Abstract
Drilling and blasting are the main excavation operations in open pit mines. Proper fragmentation of blasted rocks is one of the main features of a successful drilling and blasting operation. In this study, 12 explosive events in the phyllic and potassic zone of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine were analyzed. The common image analysis was used to investigate fragmentation of blasted rocks. The aim of the present study was to provide a blasting pattern for large holes (10.5″) and to study rock fragmentation by this blasting pattern. In addition to reduced excavation costs, the use of large blastholes will increase the production rate. GoldSize software was used to analyze rock fragmentation. The software was calibrated using the results of screen analysis on two samples taken from potassic and phyllic zones. According to size distribution curves of fragmented rocks, over 97% of rocks obtained from the 6, 8, 9 and 9 7/8″ blastholes were smaller than 20.32 cm. As a result, they passed through the crusher outlet. The burden value for the sulfur and waste regions was 8 and 7 m, respectively. A hole spacing of 10 and 9.5 m between the holes was proposed for the sulfur and waste regions, respectively. The size distribution curves of the rocks fragmented by large blastholes were obtained by image analysis. The results showed that the size distribution curve of the large blastholes was fitted to that obtained for the 9 7/8″ blasthole.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
AliShah SM, Siddiqui FI, Behan MY (2009) Measurement of size distribution of blasted rock using digital image processing. Department of Mining Engineering, Mehran University of Engineering and Technology, Jamshoro
Ataei M, Hosseini MA (2011) Financial analysis in open pit mines. Jahad-e-Deneshgahi, Amirkabir Branch, Tehran
Badr-al-din M (2010) Determination of fragmentation of blasted rocks in Songon copper mine by image analysis. MSc Thesis, Mining and Metallurgy Engineering Department, Amirkabir University of Technology
Bond FC (1985) General aspects of comminution—History. In: Weiss NL (ed) SME mineral processing, vol 1, pp. 3A-3-4
Dehghani M (2007) Optimization of Chadarmaloo iron ore mine using neural networks. In: 26th conference on geosciences, 28–30, Tehran, Iran
George K (1995) Fuzzy set theory, foundations and applications. Plenum Press, NewYork
Jimeno CL, Jimeno EL, Carcedo FJA (1995) Drilling and blasting of rocks. A.A. Balkema, Netherlands
Lynch AJ, Narayana SS (1986) Simulation—the design tools for the future. In: Wills BA (ed) Mineral processing at a crossroads, no 117, pp 89–111
National Iranian copper industries Co (2011) Internal Report of Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine
Sanchidrian JA, Segarra P, Lopez LM (2005) A practical procedure for the measurement of fragmentation by blasting by image analysis. Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, Madrid
Tahernezhad MM (2008) The parametric study to improve the fragmentation of blasting cracked and intrusive rocks. MSc thesis, Mining Engineering Department, Shahrud University
Vogt W, Brock O (1993) Digital image processing as an instrument to evaluate rock fragmentation by blasting in open pit mines. In: 4th international symposium. Rock fragmentation by blasting, Keystone, Vienna, Austria. pp 317–324
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hosseini, M., Namvar, Z.N. The Design of the Large Blastholes Pattern by Analyzing of Fragmentation of Blasted Rocks in Sarcheshmeh Copper Mine. Geotech Geol Eng 35, 395–402 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-016-0115-6
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10706-016-0115-6