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A Zimbabwean explosives engineer made history in San Antonio by becoming the only African and the first Zimbabwean engineer to present at this year’s prestigious International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) Conference. Moshen Jena was one of the keynote presenters at the recently held 44th Annual Conference on Explosives and Blasting, organised by the ISEE in San Antonio, Texas, USA. The conference took place from the 28th to the 31st of January 2018.
More than 1,700 experts in the field of explosives engineering attended the event, which is the largest of its kind in the world.
Explosives Engineer Moshen Jena presenting at the ISEE 44th Annual Conference.
The conference brings together blasters, engineers, manufacturers, researchers, academics, government officials, and industry leaders. A total of 90 papers were presented during the technical sessions, showcasing the latest technological advances in the field of explosives engineering. The conference provides a forum for the discussion of practical and technical information, as well as presentations of the latest discoveries in the commercial explosives industry worldwide.
Moshen presented a paper entitled “The Application of Underground Bulk Explosives in Polyethylene Pipes for Perimeter Control.” The paper was a case study of a system implemented over a four-year period at a platinum mine in Zimbabwe, where it has been successfully adopted. The paper was presented on the 30th of January during Session 7 – Underground Blasting.
In his paper, Moshen focused on a system of perimeter control that originated in Zimbabwe and is now becoming a standard, as more mines are adopting the technique as a cost-effective way of controlling perimeter walls. This system uses Underground Bulk System technology (emulsion explosives) placed in specially formulated polyethylene pipes to decouple the bulk explosives.
The effectiveness of this method was evaluated using information obtained during routine blast audits and data supplied by the mines on half-cast factors, overbreak, and underbreak, as well as an analysis of data from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) scans over a four-year period.
This method of perimeter control has given platinum miners in Zimbabwe a competitive edge in cost-effective perimeter charging and blasting by simplifying the previously costly deployment of traditional barrels and other decoupled cartridges. The method has been adopted by all platinum mines in Zimbabwe, as it has proven to be a cost-effective alternative for controlling perimeter walls, along with other key benefits related to safety, productivity, and efficiency.
It was a battle royal as the young engineer, who turned 34 in January, shared the stage with veteran international presenters from around the world. When his time came, Moshen dazzled the attendees with his eloquence, expressiveness, and knowledge of blasting science.
Moshen Jena attended St Faith’s High School in Rusape for his secondary education and studied Mining Engineering at the University of Zimbabwe. He currently works for AEL Mining Services, a leading explosives manufacturing company, as an explosives engineer.
Other notable presentations included those from keynote speaker and astronaut Mike Mullane, who delivered a powerful message on an employee’s role in keeping themselves and their teams safe in hazardous environments during his talk titled “Countdown to Safety.” He used the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster to illustrate safety consequences and how individuals and teams can defend themselves from such phenomena.
Ryan Brogden, a Principal Inspector of Explosives for the Department of Natural Resources and Mines in Queensland, Australia, also presented lessons from the Ammonium Nitrate vehicle explosion that occurred at Angellala Creek. He was the lead investigator into the incident and now leads the national working group implementing the recommendations from the explosion.
Besides the technical papers, attendees participated in training sessions on various technological advances in the explosives and blasting industry and had the opportunity to view exhibitions from leading manufacturers and service providers in the explosives sector.
In summary, the conference was an invaluable opportunity to learn, connect, and exchange experiences from different parts of the world.
This article first appeared in the Mining Zimbabwe Magazine March 2018 issue
