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Eliminating Misfires - Virginia Bailey
Eliminating Misfires - Virginia Bailey
Eliminating Misfires - Virginia Bailey
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE DEFINITION
This includes:
• Impact sensitive detonators (electronic, pyrotechnic
and electric)
• Impact sensitive boosters
• Impact sensitive detonating cord
• Cartridge products
• Bulk explosive products
3
Photo source: Anglo American Group Photography
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE HAZARD AND RISK
5
Photo source: Anglo American Group Photography
EXTERNAL
ANGLO AMERICAN / AEL COLLABORATION
• Anglo American has identified that an unacceptably high level of misfires is occurring across all of its
sites and has started a program to eliminate these events.
• Anglo American / AEL collaboration commenced November 2015, following electronic information
from several sites being made more readily available to Anglo American
– Total failed electronic detonator count
– Total high leakage electronic detonator count
• This data has been collected and openly shared across both parties with the aim to drive misfired
product to zero events at our operations.
• AEL hold contracts across a number of Anglo American sites in Southern Africa
– Supply of product to underground sites
– Supply and Prime Load Tie Shoot (PLTS) contracts at Open Pit sites
– Supply of initiating systems (Electronic, pyrotechnic and electric)
– Supply of boosters (UG and open pit)
– Supply of bulk and cartridge products
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE MANAGEMENT
Causes attributing to Misfires
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Source: Anglo American GTS 13 bowtie
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE MANAGEMENT
Controls to prevent misfired explosives
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Source: Anglo American GTS 13 bowtie
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE MANAGEMENT
Controls to prevent misfired explosives
14
Source: Anglo American GTS 13 bowtie
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE MANAGEMENT
Mitigating controls for impact sensitive misfires
• Immediate reporting of every failed detonators that did not initiate in the blast
(including location, hole number, time/date, failure mechanism if known)
17
Source: Anglo American GTS 13 bowtie
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE MANAGEMENT
Mitigating Action Plan for misfire recovery
Unidentified misfires containing impact sensitive explosives provide a high level of risk to
1. IDENTIFICATION operational staff. Identified misfires may be surveyed and managed in a controlled
environment.
3. ASSESSMENT The misfire is assessed for type, extents, remaining ground conditions, causal evidence
Misfires represent uncontrolled events and, as such, the risks associated with the recovery
5. RISK ASSESS FOR need to be identified and managed. The appropriate level of risk assessment is, of course,
RECOVERY dependent on the level of identified risk with pockets of bulk at one end and multiple impact
sensitive misfires at the other.
The recovery should proceed according to plan. Where the plan is modified the potential
6. EXECUTE THE RECOVERY change in risk may need re-assessment.
The misfire is considered closed when the area is handed back to operations with no caveat
7. HANDOVER on excavation.
8. ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS The identification of root cause enables site to minimize misfire frequency.
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EXTERNAL
IMPACT OF MISFIRES ON OPERATIONAL VALUE
Cost of recovering a misfire
– Diggability
– Dilution
– Equipment maintenance
19
Image source: Anglo American KIO Sishen Mine Manage Misfires Procedure
Costing source: Anglo American T&S costing data EXTERNAL
MISFIRE REDUCTION SINCE JUNE 2015
AEL electronic detonators at AA SA sites
May-16
Dec-15
Jun-15
Apr-16
Aug-15
Mar-16
Jun-16
Oct-15
Nov-15
Jan-16
Jul-15
Sep-15
Feb-16
Jul-16
Detonators Employed
Detonators Employed Failed DetonatorsFailed Detonators
Linear (Failed Detonators)
20
Source: Anglo American T&S and AEL site data
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE REDUCTION PROGRAMMES
Failure modes identified from root cause analysis
May-16
Dec-15
Jun-15
Apr-16
Aug-15
Oct-15
Mar-16
Jun-16
Nov-15
Jan-16
Jul-15
Sep-15
Feb-16
Jul-16
Operator error Operator error
Linear (Operator error)
22
Source: Anglo American T&S and AEL site data
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE REDUCTION PROGRAMMES
Failure Mechanism: Operator Error (detail)
Bad Fuse
2%
High Leakage
20%
Cable damage in
hole
59%
Wrong Product Fail to tag Location already exist High Leakage Bad Fuse
Connector damaged Cable damage out hole Cable damage in hole Detonator Faulty
23
Source: Anglo American T&S and AEL site data
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE REDUCTION PROGRAMMES
Failure Mechanism: Cable damage in hole
24
Source: Anglo American T&S and AEL site data
EXTERNAL
MISFIRE REDUCTION PROGRAMMES
Failure Mechanism: Operator Error
25
EXTERNAL
THE JOURNEY TO ZERO
Eliminate misfires by mid 2017
Future work to eliminate misfires at Anglo American operations to guarantee Safety, Cost and Blast
outcomes:
• Non-acceptance culture for any misfire product
• Formalise standard reporting protocols across all sites
• Deliver consistency in on-bench execution aligned to Anglo American standards
• Collaboration on product development and technology solutions
• Implementation of Anglo American standard Misfire reporting and recovery procedures
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EXTERNAL
ZERO HARM
means
MISFIRE ELIMINATION
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EXTERNAL