EXPLOSIVES & BLASTING
technology , the company says .
“ The Bulkmaster Pro offers substantial gains in on-bench productivity by facilitating quicker blasthole loading via increased payloads and faster pumping rates ,” Orica says . “ Safety and ergonomic features have been meticulously refined to ensure safer outcomes . With the inclusion of Orica ’ s LOADPlus™ process control system , the Bulkmaster Pro can seamlessly integrate with BlastIQ™ and is capable of delivering Orica ’ s 4D bulk products .”
Angus Melbourne , Orica Chief Technology Officer , said the Bulkmaster Pro design is the culmination of more than 30 years of expertise in designing and operating MMUs , guaranteeing a durable and effective solution for modern mining operations . “ This forthcoming innovation not only demonstrates Orica ’ s commitment to advancing technology , but we believe will also establish a new standard in the industry for performance and safety ,” he added .
In terms of initiation systems , Orica says it has exciting plans for its electronic blasting system i-kon™ , with a new range of product advancements scheduled to roll out from late 2024 through 2025 . The upgrades include i-kon Steel for enhanced safety through a sturdy design , i-kon Digital for improved user experience integrating with Orica ’ s digital solutions and the elimination of paper-based processes , and i-kon Neo fully lead-free detonators to advance its move to more sustainable solutions .
The company ’ s WebGen™ platform is also evolving . WebGen enables new mining methods and blasting techniques to increase productivity and reduce blasting costs through the removal of wires . It uses low frequency magnetic waves to communicate to each WebGen primer prior to a blast , making it the only commercial explosives product with SIL 3 rating , Orica says .
Now with over 300,000 WebGen units fired globally , the next offering in their wireless initiation system , WebGen 200 Surface Pro , is being launched .
Specifically designed for surface mining applications , this new version offers greater shock resistance , loading at greater depths and the ability to sleep for longer periods , making it ideal for more intense blasting operations , Orica explains . “ By removing the necessity for physical connections to a blast or within blastholes , this latest addition to the advanced system provides the industry with even greater flexibility in blasting and scheduling in more extreme environments ,” it said . This includes the ability to enable on-demand blasting by loading multiple decks in a single pass .
Orica ’ s digital solutions offering continues to expand beyond SHOTPlus™ , which has continued to evolve to support Orica Digital
Solutions ’ new and existing products – such as BlastIQ , Design for Outcome and 4D bulk systems . The next generation SHOTPlus will be launching at MINExpo , in September , which Orica says has an optimal data management and modelling capability to benefit Orica Digital Solutions customers .
Orica has also recently taken a big step towards sustainable mining solutions with its Neo led-free non-electric initiating system offering . In September 2023 , the Exel™ Neo nonelectric detonator series was launched into the European market becoming , Orica says , the world ’ s first lead-free detonator .
Less than one year later in June 2024 , Orica ' s facility in Gyttorp , Sweden , celebrated the manufacture of its millionth Exel Neo lead-free detonator .
The next Neo offering is expected for release into the European market in early 2025 with another world first , Orica ’ s Neo range of lead-free electronic blasting systems . Field trials and CE testing for this system are currently underway . The lead-free alternative will be made available across the full range of electronic blasting systems , including the new eDev™ II Neo , uni tronic™ 600 Neo and i-kon III Neo . It will also integrate Orica ’ s NPED technology , eliminating lead azide in the detonator .
Lastly , Orica ’ s Specialty Mining Chemicals business has demonstrated significant progress in sustainable blasting technology with the introduction of OPTEX ® Low Carbon Emulsifiers , which offer 70-85 % lower carbon emissions compared with standard emulsifiers while maintaining the same high level of performance , the company says .
“ These developments signal a significant transition towards more sustainable practices in the mining and infrastructure sectors , with Orica ’ s technology and innovation at the forefront ,” it said .
Dyno Nobel technologies to facilitate outcomes
Sustainable practices are front and centre considerations for Dyno Nobel : a company that is going through its own transformation process .
Back in 2022 , Incitec Pivot Ltd , which owns Incitec Pivot Fertilisers and Dyno Nobel , announced it would implement a structural separation of the two businesses to establish “ two customer-focused , technology-driven businesses set up for success in two essential industries ”.
While this plan progresses , Dyno Nobel , a global leader in technical explosives solutions for mining and other industries , continues to exhibit its customer-centric technology and application expertise to win new customers and add value to existing ones , Braden Lusk , President of Dyno
Nobel Americas and soon to be ( from October 1 ) IPL ’ s Chief Technology & Marketing Officer , said .
One area to mark out is progress on the electronic blasting front , which Robert Rounsley , currently IPL Chief Technology Officer and soon to be ( from October 1 ) IPL ’ s Chief Growth Officer , said is part of the company ’ s integrated customer approach .
“ We know that our customers aren ’ t interested in individual technologies on their own , they ’ re interested in implementing products and systems that improve the efficiency with which they can extract the minerals they are mining ,” he told IM . “ Whether that be fragmentation , ground movement or vibration management , technologies that facilitate the outcome our customers are looking for has been critical to our success .”
In the field of electronic detonators , Rounsley highlighted the scalability and flexibility of its technology suite , including DIGISHOT ® Plus . 4G , RANGER™ and BLASTWEB ® electronic initiation systems , as a differentiator .
“ This means customers can use the same control equipment platforms to roll out and control future technologies , including our advanced electronic detonators ,” he explained . Such commonality reduces complexity for customers and enables faster training and adoption of the new technologies .
Having launched its advanced electronic detonator offering in recent years , Rounsley said the company continues to make good progress “ with multiple new platforms released ”.
The addition of these solutions , overlaid with the company ’ s electronic initiation systems , are providing better data gathering capability and less user interaction , which is helping the company progress automation and overcome challenges .
“ Our automation approach develops solutions to various parts of the autonomy puzzle based on customer need , as well as keeping an eye on the end goal of complete automation ,” Rounsley said . “ This is because there are benefits gained when automation is implemented , both on a small scale for a specific task and when the complete process is automated .”
The company ’ s digital solution , NOBEL FIRE ® , is also aiding this automation push .
NOBEL FIRE is designed to provide easy integration with existing customer systems and give them flexibility to select fit for purpose hardware and sensors , according to the company . It can be used as a standalone package or integrated with other software through APIs and data sharing arrangements .
The company also highlighted its decarbonisation efforts when IM contacted Lusk and Rounsley .
Lusk said the company would soon begin
66 International Mining | AUGUST 2024