DRILL & BLAST
Jon Lawson meets an expert in blasting to discuss the future of this ‘explosive’ sector.
Jon Lawson trifft eine Expertin für das Schießen, um die Zukunft dieses „explosiven“ Bereichs zu diskutieren.
Jon Lawson se encuentra con un experto en voladuras para hablar acerca del futuro de este sector “explosivo”.
D
Blasting: an academic speaks
r Catherine Johnson is assistant professor of Explosives Engineering at Missouri University
of Science and Technology, USA. She completed her Doctoral degree entitled “Fragmentation Analysis in the Dynamic Stress Wave Collision Regions in Bench Blasting” at the University of Kentucky in December of 2014. Johnson earned her Bachelor
of Engineering and Master of Engineering in Mining and Quarry Engineering at the University of Leeds, UK in 2012. Her masters research focused on the origins of air overpressure from quarry blasting. Johnson’s current work is focused on shock physics and fragmentation prediction. With her international outlook and broad range of experience across the blasting spectrum, Johnson is undoubtably a prominent expert in the sector. In the following exclusive interview with International Mining Engineer, Johnson reveals her thoughts on the future of the industry.
How do you predict that blasting in mining will change over the next 10 years?
Catherine Johnson: As many of the existing blasting engineers will reach retirement in the coming years, young graduates that have been brought up with computer aided design programs and a fresh take on industry will replace them. Many of the
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current generation of blasters are stuck in their ways and do not embrace change. Tese changes will include automation and robotics.
What impact will advances in computer modelling have?
CJ: Blasting is one of the first steps in the whole mining process. Fully autonomous mining of shovels and trucks, currently in its R&D stage, will not be fully possible if the blast pattern and resultant muck pile is not also modelled.
What about the explosives themselves, how do you think that they will change?
CJ: Mining explosives have not changed significantly in years. Te quantity required for the relatively low cost makes drastic changes difficult to overcome for the industry. EPA regulations and fines with regard to NOx emissions, etc. could change this however. Detonators and equipment will change a lot more than the explosives themselves.
So what advances do you think we will see in detonators?
CJ: Sub-millisecond electronic detonators will be commercially available very soon. Te major concern will always remain around the cost comparison to non-el or
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