Conference Proceedings
2001 AusIMM New Zealand Branch Annual Conference
Conference Proceedings
2001 AusIMM New Zealand Branch Annual Conference
Cardox Blasting Trials at Waihi Gold Mining
Waihi Gold Mining Co Ltd [WGM], operated by
Normandy Mining, has been internationally recognised for its achievements in
environmental management at the Martha Mine at Waihi. In a proactive approach to
dealing with community concerns regarding blast vibrations on the North Wall
cutback, trials were performed using the Cardox System [Cardox], to determine
feasibility of achieving economic fragmentation of andesite overburden whilst
bettering management levels of 5 mm/s peak particle velocity. Cardox is a
non-explosive pressure breaking system which uses high pressure CO2,
Results against conventional Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil [ANFO] using a variety of delays showed that
conventional blasting techniques could produce marginal fragmentation within the
management levels with occasional excursions, whereas Cardox produced the
required fragmentation while not registering on the vibration monitoring
equipment. Fragmentation to enable normal excavation by a Hitachi EXII00 hydraulic
excavator was achieved with a yield of 16m3 per round. The trails indicated that
fragmentation with Cardox at the yields required of over 18m3 per round was
possible with further product development. The trial demonstrated that
non-explosive pressure breaking is feasible and its application warranted where environmental concerns affect
the cost-benefit economics of production blasting in sensitive
areas.
Normandy Mining, has been internationally recognised for its achievements in
environmental management at the Martha Mine at Waihi. In a proactive approach to
dealing with community concerns regarding blast vibrations on the North Wall
cutback, trials were performed using the Cardox System [Cardox], to determine
feasibility of achieving economic fragmentation of andesite overburden whilst
bettering management levels of 5 mm/s peak particle velocity. Cardox is a
non-explosive pressure breaking system which uses high pressure CO2,
Results against conventional Ammonium Nitrate/Fuel Oil [ANFO] using a variety of delays showed that
conventional blasting techniques could produce marginal fragmentation within the
management levels with occasional excursions, whereas Cardox produced the
required fragmentation while not registering on the vibration monitoring
equipment. Fragmentation to enable normal excavation by a Hitachi EXII00 hydraulic
excavator was achieved with a yield of 16m3 per round. The trails indicated that
fragmentation with Cardox at the yields required of over 18m3 per round was
possible with further product development. The trial demonstrated that
non-explosive pressure breaking is feasible and its application warranted where environmental concerns affect
the cost-benefit economics of production blasting in sensitive
areas.
Contributor(s):
M Gray, A Van Kersen, J Hodson
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- Published: 2001
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