Tag Archives: Blasting

Omnia Holdings’ mining business underpins improved financial results

Explosives and blasting, Mining finance, Mining services, , , ,

Omnia Holdings boosted both revenue and profit in its six-month reporting period ending September 30, 2024, with sustained robust growth in its mining segment being a key driver of this positive momentum.

The group reported a 5% year-on-year boost in revenue to R10.9 billion ($614 million) in the six-month period, alongside a 17% improvement in operating profit to R802 million.

On mining specifically – which, for Omnia, entails its BME business and the explosives, related accessories and blasting services offering – the company said: “The mining segment continued to demonstrate strong growth and robust performance. This growth was achieved through a combination of new and extended contracts, increased ammonia derivative sales, and new contract wins. Revenue increased by 15% to R4.7 billion while operating profit grew by 18% to R535 million. The segment effectively navigated global macroeconomic challenges and supply chain constraints to ensure uninterrupted supply to customers.”

The growth outlook for the group remains positive with solid traction gained in the reporting period, it noted.

The construction of an additional ammonium nitrate storage in Sasolburg will double storage capacity, further increasing supply chain flexibility and enabling consistent supply to customers.

The mining segment increased its momentum in its expansion efforts. Contract extensions and organic growth in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, as well as new contracts in Namibia, enhanced volumes in this core market.

In Indonesia three new contracts were successfully secured, signalling further growth in the region. While, in Canada, BME commissioned its non-electronic detonator manufacturing facility and the electric detonator manufacturing production line is due to be commissioned in the September quarter of 2025.

In the company’s 2026 financial year to September 30, 2026, BME in partnership with Hypex Bio, is set to launch a first of its kind nitrate free explosives to the Canadian market.

In 2023, Omnia announced a strategic partnership with Sweden-based Hypex Bio Explosives Technology and the acquisition of a minority equity stake in the company, looking to bring Hypex Bio’s ground-breaking emulsion, using hydrogen peroxide, offering to its customers.

In Australia, BME has commenced the building of its largest Mobile Manufacturing Units (MMU) with the first of these units expected to arrive towards the end of the 2025 financial year. Additionally, cold commissioning of Western Australia’s first electronic detonator plant has begun with production anticipated in the September quarter of 2025.

Orica setting digital groundwork to open up new mining frontiers

Automation, Explosives and blasting, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The integration of a digital backbone into the explosives, blasting and related processes will continue to result in miners accessing new deposits and potentially developing new mining methods, Orica’s Angus Melbourne and Rajkumar Mathiravedu told IM at last month’s MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas.

Reflecting on a digitalisation journey that started eight years ago, Melbourne – Orica’s Chief Technology Officer – said the original ambition was about taking a very manual process like blasting and digitising the workflows.

“Essentially what we wanted to do was anchor into the design and connect the on-bench activities for a verification process as to where the drill pattern was and how this reconciled with the actual outcome,” he said. “The key was always to link this back to the hub of the machine.”

Bringing data and insights into this equation resulted in better placement of energy (ie explosives), which has since become part and parcel of Orica’s aim of “mobilising the Earth’s resources in a sustainable way”.

The second element underlying this digitised push was the acceleration of automation.

“You cannot automate unless you have a digital foundation,” Melbourne said.

This led to the company – both organically and through M&A – building up a suite of software, sensors and data science applications to enable processes within the explosives and blasting process to be automated.

Just what processes to automate has always been dictated by safety and productivity.

“Getting people off the bench, face, voids, high walls, etc becomes a clear motivator for automating certain processes,” Melbourne said. “It is a bit more difficult on the productivity side of things; you have to be generating value, not just automating for the sake of it.”

From Orica’s initial point eight years ago, the company has progressively moved into adjacencies such as post-blast outcomes, geology and more, bringing the same mindset to each part of this distinct process, while integrating it into the wider work patterns.

Mathiravedu (Orica Digital Solutions Senior Vice President) explained: “What we are seeing in the digital space is the fact that, with blasting, you can either create or destroy value. With all the tools and expertise we have, plus the ability to connect the physical and digital components, we are making the whole process more productive, as well as optimising the use of consumables like water and energy.”

Rajkumar Mathiravedu presenting Next Gen SHOTPlus at MINExpo 2024

And as Orica has opened further to the wider mining ecosystem – think of recent tie ups with Epiroc on the Avatel™ semi-autonomous explosives loading solution showcased at MINExpo or Caterpillar on a potential integration between Rhino™, BlastIQ™ and FRAGTrack™ technologies with Cat® MineStar™ Terrain – its influence across the whole flowsheet continues to expand.

