TECHNICAL REPORT

ROCK BLASTING IN
MINING

Presented by

Reg. No. 20
Government Engineering Academy, Punjab
 Explosive
Definition:
 Explosive is a chemical or mechanical
mixture of different substances, when
exploded by action of heat, impact,
release large volume of gases in a very
short time at high temperature and
pressure.
 Types of Explosives
There are two Types of Explosives:

 Low Explosives

 High Explosives
 Low Explosives
Low Explosive:
The chemical reaction
in low explosive is called
deflagration which is a
rapid process of
combustion
without accompanying
any shock wave but gives
a heaving effect.
 High Explosives
 Chemical reaction in high explosive is
characterized by an associated shock
wave initiated by a detonator and used
in blasting of hard rock for fragmentation
 Low Explosive High Explosive

Deflagrate Detonate

Ignited by a match or lighter Cannot be ignited by Match or lighter

No detonator required Detonator required

Velocity of detonation ranges from 2500-

Velocity of detonation ranges from 500-
8000 m/s
2500 m/s
 Detonator
 Standard type Plain Detonator No.8 consists
of base charge of high explosive and a primary
charge of an initiating explosive pressed in to an
aluminum tube.
 Safety Fuse
 The safety fuse is a type
of fuse invented
and patented by English
inventor William
Bickford in 1831.
Originally it consisted of a
"tube" of gunpowder
surrounded by a
waterproofed varnished
jute rope.
Rock Breaking Theory
Environmental Impacts of Blasting
There are four environmental effects of blasting:

 Fly Rock
 Ground Vibrations
 Air Blast
 Dust and Gases
 Ground Vibrations
 All blasts create ground vibrations. When an
explosive is detonated in a blast hole it create a
shock wave that crushes the material around the
blast hole and create many of the initial cracks
needed for fragmentation. As the wave travels
outward, it becomes seismic, or vibration wave. As
the wave passes a given piece of ground, it
causes that ground to vibrate.
 Air Blast
 Air blast is a transient impulse that
travels through atmosphere. It can also
cause damage to property.
 Measures to minimize
environmental impacts
1. Proper blast design.
2. Bench height, borehole diameter, hole inclination,
burden and spacing, charge distribution in holes,
stemming, initiation sequence and timing.
3. Site control during blasting.
4. More experienced drilling/blasting crew.
5. More effective communication.
6. Using Delays in Blasting Rows instead of
instantaneous blast.