Smarter Blast Hole Sampling: Methods, Equipment & Results
Accurate blast hole sampling is essential for effective ore-waste separation and mine planning - yet traditional methods are prone to errors and delays. This white paper explores how IMA Engineering’s real-time Sampler-Analyzer system provides a more reliable, automated approach to blast hole sampling that enables faster, smarter mining decisions.
1. Rethinking Blast Hole Sampling: What’s the Problem?
Blast hole sampling plays a critical role in short-term mine planning. However, many operations still rely on conventional chip cone or bucket sampling methods. These techniques often collect material inconsistently, sample only a fraction of the hole, and require transport to off-site laboratories for analysis.
The result? Delayed data, reduced confidence in block models, and an increased risk of misclassifying ore and waste. In some cases, up to 50% of valuable ore can be lost or diluted due to poor sampling resolution or delays in decision-making.
IMA’s work addresses this gap - by delivering fast, accurate data directly from the drill rig.
2. The IMA Sampler-Analyzer System
IMA Engineering has developed a mobile, on-line sampling system that mounts directly onto the drill rig. As the drill advances, all generated cuttings are continuously collected and analyzed using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technology.
This real-time solution is known as Analyze While Drilling (AWD). It complements Measure While Drilling (MWD)tools, providing a full dataset that includes both chemical and geotechnical information.
The system samples at high frequency - every 20 to 30 cm of drilling depth - and transmits results immediately for use in grade control, 3D modeling, or mine planning software.
3. Field-Proven in Diverse Mining Conditions
IMA’s system has been deployed and tested across a wide range of mining environments - from Arctic gold operations to tropical base metal sites. Use cases include:
Gold deposits, using arsenic (As) as a proxy for arsenopyrite in sulfide ore zones
Nickel-copper operations, where precise differentiation between ore and waste is essential
Iron, limestone, and industrial minerals, requiring consistent sampling under dusty or wet conditions
In controlled tests, over 2,000 samples were analyzed using both the on-line system and traditional lab methods. The results showed strong correlation (up to 99.7%) and high operational accuracy, with 85% of on-line readings falling within acceptable thresholds when compared to laboratory values.
4. Enhanced Grade Control and 3D Ore Modeling
One of the major advantages of IMA’s AWD system is its ability to support high-resolution blast bench modeling. By integrating the frequent on-line data into platforms like Surpac, mines can build more accurate 3D models of ore zones and waste contacts.
This level of detail allows engineers to:
Adjust drill-and-blast patterns in near real time
Avoid sending waste to the mill
Improve charge placement and fragmentation control
In the white paper, a gold mine example shows that real-time sampling uncovered fine-scale ore/waste heterogeneity that single-sample methods missed - enabling better recovery and reducing dilution.
5. From Data to Value: Operational Benefits
Beyond planning, the benefits extend into daily operations. IMA’s Sampler-Analyzer technology supports several important mining goals:
Ore-waste separation: Enables early diversion of barren material before it enters processing
Stable mill feed: Supports consistent head grade for better metallurgical performance
Waste characterization: Identifies acid-forming (PAF) and non-acid-forming (NAF) waste materials
Energy and water efficiency: Reduces unnecessary processing and conserves resources
These benefits help operators meet both economic and environmental performance goals.
Download the white paper for detailed analysis and results.
What is IMA Engineering?
IMA Engineering has used on-line sensors for analyzing ore and waste rock in mining for over 30 years. Today IMA on-line sensors are used in various stages of the mining process including on-line analysis of drill cores, drill chips, ore, and waste in loader buckets, ROM ore analysis on conveyor belts and in bulk ore sorting, as well as in slurry analysis in concentrators.
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