Minería y metalurgia

Finish Worksheet
Use of plasma in blasting

NOMBRE: Tanya Aracena

Francesca Casselli
Bryan Cruz
Nicolás Núñez
CARRERA: Ingeniería en minas
ASIGNATURA: Ingles IV
PROFESOR: Paulina Escalona
FECHA: 05-07-2018
1 Índice
2 Introduction

Advances in technology solve multiple problems and improve processes, helping to control the
security in the organization, occupational health and environmental pollution. In this report, we will
present the advantages and disadvantages of the use of plasma in blasting, in front of the blasting
of conventional explosives, in mining and civil works.
3 Development

What is Plasma?

Plasma is defined as an innovative rock or solid fracture system (concrete, tiles) that should not
use explosive however there are suppliers of these products that in some way use some degree of
explosive components, omitting its main quality which is to generate its operation based on ionized
gas in which most of its atoms or molecules have been transformed into positive ions by losing one
or more electrons, can also be established as a mixture of metal salts of rapid expansion, capable
to initiate a thermo-chemical reaction by supplying a high-voltage spark in a confined space. Today
is the most advanced and clean technology on the market.

 Technology

The technology of plasma rock fragmentation is based on the activation of thermitic reactions
(exothermic reactions between a metal and a metal oxide) confined inside the perforations made
in the rock mass or surface to be fragmented. The Plasma generates high pressures, with an initial
maximum pressure greater than 20,000 atm. This pressure is reduced rapidly while breaking the
desired objective which determines that the generation of vibrations, rock projections and noise
can be minimized. It should also be mentioned that it does not act by sympathy and for its activation
it needs a spark generated electronically by its initiators higher than 6000 Volts. Its activation begins
with the increase of temperature and pressure which causes the generation of expansive energy
(confinement

 Advantages of plasma

 Not explosive
 It does not paralyze the production
 Very low vibration
 Minimum material projection
 Minimum noise
 Clean technology
 Reduced displacement
 Underwater suitability
 Transport and storage flexibility
 Disadvantages

 Higher cost than conventional blasting

 It is highly selective to mining production systems (Granulometry)
 It is still a product in period of adaptation and acceptance in mining projects
4 Conclusion

In conclusion, to the issue of the expansion of gases in the reaction of normal and common blasting
explosives, plasma allows the expansion reaction of inorganic metal solids. , the initial pressure of
the expansion is very high, as the field that is influenced by the expansion in the small, the
thundering sound and the vibrations caused by the fracture, small and the amount of projections of
the rock, extremely small.