3 minute read
Explosives
BME achieved the first blast outside of South Africa with its new AXXIS Silver electronic initiation system.
Breaking new ground
Digital technology solutions and ongoing innovation boost safety and efficiency in mining explosives market.
When Africa’s mining sector grows, so too does the niche explosives market.
Commercial explosives like PETN and RDX have long been used for blasting work around the world in order to unearth new orebodies and to extract mineral ore in metal mining, quarrying, non-metal mining, and coal mining applications.
According to a recent report, ‘Mining Explosives Market Information by Type, By Application, and Region: Forecast till 2028’, it is a niche that’s estimated to grow at a 6.78% annually through to 2028.
The report states that the mining explosives industry’s development rate has been significantly boosted by a surging demand for minerals and metals worldwide.
That’s a view largely endorsed by the likes of Sanjeev Gandhi, managing director and chief executive of Australia-based Orica, which supplies commercial explosives and related blasting technology to the industry worldwide.
“We expect the demand for critical minerals to remain strong in the year ahead,” he noted, commenting on the group’s 2023 outlook.
“Our customer’s appetite for new technology and our refreshed strategy sets us on a clear pathway to drive organic growth from blasting technology and accelerate the adoption of our new technologies and digital solutions from mine-to-mill, growing beyond blasting.”
In the African setting, South Africa remains one of the primary users and manufacturers of commercial explosives given its vast mining and industrial background but the reach of Africa’s mining industry means plenty of scope in other territories too.
BME improves blast quality
Another major player in this niche is BME, a division of the JSE-listed Omnia Group, a blasting and explosives solutions provider which has similarly embraced technology in its product suite offering to customers.
Building on the flexibility and accuracy of electronic detonation, these digital blasting tools can assist in enhancing mines’ efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
A key part of that is software platform integration, by ensuring innovative digital tools can operate seamlessly with a mine’s existing systems.
BME’s own collaborations with technology partners have aided the development of solutions that enhance mining productivity, efficiency and of course, safety.
An innovation that has received global acclaim is BME’s electronic detonation system, AXXIS, which was developed by an in-house team of specialists to improve the quality of blasts and mine productivity.
The fully programmable, accurate and easy-to-use electronic delay detonator system is one of the safest initiation systems available, and is now being rolled out to new territories.
High in the mountain kingdom of Lesotho, BME recently achieved the first blast outside of South Africa with its new AXXIS Silver electronic initiation system.
The company was assisting a diamond mining customer to conduct quality blasts in all weather at a mine it has been active on since 2016.
Located at an altitude of over 3,000 m, the area frequently experiences snow and sub-zero temperatures, according to BME’s AXXIS support manager Hennie du Preez.
“This means blasting under challenging conditions, including extreme cold, snow and ice,” he said. “BME provides everything from the emulsion explosive to the detonation equipment, which all continues to function well under these conditions.”
The AXXIS Silver initiation system used at the mine is a leaner version of BME’s flagship product AXXIS Titanium.
The company conducts the priming, logging and firing of the blasts, and ensures a regular supply of emulsions to the site.
“Among the benefits of AXXIS Silver is its thin, copper-cladded downline wire, which de-coils easily for use in small diameter holes –even when they are waterlogged,” said Du Preez.
“Due to their robust quality, our electronic detonators were able to remain in the holes for two days before blasting, in temperatures below zero where the hole collars froze solid.” ■
