Gerard Peter, Senior Editor at Mining Review Africa, chats to Tinus Brits, AXXIS Global Product Manager, about Titanium – the latest flagship technology product range from AXXIS.
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Original post from Mining Review Africa: miningreview.com
Audio Transcription:
Hello and welcome to Mining Review, Africa.
Today we are speaking to Tinus Brits, Global Product Manager for AXXIS at BME about Axxis Titanium, an exciting new product that is set to revolutionise blasting in the mining sector.
Tinus, thank you for joining us today.
It’s a pleasure to be with you.
Okay. So exciting news.
Can you give us an overview of AXXIS Titanium?
AXXIS Titanium is BME’s new electronic initiation system. The AXXIS system was developed in-house, it’s a fully programmable, accurate, safe, and easy to use electronic initiation system.
Electronic data natives are controlled and fired remotely from a control box. You can use multiple blasting boxes and each blasting box can communicate directly through a cable network to a group of up to 1000 detonators for each blasting box.
The detonators are then programmed and tested through a logging process using a hand-held Android logger device.
Great stuff, Tinus. Thank you for that.
Can you tell us how AXXIS improves on the features offered by its predecessor, GII?
Sure, the Titanium design was built on the achievements of the AXXIS GII model and raises the bar in many of the features that we’ve seen serve our customers as well.
These include further refinements in, for instance, to the safety and the accuracy of the system.
Flexibility has been enhanced and so has the speed in preparing a blast.
Some of the top features of the AXXIS Titanium systems are dual voltage, dual capacitors for inherently safe logging and testing, quick logging and testing and low voltage testing, non-volatile detonator memory storage.
Programmable timing to 35 seconds at one millisecond intervals, a delay accuracy of about 0.25%. A copper alloy detonator shell for improved dynamic pressure isolation. A robust down line cable that is available in copper or copper clad steel.
Thank you, Tinus.
So how does this product improve on blasting performance? Can you list a few features for us?
Yeah, the detonator’s accuracy, combined with the huge range in firing time, gives a unique flexibility in the timing designs. This allows blasting engineers to design the blast timing to achieve the blast. This results in better rock fragmentation and limits wall damage, minimizing environmental impact.
Thank you, Tinus.
Obviously, safety is key when it comes to blasting.
Can you tell us more about the deal safety that AXXIS offers and the importance there are?
Yes, safety and security have been given top priority in the design of the AXXIS Titanium system.
Most electronic detonators rely on only one base of safety for logging and testing. The detonators AXXIS Titanium uses have two bases of safety, first at the lower voltage, which is below the fire sensitivity of the fusing. It is used to improve safety during programming and testing and ensure that the detonators are inert, while the person is directly working with them.
The second base of safety, is that the detonators are safe through the split power supply system. This means that the main firing capacity cannot be charged during the programming or testing face of the detonators. This feature is also referred to as a dual capacity in each detonator, one capacity to supply energy to the microprocessor. Other than that, your main firing capacity is only being charged by a specific encrypted command. There’s also an internal shunt that assists in the safe discharge of the fire firing capacity if needed.
Thank you, Tinus.
Can you explain the benefits of integrating AXXIS with other BME products, such as Blastmap?
All the digital information associated with the Titanium system has been integrated with our powerful blast and planning logging software, Blastmap.
Blastmap is used to design and simulate the blast, and then the design timing can be programmed directly into the detonators, or indirectly during logging through the logging face.
The database of the extra locks supplies all the critical information on hole charging and quantities and the depth of the holes. It also includes the locked, detonated information of each hole.
Live access to the database supplies information immediately, for management on the progress and quality of the blast that is currently being prepared for blasting.
Now, Tinus, I mean, it’s one thing having the product, but you need to be able to use it effectively as well. What training and product support does BME offer to AXXIS users?
There are quite a couple of training options that we offer the clients. We do on-site training that is a classroom session consisting of theory, followed by a field practical.
Full assessments are conducted on the trainees after the completion of the training, followed by our system certification process.
Remote training is done through online technology, like video learning. In this case, we make use of online learning and certification through virtual assessments.
In each country, product support is done by a local access technician in the country, when required. An AXXIS product specialist from South Africa can be on site within 24 hours to 48 hours for investigation and report preparation.
Thanks, Tinus.
Now, obviously, the future of mining means sustainable mining.
How does BME and particularly, using AXXIS technology, enable sustainable mining?
Yeah, Gerhard, the accuracy of the data has been further fine-tuned, reaching a 0.25% firing accuracy for consistent and quality blasting that results in better rock fragmentation as well as consistency.
This, in turn, helps the mines to improve their carbon footprint as they pursue increasingly vital sustainability targets, the accuracy of the blast design and initiation system, allows mines to ensure they are prepared and operating within a regulatory limit regarding vibration controls.
Thank you, Tinus, for that.
So, when do you expect to roll out AXXIS Titanium in Africa?
Yeah. The product is currently being approved by the D.M and in South Africa, and we do have a 10-year ISO certificate. We are also certified in Australia, Indonesia and the U.S.A.
So, we are currently busy rolling out in South Africa, Australia and Indonesia, and then the rest of Africa and the U.S.A. will follow during the first quarter of 2022.
All right, Tinus, Brits, thank you very much for joining us on Mining Review Africa today.
We look forward to chatting to you in the future about other innovative BME products.
Thank you very much. It was a pleasure.
