18 JANUARY 2023 WorldWide Drilling Resource® CUSTOM SPECIALTY WINCHES FOR WELL DRILLING AND PUMP HOIST TRUCKS Manufactured with your specifications in mind BLOOM MANUFACTURING, LLC Custom Engineering Solutions Since 1910 Independence, IA 50644 USA www.bloommfg.com P: +1 319-827-1139 P: 800-394-1139 F: +1 319-827-1140 DESIGNED FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE & SAFETY MAINLINE WINCHES 3000 to 35,000 pounds Up to 130 feet per minute SANDLINE WINCHES 1800 to 8000 pounds Up to 800 feet per minute WINCHES Reducing Nitrate Leaching Risk from Blasting Operations Adapted from Information by Orica Nitrate left behind from mining operations can potentially cause long-term environmental damage due to prolonged periods of nitrates being washed out from historical waste dumps. Mines operating in environmentally sensitive aquatic conditions are especially concerned about impacts of nitrates and ammonia in their waste. A mining and infrastructure solutions provider with operations in more than 100 countries, Orica developed a management framework and solution to reduce risks of nitrate leaching resulting from the use of ammonium nitrate-based explosives. “Orica is adopting a stronger Environmental Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) position, and one of the ways we are doing that is by focusing on the areas where we have the expertise [to] make the biggest impact. Given the use of ammonium nitrate bulk explosives carries with it the risk of nitrate leaching into groundwater, our teams have embarked on a project to better understand the causes and risks, and we are proud to have developed a viable solution to enable mines to conduct blast operations without having to compromise on explosive energy which has subsequent downstream cost and productivity impacts on drilling, excavation, [and] mineral processing,” said Angus Melbourne, Orica chief technology officer. Orica’s approach to nitrate management includes an established framework to understand nitrate pathways in mining operations and identify the appropriate solution to minimize nitrate risk. The Nitrate Risk Reduction framework comprises a three-pronged approach which investigates fundamental mechanisms for nitrate loss at a customer site, benchmarks existing approaches to best practices, and recommends solutions to improve nitrate risk management. “Our approach is both a collaborative and holistic management system that will enable our customers to meet environmental license limits while eradicating the need for additional materials and processes that typically impact cost, operational productivity, and have their own impacts on the ESG footprint. Our aim is to save time and resources for mining operators,” said James Crough, Orica president North America. Central to Orica’s Nitrate Risk Reduction framework is a specially formulated range of Fortis™Protect bulk explosives products, developed with Orica’s emulsification technology to deliver the optimal stability and emulsion refinement characteristics into blastholes to minimize nitrate contribution to groundwater and post-blast nitrogen oxide fumes. The advanced formulation, designed for use in the most challenging wet blasthole applications, is a result of combining advanced surface chemistry with increased viscosity to significantly improve resistance to dynamic water and reduce the risk of nitrate leaching from blastholes. In addition, technological enhancements have been made to Orica’s explosives delivery fleet of Mobile Manufacturing Units to further increase the flow of Fortis Protect products, as well as improve the hole loading configuration to reduce the risk of water entrapment in the product during loading. EXB
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