1. Using a dividing open-pit blast (DOPB) method to reduce ore loss and dilution caused by blast-induced rock movement.
- Author
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Yu, Zhi, Shi, Xiu-Zhi, Zhang, Zong-Xian, Gou, Yong-Gang, Miao, Xiao-Hu, and Tang, Jin-Zhou
- Subjects
RADIOACTIVITY measurements ,BLASTING ,BLAST effect ,URANIUM mining ,FINITE element method ,ORES - Abstract
To reduce the ore loss and dilution caused by blast-induced rock movement in open-pit bench blasting, a dividing open-pit blast (DOPB) method was theoretically analyzed, numerically simulated and applied to the Husab Uranium Mine, Namibia. First, a general open-pit bench blasting process was analyzed, and the DOPB method was introduced after comparing it with the echelon pattern. Next, the blasting processes of the echelon pattern and the DOPB method were simulated using the boned-particle method, while the finite element method was used to provide a blast loading. Finally, two field applications of the DOPB method to reduce ore loss and dilution in Husab Uranium Mine were introduced in detail, and the trial blast results were verified by 3D scanning results, radioactivity measurement results and ore recovery datasets. The obtained results show that multi-hole bench blasting can be considered to be the combination of multiple independent single-hole blasting when the delay time is large enough. Meanwhile, the DOPB method can be used to reduce the mixing of ore and waste rock fragments, and an identifiable ditch that matches the ore boundary can be created in the muckpile. Therefore, serious ore loss and dilution can be avoided even using the pre-blast ore boundary to guide shovel loading. In addition, a more complex identifiable ditch can be formed with the help of more accurate electronic detonators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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