BLASTING: Dyno Nobel’s Differential Energy solution

[caption id="attachment_1003730501" align="aligncenter" width="509"] Dyno Nobel’s Differential Energy MPUs deliver up to 1,000 kg per minute – a rate up to three times faster than conventional methods.[/caption] AUSTRALIA – Working in collaboration with its mining customers, Dyno Nobel invested in product development, creating an innovative system can reduce drilling, deliver a tailored explosive energy profile into blastholes in a single pass from mobile processing units (MPUs), and result in better blast fragmentation creating downstream processing efficiencies. Dyno Nobel’s new Differential Energy innovation focuses on placing the right energy, in the right place, to suit the surrounding rock for an optimal blast. The technique uses measurement while drilling (MWD) data that is captured during the drilling phase. An algorithm called ΔE²™ converts MWD data into an explosive density suited to the specific geology in each blasthole – that results in a unique and custom solution. The 100% emulsion product is homogenized which means the viscosity is increased compared to standard products during blasthole loading, offering superior in-hole retention. This means it is less likely to move into cracks and fissures in the ground which can create inefficient detonation and post blast fumes. Overall, it results in cost savings by creating efficient blasts with a higher velocity of detonation (VoD) and better rock fragmentation leading to improvements in production rates and downstream processing efficiencies. This technology is paired with Dyno Nobel’s custom designed DynoBulk MPU to precisely deliver emulsion, by controlling the placement and density of the emulsion throughout the blasthole while loading in a single pass. Differential Energy has proven successful in the United States and is now being rolled out to major sites in Australia with more sites to follow. Trials at major customer sites in Australia were exemplary:

• Blast fume – No visible blast generating NOx.
• Fragmentation and diggability – No adverse impact to blast fragmentation or instantaneous dig rates.
• Improved MPU productivity – Increased average loading rates for pumped equivalent products, similar load rates for dry holes and increased tonnes per delivery.
• Variable energy capability – Efficient loading of variable density/energy product in-hole utilising blast design data.

While dig rate data is not yet available, the fragmentation results were excellent based on qualitative feedback in the field. During the trial, the DynoBulk Differential Energy MPU loaded blastholes with up to 1,000 kg of emulsion per minute, which was three times faster than standard, comparable MPUs. Contact Dyno Nobel at 800-473-2675 to find out when this technology will be available in Canada.