When energy matches geology

A revolutionary bulk explosives system that matches a wider range of explosives energy to geology in real time.

Orica is committed to our role in the future of mining, through our investment in Innovation and Technology. Over the past 150 years we have honed the process of blasting, recognising the value that this stage brings to the whole value chain. Despite advancements in other areas of the value chain, the blasting process has until now remained largely unchanged. Any evolution in this stage has the potential to have a significant impact on reducing the total mine processing costs.

Given the critical role of effectively fragmenting the rock during blasting, Orica is well positioned to enhance end-to-end efficiencies in the mining process through our leading integrated solutions.

In this issue of Blasting and Beyond we focus on our progress in seamlessly integrating digital blasting technology with our innovative 4D™ bulk system.

In surface mining, optimised blast design using 4D™ technology provides significant impact to the value chain by reducing the total mine processing costs.

What is 4D™?

4D™ is an advanced bulk system that supports surface and underground blasting operations, and can be tailored instantaneously to suit varying hole conditions for the desired blast outcomes. Enabled by Orica’s proprietary emulsion chemistry and smart technologies, operations using 4D™ can achieve accurate, automated and efficient energy control. Outcomes include improved orebody recovery, reduced overall explosive consumption and better fume, vibration and nitrate leaching control.

In underground mining, optimised blast design using 4D™ technology can improve dilution, recovery and fragmentation for efficient ore processing.

How Stope Optimisation was achieved at MMG’s Dugald River Mine with Subtek™ 4D™

Recently, we partnered with MMG at the Dugald River underground zinc mine in Queensland, Australia to introduce the 4D™ Bulk system to optimise their longhole open stopes.

Dugald River was encountering a typical hurdle for underground mines: maximising ore recovery while concurrently managing dilution via overbreak in areas of challenging geology. Our team collaborated closely with the mine to trial our 4D™ bulk technology through a multi-phase project aimed at overcoming these obstacles.

“The 4D product is going to enable more precise and efficient mining methods, it has allowed [Dugald River] to be smarter in our design and less wasteful in the application of explosives in stoping. Long term benefits will be in reducing hanging wall dilution, being more precise and selective in mining stopes.”

Dirk Van Hest, Mining Technical Services Superintendent MMG 

The 4D™ system offers a wider range of explosive energy options for blast designers. Through an innovative delivery system and re-engineered emulsion chemistry, designers can adjust explosive energy easily between blast holes and within an individual blast hole. This level of control provides significantly improved management of dilution, damage, and recovery compared with conventional bulk explosives capability.

Dugald River recorded the following trial results:

• 64% reduction in hanging wall dilution

• 3% increase in stope recovery

• 73% less brow damage

• 48% fewer hole cleanouts

Through the expanded energy range and flexibility of 4D™, Dugald River optimised their stope designs, achieving precise energy distribution that increased ore recovery and reduced dilution. Operational efficiency and safety also improved through brow protection from selective application of low energy emulsion, with reduced cleanouts and redrills also realised.

During Phase 4, leveraging the full potential of the 4D™ system increased average stope recovery from 90% to 93%, reaching up to 95% in compliant design stopes. When extrapolated to annual production, this translates to around 10,000 extra Tonnes of zinc metal in ore, resulting in an additional AUD$23.3 million in revenue.

Download the full case study.

Digital Integration and 4D™ Technology in Surface Mining

Orica’s investment in the next generation of Orica Digital Solutions has provided a platform to combine technologies, that for the first time, provide a true end-to-end digitally supported solution for Surface mining.

UPSTREAM Orebody Intelligence

Our autonomous drillstring-mounted geophysical sensor, Rhino™ assists our customers in gaining a deeper understanding of their ore bodies to make more informed decisions downstream.

Blast Design and Execution

This complex geotechnical model information can then be integrated into our SHOTPlus™ blast design software to optimise blast outcomes. By leveraging our BlastIQ™ software, data can be efficiently transferred or modified in real-time within the Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU™).

DOWNSTREAM Measurement and Monitoring

Our post-blast measurement and monitoring using FRAGTrack™ automated data capture provides insights on blast outcomes and quantifies their impact on the processing stage.

