Drone imagery is used to acquire and generate 3D models from surface blast sites in quarries. The 3D models form the basis for reproducible blast designs and objective analyses of the resultant broken rock. Blast design utilizes the Minimum Burden Concept and extends it with so-called Minimum Burden Surfaces that allows to place boreholes automatically while maintaining specified design parameters. Blast analysis includes the automatic analysis of the fragmentation in 3D supplemented by several volumetric measurements for traceable results. By combining reproducible blast designs with objective blast analyses, a control loop is created that enables a stepwise improvement of the blasting works. The connection happens by tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) that may include: several passing values (x20, x50, x80) of the automatically determined particle size distribution curve, volumes and the swell factor, or values from other sources than 3D models, e.g. the energy consumption at the crusher, or loading times. The contribution describes components of the concept and the blast optimization cycle.
