Estimating Powder Factor from Comminution Concept

Abstract

The prediction of powder factor would prove an important and reliable indicator to the mining profession. As a result, research workers carried out many investigations in order to determine powder factor whilst also considering some rock mass, material properties and blasting geometry. All these developing relationships and equations acquired empirically have not been found sufficiently useful for any rock type, therefore it has become necessary to develop some new approaches to this matter. This necessity seems especially important in order to reduce the cost of using the trial and error method used popularly in mining. Within the scope of this research, the estimation predictability of powder factor has been investigated using comminution theory and work index in order to support previous investigations carried out considering rock and explosive properties. Fourteen different rock units in various mines were studied and the related bench blasting were performed in the field. Powder factor was then determined resulting in optimum blasting conditions for each rock units. Additionally, work indexes would find out each rock units in the laboratory. At the end of the research, relationships were developed and suggested for further use in the mining industry.