Established in 2005, Blast Movement Technologies helps mines locate valuable ore zones after open-pit blasting, ensuring they don’t accidentally discard valuable ore.
The company was founded by a University of Queensland researcher who, along with three colleagues, invented a system to measure rock movements during the blasting process. The company is now the global leader in blast movement monitoring technology and holds 11 patents.
The Blast Movement Monitoring system comprises transponders, a specialised portable detector and proprietary software. Transponders are placed in the rock prior to blasting and located immediately after the blast. The software calculates the movement vectors to determine the ore’s post-blast location. This data is archived and over time, it builds a valuable information source for geologists and companies looking to continuously improve the profitability of their mines.
An export-focused organisation since its establishment, Blast Movement Technologies has achieved 50 per cent sales growth year-on-year. Despite the global downturn in the mining industry, in 2014–15, the company’s export revenue increased by 63 per cent, with the number of new customers increasing by 26 per cent. BMT plans to open a new office in the USA to service customers in North and Central America.
This is the second year in a row Blast Movement Technologies has won the Minerals, Energy and Related Services Award. Judges commended the company as an excellent example of research commercialisation, noting its entry into the North America’s mining services industry as a major achievement.
To learn more about Blast Movement Technologies and its success, read the case study.