Anton Kondrashov, the CEO of Evoblast Group, has given an overview of the drill and blast market, the challenges the industry is facing, and the advantages of the electronic initiation systems.
Drill and blast market
"For the global drill and blast (D&B) market, the first challenge emerged with the shortage of Surlyn, the main material to produce initiation systems. This happened in 2021.
That was the time when we were among the first ones on the Russian market, and started developing the new company capability - electronic initiation systems to minimize our dependence on separate components.
D&B with electronic initiation systems
Over these two years, we have made quite a journey: we have incrementally enhanced our experience and expertise in drilling and blasting (D&B) using electronic initiation systems (EBS). We were developing this capability and, together with the local customers, we introduced it into the production process.
In 2022, we set a record – we blasted over 350 thousand cubic meters of rock at the Gross deposit in Yakutia. The project was outstanding as the work was carried out at very low temperatures, down to minus 37 °C. Despite the challenging climate conditions in the region, the mass blast completed without failures.
Advantages of the Electronic Blasting Systems (EBS)
The advantages of electronic detonators compared to the traditional non-electrical systems include a high accuracy of blast initiation, reduced flyrock and lower specific charge, as well as a controlled seismic impact.
At the end of the day, the main feature of the electronic systems is the safety of drilling and blasting. In the next five years, this trend will only boost," emphasized Anton Kondrashov.
You can find the full industry overview here.
