- Rock blasting
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Rock blasting is the controlled use of explosives (or other methods such as gas pressure pyrotechnics or plasma processess) to excavate, break down or remove rock. It is practised most often in mining, quarrying and civil engineering such as dam or road construction. Except in mining, the result of rock blasting is often known as a rock cut.
The use of explosives in mining goes back to the year 1627, when gunpowder was first used in place of mechanical tools in the Hungarian (now Slovakian) town of Banská Štiavnica. The innovation spread quickly throughout Europe and the Americas.
In 1990, 2.1 million tonnes (2.32 million short tons) of commercial explosives were consumed in the USA, representing an estimated expenditure of 3.5 to 4 billion 1993 dollars on blasting. Australia had the highest explosives consumption that year at 500 million tonnes (551 million short tons), with Scandinavian countries another leader in rock blasting (Persson et al. 1994:1).
Gallery
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Blast hole drilling with Tamrock Scout 700
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Loading drilled holes with ANFO
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Rock surface newly blasted. This is called pre-split, it's a technique to leave a smooth face.
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Sideling Hill road cut formed by rock blasting
See also
- Abrasive blasting (sandblasting)
References
- Persson, Per-Anders; Roger Holmberg, and Jaimin Lee (1994). Rock Blasting and Explosives Engineering. Boca Raton, Fla.: CRC Press. ISBN 0-8493-8978-X.
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