Digitalization Blasting in Underground

Mine, Now and Future

(Success Story : W undercut at GBC Mine)

JULY 2022
MINING DEVELOPMENT

<2000 2000 2007 2015 2018 2022

Grasberg Grasberg Grasberg Grasberg Grasberg Grs Mine Closure

DOZ DOZ DOZ DOZ Big Gossan

started Big Gossan Big Gossan Big Gossan DMLZ
started DMLZ started DMLZ GBC
GBC started Kucing Liar
(Main Acc)

2
 Underground Mine

Double Hoist Drum

 Why Underground?
• Geotechnical aspect
• Distance of the orebody from surface
• Stripping ratio
• The shape of orebody Shaft

 PTFI’s Underground Mine Hoist Control Room

• Block Cave
o Massive orebody
o Undercutting as the initial process
o Falls by itself

• Open Stopping
o Vein-shaped orebody
o Drilling & blasting stope
o Filing the production output space using paste
Block Cave Method
Block Cave Method

5
Open Stope Method

40m Charging

Logging

Muckpile
 Super Caves
Evolution of Daily Production Capacity Plan and Actual of
"Super Caves"
per
Tonper
Ton Day
Day

Conventional
Underground Mine

Years
7
Underground Mine District

8
Life of Mine – Production

9
BLASTING SYSTEM TRANSFORMATION

2016- 2021- 2025

2000 2005 2008
2018 2022
Automation Wireless
Blasting System
Development & Production Blast

Digital Platform for

Drilling, Blasting,
Fragmentation, Advanced
Electronic Vibration Monitoring
Big Gossan, GBC, DMLZ
Electronic Blasting
Blasting System
Electronic
System
Blasting Secondary
Electronic System Development Blast at GBC
Blasting Blast at GBC & DMLZ
Production & DMLZ
System Blast at DOZ
Grasberg & & Big Gossan Production
Non-Electric Blast at DMLZ Wireless
Blasting System DOZ
& GBC Blasting
System
Production
Blast at Big
Gossan
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Success Story – W undercut (GBC Mine)

 In 2021 PB1C has been applied W Undercutting design for the first
time in GBC Mine.
 From a geotechnical perspective, moving to a W-undercut layout
increases the pillar in poor ground area (Soft zone area).
 Sequence 1

 Drilling, charging and blasting Drilling Equipment :

Drilling Machine :Solo DL-431
Hole Dia. : 76-89
mm
Hole Length : Until
40 m

Ring Drill and Charging Slot

General Ring Section :

Total Ring : 16 Rings
Total Holes : 54 Holes
Total Drills : 1011 meters
Rings per Blast : 2 Rings

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Blasting Equipment

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Sequence 2 and 5
 Drilling slot raise Dia. 1.5 m, using Redbore 50
 Continue Drilling rings with Solo Drill DL-431

General Ring Section :

Total Ring : 16 Rings
Total Holes : 49 Holes
Total Drills : 679 meters
Diameter hole : 89mm
Rings per Blast : 2 Sequence
Sequence 2 and 5

Ring Drill and Charging Bottom Part in DD 25

 Worksheet Drilling and Charging

Ring Drill and Charging Top Part in DD 25

General Seq Blasting :

Total Vol. Slot : 1.263 m3
Total Vol. Slot Raise : 27.2 m3
Total First Cut : 325 m3
Total Second Cut : 938 m3

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Sequence 3 and 6
 Drilling slot raise Dia. 1.5 m, using Redbore 50
 Continue Drilling rings with Solo Drill DL-431

General Ring Section :

Total Ring : 16 Rings
Total Holes : 49 Holes
Total Drills : 679 meters
Diameter Hole : 89 mm
Rings per Blast :2
Sequence
Sequence 3 and 6

 Worksheet Drilling and Charging Ring Drill and Charging Bottom Part in DD 23

Ring Drill and Charging Top Part in DD 23

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Sequence 4

 Worksheet Drilling and Charging

Ring Drill and Charging Slot

Seq.
4

Total Ring : 4 Rings (R17

– R20)
Total Holes : 12 Holes
Total Drill : 197.8 Meters
Rings per Blast : 4 Rings
Total Tones : 1.133 tons
 Results of Blasting
 After blasting the all-sequence conduct survey scanning and the result it’s showing adequate free face to
continue W Undercutting
 Drilling Accuracy is a challenge in first W Undercutting
 Sequence blasting from 1 until 6 showing good results
 The result is showing adequate free face to continue W Undercutting
Future Underground Mine
Challenging
1. Deep UG Mine, High stress environment, High UCS value ( Risk Seismic,
pillar bursting, multi pillar instability) etc
2. Exposure employee in high-risk area (abutment area) - required
operating remotely
3. Massive production, Time vs Cost vs People?
4. Void ratio in limited free space for blasting (Mass Blast)
5. High PPV that could trigger seismicity (Mass Blast)
6. Blasting agent stability

Opportunity (Drill and Blasting)

1. Automation equipment for Drilling, Preload/Loading/Charging Explosive.
Less People exposed in hazard area (Abutment in BC, SLC, Stope)
2. Wireless Detonator. Primer, and sleep & battery lifetime for longer
periods/60 days?
3. Stability Blasting agent (emulsion) for long hole production holes. Staying
for 60 days
4. Integrated blasting system from blasting design, fragmentation, loading
sheet, reporting, blasting delay, monitoring and simulation
 High Lift Stope (80m Height)

Xcut Footwall

40m
Slot blasting

80m

Xcut Footwall

Pros
1. Less Development tunnel, ground support, service pipe paste by combining 2 levels stope --> higher
productivity & less cost

Challenges
1. Exposure people from falling rock - wireless detonator
2. Stability of blasting agent & detonator
3. Blasting Result - Data base system and monitoring, simulation for Void ratio & Drilling accuracy 21
 Undercutting

*from Caving Projects Benchmarking Study March 2022

1. Exposure on Abutment area - Wireless blasting system will reduce exposure miner
to work close to blasted ground
2. Undercutting rate/ reliability - PPV vs. Seismicity
3. Data base system and monitoring - Proses improvement (fragmentation,
stump/bridging, cycle time)
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 W-undercut no Apex

Apex Apex Apex Apex Apex Level

*Inspection access to make sure major
apex were formed from blasting result

DD DD DD
Undercut Level
Major Major
Pillar Pillar
Drawbell
Panel Panel Panel Panel Extraction Level

Pros
1. Less Development meter & ground support to develop and maintain Apex access – Cost
saving $$MM

Challenges
1. Exposure people from falling rock - Automation equipment especially for drilling and Charging
explosive. Wireless Detonator
2. Stability of blasting Agent – cycle time and safety
3. Blasting result - Data base system and monitoring, simulation for Void ratio requirement & Drilling
accuracy 23
 Single Pass Caving

40m

Pros
1. Less Development meter & ground support to develop maintain undercut level– Cost saving
$$MM

Challenges
1. Exposure people from falling rock - Automation equipment especially for drilling and Charging
explosive. Wireless Detonator
2. Stability of blasting Agent – safety, cycle time, cost saving
3. Blasting result - Data base system and monitoring, simulation for Void ratio requirement & Drilling
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accuracy
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFORMATION

Automation
Safety &
& Wireless Robotic
Digital Data Efficient
Blast Monitoring
Operational
System

New Level
• Reduction of man exposure
• Optimum Production
• Lower Cost Operating 25
THANK YOU

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