Most of the time, the problem starts long before you tie in the shot.

Here are six signs your blast is losing energy before it starts:

1. Water is diluting your explosives.
If explosives column is falling, it could be due to the presence of water. Water can steal energy by diluting the product, causing the hole to detonate in low-order.

2.Unseen cracks and voids steal explosive energy.
Explosives can leak into cracks or small voids you can’t see from the collar. When that happens, the column loses its shape and the energy spreads into the wrong areas, weakening the break where you actually need it.

3. The explosive column slumps.
Both underground and open pit miners see this a lot with emulsions. When the column slumps, you’re no longer shooting the design you loaded — the energy shifts and the break suffers.

4. Stemming blows out.
If stemming is ejected during the shot, the blast didn’t build pressure. Weak confinement is one of the biggest reasons for wasted energy.

5. When the plug or deck support fails, the blast can’t perform as designed.
When decking, if the plug doesn’t hold its position, the air deck disappears and the entire energy profile of the hole changes. That usually means the shot doesn’t perform the way it was designed.

Takeaway:

Most energy loss happens before the blast ever fires. Supporting the explosives/stemming, stabilizing the column, and keeping the product where it belongs is what controls pressure and fragmentation.

MTi GROUP makes tools that protect the explosive column, control water, create air decks, and stop slumping. Products like BLASTSHIELD™ liners, BLASTBAG™ gasbags, ROCKRIVET™ plugs, and SLUMPSTOPPA™ bottle brushes help keep energy where it should be. If you want help choosing the right tools for your conditions, browse around the site and see some relevant products below. Also, feel free to reach out to us at sales@mtigroup.us with any questions.