Reduced Cost of Drill and Blast

Mine, Chile

Site Description improvement in the 80% passing size (P80), as well as

maintaining the vibration levels generated by blast.
However, because of the significant quantity of gas
volumes and the effectiveness of the energy produced,
the holes tended to eject prematurely, representing a
loss of confinement.
The next step was to optimise the implemented
improvements and eliminate any risk of uncontrolled
ejection. To achieve this objective it was decided to
make the following changes:
To change the blasthole charging configuration
- Use of a 9m bottom charge with Fortan™ Extra
50, and a column charge of 3m length with
Flexigel™ Control 80, with a density of 0.80.
Implement a 25% pattern expansion

Results
This Copper Mine Operation is located in Chile. This
mine is currently in an expansion and deepening An analysis of the implemented improvements show:
process which has resulted in ore body mining taking A reduction in drill & blast costs of approximately
place in geotechnical units of extremely hard rock with 22%.
the presence of water.

Comparación Base
Comparison Base vs v/s Propuesto
Proposed
The situation 60.00

To manage these risks to the future of the mining 52.03

operations, the mine and Orica decided to work 50.00

together in search of improvement opportunities to

39.92
meet the new scenarios. 40.00
CUs$ / t

30.00
26.3
Technical Solutions 23.0
21.10
20.00
After an initial analysis it was decided to change the
current explosive used, Fortan™ Advantage 450 13.37

(Heavy ANFO with 4 % Aluminum), for an explosive of 10.00

even higher energy, Fortan™ Extra 50. The objective 3.99

2.99

of this improvement was to reduce drill and blast costs, 0.00

Base (6(6x x7)7)
Base Proposed
Propuesto(7
(7xx8)
8)
keeping the current fragmentation in the extra hard Accessories
Costo Cost
Accesorios DrillingPerforación
Costo Cost Explosives
Costo Cost
Explosivos Drill and
Costo Blast Cost & Tronadura
Perforación
rocks. The results obtained by this change show a 5%
Graph 2: Cost Reduction Analysis for Drilling and Blasting.

Page 1 | © Copyright Orica Limited Group

www.oricaminingservices.com | Document reference: 200067
Reduced Cost of Drill and Blast
Mine, Chile

A 6% increase in shovel effective performance and

a 5% P80 decrease, all of this measured against
the results registered with the aluminised
explosives being used.
Increased drilling capability of 33% due to the
pattern expansion

POST-BLASTING

Page 2 | © Copyright Orica Limited Group

www.oricaminingservices.com | Document reference: 200067