Blasting optimization: Micro fracture increase to supplement rock breakage

Blasting is the technology use in breaking rock mass or boulders into specified require sizes by the use of Explosive.

The main objective of Blasting is to reduce rock/Mineral size so as to minimize cost of comminution and other downstream processes.

Poor fragmentation affect other Mining operations like; loading, Haulage, crushing, and separation process.

It also increase production cost and operation cost. Most Quarry and mine practice secondary Blasting or implement hydraulic breaker to further reduce Blasting output.

It therefore good to subscribe to better blast design to ensure good blast output result so as to avoid further reduction expenses.

What is micro fracture?

Fractures are crack or breakage in rock mass.

Micro fractures are the cracks create in rock mass by Explosion shock waves during Explosive charge detonation.

What is the important of micro fracture in rock fragmentation?

The micro fracture creates slabbing in rock mass and through this cause the failure of the rock and Explosion after high pressure gas fill up the fractures.

How can we increase micro fracture in rock during Blasting?

Find my response in the attached pictures.

MINING JOB SEARCHING KEY: THE SECRET JOB DOOR

It never ends until you give up!! As an experience mining Engineer or graduate you have hundred plus job opportunities available online for you.

All you need is to get the formula right.

The general formula for you getting job is titled: "Add up and Network it"

You first add up value and do the networking.

Recently I was baffled about the available opportunities in Mining after checking through people's request for job on Facebook pages and groups.

I decided to take this up and Network friends, make online research to get the crystal view of mining in the world.

I sign up for more than four (4) website and keep searching for mining job basin, firstly worldwide and later National.

I was supprise to access and get notification from more than three websites on available Mining job from companies.

Many companies release their vacancy advert internally, it requires smart job seekers to gain access to this.

I will be sharing with us five Giant job searching app and website that have access to mining company job vacancy.This websites give update on job vacancy and also provide you with information about the company, and also gives information about possible interview questions.

All you need is networking and getting the formula right!

Below are some garantee Job searching engine:

1. Glassdoor Website

Access Glassdoor Website HERE

2. Ngcareer website (Nigeria)

Access ngcareer website Here:

3. LinkedIn website

Access LinkedIn here

4. Careermine website

Access Careermine website Here

5. Ca.indeed website

Click here to access indeed website

Gem Stone Mining Tips

Cost and Technical Requirements for starting/operating a small scale gemstone Mine

Nigeria is a blessed a country with a lot of minerals most especially solid minerals like Gemstone e.g Gold, Diamond, Ruby, Tourmaline, Sapphire and more 

To start with, Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (ASM) are formal or informal operations with predominantly simplified forms of exploration, extraction, processing and transportation. ... While ASM can provide a mean to generate income to get out of poverty, it can also be a way to trap miners and the families in poverty.

Briefly, on the mineral we are about to get is technical requirement and cost for mining the mineral.

Gemstone is a piece of mineral with special properties like colour, hardness among others which makes it different from other earth forming Mineral.

This mineral is such that after it has been cut and polished is made into a piece of jewelry or another accessory

FORMATION OF GEMSTONES

Gemstones are of substantial monetary value for its beauty or shine, which are form from the eruption of molten magma to the surface, due to slow cooling, temperature and pressure.

Examples of this mineral are

1. Tourmaline which semi-precious stone

2. Ruby

3. Gold a precious stone

4. Diamond 

5. Sapphire

6. Emerald 

1. Colour: all gemstones are of specific colour which varies from lighter-darker, more or less vivid

2. Cut: this refer to the shape or design of the stones e.g stone or bottle shape, tourmaline is of bottle shape, quart is hexagonal in shape e.t.c 

3. Carat weight: gemstone is measured by its weight not by its dimension and one carat is approximate to 0.2 gram

4. Hardness

GEMSTONE MINING AND PROSPECTING METHOD 

OPEN CAST MINING METHOD

Gemstone is a solid mineral which is mostly been mine on the surface of the earth using open cast mining method with the depth less than 320m. Open cast mining method is a  class under surface mining method. It use for the extraction of shallow depth deposit, those with shallow overburden thickness.

