ABSTRACT
As we know drill & blast method of rock excavation is still considered as most cost-effective way of excavation. The cycle of operation with drill & blast methodology in underground mining or tunneling follows a well-defined pattern i.e., scaling, rock-reinforcement, drilling, charging, blasting, ventilation, loading and haulage of material. Over the years with developments in the mechanization and autonomous technology some of the activities in the above referred cycle of operation has been fully mechanized or automated e.g. drilling, material haulage. Although there has been lot of technological advancements in the industry but dream of having a complete operational autonomous cycle in mining or tunneling is still to be realized. One of the bottlenecks in operation cycle is manual explosive charging, connection of shock-tubes (or bunching) and blasting activities. With recent developments in mechanized, semi-automated explosive charging equipment, it would be possible to remove explosive charging crew from hazardous operation. But still the connection of charged holes, bunching of non-electric shock tubes needed to be performed manually. It exposes the blasting crew to high risks and dangers of rock-fall, rock-burst at unsupported working face in tunnels, mines. We realized these challenges faced by blasting crew and with our understanding of customers’ needs in Nordic mining, tunneling operations, we developed a wireless initiation system for shock-tube detonators called FORConnect Initiation System (FIS)*. In authors view FIS* will support mining and tunneling company’s vision of complete autonomous operation cycle at drill & blast working face. The paper will cover details of this wireless blasting initiation solution developed for non-electric shock-tubes, it will eliminate manual connection or bunching of shock-tubes at unsupported hazardous working face and minimize risks of exposure for blasting crew members in underground mines, tunnels.
