College of Mining, National University of Science and Technology – MISIS, Moscow, Russia:

B. N. Kutuzov, Professor-Consultant, Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Transbaikal Institute of Railway Transport, Chita, Russia:
V. N. Tyupin, Professor, Doctor of Engineering Sciences, tyupinvn@mail.ru

The article justifies the economical and ecological requirements to select rational parameters for drilling and blasting in Russian open pit mines arranged in rocks of different blastability (jointing). The rational parameters will allow reduction in oversizes in difficult-to-blast rock mass (composed of large blocks) and will enable drilling and blasting cost saving in easy-to-blast rock mass (small blocks), which will enhance mining efficiency. Moreover, rational drilling and blasting design abates the environmental stress as the emission of toxic gases and dust produced by explosions is reduced. The mechanism of an explosion in a high-stress jointed rock mass and the formation of zones of radial cracks, and broken and shattered zones are described. Based on the law of energy conservation, theoretical formulas are derived to calculate blast-induced deformation zones in rocks. The developed drilling and blasting design procedure allows reaching the preset degree of rock fragmentation by blasting under different geological and geotechnical conditions. The calculation procedure is intended to enhance economic efficiency of drilling and blasting and to lower environmental pressure through the reduction in toxic gas and dust emissions. The calculation method is universal as the formulas include the main physicotechnical parameters of rocks, standard sizes of fragments and basic detonation characteristics of explosives.

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