Melbourne said: “If I go back a decade, Orica would have been doing a lot of these things itself…but both Raj and I have worked in other industries that, for various reasons, were collaborative. As a result, we were far more open to working with others.”

This openness is seen with one of Orica Digital Solutions’ latest launch, Next Gen SHOTPlus™, which unlocks the power of the Model Through Time; a cloud hosted, spatiotemporal, digital replica, Orica says. Incorporating the proprietary physics engine, Helfire Damage Model and Advanced Vibration Management solution, Next Gen SHOTPlus enables drill and blast engineers to model and predict blast movement, damage and vibration.

Predictive blast movement modelling is enabled by Predict Physics Engine, allowing engineers to understand the impact of decisions on the post-blast muck pile. The Blast Damage, meanwhile, feature provides 3D damage modelling, allowing engineers to evaluate the predicted damage generated on both blasted and in-situ rock masses.

As the Avatel system loomed over the Orica booth at MINExpo (it was on the adjacent Epiroc stand, see below), it seemed only right to ask about the potential to fully automate the explosives loading process based on the safety and productivity drivers Melbourne outlined.

“The goal is to go fully autonomous,” he replied. “If you look at the safety and productivity drivers, semi-automation advances both of those, but there are opportunities to improve upon both – we are clearly still underground at the moment, which comes with risk, and there are other elements of cleaning, priming and loading that could be accelerated in the development headings through full automation.”

One of the underlying technologies of the Avatel platform is the WebGen™ wireless initiation system, which has been key to unlocking new mining methods and techniques, with numerous case studies detailing a strong value case.

A fully autonomous Avatel unit could do similar, according to Melbourne, ticking that productivity box.

“With full autonomy, you can start to employ new mining methods and go to different parts of the mine you couldn’t previously,” he said. “On a case-by-case basis, you can look at individual mines where they understand the mineralisation that, because of safety constraints, cannot currently be classified as a resource or reserve.

“If we’re able to remove that constraint, we can start to tangibly assess bringing that into a resource or reserve and mining that.”

Surface emulsion innovations drive coal sector sustainability, AECI Mining says

Explosives and blasting, Mining consumables, Mining safety, Mining services, , , ,

Safety is paramount in every responsible mining operation, yet certain geological conditions, such as reactive ground and hot-holes, pose significant challenges, particularly in the coal sector.

Edward Felix, Regional Manager of Surface South Africa at AECI Mining Explosives, highlights the company’s commitment to research and development, which has led to the creation of new surface emulsion technologies like the Powergel base emulsion range. These innovations not only enhance safety but also contribute to the sustainability of the industry.

Felix said: “AECI Mining Explosives is at the forefront of developing base emulsions for various applications. Our solutions are purpose-built and continuously improved to enhance product performance and decarbonise the value chain. These principles extend beyond emulsions to our entire surface product offering.”

Powergel X², part of the Powergel product range, is specifically designed for surface mining operations facing extreme blasting conditions. While most products cater to either reactive ground or hot-holes, Powergel X² addresses both simultaneously. This single-solution-technology not only improves safety but also reduces the need for maintaining large inventories, offering significant benefits to AECI’s customers dealing with a variety of extreme ground conditions.

Powergel X² is developed in a safe, non-explosive form as a base emulsion, sensitised upon loading into the blast holes from where it becomes an explosive after completion of a chemical process. Additional customer benefits include optimal shelf life, leading to better working capital and inventory management, as well as improved product ‘flowability’, which results in cleaner storage silos.

“Although coal mining is often perceived as environmentally harmful, it remains a crucial resource. AECI Mining is committed to helping customers and partners engage in responsible mining practices by developing technologies that ensure sustainability across the economy, industry, and environment. Our approach to continuous improvement drives us to keep advancing,” Felix states. “Recent advancements include emulsion technologies for extreme conditions, new booster technologies with non-explosive raw materials that reduce our carbon footprint, and improved electronic detonator technologies to minimise environmental impact.”

Taking the Powergel range a step further, AECI Mining has introduced an eco-variant of the product, which offers excellent water resistance and incorporates recycled oil within the emulsion. Over the past decade, since integrating used oils into its various Eco bulk emulsion formulations, AECI Mining Explosives has consumed more than 80 million litres of used oil and prevented approximately 55,000 tons of CO2e emissions from entering the atmosphere due to the properties within the chemistry.

