Blasting Techniques Course

Lesson 1 • History and Industry Overview

Traces blasting from black powder to modern explosives, situating current practice within mining, construction, and demolition sectors. It provides context for all subsequent technical content.

Lesson 2 • Explosive Chemistry Fundamentals

Covers oxidation-reduction reactions, detonation versus deflagration, and energy output metrics. It connects chemical principles to practical performance expectations in the field.

Lesson 3 • Physical Properties Affecting Performance

Examines density, velocity of detonation, water resistance, and critical diameter. It links material properties to charge design decisions covered in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Classification of Explosives

Categorizes explosives by composition, sensitivity, and application. It enables correct product selection and safe handling decisions throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Misfire Procedures and Hangfires

Defines misfire and hangfire conditions and prescribes safe waiting times and re-entry protocols. It prevents the most common cause of post-blast fatalities.

Lesson 2 • Emergency Response Planning

Covers emergency action plans, first-aid priorities, and incident notification chains for blasting accidents. It prepares students to manage crises until professional responders arrive.

Lesson 3 • Personal Protective Equipment

Specifies PPE selection, inspection, and use for blasting tasks. It directly supports safe participation in all hands-on course activities.

Lesson 4 • Exclusion Zones and Blast Area Control

Establishes methods for calculating and enforcing exclusion zones around blast sites. It ensures personnel and equipment protection during firing.

Lesson 1 • Transport Regulations and Procedures

Covers vehicle requirements, placarding, routing, and driver responsibilities for explosive transport. It ensures legal and safe movement of materials to blast sites.

Lesson 2 • Compatibility and Segregation Rules

Defines incompatible explosive combinations and required segregation distances. It prevents accidental sympathetic detonation during storage.

Lesson 3 • Inventory Control and Accountability

Establishes procedures for receiving, logging, and reconciling explosive stocks. It supports regulatory compliance and theft-prevention obligations.

Lesson 4 • Magazine Design and Construction

Covers approved magazine types, construction standards, and siting requirements. It provides the structural knowledge needed to evaluate and use storage facilities correctly.

Lesson 1 • Electric Detonator Systems

Explains instantaneous and delay electric detonators, circuit types, and testing procedures. It provides the baseline for comparing all other initiation technologies.

Lesson 2 • Primers and Boosters

Defines the role of primers and boosters in reliable detonation of bulk explosives. It ensures students can select and position initiating charges correctly.

Lesson 3 • Non-Electric Initiation Systems

Covers shock tube, detonating cord, and signal tube systems. It expands the student's toolkit for environments where electric systems are hazardous.

Lesson 4 • Electronic Detonator Technology

Introduces programmable electronic detonators, logging software, and precision timing capabilities. It connects advanced initiation to improved fragmentation and vibration control.

Lesson 1 • Powder Factor and Charge Calculation

Introduces powder factor as a design metric and guides charge weight calculations per hole. It connects explosive quantity to fragmentation and cost outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Geometric Design Parameters

Defines burden, spacing, bench height, and subdrill and their interrelationships. These parameters form the quantitative core of every blast design.

Lesson 3 • Rock Mass Characterisation

Covers rock strength, joint orientation, and geomechanical classification relevant to blast design. Accurate rock characterisation is the prerequisite for all design calculations.

Lesson 4 • Stemming and Decking

Explains stemming material selection, length optimisation, and air-deck techniques. Proper stemming maximises explosive energy utilisation and reduces flyrock.

Lesson 1 • Post-Blast Assessment

Establishes re-entry timing, fragmentation measurement, and muck pile evaluation methods. It provides feedback data for continuous improvement of blast designs.

Lesson 2 • Drilling Patterns and Hole Layout

Covers square, staggered, and echelon drilling patterns and their layout on bench faces. Accurate hole layout is the first physical step in translating design to field execution.

Lesson 3 • Bulk Explosive Loading Methods

Describes pneumatic, auger, and pump loading of ANFO, emulsions, and blends. Correct loading technique ensures designed charge weights and densities are achieved.

Lesson 4 • Connecting and Firing the Blast

Sequences surface connection of initiation systems, final checks, and firing procedures. It integrates initiation system skills from Chapter 4 into a complete operational workflow.

Lesson 1 • Underground Safety Protocols

Specifies underground-specific hazards including toxic fumes, ground fall, and confined-space risks. It reinforces and extends the safety framework established in Chapter 2.

Lesson 2 • Cut Hole Designs for Development

Covers parallel hole, burn cut, and wedge cut configurations for tunnel development rounds. Cut design determines advance per round and is the most critical underground design decision.

Lesson 3 • Production Stope Blasting

Addresses ring blasting, long-hole open stoping, and sublevel caving charge designs. It connects underground production methods to ore recovery and dilution outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Controlled Perimeter Blasting

Introduces smooth blasting, pre-splitting, and line drilling for tunnel wall quality. Controlled perimeter techniques minimise overbreak and support requirements.

Lesson 1 • Dust, Fume, and Noise Management

Addresses post-blast fume classification, dust suppression, and noise attenuation methods. It completes the environmental impact picture for community and worker protection.

Lesson 2 • Vibration Monitoring Instruments

Covers seismograph types, sensor placement, and data recording procedures. Accurate monitoring data is required for regulatory compliance and design refinement.

Lesson 3 • Ground Vibration Fundamentals

Explains peak particle velocity, frequency, and attenuation relationships. It provides the physical basis for all vibration prediction and control methods.

Lesson 4 • Airblast and Overpressure Control

Defines airblast sources, overpressure limits, and mitigation strategies. It addresses the second major environmental impact after ground vibration.