An application of loosening blasting in Afşin Elbistan lignite establishment Kişlaköy open pit mine

Although the percentage of coal based energy production in the world is 29.3 %, this ratio is 29.6 % in Turkey. When the existing coal potential of Turkey is taken into consideration, the possibility of increase in this percentage seems likely. If the coal utilization in Turkey is analysed, it can be found that 76 % of coal production is used in powerplants, 14 % of it in industry and 10 % of it in house heating. With 3.2 billion ton of coal reserve, Afşin ? Elbistan basin plays an important role in Turkey having a 13.6 billion of coal reserve in total.Ih this thesis study, blasting agents, initiation systems, hole geometry and charging which are used in loosening blasting for hard rock layers resulting in decrease of diggability efficiency of bucket wheel excavators, were investigated in Afşin ? Elbistan Lignite Mine Kışlaköy Open Pit. Moreover, how the diggability efficiency of bucket wheel excavators affected after blasting was observed. As a result of loosening blasting, it was seen that diggability efficiency of the bucket wheel excavator working in overburden removal operation increases 25.38 % in 2008 and 26.82 in 2009.