PROSPECTING METHOD

1. Sluicing: channel of running water, and wash scoops of ore and dirt with a framed screen so that only stones are left. 

2. Creeking/Panning

Mountain mining operations may have creeks flowing through the terrain that are available for prospecting. The creeks will be up to knee-deep and can contain gems that have been deposited in the waters from surrounding mines through erosion.

Some people like to look for gems by peering at the exposed gravel and rock. Screening, or panning, is more common and more productive. To pan, you need a hand shovel and a screen, which is some type of metal grid enclosed in a frame. Screening is similar to straining things in the kitchen: dump a shovelful of gravel on the screen and strain with the available water.

 Digging

To dig for gems is to cut into the ground or in a mine's vein, hoping to find a mother lode that yields a valuable find. This kind of prospecting is real labor and requires a rock hammer, shovel and bucket. Mining operations will usually supply them for a fee. Equipment you bring from home might have to be approved before you can use it.

Before you can start mining your gemstone legally, you have to acquire some license and lease, you have to know the equipment to use and there prices this will tell you the amount you need to start your operation known as CAPITAL

THE TYPE OF LICENSE TO ACQUIRE AND HOW TO OBTAIN THEM WITH THERE COST 

There are major types of mining leases or licenses or permit in Nigeria, which are commonly applicable in the Nigerian mining sector they are as follows

Reconnaissance Permit

Exploration Licence

Small Scale Mining Lease

Exploration License

Possess or Purchase License

Water Use Permit

Export License

The functions and requirements for all of the above listed licenses can be summarized as follows:

Exploration License: Exploration license is granted to any individual company that intends to prospect for mineral resources in Nigeria. This type of license allows the licensee to search for the required mineral resources deposited in the areas covered by the license.

Mining Lease: A mining lease in Nigeria is granted to any company that intends to start mining of mineral resources in commercial quantity in Nigeria. This type of license proceeded by an exploration license. A company seeking to obtain a mining lease must have found or located mineral resources satisfactory quantities making application for the lease. 

The major requirements for obtainment or grant of mining lease are as follows:

Certified true copy of Incorporation documents

Completed application forms

Pre-Feasibility Report

Prospecting plan

Payment of processing fee

Evidence of financial capability or banker reference letter

Evidence of technical competence or COMEG accredited geologist

Irrevocable consent from land owner(s) and/or occupier(s) to the applicant

Attestation of non-conviction of criminal offences under the Act by a Lawyer

 

Under the Nigerias Minerals and Mining Act, 2007, only corporations can obtain a mining lease in Nigeria. And when a mining lease is issued, the duration is for a period of 25 years.

Small Scale Mining Lease: The Small Scale Mining Lease, as the name appears, is a smaller version of mining license. The procedure for obtainment of the SSML is a little bit similar to that of Mining Lease, with some distinctions. When SSML is issued, the duration is for 5 years. However, an SSML can be converted to proper Mining License if the scale of production or usage of it exceeds the criteria stipulated for SSML.

Possess or Purchase License: The Possess or purchase license is a mining license in Nigeria, which is required from any entity seeking to trade in mineral resources. Under the Nigerian Mineral laws and regulations, it is an offence to possess or to be moving mineral resources from one place to another without the requisite license. Possess and Purchase creates an avenue for any corporation that does not own or possess a mining lease to directly engage in mineral trading or exporting.

Some of the requirements to obtain a Possess and Purchase License are as follows:

Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, including CAC Form 1.1

Application letter

Tax Clearance

Attestation of non-conviction for a criminal offence by a Legal Practitioner

Bankers Reference Letter

Letter of consent from a Mineral title holder

Evidence of technically competent person (credentials of Mining Engineer)

Payment of prescribed fee

The duration of the license is one-year subject renewal.

Possess or Purchase License

Mineral Buying Center License

Export License

REQUIREMENTS FOR OBTAINING A MINING LICENSE IN NIGERIA

Before going into the steps involved in applying for a mining lease in Nigeria, it is important to identify the various requirements for each stage of the process. The requirements for a mining lease and a small scale mining lease are the same, they are:

Pre  grant conditions:

The following documents are to be submitted with the duly completed application forms

Pre-Feasibility Report with COMEG seal and signature

Prospecting plan / reserve estimation

Extant Exploration license

Evidence of financial capability

Evidence of technical competence

Irrevocable consent from land owners or occupiers.

