Copper Mine Saves Millions with TITAN Emulsion, Delta E2, and Expanded Drill Pattern
Document type: Case Study
Categories: Case Study

COPPER MINE SAVES AT A GLANCE
MILLIONS WITH TITAN® $4 MILLION ANNUAL
EMULSION, DELTA E2®, AND PROJECTED SAVINGS

EXPANDED DRILL PATTERN
 $1.5 MILLION SAVED
 IN DRILLING AND
 BLASTING COSTS
PROJECT SUMMARY
EXPANDING PATTERN SIZE AND OPTIMIZING 15% INCREASE IN
FRAGMENTATION WITH TITAN EMULSION SAVES MILLIONS PATTERN SIZE
An Arizona copper operation turned to Dyno Nobel to implement TITAN
1000 G Bulk Emulsion, Delta E2 (∆E2), DigiShot® Plus detonators, and
expanded drill patterns in a project that is projected to save the mine $4 CHALLENGE
million annually and has already saved over $1.5 million in drilling and • Increase pattern size while
blasting costs while ramping up pattern sizes. improving fragmentation

SOLUTION
BACKGROUND • Use TITAN 1000 G Bulk
 Emulsion and ∆E2 to optimize
MINE FACES CHALLENGES ACHIEVING FRAGMENTATION fragmentation in harder ore
TARGETS while increasing pattern sizes
An Arizona copper operation targeted a PSD in ore of 30% -1/2” material OUTCOME
delivered to their processing circuit. The mine had historically used a
 • 15% increase in pattern size
combination of emulsion blends and straight emulsion. As the mine plan
 • Projected savings of $4 million
evolved and incorporated harder rock, especially in a large area of the pit
 annually
with higher grade ore, the mine faced a challenge to deliver adequately-
 • $1.5 million saved in drilling
sized material to the mill.
 and blasting costs while
To achieve the targeted percentage of the -1/2” PSD outcome using the ramping up pattern sizes
pre-existing emulsion products, the site had incrementally tightened their
drill pattern burden and spacing to 15.5’ x 18’ in ore, but still struggled to
achieve the targeted 30% or more of the -1/2” size fraction.

Table 1: Potential savings
 projected from trial data,
 expected from increasing
 habitual pattern from 15.5 ft x
 18 ft to 18 ft x 21 ft for expected
 20 million tons mined

The mine also used Dyno Nobel’s Delta E2 (ΔE2) technology, which allows operations to target placement of energy
throughout the borehole. The Preload software uses data from drills and other sources that characterize rock properties to
ensure each rock segment receives the explosive energy needed for optimal fragmentation. Blast plans can be sent directly
to the loading equipment to ensure each hole is loaded as designed for more precise control over blasting outcomes.

PROJECT GOALS PRODUCTS/
 TECHNOLOGY &
INCREASING PATTERN SIZES AND ENHANCING SERVICES USED
FRAGMENTATION
The mine engaged Dyno Nobel to perform a three-month trial using TITAN
1000 G Bulk Emulsion, ΔE2, and DigiShot Plus detonators with a goal of
consistently achieving their targeted PSD outcome of +30% -1/2” in ore. TITAN 1000 G
Measurements included the PSD data on ore fed to the processing circuit
using Split belt cameras.

The results of the trial showed the potential to increase pattern sizes on
ore shots without hindering the desired fragmentation at the processing ΔE2
circuit. This potential was later realized in an eighteen-month period of
ever-increasing pattern sizes while meeting the fragmentation specification
in the same area where patterns had before been smaller.

Graph 1: Progression of pattern sizes from July 2020 to December 2023

TECHNOLOGY APPLIED
TITAN 1000 G AND DELTA E2
For this project, DynoConsult implemented TITAN 1000 G Bulk Emulsion, one of Dyno Nobel’s premium bulk emulsion
products. TITAN 1000 G is sensitized during loading and can be used in quarries as well as coal and metals mines. It’s
designed to stay in the borehole rather than migrating into voids and cracks, which allows for more predictable and uniform
fragmentation.

The changes in pattern size and explosive consumption during the trial showed the mine’s potential to save nearly $4 million
each year in drilling and blasting costs by expanding from the previously used small patterns. After the trial concluded, the
mine’s existing practices with emulsion blends could not deliver the same results achieved during the trial, so they mine
contracted Dyno Nobel to supply and service the mine starting in 2022.

Over the next one and a half years of mining in the harder geology, which was the main source of production, the mine
was able to expand the pattern sizes from 15.5’ x 18’ to a sustainable average of 18’ x 21’. The net average expansion in
pattern size was approximately 15%. The mine uses a 9 7/8 inch blasthole diameter and once they transitioned to using
TITAN Bulk Emulsion and ∆E2­ technology, the mine drilled and blasted approximately 20,000 holes with an average depth
of 48 feet. Without the expanded blast patterns and Dyno Nobel technology, the mine would have needed to drill more
than 3,000 additional holes to produce the same volume of ore to feed the processing circuit. The cost savings associated
with drilling is approximately $600,000, and the blasting cost savings is nearly $1 million.

VALUE ADDED
15% EXPANSION IN PATTERN DESIGN SAVES MINE
MILLIONS
The trial began with no design changes to the historical burden or spacing (15.5’ x 18’) and a product density similar to
what the mine had used historically. The fragmentation results for each shot were quantified at the crusher using imaging
technology.

Based upon the results of the initial blasts, the designed BxS was expanded incrementally and quickly throughout the
trial duration, and product density was varied based upon available MWD data and geology using Dyno Nobel’s ΔE2
technology. The -1/2” PSD was measured with each design change in each area of the pit as the material was fed to the
crusher. By the end of the trial, the pattern had been expanded sustainably to 18’ x 21’, at times increasing to 19’ x 22’ in
ore. These patterns consistently achieved more than 30% of the -1/2” size fraction and at times, met or exceeded 35%
of the -1/2” size fraction delivered to the crusher. Over the duration of the trial, the mine averaged 34% of the -1/2” size
fraction, and the operation achieved record production through their processing circuit.

Table 2: Actual savings calculated for the tons mined in the last from July 2022 to December 2023 using
 the average patterns practiced before (from January 2020 to August 2023) as baseline

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