Thayer Lindsley Mine Install BlastPED
Falconbridge’s Thayer Lindsley Mine in Sudbury, Canada have chosen BlastPED for changing over to remote, centralized blasting.
The BlastPED System will use the PED transmission system to communication to six remote Receiver/Exploder units (pictured below, right).
The PED transmission system will use a 1,800 m long underground loop antenna. The antenna extends down the service ramp from the 1035m Level to the 1190m Level, then back up the shaft to the 1035m Level. From this relatively small installed base, the PED system will provide signal coverage throughout all working levels, from the 670m level through to the 1410m level.
The PED Headend is located underground at the 1190 Electrical Sub-Station with a fibre-optic link back to the surface where the BlastPED PC is located in a mine office.
Thayer Lindsay engineers selected BlastPED after reviewing hardwired options to achieve Central Blasting capabilities. The engineers saw significant advantages in using BlastPED,these included:
- Lower initial installation price, particularly as their mining plan calls for production from numerous zones which are separated by significant distances within the mine.
- Significant cost savings in terms of minimal ongoing maintenance costs.
- Initial system infrastructure expected to cover for life of the mine.
- Significant advantages available through add-on systems for Personal Emergency Signalling as well as simple contact switching on fixed plant (see picture, left, of ControlPED Receiver). In fact, the initial installation planning was done with a view to migrate to these value-added technologies down the road.
As with all our customers, we appreciate Falconbridge’s support, particularly the people at Thayer Lindsley Mine, in choosing our technology.