Case Study
How PortaMetrics helped a Canadian gold and copper mine achieve a 350,000-kilogram reduction in explosives usage
A copper and gold mine in Western Canada used PortaMetrics to analyze and optimize blasting. Using particle size data collected with the device, the mine lowered its powder factor without negatively impacting fragmentation results. The mine increased its drilling capacity and drilled inventory while decreasing its drilled costs and explosives usage by using the lower powder factor.
Over the course of the study period, the total hypothetical explosives savings at the mine were an estimated 350,000 kilograms. The mine achieved a total drilling time saving of ~210 hours (18 shifts of drilling). About 350 fewer holes and 5700 fewer meters were drilled. The average blast volume per shift at a lower powder factor was 2.1 times more efficient.