Department of Mining Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria.
This study compares hydraulic drop ball and secondary blasting techniques in fragmentation of boulders in quarry. In order to achieve this, operational effects, cost per ton, and production rates of the two techniques were determined and analyzed. The results obtained shown that the overall cost of fragmentation were N 394,000.00 and N1, 030,550.00 for hydraulic drop ball and secondary blasting techniques respectively. It ended with hydraulic drop ball technique as the most cost effective, safer and efficient in fragmentation of boulders in quarry.
Drilling, Blasting, fragmentation, explosive detonation, production cost, production rate
