Improved comminution efficiency through controlled blasting during mining

Improved comminution efficiencies of material that had been blasted utilizing regular burden and spacing distances and that which had been blasted utilizing a reduction in burden and spacing distance of 25% are compared. Single particle impact tests showed that fracture stress and fracture energy are about 15% less for the reduced burden and spacing material. Single particle roll mill crushing revealed that about 25% less energy is required to crush reduced burden and spacing material in comparison to the regular burden and spacing material.