Modern Mining December 2018

COVER STORY

Mobile device, enabling the efficient capture of auditable data direct from the bench. Blasthole condition data is captured with the BlastIQ™ Mobile device (tablet) in real time, allow- ing data to be shared between operations and engineering personnel from anywhere on site, empowering rapid decision making and better operational efficiencies. Orica’s Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU™) delivery systems – in particular, the recently launched Bulkmaster™ 7 unit – can be inte- grated into BlastIQ™ to wirelessly receive blast designs updated with near real-time blasthole quality data while on the bench. Using this data, Orica’s delivery systems load the correct explosive type and quantity according to the original design, adjusted based on blasthole condition measurement and the automated application of a defined set of rules managed by the drill and blast engineer. When Modern Mining spoke to him recently, Moodley was just back from a visit to Australia where he saw the Bulkmaster™ 7 in action. “I was hugely impressed – the Bulkmaster™ 7 is clearly a major step forward in terms of speed, safety and accuracy of explosives delivery,” he says. “It gives the blasting team the absolute assurance that the precise amount of explo- sives required by the blasting plan is delivered to each hole, providing assurance of fine ores and right sized stripping of waste.” Where a BlastIQ™-enabled delivery system is not available, the BlastIQ™ Mobile device can be used to capture and record as-loaded data during the delivery process, with the sys- tem still updating instructions to the delivery system operator based on updated processing of design and in-field condition measurement that precedes loading. Rounding out the BlastIQ™ package is the powerful insights and analytics engine incor- porated into the platform. Data is presented visually to the various users, delivering insights

and analytics to help the drill and blast team measure and manage key blasting KPIs. Moodley stresses that Orica is geared to providing intensive backup to BlastIQ™ customers. “It’s a high-tech package so com- prehensive training and support is part of the deal. When a mine converts to the technology, we will bring in our experts to train the mine’s employees and ensure that the transition to BlastIQ™ is smooth, problem-free and starts delivering value immediately.” Summing up, he says the introduction of BlastIQ™ is key to Orica’s efforts to increase its presence in Africa. “At this point, Africa represents – in terms of revenues – one of the smaller parts of Orica’s global operation,” he observes. “We intend changing this. Africa is potentially our biggest growth area and we believe that industry-leading technologies such as BlastIQ™, WebGen™ and our advanced ini- tiating and bulk systems paired with unrivalled technical and operational services will help us deliver even greater value for our customers. These unique offers are enabling new thinking and new methods of mining and we are confi- dent that they will give us a significant edge in the African market as mining companies move

Examining data generated by the BlastIQ™ system.

towards the goal of ‘smarter’ mining.” Report by Arthur Tassell, photos courtesy of Orica

December 2018  MODERN MINING  19