Project Contractors
Project Details
Splitting sandstone boulders for stone quarry using Nxburst Rock Breaking Cartridges – located Nanaimo, BC – completed September 2018
Scope of the Project
- Split boulders without turning rock into gravel.
- Using Nxburst Rock Breaking Cartridges and lighter charge weights to lift and split the boulders creating higher yield for usable material.
Nxburst Rock Breaking Cartridges were used to split rock while making the sandstone easier to handle so a machine could load and haul the rock away. The rock that needed to be blasted had to be broken where the material could be used for dimensional stone. Lighter charge weights and relief holes were required to blast the sandstone using Nxburst without clearing equipment in the area.
Which GeoBreak Products Were Recommended
Nxburst 40 gram and 60 gram charge weights were recommended using 38mm diameter hole for boulders ranging from 0.75 cubic meters to 1.5 cubic meters.
Expected Outcome
The expected outcome of using Nxburst and lighter charge weights and added relief holes was to lift and split the boulders blasted making the material manageable to move with the equipment available without turning the sandstone into ruble.
Actual Outcome
Nxburst 4034 and 6034 cartridges used were able to blast the sandstone boulders into manageable pieces that could be used for stone veneer and landscaping products.
Final Thoughts From The Project Contractors
Using Nxburst as a safe alternative for secondary breaking makes it a preferred choice to boulder popping. The variety of cartridge diameters and charge weights create flexibility for desired fragmentation and results. The ability to have competent labourers trained to use Nxburst Rock Breaking Cartridges without previous blasting experience allows companies broaden their employee skillset and have numerous employees have blasting capabilities. The 1.4s classification of Nxburst means you do not need a magazine to store the product. An unlicensed storage unit is suffice, a sea can for example is an acceptable means of storage. The less stringent transportation, storage, handling and use of Nxburst makes it a great product for any company to have employees trained adding another tool in their toolbox for rock breaking applications in a quarry or mine environment.
