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SmartShot in Monitoba, Canada
APPLICATION: An underground silver/gold/copper and zinc mine
LOCATION: Manitoba, Canada
PRODUCT: SmartShot
SOLUTION: The mine has been using DetNet electronic detonators supplied by Dyno Nobel in their secondary production stopes since May 2006. The mine has reaped the benefits DetNet’s electronic detonators of the flexibility, ease of use, and rugged design of the HotShot Plus and more recently the SmartShot electronic initiation system. By utilizing the advantage of the SmartShot electronic initiation system, the mine is able to shoot larger production shots, thus improving their production cycles by removing the ore from the mine more rapidly than they may have using conventional initiation systems. They have also minimized their worker exposure to a potentially hazardous working environment by removing more ore in a single blast rather than a series of blasts. A cross-functional team has been formed between Dyno Nobel and mine staff to implement the SmartShot electronic initiation system in other mining applications at the mine.
Successful SmartShot blast at Los Pelambres Mine, Chile
APPLICATION: Copper mine
LOCATION: Coquimbo region, 300km from Santiago, Chile
PRODUCT: SmartShot
SOLUTION: Antofagasta Minerals’ Los Pelambres Mine is the third largest copper mine in Chile. Following successful demonstrations with DetNet’s HotShot system, Los Pelambres mine converted to DetNet’s SmartShot system due to the flexibility offered by the system’s wireless remote firing capability. The system operates under severe conditions with temperatures down to -8 degrees Celsius and with frequent snow blizzards.
SmartShot blasts at Antamina and Tintaya Mines, Peru
LOCATION: Antamina mine
PRODUCT: SmartShot
SOLUTION: Antamina mine, owned by BHP Billiton, is situated at an altitude of 4300m above sea level, and has been blasting with the SmartShot system since February 2008 with excellent results. Tintaya mine, Xstrata, situated at an altitude of 4100m above sea level, introduced the SmartShot system in April 2008 with the main objective being to reduce
ground vibrations at nearby villages.
Record SmartShot Blast at Nkomati Nickel Mine
APPLICATION: Underground open-stoping operation
LOCATION: 40km east of Machadodorp, Mpumalanga Province, South Africa
PRODUCT: SmartShot detonators
SOLUTION: On the 16th May 2008, a record blast of 1,170 SmartShot detonators was successfully fired at Nkomati Nickel. 5.7Mt of material was blasted making it the largest electronic blast to date with 800 tonnes of explosives used. Nkomati Nickel is jointly owned by African Rainbow Minerals and Norilsk Nickel of Russia (the largest Nickel producer in the world). An R3.5bn expansion product was launched towards the end of 2007 and envisaged is an open pit of 2.8km by 800m wide and 300m deep.
The use of 20m x 0.2m and 30m x 0.2m detonators in combination with 5m and 10m extenders were used. Hole depths varied from 12m to 30m. 105mm holes in the eastern ore section that were deeper that 15m were double primed.
Due to the width of the blast and absence of free faces, it was decided to split the bench in 2. Both sections were timed on a 75ms x 150ms full chevron. The timing combination was chosen as it delivered good results in the previous blasts. This timing would keep the eastern ore section in place to facilitate loading and minimize contamination.
Initial results were good and zero errors were reported. Electronic detonators enabled the blast to be fine-tuned to suit operational requirements of the mine.
Successful SmartShot blast in Hong Kong Rail Transport shafts and tunnels
APPLICATION: Shafts and tunnels in rail application
LOCATION: Hong Kong
PRODUCT: SmartShot
SOLUTION: DetNet’s SmartShot was the preferred system because of its safety, ease of use, flexibility and information available to control vibration level; ability to cover blast with water to eliminate dust, gasses and noise suppression pertaining to densely populated and build up areas. The rate of developing the shaft out performed all other methods and systems deployed on various similar operations in Hong Kong.
Large SmartShot blast fired in Africa
APPLICATION:
LOCATION:
PRODUCT: SmartShot
SOLUTION: The largest SmartShot blast to date in Africa was successfully initiated at a Gomes quarry situated in Gauteng, South Africa at the end of 2007. Gomes quarry is owned by Quarry Cats which is a subsidiary of Group Five. A total of 722 SmartShot detonators fired 65 tonnes of explosives. The blast was initiated remotely via radio frequency with SmartShot control equipment.
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The SmartShot electronic initiation system is a fully programmable and innovative advance in technology, enabling users to achieve accurate timing benefits
HotShot is the world’s first auto-programmable electronic initiation system designed to optimize your blasting results.
The BlastWeb Electronic Initiation system is designed for underground use in all applications. BlastWeb is capable of initiating various types of detonators.
The ViewShot blast design software package allows blasting plans to be designed and simulated on a computer that can be directly downloaded into the control equipment which enables the user to save substantial time during the blasting process
DigiShot is an easy to use, reliable electronic initiating system for use primarily on small surface blasting applications.
DigiShot Plus is an easy to use, reliable electronic initiating system for use primarily on medium to large mines, where large blasting and remote firing are required.