Blast design vis-à-vis selection of explosives characteristics at Rampura-Agucha mines (HZL).

Rampura-Agucha mines (RAM) has started journey o f capacity expansion from 1.8 Mt ore treatment (total excavation o f 11 Mt) per annum in 2003 to 5.52 Mt ore (total excavation 77 Mt) per annum in 2013-14. This exponential growth with steep business target and present depth of pit up to 300 meters warrants very innovative techniques in blasting practices with optimum use of explosive characteristics and latest initiation technology. To meet the production target and bench turnover on sustainable basis, bigger blasts by combining production and trim cut, segregate blasting to maximize ore recovery and wall stitching at geologically disturbed area are being practiced. In all these cases, selection of explosives also played an important part of the blast design and consequently, the obtainable results. With the use of blasting agents such as bulk SME, electronic detonator has been used with a desire to obtain maximum performance from the energy released by the explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]