Effect of Inter-Hole Delays on Seismic Safety with Regard to Firing Time Deviation

The article studies effect of expedient inter-hole delays on seismic safety of blasting in open pit mining. The actual delays in non-electric initiation systems are measured instrumentally, and the results are processed using computer modeling. The domestic and foreign information on deviation of the actual and design delays is reviewed. The computations prove the increase in the factor of seismic safety in blasting with longer inter-hole delays. Additional instrumental measurements of seismic vibrations should be performed to evaluate actual blast patterns at a full and lab scale, with the analysis of quality of rock fragmentation by blasting.