Blasting and Rock Breaking

[BlasterJ]

I've got a shaft that my dad and I rappelled into that had decent detectable gold.
We hand chiseled out what we could but stopped when it got hard.

I'd like to pack a cordless drill in there and break a little more rock out to maybe take home another 1/2'ounce.
If it paid, I'd pack in a predator 2000w generator and just leave it there.

Currently I'm just really don't have a method for limited controlled blasting.
It's a little sketch so I wouldn't want to go overboard on blasting.

I think you'd be happy with the Royex line for what you want to do:

https://www.apexrockpros.com/quick-about-apex-rocks

 

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[Mad Machinist]

I've got a shaft that my dad and I rappelled into that had decent detectable gold.
We hand chiseled out what we could but stopped when it got hard.

I'd like to pack a cordless drill in there and break a little more rock out to maybe take home another 1/2'ounce.
If it paid, I'd pack in a predator 2000w generator and just leave it there.

Currently I'm just really don't have a method for limited controlled blasting.
It's a little sketch so I wouldn't want to go overboard on blasting.

I'll gone different route here and recommend the Sierra Blaster for what you want to do. No license needed, no storage requirements, amd no ATF agent giving you a proctological exam whenever they feel like it. Quite a bit cheaper too.

 

[BlasterJ]

I'll gone different route here and recommend the Sierra Blaster for what you want to do. No license needed, no storage requirements, amd no ATF agent giving you a proctological exam whenever they feel like it. Quite a bit cheaper too.

I'm on another forum for semi-pro fireworks hobbyists, and they seem to have mastered dealing with the ATF for small quantities of explosives. But I agree that it's a lot of work upfront to get a magazine, licenses, etc. Also, while the Sierra Blaster has expensive tooling upfront, the charges are pretty inexpensive and available in...10 packs? Professional explosives, even the small pyro cartridges that are less regulated, aren't usually sold in less than full cases, which can be a lot of upfront money for a small prospector.

 

[IMAUDIGGER]

I’m really thinking the Sierra Blaster is probably more what would work.
Needs to be high volume/low pressure. Something to just fracture the rock for a limited area to be broken out with hand tools.

That would be a blast!

 

[BlasterJ]

I’m really thinking the Sierra Blaster is probably more what would work.
Needs to be high volume/low pressure. Something to just fracture the rock for a limited area to be broken out with hand tools.

That would be a blast!

Has anyone with a Sierra Blaster weighed the contents of a charge or booster? The EZ Break cartridges contain around 1 gram of Bullseye powder.

 

[BlasterJ]

Has anyone with a Sierra Blaster weighed the contents of a charge or booster? The EZ Break cartridges contain around 1 gram of Bullseye powder.

Okay, I checked with Sierra Blaster. Their cartridges are actually the same NEW (Net Explosives Weight) as the Micro Blaster or EZ Break - About 1 gram per cartridge, I do think it's going to be a better system for most folks, since the cartridges are more water resistant and it uses electric initiation which is less fussy about perfect cartridge seating than the EZ Break.

 

[Mad Machinist]

I'm on another forum for semi-pro fireworks hobbyists, and they seem to have mastered dealing with the ATF for small quantities of explosives. But I agree that it's a lot of work upfront to get a magazine, licenses, etc. Also, while the Sierra Blaster has expensive tooling upfront, the charges are pretty inexpensive and available in...10 packs? Professional explosives, even the small pyro cartridges that are less regulated, aren't usually sold in less than full cases, which can be a lot of upfront money for a small prospector.

Pyrotechnics and even low explosives are two very different things.

 

[gold tramp]

One can do much work with just the single jack a 3/4 drill and some rock wedges.
Less stuff to pack.....
Gt......

 

[BlasterJ]

One can do much work with just the single jack a 3/4 drill and some rock wedges.
Less stuff to pack.....
Gt......

I'm going to do some experimenting soon with an updated version of this - 1000W 2-stroke generator from Harbor Freight, cheap hammer drill and a quality set of feathers and wedges. That little generator is light enough to pack in, and could be left on-site, since it's under $100 on-sale. I believe the 2-cycle version makes more sense, as it won't require changing and disposing of oil on the side of mountain and isn't picky about being level.

Another use is setting expansion bolts for either winching boulders away or creating anchor points for safety and haulage.
Thoughts?

 

[Mad Machinist]

I'm going to do some experimenting soon with an updated version of this - 1000W 2-stroke generator from Harbor Freight, cheap hammer drill and a quality set of feathers and wedges. That little generator is light enough to pack in, and could be left on-site, since it's under $100 on-sale. I believe the 2-cycle version makes more sense, as it won't require changing and disposing of oil on the side of mountain and isn't picky about being level.

Another use is setting expansion bolts for either winching boulders away or creating anchor points for safety and haulage.
Thoughts?

