Evaluation and layout of blasting operations in the locality Sicasau, Romania

Abstract

In this bachelor thesis we will be taking a look at an andesite quarry near Șicasău, in Romania. The aim is to present the drilling and blasting practices in relation with the evolution of the quarry and to make a few suggestions on how the blasting operations can be made more efficient. At first, the history of the quarry will be presented, then we will go through the basic geological features of the deposit and the results of the samples tested at the laboratory of VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava. In the third chapter, the Czech and Romanian mining legislation and authorities will be discussed along with blasting safety regulations in Romania. The fourth chapter will focus on the technical aspects of the quarry, such as the mining cycle of the production, detailing the theory of drilling and blasting, and describing the processing line. The production timeline will highlight the key moments in the history of the quarry and put into context the changes in the blasting practices. Then the formulas used to calculate and design a blast will be discussed, together with drilling and blasting practices and techniques used in the quarry. In the last chapter, a few ideas will be suggested with the aim to improve the blasting operations and, indirectly, lower the cost of processing, further increasing the efficiency of the quarry.