DynoConsult® Pit Pushback Gives Mine Access to $1 Billion of Ore
Document type: Case Study
Categories: Case Study

DYNOCONSULT® PIT AT A GLANCE
PUSHBACK GIVES MINE
ACCESS TO $1 BILLION OF ORE 134 MILLION LONG
 TONS OF ORE FREED

PROJECT SUMMARY
 PROJECTED VALUE OF
DYNOCONSULT PROJECT GIVES MINE ACCESS TO $1 OVER $1 BILLION
BILLION OF ORE
An iron mine looking to expand their pit used Dyno Nobel products and a
DynoConsult blast design to make 134 million long tons of ore available.
 CHALLENGE
 • Expand existing pit while minimizing
 vibration and flyrock near structures
BACKGROUND
 SOLUTION
IRON MINE SEEKS PIT PUSHBACK NEAR STRUCTURES • Use TITAN® DIFFERENTIAL
An iron operation sought to extend the life of the mine by expanding ENERGY®, DigiShot®
the existing pit in an area near the neighboring town and several public detonators, and new blast
structures. The pushback would make millions of tons of ore available for designs to safely expand pit
mining and increase the life of the mine by several years. DynoConsult
was initially contacted by the local distributor in December 2023 to OUTCOME
provide guidance on the designs of the blasts, which would commence • Pit expanded with minimized
in January 2024. vibration and flyrock
 • 134 million long tons of ore freed
 with a projected value of over $1
 billion

 Figure 1: Spatial relationship of
 blasting to areas of concern.

Signature hole analysis was used for each blast to determine the optimal delay time to balance the need for minimal
vibration, prevention of flyrock, and a well-fragmented muckpile. Dyno Nobel’s TITAN 1000 DIFFERENTIAL ENERGY was
used in conjunction with the DigiShot electronic detonator system. DIFFERENTIAL ENERGY was selected because it
allowed the team to adjust the explosive characteristics based on the changing geology at the site, and DigiShot detonators
provided the control of the blast necessary to achieve the mine’s goals.

Figures 2 and 3: Timing contours for two blasts at the mine.

PROJECT GOALS PRODUCTS/
 TECHNOLOGY &
LOWER COSTS WITHOUT SACRIFICING PERFORMANCE SERVICES USED
The two principal goals for the project were to minimize vibrations and
eliminate flyrock. Fragmentation of the rock was of lesser importance to
the mine provided the two primary goals were met.
 DYNOCONSULT
The mine identified four structures of concern for vibration control. The
two most sensitive structures were a public highway that was within 250
feet of the blast site and a sewage treatment plant that was within 800
feet. TITAN DIFFERENTIAL
 ENERGY
The primary concern regarding the highway was flyrock. At the sewage
treatment plant, the mine wanted to keep blast vibrations under 19 mm/s.

DIGISHOT
TECHNOLOGY APPLIED
DYNOCONSULT BLAST DESIGNS WITH TITAN EMULSION
AND DIGISHOT DETONATORS
DynoConsult used a variety of tools to properly design the blast to ensure there was no flyrock and vibrations were kept
to a minimum. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveys of the blast areas were conducted to provide a 3D representation of
the free faces and bench surface. The 3D point cloud produced by these surveys was used to measure the shape of the
free faces. Once the shape of the free faces was quantified, the team was able to establish proper placement of the crest
holes and develop a custom explosive load for each blasthole.

VALUE ADDED
SUCCESSFUL PIT PUSHBACK FREES $1
BILLION OF ORE
The blasts conducted provided the desired results,
allowing the mine to safely expand the pit. The peak
vibration level at the sewage treatment plant for the six
production blasts was 10 mm/s, well within the stated limit
of 19 mm/s.

The operation has been able to safely expand the area
of the pit, adding many years to the projected life of the
mine. In addition to minimizing vibration and flyrock, the
muckpiles have been well-fragmented with reports from
the shovel that they have all dug well.

The safe opening of the area of the pit will make 134
million long tons of ore available with a projected value of
over $1 billion.
 Figure 4: Comparison of predicted vibration levels to
 actual vibration levels.

 Figure 5: Controlled rock movement during blast.

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