E.

Drilling
Drilling and blasting a material is an inexact science
with many unknowns.

Without a thorough study of the

physical parameters of the material to be drilled and

blasted, only broad estimates can be made.

As often as

not in a preliminary feasibility study, there is little

or no physical data on which to base the drill calculations.
The calculation procedures in this study guide give enough
data for the engineer to make a reasonable estimate of
the required rock parameters.

It will also enable you to

arrive at probable drilling scenario and the necessary

equipment for the jobo
1. Selecting a blast hole diameter -- There are no
prescribed calculation methods to determine a blast
hole diameter.

In general, the hole size is determined

by experience, blasting procedures at nearby mines,

and a "rule-of-thumb" that the hole diameter in inches
should be in the range of theluLLe_depth in feet
!!/
divided by a factor of 4 to /7. As an example, an
"

estimated hole diameter for drilling an overburden

depth of 60, feet would be from 8 tO/k2 inches.

Bit

sizes and the drill pipe diameters are shown in

Table 4-12.

2. Drilling pattern
See Figure 4-3 for various typical drilling patterns
and dimensional relationships.

77

IE-SI~

Faca

Pattern

Square

:/

S2 = 2B 2

SI=1.4B 2

S, = B,

Face
B2

o
o

o
o

Face

~52-t-5,--lJ

Offset
S2= B I

Pattern

52 = 2B 2

SI =1.4B 2

Face

O
O

~o

O
Face

Equilateral

Figure

4-3 - - Various

basic

Pattern

blasthole

drill

patterns.

78

ao Burden
B = (Kb) (D)
12
B = burden distance, in feet
Kb = rock hardness factor
25 hard rock
30 average hardness
........

' .J

35 soft rock

= hole diameter in inches

NOTE: Two correction factors can be applied to the

rock hardness factor.

The first is to adjust for

different rock densities.

The adjustment factor is

considered to be equal to the cube root of the ratio

------_._---._- ..

of the average in-place density (160 pcf) to that of

the specific material being blasted or:

0.33

/160\

\cr-/
d

in-place density of rock to be blasted (see

Table 4-9)

79

TABLE 4-90

WEIGHTS OF VARIOUS ROCK MATERIALS

Solid

----------------

Density

Pounds/
Cu. Ft.

Cu.Ft./
Ton

Pounds/
Cu. Ft.

Cu.Ft./
Ton

-------

-------

-------

-------

-------

2.0-2.4

140

14.3

78

25.6

2.0-2.4
1.6-2.0
2.1-2.4

126
115
130

15.9
17.4
15.4

104
93
104

19.2
21.5
19.2

1. 5-1. 9
1.6-2.0

104
115

19.2
17.4

89
96

22.5
20.8

Coal-bituminous
-lignite

1.2-1.5
1.3-1.6

85
90

23.5
22.2

61
65

32.9
30.8

Decomposed rock

1.9-2.8

142

14.1

107

18.7

Dolomite

2.8-2.9

180

11.1

129

15.6

1.7-2.2
1.3-1.7

119
96

16.8
20.8

94
78

21.2
25.6

Gypsum

2.3-3.3

175

11.4

125

16.0

Limestone

2.4-2.9

165

12.1

118

17.0

1.4-1.8
1.7-2.1
1.9-2.6

100
119
130

20.0
16.8
15.4

89
106
115

22.5
18.9
17.4

1.7-2.2
2.0-2.5

120
139

16.7
14.4

107
126

18.7
15.9

Sandstone

2.0-2.8

150

13.3

107

18.7

Shale

2.4-2.8

160

12.5

114

17.5

Siderite

3.0-3.9

215

9.3

154

13.0

Slate

2.5-2.8

165

12.1

118

17.0

Top soil

1.1-1.6

85

23.5

59

33.9

Trap rock

2.6-3.0

175

11.4

121

16.5

Material

------------------Caliche
Clay

natural bed
dry
- wet

Clay & gravel

Earth

Sand

--

JI
1,

- dry
- wet

dry packed
loam

dry, loose
damp
wet

Sand & gravel

l'

Broken

----------------

dry
- wet

80

The second rnodifying factor is for the physical

properties of the explosive used.

This factor is

equal to the cube root of the product of the density

and the detonating velocity squared of the explosive
3
used (see Table 10-)) to that of the standard or:
2 0.33

Y = j(Density) (Velocity) \
187,000,000

The net correction factor = (X) (Y)

b. Spacing distance

s =
s

(Ks) (B)

= spacing, in feet.

