the rock blasting

Rock Blasting

Explosives are a necessary tool in modern society. In order to mine coal, miners must remove the rock overlying the coal seam in order to build highways, rock must be dislodged. In many parts of South Africa, utilities such as water or gas pipelines require the excavation of rock which lie just below the surface of the ground.

The object of nearly all blasting operations is to break the rock sufficiently so that it can be removed. While it is physically possible to break rock using equipment such as rock saws and jackhammers, such efforts are impractical when dealing with significant amount of rock. These methods would be so time consuming and expensive that construction and mining would be economically unfeasible.

WHAT ABOUT ALL THE DANGERS AND PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH BLASTING?

For the employees of a company that does blasting, there are safety hazards to consider. However, these hazards are well recognized in the industry and closely regulated by government agencies. In addition the blasters are trained individuals who are licensed to use explosives and knowledgeable about the safe handling of explosives. Compared to other industries and occupations, the licensed blasters in South Africa have a good safety record.

Another problem associated with blasting that affects the people around a blast site is the noise and the vibrations transmitted through the ground. These vibrations and the accompanying noise are often an annoyance to the people living and working near a blasting operation. In some cases, they may also be severe enough to break windows and crack walls. However, careful calculations and placement of the explosives can control these adverse effects of blasting. This is the responsibility of the licensed blaster and overseen by regulatory agencies.

this are example of dinamite stick that has been used for the work progress