Felix emphasizes that innovation is deeply embedded in AECI Mining Explosives’ DNA. As Africa’s first explosive manufacturer, the company has always prioritised explosives research and development to meet the needs of its customers operating in challenging mining conditions.

“Every product we develop at AECI Mining is designed with our customers and their specific applications in mind. Our goal is to meet customer needs responsibly by understanding and addressing the entire value chain,” he says. “While we initially developed the Powergel X² series to serve our Tier 1 customers in South Africa’s coal fields, addressing hot-hole and reactive ground conditions, we have expanded this success by creating a solution for extreme geothermal conditions in Papua New Guinea.”

The emulsion technology is now being used alongside AECI Mining’s specially designed delivery systems and hot-hole initiation systems. These technologies are not only tailored to meet the immediate challenges of extreme geothermal conditions but are also designed to sustain mining operations well into the future. By addressing both current and emerging needs, AECI Mining is ensuring that its innovations will continue to support the industry’s growth and adaptability in increasingly complex environments.

AECI lays the ground work for explosives, chemicals expansion in Peru

Explosives and blasting, Mining consumables, Mining services, , , , ,

As part of its strategy to further internationalise its Mining Service business, AECI has acquired a significant development project in Peru.

This acquisition not only marks a fundamental step in AECI’s global expansion strategy, but also, it says, positions the manufacturer of explosives and chemicals solutions for mineral processing at the forefront of innovation in the Latin American mining industry.

Since its expansion into Brazil and Chile in 2020, AECI’s entry into Peru establishes the company as a dominant player in one of the world’s most dynamic mining regions, the company says, offering an opportunity for AECI to deliver its products and services to a market ready for growth.

Holger Riemensperger, Chief Executive Officer of AECI, says: “Peru represents a strategic addition to our growing footprint in Latin America. This acquisition not only strengthens our position in a key market but also underscores our commitment to providing innovative and sustainable solutions that meet the evolving needs of the global mining industry. We are not just expanding geographically; we are setting new standards in how mining solutions are delivered.”

The newly acquired project encompasses nearly 200 ha of strategically located land, complete with permits to build state-of-the-art explosive manufacturing plants. Situated in the heart of Peru’s most productive mining region, this land will serve as a launchpad for AECI’s direct operations, enabling the company to supply safely and efficiently to the local mining industry.

Thinus Bierman, Acting Executive Vice President of AECI Mining, said: “Our investment in Peru is a testament to our confidence in the country’s mining sector and our strategic vision for the future. We are not merely entering a new market; we are making a commitment to drive growth through innovation, local partnerships and a deep understanding of our customers’ needs. This is about creating value for our stakeholders and setting the stage for the next chapter of growth.”

The development project will empower AECI to deliver a comprehensive suite of products and services, ranging from high-performance explosives, as well as the introduction of its electronic detonators and initiating systems. It also includes the offering of its specialised mining chemicals.

The company said: “With significant planned investments in infrastructure and technology, AECI is poised to maximise the potential of this project, ensuring a consistent and reliable supply to its customers, while pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in mining.”

Boliden, Hypex Bio inaugurate Sweden’s first nitrate-free explosives facility

Environmental, Explosives and blasting, Mining consumables, Mining services, , , ,

Boliden has announced the introduction of nitrate-free, low-carbon explosive, developed through a collaboration between the mining company and Hypex Bio Explosives Technology.

This new technology not only reduces the mining industry’s CO2 footprint but also eliminates nitrogen pollution in soil and water, setting a new standard for sustainable blasting, Boliden says.

Hypex Bio’s patented explosive is a major innovation in commercial blasting – one of the most significant advancements since Alfred Nobel’s invention of dynamite over 150 years ago, the miner claims.

Back in March, Boliden announced it had become the first mining operator to sign an agreement for the production and delivery of a newly developed explosive from Hypex Bio with significantly improved environmental and climate performance. In the process, the company’s need for nitrogen treatment of water is being reduced and its climate performance is improving by around 400 t of CO2 per year, it explained.

On September 16, Boliden and Hypex Bio officially inaugurated Sweden’s first facility for manufacturing nitrate-free, climate-friendly explosives at the Kankberg mine outside Boliden.

This facility represents a new standard for the next generation of explosives, thanks to a successful partnership between the two Swedish companies committed to driving the future of sustainable and climate-resilient mining, both locally and globally.

