Mining Magazine > Panorama > AEL shock tube conversion

AEL Mining Services, a leading developer, producer and supplier of blast systems for mines in Africa and Indonesia, has announced that it has achieved close to a 75% shock tube conversion success in the narrow reef sector to date.

The customer transformation from capped fuse and igniter cord to shock tube blast initiation systems in the narrow reef mining sector began in 2006. Since then, annual growth of shock tube volumes has been significant, and AEL expects to complete the process by 2010. AEL's latest conversion statistics bear witness to the magnitude of the conversion project, over 2,500 people have received formal training since conversions began, excluding post implementation support and individual coaching on the face.

Shock tube initiating systems, although available and successfully implemented in mines since the 1980s, were only
recently adopted across the industry as the production and conversion costs became viable, and local manufacturing capacities were expanded.

Liesel de Villiers, AEL’s South African business director commented: “The conversion process over the last couple of years has been an enormous challenge due to the large number of initiators involved. AEL developed a new generation of world class shock tube products and is in the process of automating production facilities to a level unparalleled in the explosives industry worldwide.

"We are currently supplying assemblies produced at our existing plant, as well as at our new automated factory. The plan is to gradually increase the new plant capacity and phase out our manual plant by 2012."

The benefits of AEL's shock tube technology include enhanced safety features during production, storage and application. A recent AEL success story comes from Dilokong chrome mine, a wholly owned subsidiary of ASA Metals, situated 30km from Burgersfort, SA.

AEL has supplied Dilokong mine with capped fuse initiating systems and explosives for many years. The capped fuse conversion project commenced in April 2008 and was completed within a couple of months.