Explosive CAT Research and Development Department

Welcome to the Explosive CAT research and development department

The Explosive CAT research and development department is an independent division of the Expert and Certification Centre for Explosive Materials. It is a registered research organisation and carries out scientific and engineering work in the field of explosives and blasting.

All staff in the department hold academic degrees and publish in journals indexed in Scopus and recommended by the national quality assurance committee. Some of them also teach at Kazakh universities and run professional development seminars for companies working with industrial explosives.

The department works with leading universities in Kazakhstan and abroad on research in blasting and explosives: safe production and handling methods, effective testing procedures, modern approaches to industrial safety, and building up the country's research capacity in safe explosives handling.

Major completed projects

Working with the Explosive CAT department

The Explosive CAT department has carried out research for companies including Kazakhmys, KAZ Minerals, SSGPO, Bogatyr Komir, Shubarkol Komir, Kauchukinsky open pit, Zhairem, Kazzinc, Orica and Interrin. It also runs major state research projects in blasting together with al-Farabi Kazakh National University.

The Explosive CAT department introduces new explosive compositions, emulsion matrices and production technologies at client sites, and then transfers the exclusive intellectual property rights to the client.

Stage 1. Drawing up the technical specification for an industrial emulsion explosive in line with GOST 15.109-97.
Stage 2. Patent search and literature review.
Stage 3. Laboratory manufacture and testing of prototypes.
Stage 4. Developing a company standard and user manual for the prototype.
Stage 5. Testing the prototype against the parameters needed to assess explosive safety during development, in line with CU TR 028/2012.
Stage 6. Trialling the prototype on a pilot plant at the client's site, developing the process regulations and putting the product into production.
Stage 7. Preparing the research report in line with GOST 7.32-2017 and publishing papers in recommended journals or those indexed in Scopus or Thomson Reuters.
Stage 8. Obtaining a permit for continuous use of the explosives, or for the technologies and hazardous devices, and an EAEU certificate of conformity for the finished product.
Stage 9. Obtaining protective documents for the new product or technology based on the research report, and transferring our exclusive intellectual property rights to the client.

We can study explosives and products based on them in our own accredited laboratory, and we have the equipment and methods for testing newly developed explosives (Annex 4 to CU TR 028/2012).

Research takes from 12 months, depending on the product and technology.

The Explosive CAT department carries out research aimed at making blasting more efficient, safer and more automated.

This is particularly true of blasting in special conditions: hot rock masses, pyrite-bearing ores, rock prone to spontaneous combustion, blasting near protected facilities, bench trimming and so on.

Blasting efficiency is assessed against the following criteria:

optimal fragmentation;
geometry of the muck pile;
quality of the bench floor;
degree of damage to the rock mass beyond the contour;
compliance with hazard zone boundaries for the negative effects of the blast.

Efficiency criteria are assessed against the following parameters:

effectiveness of the design decisions on optimal drilling and blasting parameters;
how well the blasting crew follows the design and methods, including the effectiveness of the short-delay initiation patterns used;
the combined properties and quality of the explosives used;
independent third-party audit (periodic assessment) of the design decisions and how well they are followed, incoming quality and safety control of the explosives used, and instrumental control of the full blasting cycle.

We have the permits, equipment and certified staff needed for a full assessment of blasting efficiency and safety, including work in special conditions.

This service lets mining companies assess the efficiency and safety of blasting done both in-house and by contractors.