Orica brings digital technologies to mine blasting

Global explosives, chemicals and fertiliser manufacturer, Orica (ASX: ORI) has further developed its world-leading digital BlastIQ mine blasting system.

Orica Global Digital Product Manager, Angelo Labriola outlined numerous updates to the system, which automates the complex sequential blasting of ore bodies to maximise mine processing productivity.

Labriola said: “Inspired by our customers’ feedback, the latest release of BlastIQ will enable our customers to make better decisions, more rapidly and deliver improved blast outcomes across their operations.

“We are aiming to develop the most robust, most user-friendly set of digital drill and blast tools available, with easy integration across the value chain and delivery of whole of mine insights required to drive material impact for our customers.”

Improvements to the BlastIQ user interface allow real-time access to the status of each blast, enabling users to collate and collaborate on data from across the drill and blast process.

Insights are interpreted from data gathered with new visualisation features, accelerating planning, analysis and auditing of blast data.

With blast outcomes determining 80 per cent on in-mine costs such as crushing, the automation of what were manual operations equate to savings.

Labriola said: “BlastIQ saves time and improves quality by automating processes across the blasting workflow.”

Accuracy and efficiency of explosives delivery is also enhanced through real-time synchronisation of blast hole data between Orica’s Mobile Manufacturing Unit (MMU) which loads individual blast holes and BlastIQ.

Orica’s smart, connected MMU delivery systems load the correct explosive type and quantity, adjusted for conditions in the field such as the presence or absence of water.

“This real-time data flow empowers rapid decision making, such as accurately adding new holes.”

Multilingual support has also been added across the technology suite, now supporting Spanish, French Canadian, Russian and Portuguese.

Picture: Orica staff loading explosives on site

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