Attestation of non-conviction of criminal offences under the Act

Evidence of payment of processing fee

Certified true copy of certificate of incorporation 

Minerals to be exploited Survey plan of specified area to be submitted

     13. Notice to land owners (private or state land) with a response on rate to be paid

2. Pre-Development conditions (post-grant)

1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

2. Community Development Agreement (CDA) copy to be Submitted to MCO and all relevant departments in the Ministry

3. Compensation (section 107)

4. Mine Closure plan/Rehabilitation plan

5. Reports from state bodies/ MIREMCO

APPLICATION FEES

SERVICES FOR

MINING LEASE ML AND

SMALL MINING LEASE SSML

Application Processing fees

N50,000 (ML)

N10,000 (SSML)

Annual Service Fee

N25,000 (ML)

N10,000 (SSML)

Renewal Fee

N250,000 (ML)

N30,000 (SSML)

Late Renewal

N100,000

N100,000

Equipment & machine use and there price 

Pneumatic jackhammer: 185,000Naira

 Hydraulic air compressors (Indersol rand XP800):4,500,000Naira

Backhoe excavator:37,000,000Naira or 

to rent #120,000/day

Carbide-Tipped Hand Points & Chisels...... #700 each

Washing plant shaking table (1tn/hr)........ Old 417,700Naira

new 1,020,000($3,000)Naira

Pumping machine for dewatery action in case......... 45,000Naira

Another option for mining can be MANUAL MINING option which require less amount than the above mining option. This mining method comprises of less equipment  as follow:

1. Air Compressor 

2. pneumatic jackhammer : jackhammer is been employ in this operation because most of Gemstones like Tourmaline can be found in a vault zone where their casing is very hard in layer ordinarily, hammer and chisel  can not be use to remove the hard layering this case we have to employ the use of jackhamer 

3.clearing of overburdened with the use of back hole excavator by renting form other company at the rate of #100,000 to #120,000 per day

4. Digger, shovel, hammer, carbide tipped head chisel, head pan 

In short for 

5. Alot  of human labour is required

6. Pumping machine and generator to power them, 

Washing plant is not listed among because this is done by the unskilled workers to wash the minerals in an alternative  way instead of using washing machine 

Personnel Requirements

Drillers 2

Blasters 1.                    #50,000

Excavator Operators 1

Equipment Operators 1

Mechanics 1

Laborers/Maintenance  30,000 to #40,000

Personnel 32

Salaried Personnel Requirements

Manager 1

Engineer 1                                100,000

Geologist    1

Supervisor  3

Accountant  0

Personnel  0

Secretary  1

Security  1

  ------

Total Salaried Personnel  8

Primary Supply Requirements

Diesel Fuel liter/day

Powders  #not consistent in buying per day

Caps

Primers

Drill Bits

Det. Cord m/

Cost Summary

Operating Costs

Capital Costs

Equipment Purchase #43,000,000 (new equipment).    #6,000,000 (for old and equipment rent) .

Pre-production Stripping #700,00

Contingency  plan # 5,000,000 to convert to manual mining 

  -----------

Total Capital Costs

Article compile by: staycool

Contact:+2347068892427

   Gemstonoe Chain in Nigeria

Sustainable Frame Work for Financing Mining Sector of Edo State

The availability of immense solid Mineral  in Edo is no longer in doubt as we have proven reserve of Dolomite, limestone, feldspar, kaolin, Granite , Gold , Sand among others. This becomes more authenticated when Journal of National research Volume 3, No.11 published in 2013 shows the distribution of limestone, dolomite and Marble within Akoko Edo, okpella, igara, atte, Etsako to mention few geographical locations. This was the view point discribled by Gov. Godwin Obaseki in December 18, 2016 on Nigeria Observer news that "Edo solid minerals can generate more revenue than oil".

 But to strengthen the investor in the mining industry require a clear Road Maps for a sustainable funding. 

