Re: Key points to note from the draft Destruction of Old Explosives

standard procedure.

1. Arbitrary 1. The mining crews have not Solutions

been made aware of this
standard and this has thus
led to an accumulation of old
explosives in the old workings
as the supervisors are still
under the misconception that
old explosives are sent to
A.E.L for destruction on
surface.
The standard needs to
be resolved ASAP and
presented to the
crews for
implementation in the
sections.

2. There is no standard in place This standard needs

that clearly defines the set
procedure for dealing with
misfires particularly with
regards to the treatment of
detonating fuse or the capped
fuse and starter recovered
from wholly misfired rounds.
to be drafted carefully
to prevent the use of
misfired explosives for
further blasting
operations.

3. Currently there are four old More explosives boxes

explosives boxes serving the need to be installed
whole mine, (2 at 13N and 2 and a barricaded
at 14S), which means that cubby should be
the distances travelled from available for them
the furthest parts of the such as is used for the
adjacent section may create a first aid canisters.
reluctance to place old
explosives in the old
explosives boxes. In addition,
these boxes are located in the
old workings making them
prone to falls of ground
through deterioration.

2. Standard 1. Requirement no.1 states

requirements “...the (Old Explosives) boxes
must be spaced at least two
 metres apart.” requirement
no.3 however demands that
an old explosives box be no
less than 15metres from any
other old explosives box.
Clearly creating a
contradiction between the two
requirements.

3. Destruction 1. Insufficient detail is given

procedure with regards to the primer on
the need for a fresh cartridge
as well as fuse, in addition to
the implication taken that this
is to be a fuse primer and not
a shock tube primed
cartridge.

2. No mention is given
concerning the maximum
amounts of either shock
tubes or capped fuses that
may be destroyed in a single
blast nor the maximum
amounts of detonating fuse,
blasting cartridges or
emulsion.

3. No mention is made of the

need for non combustible
material, or rock fragments to
cover the explosives bundles.