Ks = spacing factor, 1 to 2, see Figure 4-3

B = burden, in feet
c. Maxirnurn hole depth

<2\'lIJ
el

c_

H = Hole depth, in feet

Kh = 1.5 to 4.0

,
,

r): ::

H = (Kh) (B)

-r-.

\
,'l .

.!

-t.,

(2.6 or average rock)

B = Burden, in feet
,
J :: _
J \.1
"S
,/

d. Subgrade drilling (if the bottorn of the blast hole

ended at the top of the coal searn there would be no
subgrade drilling)
SB= (Kj)(B)
-..J::.. SB = Subgrade drilling depth, in f ee t [D

Kj

0.2 to 0.4

=-

,j

O'

\,o

,Joro

rrv

!?
'2
. .> (J

B = Burden, in feet

!""

v., \ e., (~-H

-::

,.,...
1-1 - /

81

'..,t'V--.

3. Drill penetration rate

P

= (61 - 2810g P.C)/W\/RPM\

10

rzc

\0/\300/

= Penetration rate, feet per operating hour

=

Uniaxial compressive strength, in thousands

of P8I, see Table 4-10

W
O = Weight per inch of bit diameter,

in thousands

of pounds, see Table 4-11

RPM = Revolutions per minute of drill pipe
4. Maximum drill rotation horsepower

Hp
Hp
K

2.S
(K) (N) (D

1.S
) (W

= Rotary horsepower
= Formation constant (adapted from AIME, 8ME
Mining Engineering Handbook, 1973.)
Formation Type

--------------

-------------

...
.... . . ..

-S

Very soft

14 x 10

80ft

12 x 10

Medium-soft

......
.. . .. . . .
hard ...

-S
-S

10 x 10
-S

10

Medium

8 x

Hard

6 x 10

Very

-S
-S

4 x 10

Rotary speed, RPM

Drill bit diameter, in inches

Bit loading in thousands of pounds, see

Table 4-11

82

TABLE 4-100

ROCK CLASSIFICATION AND TYPE OF BIT

Rock
Classification

Compressive Rock
Strengtho PSI

Typical
Formations

Bit Type

Soft

6,000 maximum

Shale
.lv
Clay
'r,.,.I/;..
Hardpan /idrd S-'{J$D;!

Milled-tooth,
kerf, drag,
scraper

Medium

6,000 - 12,000

Limestone ,:;..; 2:,

Sandstone cf,Q'L;sc::Marble
;,;.: ,,:> (

Milled-tooth,
kerf, disk

(c: Ji e f.tJ')

r.

Ct(C.:)/~l'lr:.t

Medium-hard

12,000 - 25,000

Hard limestone
soft granite
Gneiss

Tungsten carbide button,

roller or
kerf

Hard

25,000 - 50,000

Diorite
Hard granite

Tungsten carbide button

Very hard

50,000 +

Quartzite
Taconite

Tungsten carbide button

,-

TABLE 4-11.

BIT WEIGHT AS A FUNCTION OF ROCK STRENGTH AND BIT SIZE

vii O
Rock Strength

vJ

Weight per Recommended Bit Loading for Bit

Size Indicated - Lb.
in. of Dia.
lbs.
4 - 6 in. 6 - 9 in. 9 - 12 in.

Very soft formationsi

overburden, soft
shales, limestone and
evaporites

1,0004,000

24,000

36,000

48,000

Medium formationsi
limestones, dolomite,
and sandstones

3,000-

12,000-

18,000-

27,000-

5,000

30,000

45,000

60,000

4,000-

16,000-

24,000-

36,000-

8,000

40,000*

60,000*

Hard and very hard

formationsi basalt,
granite, quartzite,
taconite

4,000-

6,000-

9,000-

100,000

Maximum weight for largest bit size indicated.

Source: AIME, SME Mining Engineers Handbook, 1973.

83

5. Air flushing requirements

a. Air velocity required to flush hole of cuttings

v =
P

0.6
(54600) (P) (Z
P + 62.4

Maximum air velocity, in feet per minute

Rock density, in pounds per cubic foot, see
Table 4-1 or Table 4-9

Chip diameter produced, in feet

b. Air quantity required to flush hole of cuttings

2
2
Q = V(D - d }
183.3
Q

Required air quantity, in cubic feet per minute

v = Maximum air velocity, in feet per minute

D

Hole diameter, in inches

Drill pipe, outside diameter in inches

c. Check the results with Table 4-12.