Who are the Miners?

A Miner is someone or a company having relevant Mining Rights, permits or licences from the Federal Government that are currently working no matter how small the level of operations is. Hence this Narrow our search to active Title Holders and not Lease Speculators or illegal Miners. In providing the Frame Work, the Title holders in Edo State is about 45 Companies. Hence ,  A Funding scheme will be Target at this Audience. 

Most Mineral Title holders are willing to change this country economy story if they have the required equipment (Mining weapons).  Mining as a sector depends on equipment and machinery, most operations in the mine from development operation to haulage and mineral processing requires earth working machines. As there is little to what local tools and labour intensive mining operation system can go in Mineral exploitation. Just as Federal government is interested in switcheroo economy change from solid miners, The mining sectors are also willing to deliver only if government can save them from the hinge of machinery limitation. Thou past government administration had been coming up with funding ideas through BOI and other loan system but it obvious that past era loan system had fail to metamorphose mining sector for good. This is because most productive Mineral Title holders are not getting what they need from the loaning system, what they need is beyond huge loan. Huge loan will be limited to the mining lions (larges scale miners LSM) whereas the cats (small scale miners SSM & quarry miners QM) who are the largest and the highest producer will have no benefit at all.

Giving loans is not a bad idea, but loan is only limited to the beneficiary unlike buying equipment and machinery for regional Mining Association. This will be a unanimous advantage as individual Miner/Mineral Title holders can easily hirer the equipments at subsidize low rate.

In doing this,

1. Income from equipment will stabilize the Mining sector and MAN body,

2. Miners have an increase in production which will generate more revenue to Government in terms of Royalty since royalty and tax paid is directly proportional to miners production rate,

3. It will also be a means of employment generation as larger mine will be developed and lease holder will maximize the entitled working space instead of creter working space exploit by manual tools,

4. Private equipment hiring will be restructured and normalize under competition influence, this will also be an advantage to Miners.

The funding are suggested to be in the following ways

1 Soft Loans for Miners

 2. Acquisition of Mining Equipment 

Excavator cat330 BL 3 PC's

Dozer D8k 2pcs

 Drilling Machine,

 Atlas Copco ROCL8,

 2pcsPortable Compressor 10pcs

Proposed Equipment control System (ECS)

 All related suggestion like this had always been crushed on the base of poor maintaince and incompetent/good management of the equipment. To curb this challenge, the idea below was suggested as the greatest way to synergistically avoid the idea limitation.

A Team suggested to be called Equipment Provider (EP) will be created under the auspices of Miner Association of Nigeria Edo State Branch. The team will be in charge of equipment hiring, maintenance and mobilization regulation to Miners at a reduced Rates.

Concluding remark

Miners can always exploit the ore Ultimately when the required machines and equipments are available. Private equipment hiring are limited, available machines are not accessible and old , how can mining sector consisting of more than 45 plus mineral title holders cope with 3 or 4 excavator? The equipment will be over use, miners operation will be limited to what manual labor capacity can do. When will Nigeria solid Mineral break record with low working capital and labour intensive system? The problem is not Mineral deposit unlike others who go hundred meters into the earth crust to get the mineral, we have deposits as outcrop. We are blessed with shallow overburden deposit, some are even zero overburden but still, country like South Africa known for underground mining still surpass us. 

 We have identify the problem now and also provide the necessary solution to cause change. God bless Nigeria, God bless MAN.

By: Engr Fatai Jimoh

DREAM THE FUTURE NOW: JOB VACANCY MASTER KEY

This article will dendriticaly explain how someone can add value to himself,  how to become the best in your field of study and get the job of your dream.

It not new that securing job nowadays is very difficult for fresh graduates and that only those flexible enough with content rich brain can secure for themselves good job even after 4/5 years of study. Is not by grade or certificate now, the new currency exchange in labor market for job is value the son of knowledge. Thanks to God almighty, the giver of all wisdom, wisdom is the principal thing, in all your gettings get wisdom and knowledge.