“With a production capacity of 270 t per week, this explosive already exceeds Boliden’s current operational needs, marking a major leap in the green transition of mining operations,” Boliden says. “As we continue striving to become the world’s most climate-friendly metals supplier, this technology will play a vital role in reducing our environmental impact, both in Sweden and globally.”

Maptek looks to ‘lighten the engineering load’ with automated blast design solution

Automation, Explosives and blasting, Mining services, Mining software, , ,

Maptek will soon release BlastMCF for automated blast design in a move that, it says, will lighten the engineering load for customers.

BlastMCF revolutionises blast design for surface operations, generating scenarios that consider competing objectives while engineers retain fine control, according to the company.

Balancing the interrelated factors to optimise competing blast objectives is an iterative and time consuming process for engineers to manipulate the levers for localised conditions using current blast design tools.

Fixed aspects like geology, bench height and drill setup as well as variable inputs like geometry, explosives and timing all influence blast outcomes. It is, therefore, typical for engineers to fall back on tried and tested design parameters and use simulation models where they can consider a single objective in isolation, and apply incremental improvements from learnt experience.

Using the Maptek Compute Framework (MCF) to leverage cloud computational power for rapid, on-demand results is a game changer for drill and blast engineers to efficiently generate optimal designs, Maptek says. The framework is already deployed successfully for geological modelling in Maptek DomainMCF.

Acute global shortage of engineering talent will increase demand for integrated automation technology that allows operational tasks to be performed remotely. Drill and blast design is an ideal candidate, with twin goals of easing pressure on intensive engineering tasks and generating optimal blast outcomes.

Maptek BlastMCF automates the creation of optimised and detailed blast designs encompassing drill pattern, per hole charging and timing. It makes optimal blast design outcomes more accessible to every mine, and represents a step change away from manual design methods.

Engineers can now spend more time on scenario analysis and fine adjustment, which is especially important given the substantial nuance and complexity inherent in drill and blast, the company explains.

Performing scenario analysis to objectively validate and verify design concepts will be welcomed by mine planners, according to the company.

“BlastMCF provides the mechanism to perform more scenario analysis in a fraction of the time of CAD-based design, with fine control of resulting designs before export to downstream applications,” Maptek says.

Five design objective calculators are integrated with BlastMCF – cost, fly rock, powder factor, fragmentation and vibration – to measure the quality or fitness of each design generated. BlastMCF is configured to optimise competing objectives only after honouring the constraints. Where constraint thresholds are very tight, the design with the least violation is returned for review, allowing engineers to adjust the input design parameters.

BlastMCF requires only a polygon and surfaces to get started, together with user-defined design bounds like minimum/maximum spacing. For targeting good fragmentation and low vibration objectives, hundreds to thousands of possible designs are generated, before converging on the most optimal. Engineers are presented with an array of 15 results for evaluation.

“In this way, engineers can easily understand the trade-off in design parameters for every blast as they choose the optimal design,” Maptek says. “Integrated drill pattern editing tools are incorporated into BlastMCF for finetune control, for example adding a double-stitched row.”

Blast designs are readily applied downstream through native integration with Maptek BlastLogic, whereby charge plans and timing designs can be refined before accurate execution on-bench, Maptek says. Export of designs to third-party systems is also supported.

A large iron ore mine tried a pre-release of BlastMCF for ease of use, speed to generate scenarios and results, assessing it against day-to-day design and medium-term planning horizons. It found BlastMCF to be significantly more intuitive and easier to use than traditional CAD-based drill pattern tools, Maptek claims. Optimal designs were achieved with fine tuning to remove, add or move holes in post processing.

According to Mark Roberts, Maptek Global Strategy Manager, BlastMCF is the first important step to orchestrate and automate blast design routines that incorporate measured outcomes like vibration, dig rates and crusher throughput.

Mines will be able to optimise the design to get closer to the desired outcome – low fly rock, good dig rates, low vibration, good crusher throughput – based on what actually happens in production. Production and blast performance data will drive continual refinement of designs.

“The Maptek cloud ecosystem is another key step, centrally connecting up-to-date data formats and sources using Open API, and triggering computation and transformation on a set cadence,” Maptek says. “This approach is crucial for managing complex orebody knowledge or mine planning processes, and will deliver valuable insights that enable miners to make better decisions.”

