt, uses more cement produce from limestone, clay, iron ore, gypsum, human being keep constructing more roads with asphalt produced from the mixture of bitumen and granite dust. Infact, more quest to diversify energy source from electricity to solar energy had keep the need for glass sand and other light metals demand high. Mining is one of the field that supports the growth and development of any Nation. Not just to supply raw materials but also add value to the National economy. This article focus on providing ground explanation about Blasting operation productivity and safety. This content mentioned several materials use for blasting; why blasting can be dangerous and what makes blasting beautiful and safe. The main aim of this article is to provide individual with information to get the know more about the advantage of mining and also teach the reader one of the way by which we mining engineer go about liberating the mineral from the earth crust.
2. Explosive and Blasting operation
Firstly, I will like to give a simple definition of blasting to be the use of industrial explosive in an industrial way for rock fragmentation. Explosive by definition according to Dick and Fetcher is any chemical compound capable of undergoing rapid or violent detonation under the influence of a stimuli or impulse such as heat, lightening, fire, impact, friction or shock. And upon such detonation it releases energetic gas and wave sufficient in magnitude to explode/destroy any form of obstacles barricading it pathway. The Mineral as refer to in mining and geology field is an accumulation of element coming to form a solid substance that is crystalline and has a define chemical composition e.g Gold, mica, calcite. This minerals existing in various form and their chemical composition makes the difference between the various available categories. Each equipment, tool, materials existing on Earth is known to be a product of mineral or agricultural product. These minerals are formed through the cooling process of emolten magma during igneous rock origination. These minerals are distribute within rock mass In different quantity (assay), the amount of each Mineral in a rock mass define the function and usefulness of the rock itself.
2.1 Duty of a mining Engineer
The duty of mining Engineer is to make design for the extraction of this minerals (ore deposit) from the earth crust. Mining life cycles define the stages of mining operation, it begining from Prospecting to exploration, then to exploitation, and finally to reclamation. Each of this stages depends on o e another. The main stage where the extraction work begin is known as the Exploitation stage. This stage begins after all the deposit overburden had been strip and all needed equipment have deployed to the mine. Exploitation stage in mining consist of development, drilling, blasting, loading, and haulage process.
The stage initiate the extraction process of mineral from the earth crust through the use of different equipment and machineries. As mentioned by Tiile, 2016, mining is a capital intensive operation due to the required operation cost to develop the deposit, extract the deposit and transport the mineral run-off-mine from mine-to-mill. Study hhas also revealed that blasting operation account for about 10-15% of the total cost of mining operation due to the need to provide drill holes at define design on the rock bearing Mineral, provide explosive and explosive and Blasting accessories materials.
This article is therefore important for both blasting professional and upcoming mining and civil engineers in order to provide them with basic knowledge about blasting influence on mining productivity and also sensitize them on the need to get blasting right.
3. Blasting factors and design control
The need to fragment rock mass and get the insitu rock broken into smaller sizers had always been the reason for blasting since the beginning of Mining. Scholars work on Blasting had proved that blasting operation is controlled by two basic factors, these factors are identified to be the controllable and the uncontrollable optimization of blasting is important to control mine downstream operation and reduce dilution rate from the site. Getting ride of both external and internal dilution in Mineral operation is important and needs special attention. Not only to reduce transportation cost but also to minimize the total ore dressing cost.
Blasting design involve taking the right decision about the controllable factors to ensure good utilization of Explosive energy for rock fracturing. The controllable factors include but not limited to burden, spacing, hole diameter, hole length, charging length, powder factor among others. These factors are adjustable from the blasters end to ensure explosive quantity is optimize for blast per ton.
Most research work towards the effect of burden and spacing on blasting efficiency had proven high impact due to the fact that this parameters not only control the energy utilization and efficiency during blasting, but also determine the Explosive energy distribution within the rock mass grain. When burden is increased, the load on explosive per ton increases and this will definitely result in poor fragmentation and possibly tangential vertical flyrock projection.
Most blasting operation performed by ASM consider nothing about the design and striking balance between the controllable factors and uncontrollable factors. The only focus had always been to get the ore by all means. Making money is not all to Mining, mining profession is to mine for life sustainability and not destructiveness.
4. What Small scale mining Companies need to Do to improve their blasting operation
The small scale miners are refer to as those who extract Mineral deposit with local tools and basically at small scale level.
This mining sector tends to go after placer deposit, unconsolidated Mineral bearing formation using local tools and small Operation machines. Some of the mining methods used by ASM includes, placer mining, leaching, quarrying, looting, panning to mention few.
As small scale miners, this group of people also perform blasting with ANFO, dynogel and many other emulsion explosive products.
To improve ASM blasting operation the following needs to be put in place by the management,
1. Appoint a professional and experience mining Engineer to see to the mining operation supervision
2. Provide a good operation plan for the mine
3. Provide a blasting team head by a good experience blaster/Explosive Engineer
4. Provide good training and handbook for all the blast team members
5. Have a selected day, time for blasting in your mine. The selected time and day must be well known to all mine workers
6. Refrain from illegal buying, storage and transport of explosive
7. Training all blasting team about interpretation and implementation of blast plan
8. Provide an active blasting supervisor who sees to the affairs of the blasting team members
9. Provide a good communication Iink between the blasting team and the management
10. Do not dictate or try to deviate from provided blasting plan materials requirements basically for profit margin
11. Device a means for pre-design of all blast before site operation
12. Provide safety team and after blast checking team (2-5 skillful individuals)
13. Create awareness to all workers about Blasting days and signs
14. Management should be sensitive and active to blasting team need
15. Provide all needed PPE
16. Provide blasting do and donts as a list
17. Define safety zone or blasting muster point I'm the mine usually at some kilometers from the blasting zone
18. Check all explosive before using
19. Return all unused explosive accessories to the magazine, do not keep in the ware house or take it home (Big danger).
20. Stop transporting explosive with bike and putting detonator with the Explosive when trainspotting. STOP!!!
21. And many more
Conclusion
Mining is mining when is done with safety first. Blasting without safety first is a bomb blast which is incongruous to the environment.
All our Targets must be to improve the environment handed over to us and not to damage it.
NIGERIA as a whole, African miners and mining engineer all over the world should give full attention to ASM Operations and help them in various ways such as in design and professional advice.
If ASM failed fly, Large scale mining will not survive, not the world will recover from various lost of insufficient raw materials.
Blasting is for peace and not for war
Explosive is not kolanut or sweet, stop hiding it in your room and store house, take it to the magazine.
Long live Mining