Actually, most Mining Engineers are paid base on productiveness, efficiency and knowledge inbuilt. This fact can't be compromised, how good is it if you can be sincere with yourself as a student reading this article or as a graduate reading this article, ARE YOU EMPLOYABLE? CAN YOU ACTUALLY DELIVER BY DEFENDING THE CERTIFICATE YOU CARRY??

 Job interview is a package put in place by Company MD, HRM, CEO, COO to weigh each applicants.

All applicants on a normal level have Certificate which makes them qualify as an applicant.

But all applicants are not of the same capacity when been examined.

Why?

The answer is that,

The content in you will determine what you weigh on the interview weighing balance.

The truth is that you can not weigh more than what you carry, you can not have more than what you search and you can't search more than what you know about something.

How will you know???

Knowledge is power because it is informative!

"You know by reading or by listening"

Delineate your chance of getting job by getting value, search for value and add as much as you can to yourself. How can I get, add and build value to myself?????

This is the greatest question, I will have like to get answer to when I was in Senior secondary school,

If I had such opportunity to get answer to this question before my admission into polytechnic then it would have been of great advantage.

Because, until you know how to add value to your certificate (first class, second class, third class, or pass) you will remain useless even when school certificate certified you to be competent, whereas drop out are making cool money from your field of study.

Value makes first class student worthless and useless in a company whereas *pass* is taking led of high position. Value makes an agricultural Engineer held a mine company where the so called Mining engineer is a haulage manager.

Value makes civil engineer the MD of a quarry where a valueless mining Engineer take charge of audit unit.

How can I get value, how can I build value and how can I sustain value?????

.....Value Is the present worth  of a thing, lets ask ourselves  what is our present  worth...

The first thing to do is to identify the real aspect of your field you will like to practice after graduation.

For example,

Mining engineering is aution into two:

1.Surface mining

2.Underground mining

For surface Mining there are different duties and job description

1. Solid mineral sector

2. Oil and gas sector

I like teaching this because, this is the foundation to getting knowledge.

The settling velocity of knowledge is a function of passion.

But higher institutions course prospectus will not limit you to your passion but will only point you to your passion without stopping at the nude where you can just go for it. The unfortunate thing is that, we can't change this.

But we can fold the influence such that the limbs dip towards our passion.

 Let navigate into the  selection of path now. Mining as a field of study is broad, You can't do everything and practice all.

In versity, you will only be Introduced to all, while you practice one.

It becomes difficult to perform well sometimes for some people because, as a student for example I may have passion for oil and gas and now I find myself in FUTA, department of Mining Engineering.

To me, I love oil and gas!!!!

But for FUTA you must go through all courses which is up to 80+ even if you will only do two major course (MNE403: introduction to petroleum and MNE 505: Petroleum reservoir Engineering) which are the only aspect you like to feed on.

The best thing to do is this:

At start,

1. Get your core aspect well.

What I mean is this, try understand which company you will like to work after school and what you will like to do in the company.

This is it:

If I am a mining Engineer, I have passion for solid mineral sector, I like to work with Dangote, I love quarry work, I have passion for dilling and blasting.

 Above all, I think my core area is drilling

 Under drilling, you need to add value to yourself on anything relating to:

1. Type of drilling

2. Drilling equipment (for your case now surface mining equipment and those used by Dangote and related companies)

3. Drill pattern and blast design

4. Any other thin on drilling as applicable to Dangote competitors

This is not all, For you to add concentrated value and not gangues/tailings value.

Go online and download the requirements for Drilling Engineer job in Dangote related companies.

In any job description, there is always requirements Get this,

For example

Dangote or BUA requires the knowledge of one software for you to apply as a drilling Engineer.

You don't owe Dangote or BUA anything than to go online study the softy now and have the idea even if you can't get the set up due to high capital require to get it's product key.

Never sit down and feed on handout alone.

Most mining companies live on past experience and idea.

I think, it's time we change this ideology.

Nigeria mineral sector will never develop until they give room for change in old age approach.

You tell them 2020 principle, they will bring out 1950s class note whose principles, model and laws had been modified since 1980.

Start building your career now, fast forward you life now, check those things you will be lacking in the future and learn them now.

STOP WASTING TIME, STOP PROCASTINATING...

