Measurement and control of blast vibration and airblast overpressure in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia

Summary

A baseline study of airblast and ground vibration was conducted for current blasting practices in open pits on the Golden Mile.

This study resulted in a comprehensive data base which showed airblast levels up to 130 Db Linear and vibration levels up to 10 mm/s at the mine lease boundaries.

The results obtained with a recently developed infra-red monitoring device clearly highlighted its potential for the detection of individual blasthole events within a production blast, and thus its potential for blast diagnostics with regard to misfires, etc.

Keywords: blasting, vibration, airblast, measurement, infra-red, monitoring, misfires