A team of researchers led By Orica’s Dr Geoff Brent has been awarded the 2014 CEEC Medal by the Coalition for Eco-Efficient Comminution (CEEC) for their ground-breaking discovery which utilises a novel method of Ultra-High Intensity Blasting to improve mine productivity.
Dr Brent, whose team will be presented with the 2014 CEEC Medal at the International Mining and Resources Conference in September, noted that the new ultra-high intensity blasting method will provide multiple benefits to the global resources sector, considerably increasing processing efficiency and mine productivity while delivering significant environmental benefits.
“By utilising explosive energy in the pit to produce much finer ore we can dramatically increase the efficiency and throughput of the downstream comminution processes of crushing and milling. The overall energy consumption across the mining and milling cycle can be reduced with a consequent reduction in emissions. This is a step-change in ore processing. To date it has not been possible to blast at these ultra-high explosive energies, or powder factors, due to safety and environmental constraints,” Dr Brent said in a media statement.
“However, the new technique demonstrated for the first time that not only can these ultra-high energies be safely utilised but they can also deliver improved mine productivity and reduce environmental impacts in open pit mines. The key to the breakthrough has been to use the rock itself to contain the explosive energy by the selective deployment of state-of-the-art digital electronic initiation systems in novel blast designs. The new method was thoroughly tested in blast models and then verified in large scale production blasts. The potential environmental benefits are also enormous. The technique has the potential to cut CO2 emissions associated with grinding by up to 30%.”
Congratulating Dr Brent on this significant achievement, Orica Managing Director Ian Smith said the quest to use the chemical energy in explosives to improve ore fragmentation and deliver a step change in mine processing efficiency was a priority for the global resources sector.
“This research is a demonstration of Orica’s commitment to the development of resourceful solutions through innovation to improve mine productivity. The use of electricity to mill ore is usually the largest consumer of energy on a mine site and ore comminution constitutes a significant percentage of electricity consumed worldwide,” Mr Smith said.
“Independent modelling has indicated that increasing the explosive energy by several fold can lead to increases in mill circuit throughput of up to 40% and savings of tens of millions of dollars annually.”