You would be surprised how long the new 9.0 and 12.0 amp hour batteries from Milwaukee last. They are a bit expensive but nothing gets left behind and there is no fuel to carry. I'd rather carry water than fuel but I live in the desert.

 

[gold tramp]

I'm going to do some experimenting soon with an updated version of this - 1000W 2-stroke generator from Harbor Freight, cheap hammer drill and a quality set of feathers and wedges. That little generator is light enough to pack in, and could be left on-site, since it's under $100 on-sale. I believe the 2-cycle version makes more sense, as it won't require changing and disposing of oil on the side of mountain and isn't picky about being level.

Another use is setting expansion bolts for either winching boulders away or creating anchor points for safety and haulage.
Thoughts?

I use 7000 watt gen and couple harbor freight drills n hammer.
300 ft of cord gets me out from the truck.
Will get a picture dug up.

As for work out in the bush I just drill by hand it's less hassles only takes 30 minutes or so to do.
Have done many anchor bolts in this fashion, and dug through lots of rock just hammer n chisel and rock wedge. Same tools for diggin are used for drilling n breakin.

Don't get me wrong,
There's a place for the power tool out there I just don't find these places very often.

If I'm hauling tools out to a site they dadgum well better be powerful enough to geter done.
Anyways battery operated tools are good they have there place also.


Gt......

 

[Reed Lukens]

I've had the Sierra Blaster since it came out. I did their initial demo video with them at my mine. But there's a new product out on the market now that's a step or so up from that.
What's your take on the Autostem system?

 

[Reed Lukens]

https://www.autostemtechnology.com/gen3/

 

[Reed Lukens]

My friend became a dealer, now he's selling both the Sierra Blaster and the Autostem, so he's asking my thoughts on it... Looks good so far, but I've only seen videos.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Then to top that off, we've been using water poured around the blast heads to help seal the charge in with the Sierra Blaster. According to others, with the Autostem or any other type of enclosed charge, instead of pouring water around it, they're making up a mix of cornstarch and water that forms what is called non-neutonian fluid. This is new to me, but they used this in conjunction with the Autostem system in a test at the 16 to 1 Gold Mine in Alhegany, CA last summer. They have now switched over to it because there's no toxic gasses produced with the Autostem.
Obviously, I'm learning a few things

 

[BlasterJ]

Then to top that off, we've been using water poured around the blast heads to help seal the charge in with the Sierra Blaster. According to others, with the Autostem or any other type of enclosed charge, instead of pouring water around it, they're making up a mix of cornstarch and water that forms what is called non-neutonian fluid. This is new to me, but they used this in conjunction with the Autostem system in a test at the 16 to 1 Gold Mine in Alhegany, CA last summer. They have now switched over to it because there's no toxic gasses produced with the Autostem.
Obviously, I'm learning a few things

This is a good idea. It turns out that Amazon has refillable caulking tubes, so I think I'll try this with one of my smaller 1.4 rock breakers and see how it works.

 

[Reed Lukens]

Is there a difference between Prell and ANFO? Or is it the same basic explosive with a different name in a different country? I realize that Prell is a high explosive, but I don't know the difference...

 

[BlasterJ]

Is there a difference between Prell and ANFO? Or is it the same basic explosive with a different name in a different country? I realize that Prell is a high explosive, but I don't know the difference...

ANFO is Ammonium Nitrate and Fuel Oil. Explosives-grade ANFO is usually supplied as "prills" or little round balls a bit smaller than BB. It has been treated to be porous and absorb the fuel readily. You can buy it pre-mixed in bags or delivered from a bulk truck. They also have different mixtures that include AN prills, often in a "slurry" with other ingredients that change its density or make it more or less energetic.

So "prill" is just a generic term for small pellets that you can pour. AN by itself is classified as an oxidizer, and isn't typically used without some additive.

 

[JosephT]

Then to top that off, we've been using water poured around the blast heads to help seal the charge in with the Sierra Blaster. According to others, with the Autostem or any other type of enclosed charge, instead of pouring water around it, they're making up a mix of cornstarch and water that forms what is called non-neutonian fluid. This is new to me, but they used this in conjunction with the Autostem system in a test at the 16 to 1 Gold Mine in Alhegany, CA last summer. They have now switched over to it because there's no toxic gasses produced with the Autostem.
Obviously, I'm learning a few things

Why couldn't a person just stem the hole and do away with the blast head since that is all its really doing

 

[Mad Machinist]

Why couldn't a person just stem the hole and do away with the blast head since that is all its really doing

Jeff William's did exactly this with the Sierra Blaster cartridges and I believe bentonite clay. A simple electronic detonator box, some blasting wire, and some crushed up kitty litter along with the cartridges and your good to go. I'll try to find the video.