Cost and fragmentation prediction of ammonium nitrate fuel oil versus bulk emulsion explosives

Abstract Blasting in mining industry, including the blasting pattern (burden and spacing) and explosive selection, is substantial to retrieve the desired mining products. This study aims to identify the comparisons of economic calculations and fragmentation between ANFO (Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil) and Bulk Emulsion explosives (BEE). The economic calculation measured the cost of explosives per unit of blasted material and the fragmentation result. The bulk emulsion cost equals the ANFO cost by extending the burden and spacing from 7 m to 8.33 m. The predicted average fragmentation of blasting using ANFO and BEE was 47 cm and 51 cm, respectively, so the percentage of fragmentation under 100 cm was 81.52% and 78.48%, respectively. Conclusively, blasting with BEE with an extended blasting pattern has demonstrated similar fragmentation distribution to that of ANFO.