The government of Canada has announced a C$1.5-million investment in a project that will test and validate a better, more efficient approach to fragmenting underground rock deposits, improving mining and tunneling practices, while reducing blast-induced fumes from traditional explosives.

McGill University Department of Mining and Materials Engineering's Professor Hani Mitri explained that the goal of the project was to create, test and validate a new method for rock fragmentation for underground mining and tunneling projects.

“The method uses newly modified soundless chemical demolition agents and innovative rock drilling patterns that together facilitate rock breakage for excavation work without the use of explosives. This technology will revolutionise mining and tunneling by achieving a more efficient, far safer, and more environmentally friendly technique for rock fragmentation,” he said in a statement this week.

In addition to avoiding the noise, vibrations and flying rocks associated with traditional blasting methods, this new method will improve worker safety and also significantly reduce the cost of demolition projects in the mining industry, as there is no need to ventilate after operations.

The funding was awarded to the Royal Institution for the Advancement of Learning at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec.

This project is funded through Natural Resources Canada's Clean Growth Program, which invests in clean technology research and development projects in Canada's energy, mining and forestry sectors.

The Clean Growth Program also aims to reduce greenhouse gas and air-polluting emissions, while minimising landscape disturbances and improving waste management practices.

"Today's announcement is a great example of how we can use intelligent, targeted investments to ensure Canada remains at the forefront of mining practices. By investing in projects like rock fragmentation research, we will ensure that Canada remains a leader in environmental stewardship, while creating a more prosperous mining industry,” said Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources, Paul Lefebvre.