ICI Australia has been developing PC-based software to assist the blast engineer to design and monitor open pit blasts. The scope of this software differs significantly from commercially available mine design packages. The software is designed for routine use in a normal production environment. The system enables the engineer to produce practical documents which include: a drilling plan, a loading sheet, a hook-up diagram, an inventory of explosives and auxiliary items, and other data on the blast such as tonnages and powder factors.