Blasting technologies that drive end-to-end solutions

In this month's edition of Mining Magazine, Sophie Clayton, Product Owner for Orica Digital Solutions and Sam Evans, Lead Engineer- Underground Technologies, discuss how BlastIQ™ Underground and 4D™ combine to deliver end-to-end solutions that boost energy, increase productivity, and drive cost efficiencies for operations.

4D™ Technology in Surface Mining         

The selection and application of explosives are typically influenced by the daily ground conditions in mining operations. Often the mining environment will change and as a result, different explosives are often necessary to enhance blasting effectiveness.

Traditional explosives have a limited energy range. However, the introduction of 4D™ technology has expanded the energy range by up to 23% for hard rock applications and reduced energy by up to 43% for soft ground applications. This can all be achieved with a single bulk explosive without the need for multiple formulations and more costly raw materials.

Thanks to this wider energy range, it is now feasible to precisely align explosive energy with ground conditions, regardless of whether you are loading wet, dewatered, or dry holes.

Flexible energy to break rock

Traditional blast design has typically relied on the densities of available explosives for end users. These densities have a restricted range and are affected by hydrostatic pressure, resulting in an uneven energy distribution within blast holes, which can impact blast efficiency. Traditional explosives are also limited by the ground conditions encountered (ie; wet, dewatered or dry holes). These limitations can lead to less-than-ideal blast results, affecting environmental, load and haul, and processing outcomes. The introduction of 4D™ allows for a shift towards designing blasts based on the energy needed to break the rock.

When a blast site contains both soft and hard ground, we can customise the explosive energy between each hole to match the specific ground conditions. This tailored approach leads to a more efficient blast outcome.

Furthermore, 4D™ operates independently from gravitational forces and maintains a consistent energy distribution within the blast hole, leading to improved blast results.

In low-energy applications, our 4D™ technology can:

• Minimise overblasting and prevent fume generation or excessive vibration.

• Decrease explosives usage when blasting in soft, wet ground, leading to cost savings and reduced environmental impact.

• Enhanced operational safety by effectively managing energy in critical highwall areas, reducing overblasting and back break with low-energy products.

Case Study at Bloomfield Mine, Hunter Valley NSW

Bloomfield Mine is an open cut coal mine owned and operated by The Bloomfield Group, in the Hunter Valley, NSW. Bloomfield Mine is near residential and commercial zoned areas of East Maitland. Managing the environmental effects of blasting, including post blast fume, is crucial to maintaining Bloomfield’s license to operate (LTO).

Bloomfield recorded the following results from the 4D™ demonstration:

• 20% reduction in bulk strength

• 12% reduction in powder factor compared to conventional products

• Zero fume events

• Dig rates maintained

In high-energy applications, our 4D™ technology can:

• Expand patterns to reduce drill and blast costs in production and waste, free up drill capacity to break more ground, thereby improving the mine's overall productivity.

• Leverage the flexibility of the energy profile to optimise fragmentation, reduce cap rock, and not only enhance the load and haul fleet's effectiveness but also streamline ore processing at the mill.

• On a broader scale, the 4D™ approach can reduce a mine's raw material inventory needs and enhance bulk delivery fleet efficiency through quicker loading and reloading practices.

Download the full case study.

Orica's 4D™ technology is now being implemented globally, across Australia, Asia, Latin America, and North America in surface and underground operations. With over 15 mine sites already benefiting from this innovation, we have successfully carried out more than 90 blasts using this technology and have established several ongoing commercial supply agreements.

Our Customer Promise

At the core of our Orica Customer Promise lies the commitment to providing excellent, innovation-driven customer results. Collaborating with our customers to understand their requirements and obstacles enables us to achieve the best possible outcomes. This collaboration also sparks the development of new technologies and solutions that will offer enhanced value in the future.

Our 4D™ technology solution exemplifies our dedication to partnering with our customers to shape the future of mining and provide intelligent solutions for the significant challenges in our industry. Watch Keiran Knowles, Senior Manager of our Integrated Project Team, deliver a presentation on 4D Bulk Explosives at the Austmine Innovation Roadshow in Brisbane.

The future of mining, with Orica

As we set our sights on the future, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. We remain committed to providing sustainable solutions and technology to mobilise the earth's resources and we look forward to another 150 years of success and delivering value to our customers, employees, communities, and shareholders.  

Want to enquire about a product or service featured in this newsletter? Contact Orica.