Outokumpu’s Kemi chromite mine, together with blasting and explosives specialist Forcit, has introduced centralised wireless blasting via Wi-Fi using Davey Bickford Enaex technology. Forcit with its partner Davey Bickford Enaex and Kemi mine have co-operated to implement the centralised blasting system DaveyTronic®UG to ensure safe and economical blasting.
The centralised blasting system enables controlled implementation of blasts using the Wi-Fi network of the mine. No one needs to be present in the mine during the blast because all fields in one blasting window are fired from a centralised blasting place in a controlled manner.
It also enables the ignition of fields using nonelectronic detonators and fields using electronic detonators in the same blasting window. Nonelectronic detonator fields are ignited using an electronic detonator via the system. “DaveyTronic®UG enables two-way communication with all blasting fields up to the moment they are blasted, which increases quality and safety. It is possible to implement the whole procedure with just a push of a button, in which case all fields are verified and charged to be ready for blast. The actual blast can be done automatically field by field at pre-agreed intervals or, if wanted, manually field by field.”
Arto Palokangas, Production Engineer of Kemi mine, says that the new system will first and foremost increase safety. “To carry out the blasts in one blasting window nowadays, several groups of blasters have to move to several locations in the mine in a pre-agreed order in a short term of time. With the DaveyTronic®UG system, blasting can be carried out centrally from a single location when the mine is empty. In the future, centralised blasting will also enable the shortening of the blasting window and this way increase the efficiency of working time.”
The commissioning of the system and training of the staff was implemented during weeks 50–51 in December 2020. The training covered several topics: the commissioning of the devices, attaching the devices to the Wi-Fi of the mine, training blasters to use the system and tips on how to apply theory to practice when the system is in everyday use at the mine. At the beginning of 2021 the system is becoming an even more significant part of everyday life at the mine, as the aim is that all blasts will be executed from one place, in a controlled, effective and safe manner.
Forcit Operations Manager Jukka Aho and the whole Forcit team are very satisfied with the system and cooperation. “Only after three days of setting and testing, we were able to conduct first ever wireless DaveyTronic®UG Multiblast at Kemi mine. We had three separate blast fields in the blast and now we’re steady on road to centralised blasting at the mine.”
