Ohorongo conducts first blast of quarry, Namibia
Ohorongo Cement Factory last week conducted its first blast in the Sargberg quarry north of Otavi, preparing the first quarry ground for mining.
Erastus Shilongo, blasting supervisor of Ohorongo Cement, ignited the 2 150 kg water gel explosives distributed over 144 holes.
The blast prepares the first 600m2 of quarry ground for mining.
A statement issued on Friday by the company said last Tuesday’s blast distinguishes the quarry as the first link to become operational in the productive chain of the entire Ohorongo Cement plant.
“This timely start of mining is necessary to give access to all the different mineral qualities which will be mined at commissioning of the plant later in the year,” it said further.
The Ohorongo Cement plant is still in the construction phase and marketing of the first cement is only scheduled for January 2011.
During normal operations, about two blasts are conducted per week.
Published under Cement News