This is the conclusion of all, that tomorrow is having enough burden available for you to bear, prolonging those burden you can bear now to tomorrow is a yoke already!

There is a saying that, "The Best way to predict what the future will look like is to create one now".

Nothing is to difficult to navigate through if you have the compass, the issue is not lack of job, the issue is lack of valuable graduate who can make impact. Don't stop at your yesterday knowledge, get more and more.., don't wait till you join the labour market where thousands are searching for job, start creating one for yourself now, you will be extraordinary if you get yourself familiar with your Field odour now, if I am now a graduate, what will be the different things i can do to a company that will make them find intereste in me??

Will it be my certificate?

My dressing to the interview?

My connection ?

Many have all these but still using their first class brain to teach in secondary school, you couldn't get the job because you don't meet their standard, you will never get it because you refuse to standardise your certificate.

Is never to late to open and close your door! Taste for it and go for it now..

Above all, put GOD first, HE give information and direction to those who trust in HIM.

Thanks so much

Follow me to get update on my new post.

Are you confused on How to Get what your passion is? click here to learn the ways to find your passion

The mystery of Mining engineer Tools: Drilling and Blasting

 I will be sharing knowledge on most important aspect of Mining Engineering, which is Drilling and blasting.

 Actually, I always considered this as the most important aspect because as a Mining Engineer this is our tool, this is the only aspect that other Engineers can never share with us as a Miner.

This aspect is wide and extend to various other Fields.

Some of which are:

1.Petroleum in terms of casing perforation, Exploration (seismic survey) among other applications

2. Civil engineering works in the aspect of road construction ( road obstacle rock fragmentation), subsurface liquidification/compaction to mention few.

3. Borehole drilling: most time during Borehole drilling bed rock encountered are fragmented by blasting.

This is just few out of the application of drilling and blasting in other Fields.

What is Drilling?

Drilling is the creation of artificial hole into rock by man controlled or automated machines without the admittance of man in the hole. Most mining Engineers define drilling from their field perspective as: "Creation of artificial cavity into insitu rock outcrop or Boulders mainly for the placement of explosive and other blasting agents". This definition as I had earlier said is from the perspective of a Mining Engineer, because generally speaking drilling is not only carried out for blasting operation only. Drilling can be done for other purposes like; Tunnel boring using TBM, shaft boring using SBM, Raise boring using RBM, drilling can be done for mechanical   purposes(riveting, bolting among others), drilling can be done for underground wall and roof support purposes,to mention few.

There are basically four method of drilling but not limited to these four.

1. Rotary drilling

2. Percussive drilling

3. Rotary percussive drilling

4. Thermal drilling.

We have other special drilling methods like seismic, chemical drilling methods

 Drilling for Blasting is base on the rock drillability.

This is the ability of the rock to allow the   ease penetration of the bit during Drilling. This drillability is a function of the rock strength, grain size, grain arrangement, rock type. Drilling operation by rotary method involve the advancement of a rotating bit mounted on a string into the rock. The rotating bit cut the rock grains and crush it as the bit advance.  In percussive drilling, the drilling principle is base on hammering of the bit by a heavy load.This method is use for soft rock drilling, it slow and energy consuming. This method was earlier uses to drill the first oil cat well and is also employed by the old men in drilling water well in  sedimentary environment for water. The combination of the principle of both percussive and rotary drilling techniques is know as rotary percussive Drilling method. This method tend to be more efficient, as the drill bit rotate down the hole, the hammer impact compressive load on it.

This will takes me to explain the principle behind rock drilling.

How is Drilling achieve in a rock?

 Before I explain this, I will like to mention some type of drilling machines and also mention some of the most important part of a drilling machine. Examples of a Drilling machine are; wagon drilling machine, jumbo (underground), jack hammer among other machines.

