JOURNAL OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN INSTITUTE OF MINING AND METALLURGY, cilt.122, sa.11, ss.1-8, 2022 (SCI-Expanded)
Muckpile fragmentation formed by blasting depends on the specific charge factor, the discontinuities
in the rock mass, and the rock strength. Determination of the discontinuity characteristics and rock
strength is a long and difficult process. These two parameters are directly associated with the rock
drilling speed. Therefore, it is the drilling speed of the machine used for the blast-hole, rather than the
blasthole discontinuity characteristics and rock strength parameters, that is used in the prediction of
muckpile fragmentation before blasting. Primarily, it has been suggested that the muckpile fragmentation
values can be correctly determined by establishing correlations between the efficiency of the loader
and muck pile fragmentation, since fragmentation is directly correlated with the former parameter.
Subsequently, a correlation predicting the drilling speed of the drill machine was developed according
to the discontinuity characteristics of the blasting surface and the rock strength. Finally, a correlation
was developed predicting muckpile fragmentation according to the specific charge factor and the drilling
speed of the drill machine The data was obtained by conducting blasting tests in two different limestone
quarries.
Keywords
muckpile fragmentation, rock-drilling yield, specific charge facto