Let’s optimize fragmentation!

Find out how we have supported our customers to improve fragmentation by:

• Optimizing drilling and blasting parameters for CODELCO’s Gabriela Mistral Division;
• Improving the blast designs for a specific area of the Zaldivar mine.

Optimizing drilling and blasting parameters for CODELCO’s Gabriela Mistral Division;

Gabriela Mistral Division, owned by CODELCO, operates an open-pit copper mine in Chile's Antofagasta region. Changes in the drilling and blasting processes were needed to meet its cost targets in 2023 and comply with the plant's granulometric curve. Although the current parameters achieved the defined fragmentation curve, there was room for improvement in the percentage of material below 2 inches, leading to cost savings for the operation.

Our EMTS team presented a technical proposal with performance estimates to our customer, which we then tested and analyzed for positive results. Thanks to their efforts, we could modify and increase drilling and blasting parameters and effectively implement these changes in the eld, reducing cost per blast.

By implementing our strategy, we decreased the load factor, which led to a 44% reduction in blasting expenses by 2023. Furthermore, we improved the drilling rate by 29% and successfully met the plant's requested curve, achieving a P80 and ore percentage of less than 2".

????♀? " The team put in a tremendous effort, with Enaex serving as a strategic partner in pursuit of our shared goal of cutting operating costs, particularly at GMD, a low-grade mine. Their experts made a significant contribution, helping us reduce costs by up to 35% in April. This was made possible by the high quality of the rock and the successful collaboration between Enaex and the Gabriela Mistral Division.” - Estefany Tobar Bustamante , Chief Engineer of Drilling and Blasting, GMD CODELCO.

Click here to delve into the full story and thoroughly explore the project's outcomes!

Improving the blast designs for a specific area of the Zaldivar mine.

The Zaldivar Mine owned by AMSA is located southeast of Antofagasta, Chile. It is an open-pit copper mine that recently faced some issues during the blasting process of Phase 8 (F8). The post-blasting process was affected due to coarse fragmentation, which resulted in higher-than-expected fragmentation in a particular area. This, in turn, had an adverse impact on the performance of the loading, conveying, and crushing equipment, thereby increasing the cost of these processes.

Our team conducted daily fragmentation logs using WipFrag and the in-line fragmentation system installed on the shovels (ShovelCam). By doing so, we were able to identify areas with high levels of fragmentation. We drew polygons around these sectors to delimit them. After identifying the areas with coarse fragmentation, our EMTS team proposed an 8% reduction in the geometric configuration of the drilling design (BxE).

After implementing the solution, the cost of drilling increased, resulting in the need for more wells. However, based on our simulations, the fragmentation (P80) results improved from 13.3 inches to 10.5 inches, which allowed us to enhance shovel performance and extraction, meeting the crushing requirements. The eld tests confirmed our simulations, with a fragmentation in P80 of around 9 to 10 inches.

Prior to the sectorization project that utilized fragmentation data, the available information was solely utilized for reporting purposes. However, by plotting these values on a blueprint that includes geological and geotechnical data, it becomes possible to gain a better understanding of how explosives behave in conjunction with detonation mesh configurations. By implementing changes to the mesh reduction, we can improve downstream results in shovel performance, crushing, and adjust the outcomes based on the processing plant's input targets. This optimization results in a more efficient and effective process.

????♂? " After conducting a technical analysis of post-blasting results, the EMTS team implemented improvements to address performance issues in the downstream process, transport, crushing, and plant. These changes allowed for better fragmentation based on design modifications and load factor adjustments. Although the cost of drilling increased as a unitary process, the cost of the crushing process was significantly reduced, resulting in improved production efficiency and blasting results that aligned better with the reduction equipment capacity and plant requirements.” - esteban vasquez , AMSA's Senior Drilling and Blasting Manager

Click here to better understand this project and its impact!

Thank you to CODELCO – Corporación Nacional del Cobre de Chile and Minera Zaldívar for their trust! By strengthening our bonds, we have co-created premium blasting solutions.

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