East Boulder

EAST BOULDER MINE FOLLOW STILLWATER MINE WITH BLASTPED

MINE: EAST BOULDER
OWNER: STILLWATER MINING
TYPE: PLATINUM/PALLADIUM
LOCATION: USA, MT

BACKGROUND

East Boulder management had identified significant cost benefits in installing a remote, centralized blasting system. After reviewing the various options, basically hard wire cabling or radio remote blasting, BlastPED was chosen. The success of the BlastPED System at Stillwater’s other operation nearby was instrumental in BlastPED being installed.

COMPOSITION

PED Transmission System using a 2,600 m (8,500 ft) underground antenna to provide mine wide signal coverage. 26 BlastPED remote receiver/exploder units.

DESCRIPTION

The main difference between the East Boulder system and the Stillwater Mine system is that the East Boulder system operates from the PED transmission system, rather than using the existing leaky feeder system. It was assessed that the East Boulder leaky feeder system signal coverage and quality would limit the use of BlastPED, something that the main Stillwater Mine has had to accept and work around. So rather than limit the system, East Boulder installed a PED Transmission System that operates from an underground antenna approximately 8,500 feet in length. The relatively high number of remote blasting units was required as the desseminated ore body meant that over 20 places ofetn require to be initiated at any one blast time.

JUSTIFICATION

The primary reason was cost benefit gained in implementing a remote firing system. As mentioned, the justification was simplfied with the cost benefit alreday proven at their ‘sister’ mine, Stillwater.