International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056 Volume: 09 Issue: 06 | June 2022 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072 © 2022, IRJET | Impact Factor value: 7.529 | ISO 9001:2008 Certified Journal | Page 1110 An Overview of Explosive Energy Utilization in Mining Jannela Yernaidu 1 , Vinay Kumar Patel 1 , Abhishek Kumar Tripathi 2 1 Department of Mining Engineering, Bhagwanth University, Sikar Road, Ajmer-305004, Rajasthan, India 2 Department of Mining Engineering, Aditya Engineering College, Surampalem, Andhra Pradesh, India ---------------------------------------------------------------------***--------------------------------------------------------------------- Abstract – Blasting is the controlled use of explosive to break rock for excavation. It is practiced most often in mining, quarrying and civil engineering but the use of explosive is much higher in mining rather than any other industry. Breaking of sandstone, limestone, coal or any other rocks in opencast mines is essentially required for ease in excavation. The blasting operation plays a dominant role in the overall economics of opencast mines. The blasting sub-system affects all the other associated sub-system i.e. - loading, transporting, crushing and milling operation. Blasting is used as an economical tool for rock excavation in construction quarry and mining projects. This paper develops an understanding of explosive energy utilization in mining industry. This will help in developing the socio-eco-effective awareness towards the effective utilization of explosive energy in mining industry. Key Words: Blasting, Sustainability, Socio-economic, Opencast coal mining, Metallic Foam etc. 1. INTRODUCTION Explosive is a substance, that when subjected to a suitable stimuli, undergoes a violent chemical decomposition with the evolution of heat and gas and the blasting is basically the technology of exploding explosive material [1]. In general, an explosive have some basic characteristics, It is a chemical compound or mixture ignited by heat, shock, impact, friction, or a combination of these conditions, upon ignition, it decomposes rapidly in a detonation; there is a rapid release of heat and large quantities of high-pressure gases that expand rapidly with sufficient force to overcome confining forces, and the energy released by the detonation of explosives produces the basic effects, are rock fragmentation, rock displacement, ground vibration and air blast. Blasting operation not only restricts all other operations of the mine in vicinity, but it is hazard prone if not carried out with extreme caution [2]. But explosive is the main and cheapest source of energy available for rock blasting in the mining, quarrying and civil excavation operations. Upon detonation of explosives, there is a rapid release of heat nearly at 4500°c and large quantities of high- pressure gases (2500 bar) during detonations. During this process explosive energy is converted into mechanical energy to fragment hard rock and dislocate them so that they can be available for loading, howling and consequently passed for mineral beneficiation/washing stages [3]. The pressure breaks the rock releasing blasting (nitrous) fume, heat, high speed dust and fly-rocks, noise and ground vibrations. Every kilogram of ammonium nitrate in explosive generates 110 liters to 600 liters of nitrate gas and 6to31 liters of CO in air depending upon the quality of explosive their use and situations. Nitrous fume is one of the most powerful greenhouse gases. It bears very high global warming potential [4]. Dust in atmosphere cause health problems to local population. Fly-rock and noise make birds and animal too afraid to return in location. Ground vibration travel long into residential places causing damage to structures, soil, flora and fauna, and creating psychological pressure on habitats. The main aim of this paper is to address an overview of explosive energy utilization in mining works. 1.1 Type of Explosive Explosive is a chemical substance (sometimes may be a mixture of fuel and oxidizer) which releases huge quantity of shock and gas energy instantaneously on triggering by a detonation. The main explosives are categorized into two types, one is low explosives and another one is high explosives. Low explosives deflagrate rather than detonate, they burn progressively, and the reaction is sub-sonic. The velocity of shock wave is lower than speed of sound. The example of low explosives is black powder and gun powder [5]. The high explosives detonate, and the detonation process is progressive and the shock wave passes through the high explosive at or faster than the speed of sound in that material. The examples of high explosives are ANFO, Slurries, Emulsion, and PETN etc. Explosive can also be classified as – primary explosive and secondary explosive. The primary explosive is very sensitive to flame but not very much destructive and used to initiate secondary/main explosive. Secondary explosive is not sensitive to flame, sensitive to shock but high energy release. Mostly AN based explosive as the main explosive charge. ANFO, Emulsion, Slurry, PETN, TNT as the detonation transmitting device or base charge NG based explosives (dynamites, Gelatins) are NO MORE in use in India but used in European and US mines. [6]. 1.2 Significance of Explosive Energy in Blasting The explosive energy utilization is one of the main dependable factors to select any type of explosive to use in any kind of blasting and to evaluate the blasting results. However the many research scholars ‘studies are focused to get an optimal utilization of available explosive energy. In the present study the above research findings have served as