Conversion from Traditional to Modern Initiation
Document type: Case Study
Categories: Case Study

PROJECT GOALS
 BACKGROUND SEVERAL GOALS CAN BE ACHIEVED AT ONCE
 WITH MODERN INITIATION
CHALLENGING BLAST CONDITIONS Project goals included more consistent breakage, less
Annual yearly stone production for these quarries is drop ball material to handle and break up, reduced
between 500,000 to 600,000 tons. vibrations from the blast events, as well as expand the
 blast patterns and increase number of holes in the blasts.
Blast induced ground vibration concerns from nearby
residential houses that have encroached to within 1000
feet of the permit boundaries. In addition, geological
structure such as joint plans and weak shale seams create TECHNOLOGY APPLIED
area for explosive energy to be directed aware for rock
fragmentation and rock displacement. These challenging Faces were profiled using a 2-D profiler to determine front
blasting conditions make pre-blast vibration predictions row burden helping ensure proper explosives confinement
difficult with the inherent inaccuracies of pyrotechnic & reducing the risk of a fly- rock incident.
based nonelectric delay timing (surface and in the hole).

The customer challenge was to provide more consistent
rock breakage and displacement from the blasts along
with reducing the ground vibration readings. The
implementation of more accurate and more precise

CASE STUDY

CONVERSION FROM TRADITIONAL INITIATION TO
MODERN INITIATION
 PROJECT SUMMARY
QUARRIES EXPERIENCE THE MANY
ADVANTAGES OF CONVERTING FROM
TRADITIONAL INITIATION TO MODERN
INITIATION
Inconsistent breakage & complaints from vibration off
the blast events motivate two Indiana limestone quarry
customers to convert from detonating cord and slider
cast boosters to DigiShot® electronics and Spartan® cast
boosters.

Over a two month period, four blasts were initiated at the
one quarry and three at the second quarry. Both quarries delay timing ensured overall production costs remained
have similar face heights of 85 ft. & use a 5.5-inch borehole. level. Providing consistent rock fragmentation and muck
The drill pattern was a 14 x 16, which was expanded from displacement reduces pit operations cost balanced
the start by one foot in both the burden and the spacing even with the additional cost associated with advanced
and new delay timing was drawn up for the blast events. initiation systems.

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CASE STUDY

VALUE ADDED
FROM THE BREAKAGE IN THE BLASTS TO THE
LOWER VIBRATION READINGS, DIGISHOT HAS
MADE A DIFFERENCE
With the drill pattern expanded by 13%, rock breakage
is more consistent with almost no secondary breakage
or drop ball material. Blasted material was easier for the
loader operators to dig with improved bucket fills. Blast
sizes have increased from less than 20 holes to around 30
holes while vibration levels were reduced from 0.6 to 0.7
ips down to 0.3 to 0.35 ips.

With the more consistent breakage, the quarries are able
to set their crushers when they start running the blasts and
leave them at that setting as the entire blast is mucked.
Before DigiShot was used, they would have to adjust the
crusher speeds to the area of the blast as it was mucked
losing valuable crushing time and non-optimal results.

The superintendant mentioned he can’t put a actual dollar
amount on the saving, but some of the areas where he had
seen improvements are: more loads going to the crusher
per shift, less wear on the loaders (easier digging), crushers
operating more efficient with less stops for oversize plugs
and bridging, fewer blast events due to larger blast size per
event, and lower vibrations creating less complaining from
people around the quarries. Implementing a new initiation
system technology at this quarry customer provided to
financially beneficial.