Modern Mining April 2021

COVER STORY

AECI Mining Explosives leading the next evolution With a long history in the underground mining environment dating back to 1896, delivering smart explosive delivery systems and solutions for the underground mining industry is part of AECI Mining’s integrated offering. The company’s Underground Bulk System’s (UBS) value proposition entails improved blast outcomes, efficiencies and cost containment from ‘mine to mill’.

to contract and break it. As time progressed, black powder was used in mining applications as early as 1627 and in 1867 Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invented dynamite by mixing kieselguhr with nitro- glycerine, which turned into a manageable paste. Although ammonium nitrate was first synthesised in 1659, it was not used in explosives until World War I. Ammonium nitrate in itself is generally clas- sified as an oxidiser and is thus easy to handle and transport. Commercial explosives are continually evolving and AECI Mining Explosives ensures that it leads development in line with industry requirements on safe and efficient mining. A major downside for these early solutions was the lack of safety, handling and logistics around commercial class 1.1D explo- sives. The logistics of transporting the explosives from the manufacturing site, across public roads, to site, presented a major safety concern. “Up to the early 90’s,” explains Botha, “these conventional explosives were effective, but safety in manufacturing and usage became a huge focus point. Consequently, different technologies were investigated and introduced. Underground emul- sions, as a technology catered for performance as

A ECI Mining Explosives has significant experi- ence and a long history in underground mining and has over the years continued to refine its offering to stay aligned with market require- ments. Its technologies and solutions have been setting benchmarks in the global underground min- ing industry from the very beginning. Having started in underground in 1896, the company has grown with the industry and is today at the forefront of safe and effective blasting operations across the world. Underground Bulk Systems principal, Hendrik Botha, explains that the evolution of rock mass lib- eration saw early miners devising a technique called “fire setting”, whereby the rock was heated to pro- mote expansion and then doused with cold water

AECI Mining Explosives’ technologies and solutions have been setting benchmarks in the global underground mining industry for a long time.

10  MODERN MINING  April 2021