Quarries are used for the extraction of different stone aggregates through mechanical attack. When the demand for stone aggregates is higher, blasting with industrial explosives is the method of choice.
Explosives are chemical components that explode upon detonation. There are several kinds of industrial explosives, one of the safest being emulsion explosives. The initial detonation can be set off with different initiating devices, the most frequently chosen method being electric detonators. Their main advantage is that they are extremely safe and they can be used to activate a large number of mines. The mass blasting system with electric detonators is used in areas where the surroundings allow it. They are made up of an electric detonator, electric blasting machine, cables, and explosives.
The explosives are placed in boreholes that are prepared in advance. Drilling equipment is used to create the boreholes, either through direct push drilling, rotary drilling, or a combination of the two. The boreholes usually measure 64 or 74 millimeters in diameter.
The Laže - 1 Quarry uses large-scale blasting with electric detonators to extract technical stone. The boreholes are created with hydraulic drilling equipment and filled with Emulex, an emulsion explosive. A special feature of this quarry is that it is located next to a high-voltage power line. Because of the power line’s proximity there are several safety zones with certain restrictions.
In this thesis I demonstrated that mineral resources extraction is possible in the immediate proximity of high-voltage powerlines if safety restrictions, long-standing experience, and well-educated personnel are taken into account.
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