The Maptek BlastMCF web-based solution will be available soon, with native integration to BlastLogic Enterprise System on-premise, and BlastLogic Single Site Cloud Access.

Hexagon and Augment Technologies launch AI-powered 3D blast movement solution

Automation, Explosives and blasting, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , ,

Hexagon has announced the global release of its AI-powered 3D blast movement solution, Hexagon Blast Movement Intelligence (BMI), at the same time highlighting a real-world application of BMI at Centerra Gold’s Mt.Milligan copper-gold mine, in Canada.

In partnership with Augment Technologies and through integration of an AI-driven blast movement engine, Hexagon BMI is billed as boosting blasting efficiency and providing high visibility into ore dilution for informed ore and waste delineation post-blast. This leads to the safe production of an accurate block model of the muckpile and, ultimately, an uplift in yield.

The ability to generate a Muckpile Block Model™ – a post-blast representation of the grade control block model – is a distinguishing feature of BMI. Paired with Hexagon Blast Movement Monitors, the AI can be validated and improved as the engine helps to safely and rapidly produce the Muckpile Block Model. Importantly, the model is produced without personnel having to walk on the muckpile to place or retrieve the monitors.

What also makes BMI unique is its integration with Hexagon’s MinePlan Block Model Manager, a data-integrity solution built for collaboration and data sharing across different roles and mining phases, eliminating errors and undue complexity in the block modelling process. By centralising data and using server-based features like block model management, version control and change notifications, Block Model Manager ensures the integrity and auditability of data, according to Hexagon. Its application programming interface improves the access, reuse and integration of that data with other systems to enhance mining operations.

“Our Blast Movement Intelligence solution has proven profoundly useful for optimising downstream processes,” James Dampney, Vice President Resource Optimisation and Material Movement at Hexagon, says. “It can quickly interpret complex data, learn from that data and estimate movements based on that data, getting smarter with each blast so that the model is machine-precise, improving the thousands of decisions that cascade from resource modelling and ore delineation.”

BMI not only enables mines to quickly, safely and confidently define with a high level of precision the routing of the revenue-producing material but also empowers them to conserve energy throughout the rest of comminution, ultimately improving ore recovery and yielding a better bottom line, Hexagon says.

Armed with the additional insights from MinePlan Block Model Manager, Hexagon’s BMI serves as a data-rich, high-fidelity blast movement solution that can positively impact every stage of the downstream mining process. Its global market availability marks a pivotal development in meshing safety and efficiency in the industry, the company concluded.

Centerra Gold Senior Mine Geologist, Alexis Eapen, will be interviewed onstage in the Hexagon booth at MINExpo 2024 on September 25 about how BMI has supported improvements in the drill and blast workflow at Mt. Milligan.

Aquirian’s drill technology, bulk emulsion set to be delivered to WA gold mine

Explosives and blasting, Mining services, , , , , ,

Aquirian Limited says its Western Energetics operations in Western Australia have begun supplying a combined energetic and technology package to a gold mine in the state.

The package includes the delivery of bulk products, initiating systems and Collar Keeper® Systems, with the package potentially contributing A$4-5 million ($2.6-3.3 million) in revenue annually.

“This packaged supply of our drill technology and energetics reinforces the unique offering we can provide our customers to optimise their blasthole outcomes,” the company said.

Aquirian, via its wholly owned subsidiaries, acquired the assets and land comprising the Wubin ammonium nitrate emulsion plant from Hanwha, recently, with the company also setting out plans to offer Hanwha’s patented X-Load™ range of products in Western Australia.

The facility was built and commissioned in 2020 and is production-ready, with licensing to produce 110,000 t/y of ammonium nitrate emulsion. It was put into care and maintenance in 2021 as part of Hanwha’s strategic decision to exit the bulk explosives market in Australia, with Hanwha selling its other emulsion production assets in Queensland and New South Wales to Orica earlier this year.

The Collar Keeper System, meanwhile, is a combination of Aquirian-developed, retrofittable drilling apparatus combined with its existing Collar Keeper. The technology represents a step change in managing blasthole quality and is targeted to provide a unique solution to a range of different blasting environments with global applications, the company says.

Aquirian announced back in July that Western Energetics had completed the reactivation of the Wubin emulsion facility ahead of schedule and commercial production had commenced. The facility’s productivity continues to grow, enhancing its production capability, the company noted.

The plant currently produces at an instantaneous rate of 20 t/h, with a weekly production of 400 t, limited by outbound trucking. The commencement of the first triple haulage trucks this week (pictured) will enable weekly production to increase further, Aquirian says.

