In the stope
BME has engineered a range of innovative
solutions including improved control systems,
software and blast design tools.
these challenges fully, and to miss
the opportunity to address them
effectively and in good time.
There must be several
opportunities for a company
like BME, what are they?
Through decades of investment
in our African footprint, which
now covers southern, central,
eastern and west Africa, BME
is well positioned to participate
in the commodity recovery
across the continent. We have
had additional success in
entering markets in Australia,
Asia and South America –
and have good prospects in
North America in the future
following active engagement
there. Our reputation in Africa
with global customers has, in
no small measure, facilitated
our efforts to break into
other parts of the world.
Our significant investment
in the automation of our
manufacturing facilities has
bolstered our strategy to grow
from a quality foundation, and
we will continue to innovate in
this area. The next generation
of our AXXIS product is in
development, and the design
of this exciting product
is harnessing a few of the
world’s best technologies.
What are the most crucial
factors a mine manager
needs to consider when
developing a drilling and
blasting plan?
Reducing the overall cost of
blasting – to improve the overall
margins in the pit – remains
the strategic imperative for
mines to embrace. The mine
manager needs to stay focused
on optimising the fragmentation
of ore, to match the equipment
being deployed and reduce the
amount of waste that is taken
through the circuit to the mill.
We have seen this philosophy
at work on many mines and
it holds great potential for
productivity improvements,
especially when mine mangers
work closely with service
providers like BME to achieve
an optimal outcome.
Block preparation for an Axxis blast.
JANUARY 2018 MINING MIRROR
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