Pub. 7 2017 Issue 1

20 AT THE CENTER OF UTAH INDUSTRY IMPLEMENTATION OF CAST BLASTING AT SIMPLOT PHOSPHATES INTRODUCTION Simplot Phosphates produces high quality phosphate fertilizer through open pit mining. The Simplot, Vernal Mine operation is located 12 miles north of Vernal, Utah in the foothills of the Uintah Mountains. Phosphate ore is mined, crushed, washed, finely ground, and refined in the concentrator. The refined and concentrated ore is then mixed with water to form a slurry, and then pumped 96 miles through a pressurized pipeline to the manufacturing plant fivemiles south of Rock Springs, Wyoming. In the Rock Springs facility the phosphate is then processed into fertilizer and sold to the agricultural industry. BACKGROUND Due to three distinct geologic formations present, the original mining operation was accomplished in three passes: 1) 70 foot high cover bench, 2) 40 foot low cover bench and 3) an 18 foot phosphate ore seam (as shown in Figure 1 below). Each mining pass included a drilling and blasting cycle followed by truck and shovel operation to remove overburden waste. Cast blasting is an important blasting technique used in surface mining, with the prime objective to blast and throw the blasted VERNAL MINE What does it mean to be sustainable? For us, it means be ing care of earth ’ s resources. It means conserving energy. ture be more productive, efficient, and healthy. It means sources to Life in a responsible manner. Being sustainable the right things in life. It ’ s about life itself. Discover more at www.simplot.com VERNAL MINE What does it mean to be sustainable? For us, it means be ing care of earth ’ s resources. It means conserving energy ture be more productive, efficient, and healthy. It means sources to Life in a responsible manner. Being sustainable the right things in life. It ’ s about life itself. Discover more at www.simplot.com By Cassidy McAllister, Blasting Engineer