Blast Design for Underground Mining: Technical Optimization, Safety, and Impact Control (#1792)

Authors

Luque Luque, Elmer Ovidio

Guevara Vásquez, Kelly Vitamar

Abstract

This study evaluates three underground blasting designs V-cut, Burn cut, and Parallel cut applied to fractured andesite, compact limestone, and hard granodiorite, aiming to determine the most efficient and safe blasting pattern. The research combined geomechanical characterization, 3D simulation using JKSimBlast, and field tests with vibration and gas monitoring. Results show that the Burn cut, combined with Electronic Detonators (EED), achieved the best performance: average fragmentation D80 ≈ 18 cm, 30% reduction in overbreak, vibrations <9 mm/s, and advance ≈ 3.0 m per blast, maintaining optimal energy consumption. Ventilation time was also reduced by 37% due to lower gas emissions. The study concludes that the integration of digital modeling, geometric optimization, and electronic timing significantly improves efficiency, safety, and environmental control in underground blasting operations.