Austin Powder geared for explosives, blasting growth with AIP investment

Explosives and blasting, Mining finance, Mining services, ,

Austin Powder, a leading provider of industrial explosives and engineered blasting solutions, says that it has received a strategic investment from American Industrial Partners (AIP) to support and enhance the company’s growth strategy in partnership with Austin’s existing long-term ownership group and management team.

Operating in a safety critical and technical industry, Austin Powder has nearly 200 years of industry expertise that has enabled it to build a suite of integrated products and services for the blasting process. The company has only had four owners in its history, and the current ownership and management team has successfully expanded Austin over the past 40 years into a leading global operator. AIP’s financial and operational support and resources will help position Austin Powder for continued growth and success over the next decade, Austin Powder says.

Austin Powder President and CEO, John D. Rathbun, said: “We had been deliberately seeking an investor that would expand our ability to provide world-class explosive products and services, accelerate innovations, facilitate expansion into new territories and preserve our heritage and unique culture. Equally important was finding a partner that shared our values of safety, customer service, family and respect. We believe American Industrial Partners is an ideal partner for Austin as we move forward.

“We look forward to working with the AIP team as we continue to grow and differentiate our business globally. The partnership with AIP will support our efforts to continue to earn the privilege to serve our customers.”

AIP Partner, Justin Fish, said: “Austin Powder’s unique heritage and inspiring culture has stewarded the business to great heights while maintaining a strong core of safety, customer focus and family. We look forward to building upon Austin Powder’s tremendous legacy, investing in the growth opportunity ahead of us and enabling the company to continue delivering on its worthy and important mission.

”We look forward to partnering closely with the Austin Powder management team and the family of shareholders to chart the company’s third century of growth and success.”

BME to become ‘first local manufacturer’ of electronic detonators in Western Australia

Explosives and blasting, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , ,

Having actively built its foundation in the Australian mining market over the past decade, global blasting and explosives specialist BME says it is ramping up its footprint and capability with facilities in the west of the country.

These expansions represent a key aspect of the company’s strategic direction, according to BME Managing Director, Ralf Hennecke. Australia is among the high-potential markets in which BME is further expanding its existing operations, he said, leveraging the country’s status as the fourth largest mining country globally after China, the US and Russia. Australia also boasts high mineral exploration rates, which bode well for the industry’s future.

“Our first decade in Australia has been focused on importing and marketing our premium AXXIS™ electronic initiation system,” he explained. “The next exciting steps, however, go well beyond that into local manufacturing of detonators and other products and equipment in our own certified, state-of-the-art automated facilities. We also have our mobile manufacturing units (MMUs) in the country to fully integrate with our other products.”

The licensing processes have been completed for a site that BME Australia has secured in the Kalgoorlie area of Western Australia, a region strategically positioned to best supply the miners of iron ore, gold, nickel, lithium and other strategic mineral resources. This will allow the company to become the first local manufacturer of electronic detonators in the state, providing significant supply chain security and logistical benefits to mining customers, it says. The plan is to begin production by May 2024.

“Manufacturing in-country removes considerable supply chain risk for the industry, which the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted for every sector,” Hennecke said.

A similar facility has already been established in Canada as part of BME’s globalisation drive. The Western Australia plant will be able to draw on equipment that has been tried and tested in the company’s South African operations, include a semi-automated line from BME’s Losberg plant.

BME has built on its strong relationships with global blue chip mining companies in the planning of its new plant, and has reported a high degree of interest from the sector’s leading players. The AXXIS detonator has been well accepted through its multiple upgrades – and has been successfully deployed across eastern Australia for over a decade. With BME’s expansion into Western Australia, trials have been conducted with AXXIS electronic detonators at various mines in the state, and the results were extremely positive.

Emphasising the market demand, Hennecke noted that there has been a significant shift away from shock tubes and towards electronic detonators in Australia’s mining sector – as mines look to safer, automated solutions to reduce the number of ‘boots on the bench’.

“This aligns importantly with the very strict safety policies and regulations that the country has in place,” he explained. “The technology contributes to industry’s risk mitigation efforts, but also holds performance benefits in terms of facilitating large, accurate and reliable blasts which support mines’ sustainability and productivity.”

He said that BME’s progress in Australia was an expression of the company’s global ambitions, which are now turning from plans to action in the country through its commitment of capital investments and infrastructure.