The combination of innovative mine planning, blast hole design, accurate timing and
some novel mining techniques will be used to reduce the blast-induced vibration by a
massive 80% at points of interest outside a European quarry’s boundary. This will
then allow the quarry to access untouched reserves closer to houses and other
significant points of interest, which otherwise would be effected by blast vibration.
The key to achieving this reduction in vibration is being able to very accurately
simulate the outcome of a number of mining scenarios without blasting. Known as
Advanced Vibration Management™ (AVM™), Orica’s Blast Based Services business
has developed a process by which actual blast waveforms from the quarry can be used
with the various mining scenarios and computer modelling to simulate, with a high
degree of confidence, the actual outcome of the blasts in the area specified. Many
blast designs and techniques can be modelled, and the most effective vibration
outcome is then adopted as the new blasting design.
Using this design, the quarry will be able to demonstrate that they are able to mine
with significantly lower vibration levels and satisfy their regulatory requirements.
As this paper goes to print the quarry is preparing to fire the screen blast and test
holes to validate the study’s predicted outcome.