Blasting waste recycling at mines in Mongolia

Abstract

Industrial wastes accumulated at mining enterprises, including synthetic waste, pose a threat to the environment. The article substantiates the approach to the disposal of industrial waste during blasting operations in the quarries of mining enterprises. The essence of the campaign is the reuse of waste for the production of plastic supports and the creation of an air gap during the preparation of blast wells. Such a simple technological solution involves the creation of plastic supports for the formation of an air space in the lower part of the well during blasting operations in quarries by recycling and reusing industrial waste. The air gap in the dry blast well allows you to control the detonation process and change the explosion pulse, which, along with the use of such waste, reduces the negative impact of mining operations on the environment. The testing and application of this technology at Erdenet Mining Corporation in Mongolia for more than 5 years has shown that this approach allows you to manage blasting operations from the point of view of environmental impact, to replace imported air cylinders, and to reduce the use of explosives on average 400–500 tons. Moreover, the company receives a net profit of more than 150 thousand dollars per year. Thus, the recycling of industrial waste during blasting allows a company to receive not only economic benefits, but also solves many environmental problems.The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Project No. 21-18-00500 Institutional Engineering of the Arctic Monotowns–Modernization and Sustainable Development.