A model study to measure fragmentation by blasting

Accurate measurement of blast fragmentation is important in mining and quarrying operations, to monitor blasting and optimize blast design. A new digital photoanalytical method to measure the size of fragments by using FragScan system is presented here. Photographs of the broken rock are digitized, and individual measurement, based on mathematical morphology techniques, achieves, within successive openings on a binary image, a numerical sieving. The method was tested during recent full scale blasting tests in the case of open pit gold mine of Amesmessa (Algeria). It shows great potential as a practical aid to predicting, monitoring, and controlling the quality of the fragmented rock.