The calculated

values should be in the same range.

1 1

i'!

l'li

kJ

84

TABLE 4-12
AIR VOlUMES REQUIRED FDR DRILLIN6
15,000 Ft. and 7,000 Ft. per minute anoualar velocityl

Hale Dia.inthes IDl

Pipe O.D.loches Id)

5000 FPN
free ar (VI

7000 FPM
free air IV)

------------ ------------ -------------- -------------4 1/4

4 112

2 318
2 7/8
3112

2 3/8
2 718
3 1/2

4
2 718

5 118

3112
4

387
2b7

158

Hale dia.ioches (D)

557
458
305
162

491
3B2
280

687
535

2 7/8

2331
1936
1488
1222
798

1323
1022
627
450

1852
1431
878
630

1964
1662
1211
1090

2749
2326
1779
1526

2063
1882

10

1365

941

2888
2635
1911
1317

2429
2004

3400
2806

10
10 3/4
12
13

3409
2985
1527

4772
4179
3093
2138

13
14
16

3743
3007
1370

5240
4210
1918

7
7 3/4
7

9 7/8

7 3/4
8 5/8
9

392

637
530
426

892

1025
71B
535

12 1/4

732
513
382

3112
4
4 112

908
805
690

1271
1127

13 3/4

560

5112

408

784
571

3 112
4

742

7 3/4
8 5/8
9

596

8 5/8
3 112
6 114

l 3/4

7 3/8

------------

4 1/2

3 1/2
4 112
5 112
------~-----

3 112
7 718

4 112
5 112
6 114
b 5/8
7

1150
932
658

493
355

10 3/4

10
10 3/4

9bb

15

1610
1305
921

-------------- -------------1357
1138
867
625

7000 FPM
free air IV)

1665
1383
1063
873
570

4 112

5 112
6 5/8

11

5 5/B

5000 FfM
free air (VI

------------1------------1--------------.--------------

542
374
221

398
327
218
116

Pipe dia.ioches Id)

1900
1503
1214
875
690
497

17112

2209

85

ii

,)-.
i'

6. Summary of drill selection data

- Hole diameter

inches

- Drill pipe diameter

inches

----o

- Pull down force

- Bailing airvelocity
/ . l'

-r .... (. (A

pounds
feet/minute

!-."'-

- Air volume (r-o, ~\c.I)

cubic feet/minute
horsepower

- Rotational horsepower
- Type bit
- Type stabilizer

7. Drill cycle time per drill hole

Drilling

mino

Ave. hole depth-ft.

Penetration rate-fpm

Adding pipe

0.2 to 0.8 mino

Pulling pipe, breaking, and hoisting

0.2 to 1.0 mino

1.0 to 5.0 mino

- Moving' between holes

Leveling drill

0.4 to 0.7 mino

Total cycle time

mino

8. Drill size calculations

a. Work parameters
- Scheduled hours per day (8)
- Mechanical and electrical
availability (A), generally 50 to 80%
- Utilization (U), between 80 to 95%
- Job efficiency (J), 90% +
- Net operating hours per shift (OH)
OH

(S) (A) (U) (J)

86

Shot pattern, burden x spacing in feet

~

Cubic yards of material shot per foot

of hale depth (CY/FT.)

- Average hole depth, in feet

- Total cubic yards of materialbroken per hole
Total CY

(CY/Ft.) (Hale depth)

- Cubic yards requiring blasting per year (Y) BCY/Yr.

\(Y --

b. Calculations

-;-'l/:!'
e.. t J

- Number of holes to be drilled per day

Holes per day

Y
-,.(----V-=-)..,. . (S---D---M=D~)

= the required yardage to be blasted per year

the bank cubic yards of material to blasted

per year

SD

scheduled operating days per year

MD

major moving days in which no drilling will

take place

- Number of holes drilled per shift by one drill

Holes/Shift/Drill

= Drilling hours per shift

Drill cycle time

Drill shifts required per day

Drill shifts/Day

= Holes required per day

Holes/Shift/Drill

- Number of drills required

Drill(s) required

= Drill shifts/Day
A

= mechanical and electrical availability

87

c. Drill selection
- A drill can be selected from the manufacture's
specifications for a particular drill modelo
The drill selected should fit the working
parameters and the general working conditions.
This includes the type of travel surface, the
the frequency and length of major moves, the
variation of the material being drilled, and the
skill of the drillers.

Once the drill has been

selected, the calculations should be run again

to see if the number of drills required remains
the same.

88