The important part of a Drilling machine are; 

1. Drill: This supply energy to perform the drilling (called energy supplier or source)

2. Drill string/pipe: usually hollow pipes made of high strength metal. It perform three main function, 1. Transmit the energy from the rotary table to the drill bit, 2. Transport drilling fluid to the hole bottom, 3. Help in advancing the drill bit as the drilling depth increases

3. Drill bit: This is the energy applicator, this ultilize the energy transmitted by the drill string against the stability and the initia of rock grains to bore hole of define circumference in the rock in contact. This so called bit is design such that it has all the strength, shape, structure and other properties required to download negative energy into the rock grains and weaken it for hole formation. Bit is usually of different type base on cost, material use, shape & orientation e.t.c.Some examples of drill bit are the; cone bit, drag bit, to mention few. 

The mechanism behind drilling is simply explained in three steps:

1. The drill bit rotate and impact energy on the rock matrix, 

2. The rock grains matrix loss strength and become weaken as soon as the impacted energy is greater than their grain internal resistance strength.

3. As soon as the rotating/impacting energy of the bit increases to the rock breaking point, Micro fractures develop within the grain matrix structure either intergranularly or intraganularly.

This energy level at which the rock grains fractures and loss stability in mineral processing is called the *work index*. Remember, I only mentioned three important part of the drilling machine, there are many other parts like, rotary table, collar, control board, air hose, among others. In rotary percussive drilling machine the drill system can have it hammer mounted in two ways:

1. Surface mounted 

2. Down the hole DTH hammer

Surface mounted, the hammer is located above the drill rod. The percussion load is transmit through the drill string to the bit. The main disadvantage of this is that, most of the energy supplied by the hammer are been lost during transmission, only less amount is delivered to the drill bit to do work. The energy can be lost by vibration, heat, among other ways. For DTH, the hammer is place directly above the drill bit the energy is supply to the bit directly as the hammer hit the bit. DTH is also called ITH (in the hole). 

Before drilling operation is carried out, drilling is planned. The structure and the arrangement of the hole is design. the hole parameters design are; burden, spacing, hole depth, drill pattern to mention few.This design is very important, as it affects the blasting output. Poor drill design result into production of oversize, and less optimum size. For the seek of year one students who will be resing this article,  I will give definition to some terms now.

Note most of my definition are from my practical view, they tend to make you understand what I am talking about clearly.

Note them all, you may not find such in any textbook.

Some important definition use in drilling And blasting

I will give some on Drilling now, and for the blasting lecture I will give that related to Blasting

1. Burden: this is the distance between two rows of hole. It also define technically as the distance between the drill hole row to the free face.

2. Spacing is the distance between two adjacent holes in the same row

3. Stemming length: the length of the drill hole filled with cutting materials to confine explosive charge in a hole.

4. Subdrill: the extra hole length drill beyond the bench level to provide base for the bench floor

5. Bench height: is the maximum drill height per blasting. Is also the vertical distance between bench Crest and toe

 6. Drill pattern: is the arrangement of holes on the bench floor.

7. Free face: this is the open surface that form the pit or mine face.

8. Drill cuttings: this is the rock particule cut by the bit as it advance into the rock. 

9. Drill fluid: This is liquid, gas or mud use during Drilling to ease penetration, lubricate drill system and also remove cutting among other functions like hole wall stabilization.

There are other terms, but with this you have the required basic knowledge needed to know about Drilling.

 Drilling pattern use depend on the purpose of drilling.

Drill done for developmental purpose are carried out to:

1. Collect sample

2. Reserve estimation

3. Grade determination

4. Exploration generally.

Has different pattern compared to that carried out for blasting purpose. Developmental Drilling pattern can be systematic, regular, irregular pattern among others. But for Drilling carried out for blasting the pattern can be:

1. Square pattern: the pattern in which the burden and spacing is the same.

2. Rectangular pattern: in this pattern, the spacing is greater than the burden by 1.45-1.55 depending on the rock strength.

3. Staggered pattern: in this the spacing is greater than the burden by 1.1-1.25

The type of drilling pattern use depend on the rock strength and the rock blastability. The drill parameters affect the blast output so much as the fragmentation depend vividly on this parameters.As we all know that, the main aim of Mining is to make profit. The downstream operations like crushing, grinding, separation/screening depend on the fragmentation of the rock. Poor fragmentation apart from affecting g downstream operation, it also affect loading operation and haulage operation/haulage cycle also know as fleet design. Fleet design is mainly on the modification of haulage operation in the mine so as to achieve maximum efficiency, also to avoid haulage and loading equipment under usage and over usage. But before I start the next lecture, I will talk on how to design a Drilling operation for specific hole diameter.

