South African explosives company BME, is expanding into Indonesia – one of the world’s largest coal producers. The country largely produces thermal coal for power generation and has an estimated 28 billion t coal reserve. The country’s sector is controlled by a few large companies but also compromises thousands of smaller companies.
BME initially introduced cold emulsion technology to South African mines in 1984 and subsequently has expanded to be among the largest emulsion explosives suppliers to the country’s opencast mining sector. The company believes that there is a large amount the pumpable emulsion explosives can provide to the Indonesian mining sector.
Umesh Chhika, BME’s General Manager for Asia Pacific and Strategic Projects, commented: “We have entered the market initially with our packaged explosives and electronic detonators, while exploring opportunities to offer the benefits of our emulsion products”.
“Pumpable emulsion is safer to transport and store as it is not explosive until sensitised in drill-holes at the blast site,” continued Chhika. “Emulsion also has a higher velocity of detonation than ANFO, so there is more shock energy in the product. This means better blast efficiency and improved fragmentation.”
The chief advantages of emulsions in Indonesia’s wet-terrain environment are safety, performance and the water-resistant quality of emulsion explosives. Emulsions are not affected by moisture, whereas ANFO, once dissolved in water, becomes ineffective.
“We already have a number of small-tier mining clients in Indonesia, which we service from our Jakarta office, and are now also putting a permanent technical advisor in place to add further value to our existing and new clients.” Concluded Chhika.
Edited from press release by Harleigh Hobbs