Author 1:
Name & Surname: Sakerin A. S.
Company: Apatit JSC (Kirovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Deputy Chief, Drilling-and-Blasting Department
Contacts: e-mail: ASakerin@phosagro.ru

Author 2:
Name & Surname: Konstantinov D. O.
Company: Apatit JSC (Kirovsk, Russia)
Work Position: Principal Engineer, Drilling-and-Blasting Department

Author 3:
Name & Surname: Kozyrev S. A.
Company: Mining Institute, Kola Science Center, Russian Academy of Sciences (Apatity, Russia)
Work Position: Head of a laboratory
Scientific Degree: Doctor of Engineering Sciences

Author 4:
Name & Surname: Overchenko M. N.
Company: Orica CIS CJSC (Moscow, Russia)
Work Position: Chief Executive Officer

The article informs on stage-wise introduction of emulsion explosives, loading equipment and blasting technologies to drivage and stoping operations in mines of Apatit JSC. Based on the analysis of the world’s experience of use of emulsion explosives in underground mines and due to the absence of the related technologies in Russia, emulsion explosive manufactured by Orica CIS was selected as the basic explosive material inasmuch as its underground application is has pretty much been tried and tested, including loading of upward holes. Underground use of emulsion explosives on a large scale started in 2011 and by now Apatit has put into operation 15 mixing-and-charging units (including 9 units for loading upward holes and 6 units for down hole loading), 3 carriers of non-explosive ingredients of emulsion explosives and 4 removable cartridges, as a result of which application of emulsion explosives has made 72% of total amount of explosive materials used in underground drilling-and-blasting by 2013. Currently, the issues of loading and blasting of emulsion explosives are better solved in stoping with sublevel caving and frontal ore drawing, and in drivage. Large-scale breakage using emulsion explosives demonstrated their benefits as against standard explosives, too. In order to validate blasting technologies for drivage and stoping, mechanisms of gasification of Subtek-type emulsion explosives are defined, and thereupon their loading, initiation and blasting parameters are optimized. The optimum densities of loading and the types of gas-generating additives are substantiated to enable the highest performance of detonation and blasting. On the basis of the data on actual heat of explosion, loading density and rock mass condition, the optimal parameters are substantiated for drilling-and-blasting with Subtek emulsion explosive and for depth of holes judged by their drilling and loading conditions, detonation performance, hole damage and loss. Engineering decisions aimed at higher efficient breakage with holes and shotholes during drivage and stoping owing to best reasonable schemes of drilling, initiation and blasting are validated. In prospect it is planned to use exclusively emulsion explosives in underground mining.