Case Studies

A blast area indicating the Blast Containment and Fragmentation of Varistem Stemming Plugs.

Gold Mine Blast 1

This video shows a side-by-side blast comparison in the same ore consistency. You clearly see the difference in blast containment between the Varistem and the non-plugged blasts. The Varistem provided blast confinement resulting in better ore fragmentation, greater crusher throughput, reduced milling time, and blast control (less fly rock, noise and dust).
A blast area indicating the Blast Containment and Fragmentation of Varistem Stemming Plugs vs Non-Varistem plugs.

Gold Mine Blast 2

This video demonstrates the Varistem® ‘s ability to confine the blast force inside the ore mass, which allows for greater ore fragmentation and ore milling savings, and less fly rock, noise, and dust.

Drill cutting using dust as stemming material to optimize blasting outcomes in mining and quarrying.

Drill Dust as Stemming

In this video, the Varistem®  worked with drill cuttings (dust) as the stemming material. Only three drill holes blew, and the drill book showed excessive ANFO used. This limestone quarry reduced the drill size from 7⅞” (200mm) to 7⅜” (187mm) for a 10% ANFO savings. The improvement in blast containment also allowed them to increase the burden by 5% and the pattern spread by 10% for additional savings in ANFO and drill costs.

Flyrock Case Study controlled blasting for excavation and mining operation.

Flyrock

80% decrease in flyrock distance
Cast Case Study, terraced excavation and groundwater control for mining operation.

Cast Improvement Coal Overburden

+87% improvement in cast

Iron Ore Fragmentation Case Study, drill patterns indicate blasting and mining.

Fragmentation Iron Ore

Reduction fines and oversize
Manganese Fragmentation Case Study, a mineral processing operation preparing manganese ore for separation.

Fragmentation Manganese Ore

+$10M per year in value
Gold Fragmentation Case Study, spoil heaps removed during mining or excavation.

Fragmentation Gold Ore

Crusher throughput +14%
Iron Ore Waste Direct Cost Savings Case Study, open-pit mine with distinct terraced levels.

Direct Cost Savings Iron Ore (Waste)

$ 1.45M net savings per annum
Noise and Airblast Case Study, a large open-pit quarry with distinct terraced levels for extraction of rock and gravel.

Noise and Airblast

7-10% reduction in noise. 60-77% reduction in airblast.
Loading Rates Thumbnail

Waste Rock Fragmentation

+8% Improvement in Loading Rates
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