Opencast drilling and blasting are fundamental techniques in the mining and construction industries — crucial for the extraction of minerals and the preparation of construction sites. At Almin Projects we specialise in exactly this: professional drill and blast services for opencast mining and civil projects, delivered from our Rustenburg base with reliable, ISO-compliant and safe solutions.
In opencast mining, drilling means creating precisely located holes in the rock to place explosives. Blasting follows, using carefully calculated charges to produce the desired fragmentation: rock broken into pieces that are easy to load, haul and process, with minimal impact on the surrounding environment. The quality of that fragmentation — and the control over every blasting effect — is how we measure our work.
The Process, Step by Step
Every successful blast is planned long before the first hole is collared. Our process keeps quality, safety and compliance in control from survey to cleared bench.
Site Survey & Blast Planning
We conduct comprehensive assessments of the geological conditions and design optimal drilling patterns. Rock type, desired fragmentation size and environmental regulations all feed into a detailed plan — simulated and costed in BlastCalc Pro, our in-house planning platform, because this phase decides the efficiency and safety of everything that follows.
Precision Drilling
Our Junjin JD1400E rigs drill each hole to the planned pattern with careful control over depth and diameter — up to 140 mm. Smaller-diameter holes mean tighter burden and spacing, more efficient use of explosives, better fragmentation and reduced vibration.
Charging, Blasting & Clearance
Holes are charged and detonated under strict protocols that protect our people and the environment. After the blast, fragmented rock is excavated and the site is cleaned and verified compliant — ready for the next cycle.
Why Mines Choose Almin for Drill & Blast
Since drilling our first production hole at Tharisa Minerals in 2018, we have mined over 7.64 million cubic metres across our projects — safely. That track record rests on three things:
Fragmentation You Can Load
Pattern design driven by geology, not habit. We tune burden, spacing and timing to your loaders and crushers, lowering cost per tonne downstream.
A Fleet We Maintain Ourselves
Junjin JD1400E rigs serviced in our own Rustenburg workshop on preventative schedules — high availability, no waiting on third-party workshops.
SHEQ Without Compromise
ISO 9001:2015-aligned systems, daily production dashboards and proactive risk management on every bench — so audits hold no surprises.
Whether you are opening a new pit or improving yield on an existing operation, we tailor the drill and blast programme to your specific conditions. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you achieve your project goals.
Planning an opencast drill & blast programme?
Send us your site details and volumes — we'll respond with a detailed proposal and an obligation-free quote.