Non-Explosives Excavation of

Industrial minerals
by
Dr Gyanindra Kumar Pradhan
Recipient of National Geoscience Award
Professor of Mining Engineering &
Dean, Faculty of Engineering & Technology
 Non-Explosive Excavation

1. Proximity to human habitation

2. Closeness to historical/architectural buildings etc
3. Near large multi-purpose irrigation projects
4. Near Coastal area/Coastal zones etc
Blast-free excavation : methods of
excavation include-
(a) Use of Rock Breakers
(attached to hydraulic excavators)

(b) Ripping - primarily for soft to medium hard

fractured rock like bauxite etc are best suitable.
(c) Surface Miner - Best suited for rock
compressive strength upto 140 MP in
mines having well planned benches, and
long benches.

(d) Use of Terminator (mounted on higher

HP hydraulic excavators)

(e) Use of non-explosive Chemicals to crack

the hard rock.
 use of FAST CRACK Chemical on
32mm dia. holes drilled on a 300 x
300 mm pattern on a in-situ rock
Summary of the experiment is stated below –

i) No. of holes – 10

ii) Dia. of holes : 32 mm by Jack hammer

iii) Average Depth of holes - 5 ft.

iv) Average Burden as measured in the site - 300 mm

v) Average spacing as measured in the site - 250 mm
vi) Hardness of the rock as measured by Schmidt
Hammer is 80 MPa.
vii) Total Qty. of chemical used - 20 kgs.
viii) Qty. of chemical mixed with water (1.5 litres for
every 5 kg chemical) - 1.7 to 1.9 kg.
Excavation
Excavation of the cracked zone - by Rock Breaker
attached to 210 HP excavator. Total time taken to
excavate the area of cracked zone is 36 min.
Total block size of the cracked zone - 1.9 x 0.70 x 0.70
= 0.931 Cubic M. Total hole meterage - 15.24 M
Qty. of excavated material per M is 0.061 Cubic M.
Cost per kg of the chemical : Rs. 50/-
Total cost of chemicals Rs. 1000/-