Selection of powder factor in large diameter blastholes
- US Steel, Mt. Iron, MN (United States). Minntac Mine
This paper documents the relationship between material handling and processing costs compared to blasting cost. The old adage, The cheapest crushing is done in the pit, appears accurate in this case study. Comparison of the accumulated cost of: powder, selected wear materials and electricity; indicate a strong, inverse correlation with powder factor (lbs powder/long ton of rock). In this case, the increased powder cost is more than offset by electrical savings alone. Measurable, overall costs decline while shovel and crusher productivity rise by about 5% when powder factor rises by 15%. These trends were previously masked by the effects of: weather, ore grade fluctuations and accounting practices. Attempts to correlate increased powder factor to: wear materials in the crushing plant and to shovel hoist rope life have not shown the same benefit.
- OSTI ID:
- 400801
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950247-; TRN: IM9650%%207
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 21. annual conference on explosives and blasting techniques, Nashville, TN (United States), 5-9 Feb 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Proceedings of the twenty-first annual conference on explosives and blasting technique. Volume 1; PB: 371 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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