Apparatus and methods for preparing a blast hole in a rock face during a mining operation are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: deploying a first tool toward the blast hole in the rock face via a common tool outlet of a feed unit using a first tool station of the feed unit; retracting the first tool from the common tool outlet using the first tool station of the feed unit and retaining the first tool in the first tool station; and while the first tool is retained in the first tool station, deploying a second tool toward the blast hole in the rock face through the common tool outlet of the feed unit using a second tool station of the feed unit.

A process for improved blast design including the steps of: acquiring geological data about a blast site from multiple data sources; extracting one or more blastability labels from the geological data; mapping the blastability labels in two or three dimensions; designing a pattern of blast holes based on the mapping; designing explosive for each blast hole based on the blastability label for that blast hole; loading each blast hole in the pattern of blast holes with the designed explosive for that blast hole; and detonating the explosive. Also, a method of extracting valuable resources from an area using the process and a visualisation tool for blasting operations that displays data from the process.

Liners (150), fittings (11-22), and spacers (23-25) are provided to assemble the jet (170) units, which work as explosives (110) and detonators (120) to form stand-off distance and air-deck (140) space. The liners (150) release jets (170) and the fittings (11-22) and spacers (23-25) are designed to attach the liner (150) firmly to the explosives (110), inducing the cavity effect. The objective of the present invention is to provide a blasting method using a jet (170) unit to overcome the limits of sympathetic detonation, applying a mechanism that is ideal according to the analysis of observations in blast-hole (100) blasting. The application of jet (170) units for jet (170) detonation in blast-hole (100) blasting overcomes the performance limits of explosives (110) manufacturing and the conceptual limits of detonators (120) functionalities and improves the channel effect, dead pressing, loss of power, and stopping of detonation etc. Particularly, the application of controlled blasting and air-decking can be carried out without restriction while maintaining the safety of the slurry or emulsion explosives (110).

A blast modeling system may generate a site model based on blast input data. The blast input data may include blasthole data, bench information, and geology input data. The site model may comprise a plurality of distinct elements representing rock masses. Each element may have a geometric outline formed by connecting endpoints of one or more lines with arcs such that the endpoints of the one or more lines are indirectly coupled via the arcs. The blast modeling system may simulate a blast using the plurality of elements.

According to an example, with respect to blast reconciliation for mines, pre blast measurement data and post blast measurement data associated with a blasting operation for a mining site may be ascertained from a pre and post blast measurer. A blast reconciliation model may be generated using existing pre blast measurement data and existing post blast measurement data, and used to analyze the ascertained pre blast measurement data and the ascertained post blast measurement data. Based on the analysis of the ascertained pre blast measurement data and the ascertained post blast measurement data, a blast material yield for the mining site may be determined as a result of the blasting operation. An alert indicative of the blast material yield may be generated.

Apparatus and methods for preparing a blast hole in a rock face during a mining operation are disclosed. An exemplary method comprises: deploying a first tool toward the blast hole in the rock face via a common tool outlet of a feed unit using a first tool station of the feed unit; retracting the first tool from the common tool outlet using the first tool station of the feed unit and retaining the first tool in the first tool station; and while the first tool is retained in the first tool station, deploying a second tool toward the blast hole in the rock face through the common tool outlet of the feed unit using a second tool station of the feed unit.

An annular shaped-charge and blasting housing and a use method thereof are provided. The annular shaped-charge and blasting housing includes a PVC segment and multiple notch grooves. Grooves are notched on a W-shaped PVC segment formed by machining. The notching angle of the groove and the spacing distance between the grooves can be adjusted according to use requirements. And, the W-shaped PVC segment after being cut may not be limited to have eight notch grooves, and the number of the notch grooves of a single one PVC segment can be adjusted according to actual working conditions. The PVC segment can be folded and closed to form the annular shaped-charge and blasting housing. Therefore, the housing of the embodiments is simple in production, the linear segment can be bended and folded by utilizing the plasticity of the PVC material. The manufacturing process of the housing is simple and feasible. The housing of the embodiments is convenient to use and can meet the requirements of the annular shaped-charge cutting in blasting engineering. Meanwhile, the housing of the embodiments are widely applied. Further, the housing is not only applicable to annular shaped-charge cutting for the bottoms of holes to improve the planeness of the tunnel faces or the berm for the bench blasting, but also applicable to the cut blasting to improve the cut effect.

An annular shaped-charge and blasting housing and a use method thereof are provided. The annular shaped-charge and blasting housing includes a PVC segment and multiple notch grooves. Grooves are notched on a W-shaped PVC segment formed by machining. The notching angle of the groove and the spacing distance between the grooves can be adjusted according to use requirements. And, the W-shaped PVC segment after being cut may not be limited to have eight notch grooves, and the number of the notch grooves of a single one PVC segment can be adjusted according to actual working conditions. The PVC segment can be folded and closed to form the annular shaped-charge and blasting housing. Therefore, the housing of the embodiments is simple in production, the linear segment can be bended and folded by utilizing the plasticity of the PVC material. The manufacturing process of the housing is simple and feasible. The housing of the embodiments is convenient to use and can meet the requirements of the annular shaped-charge cutting in blasting engineering. Meanwhile, the housing of the embodiments are widely applied. Further, the housing is not only applicable to annular shaped-charge cutting for the bottoms of holes to improve the planeness of the tunnel faces or the berm for the bench blasting, but also applicable to the cut blasting to improve the cut effect.

Techniques for improving a blast pattern at a mining site include conducting an initial blast and recording the initial blast as a high speed optical video. The high speed optical video, and the blast pattern used in the initial blast are sent as inputs to a machine learning model, which correlates one or more characteristics of the region being blasted with measurements associated with characteristics of the region being blasted obtained from the high speed optical video. The machine learning model can then determine an improved blast pattern based on the correlation made. This improved blast pattern can be displayed on a user computing device, or transmitted to a drilling system to automatically drill the improved blast pattern for subsequent blasts.

Techniques for improving a blast pattern at a mining site include conducting an initial blast and recording the initial blast as a high speed optical video. The high speed optical video, and the blast pattern used in the initial blast are sent as inputs to a machine learning model, which correlates one or more characteristics of the region being blasted with measurements associated with characteristics of the region being blasted obtained from the high speed optical video. The machine learning model can then determine an improved blast pattern based on the correlation made. This improved blast pattern can be displayed on a user computing device, or transmitted to a drilling system to automatically drill the improved blast pattern for subsequent blasts.