 As a Mining Engineer, knowing this design alone is a tool for you, during job interview as a blasting Engineer. I will also, Mention some software you can learn on which are use for Drilling and blasting optimization.

I will talk on Kuznetsov, rammler and Cunningham fragmentation model both modified and original model.

 more in the next post
.
Thanks
Kindly follow me to get update

Get more on Drilling and Blasting

UPDATE ON COVID19

Mining Sector: The Conduit of worth

Many questions runs through my mind in 2016 when I was about to start the journey of my 5 years mining engineering study in Federal University of Technology Akure. I kept asking myself, which field is wealth host as far as Engineering is concern? 

Why?

Because I am aware of how many graduates have nothing doing after NYSC than to start from square one"learning peti trade"

The first thing that comes into my mind was the abundant availability of mineral resources in Nigeria my country.

I know From economics, establishment of companies in any country depend vividly on the availability of raw materials. I also understand from news that, the chance of getting job in my country is narrow if the wrong course is study but wide if the right course is study.

But to be candidly speaking, there is no wrong or right department, the only problem is that most final year student  produced from most institutions are usually valueless. Some may study Geology without any useful Geology mineral incense  in their head.

The problem when it comes to education is that, "Is not always the amount of the dog in the fight, but the amount of the fight in the dog". The mineral appearance in terms of color is not the employee concern but the streak produce when strike on operation streak plate. As a Mining Engineering student, what color will you produce in labour market, what can you offer ? What can you do in a unique way? What can you contribute to change the stope and the productivity of a mine?

As a graduate of any department, you most have some skills and things you can answer to, things you can handle yourself in your own way.

Who is a Miner?

A miner is a person who extracts ore, coal, or other mineral from the earth through mining. There are two senses in which the term is used. In its narrowest sense, a miner is someone who works at the rock face; cutting, blasting, or otherwise working and removing the rock.

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth usually from an orebody, lode, vein, seam, reef or placer deposits. These deposits form a mineralized package that is of economic interest to the miner.
Ores recovered by mining include metals, coal, oil shale, gemstones, limestone, chalk, dimension stone, rock salt, potash, gravel, and clay. Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory. Mining in a wider sense includes extraction of any non-renewable resource such as petroleum, natural gas, or even water.

Scope of Mining

The earth has its many resources. The rich layers of minerals have helped us survive for centuries now. These resources are found in a very different form in the earth's atmosphere compared to the forms in which we use them.
The gold that we buy, sell and use for occasions was formed millions of years ago in in the outer space, when a star exploded or became a supernova. During the formation of Earth, asteroids carried masses of gold and it was spread across the crust of the earth's surface.
Gold is from outer space. Isn't it interesting to think about how something that came millions of miles away is being used for daily use, and our stock exchange depends on the buying and selling of it. Even the technology we use and many medical purposes include the use of gold. All of this is possible because of mining.

Key skills for mining engineers

• Confidence.
• Problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Organisation and efficiency.
• Independence.
• Strong technical skills.
• Teamworking skills.
• Managerial and interpersonal skills.
• IT skills.
• Technological skills
• Workplace Knowledge
• Inter-personal skills

What differenciate Mining field from every other Engineering feild is that, Mining is the mother board of Engineering. The field interaction with all other Engineering fields.

mechanical engineer

Mining field involve the use of heavy equipments like excavator, payloader, trucks, dumpers among other.

Civil Engineer

Mineral deposit are situated in remote area which is usually an undeveloped area, mining industry needs to construct an access road for hauling from the mine site to the beneficiary plant.

Mentioning few of Engineering fields.

For a mining Engineer to survive, he/she must have the knowledge of all this feilds so as to work with them economically.

As an aspiring Mining Engineer, getting knowledge from other Fields, geology, mechanical, electrical,civil, metallurgical engineering among other Fields is not a waste but a treasure for better days.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE