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.

The present disclosure relates to a half-cast mark identification and damaged flatness evaluation and classification method for blastholes in tunnel blasting, including the following steps: S1-2: photographing first and second contrast images as well as a half-cast mark image after blasting; S3-6: performing denoising, gray-scale processing and binary processing on the above images, and identifying a boundary of a half-cast mark in each of the images; S7-9: determining a flatness damage variable, a quantitative relation among an area of a half-cast mark region, the damage variable and a fractal dimension, and a damage value of the half-cast mark image; S10-11: forming five-dimensional (5D) eigenvectors to obtain multi-dimensional digital information features of the images; and S12-13: selecting eigenvectors of 60 images as training data to input to a naive Bayes classifier (NBC), and taking eigenvectors of remaining 30 images as classification data to input the above well-trained NBC for classification.

Emulsion explosives with gas bubbles that are resistant to in-borehole migration or coalescence are disclosed herein. Such emulsions can be sensitized by mechanically introducing gas bubbles into the emulsion. Gassing can be performed at any of multiple points from initial formation of the emulsion to delivery of the emulsion into the borehole. Resistance to gas bubble migration and coalescence can be achieved by homogenization, without the need for bubble stabilization agents.

Emulsion explosives with gas bubbles that are resistant to in-borehole migration or coalescence are disclosed herein. Such emulsions can be sensitized by mechanically introducing gas bubbles into the emulsion. Gassing can be performed at any of multiple points from initial formation of the emulsion to delivery of the emulsion into the borehole. Resistance to gas bubble migration and coalescence can be achieved by homogenization, without the need for bubble stabilization agents.

An apparatus and method for designing a blasting sequence for a drilling pattern of a round. The apparatus (11) is configured to assist selecting one or more drill holes (3) for each time delay of the blast. The apparatus calculates burst volume (V.sub.B) for the selected drill hole set (34) and ensures that previously blasted free volume (V.sub.F) can receive it when being fired. The apparatus may also take into account burst angles burst distances and ground vibrations when suggesting the drill hole sets.

An apparatus and method for designing a blasting sequence for a drilling pattern of a round. The apparatus (11) is configured to assist selecting one or more drill holes (3) for each time delay of the blast. The apparatus calculates burst volume (V.sub.B) for the selected drill hole set (34) and ensures that previously blasted free volume (V.sub.F) can receive it when being fired. The apparatus may also take into account burst angles burst distances and ground vibrations when suggesting the drill hole sets.

A block cave has a draw column height of at least 450 m, a caved volume, a single extraction level and noundercut level, a plurality of drawbells extending upwardly from the extraction level to the caved volume, and a plurality of pillars separating the drawbells and supporting the rock mass above the extraction level. Each drawbell has a drawbell height of at least 25 m. Each drawbell has the following profile when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a drawbell drive in the extraction level: a throat section having opposed parallel side walls extending upwardly from the extraction level, a tapered section above the throat section, and an undercut section above the tapered section.

A block cave has a draw column height of at least 450 m, a caved volume, a single extraction level and noundercut level, a plurality of drawbells extending upwardly from the extraction level to the caved volume, and a plurality of pillars separating the drawbells and supporting the rock mass above the extraction level. Each drawbell has a drawbell height of at least 25 m. Each drawbell has the following profile when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a drawbell drive in the extraction level: a throat section having opposed parallel side walls extending upwardly from the extraction level, a tapered section above the throat section, and an undercut section above the tapered section.

The present invention relates to an integrated raise caving mining method for mining deposits in rock mass comprising: developing at least one raise (102,102a-f,202,302a-g,402a-e) in the rock mass (10), developing a drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e) in the rock mass (10), wherein at least a portion of the drawbell is excavated from the at least one raise (102,102a-f,202,302a-g,402a-e), initiating caving through undercutting, wherein at least a part of an undercut is created by gradually expanding the drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e) in upwards direction by excavation, developing at least two drawpoints (106,206,406) into the drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e), wherein the drawpoints (106) are developed from drifts (115,207,407) arranged on different levels and progressively drawing fragmented rock (101) from the at least one drawbell through the drawpoints (106,206,406).

The present invention relates to an integrated raise caving mining method for mining deposits in rock mass comprising: developing at least one raise (102,102a-f,202,302a-g,402a-e) in the rock mass (10), developing a drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e) in the rock mass (10), wherein at least a portion of the drawbell is excavated from the at least one raise (102,102a-f,202,302a-g,402a-e), initiating caving through undercutting, wherein at least a part of an undercut is created by gradually expanding the drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e) in upwards direction by excavation, developing at least two drawpoints (106,206,406) into the drawbell (100,100a-c, 200a-g,300a-f,400a-e), wherein the drawpoints (106) are developed from drifts (115,207,407) arranged on different levels and progressively drawing fragmented rock (101) from the at least one drawbell through the drawpoints (106,206,406).