Loading ...The use of controlled explosives is vital in mines but can be deadly if they are handled wrongly.
If miners do not make accurate measurements or choose the right spots to place explosives, rocks can fracture in unexpected ways, creating a hazardous situation both underground and above the surface.
So imagine being able to practise this risky art without the inherent dangers, in a simulated, virtual reality mine.
The world’s first VR blast wall was developed by South African company Simulated Training Solutions (STS3D), and installed at Glencore’s Mopani Copper Mines in Zambia in 2016. Since then, two more walls have been installed in South Africa, with a third currently under construction.