2Department of Mineral Resources Engineering,

The study investigated blasting operation as practiced in five selected quarries (Beautiful Rock, Borini Prono, Gitto Construction Company, Bulletine Construction Company and Rock Bridge) in Kogi State, and also suggested ways of improving the lapses that were observed. Information and data of the most recent blasting operation from each of the selected quarries were collected to examine their explosive usage in terms of quantity. In order to compare the practices in the selected quarries to recommended standards, total amount of explosives required per blast hole and the stemming length were examined. Necessary calculations were performed by using appropriate formulae to assess their blasting operations based on their targeted powder factors. Result of the assessment shows that all the quarries overcharged the blast holes by a significant amount ranging from 7.86 to 16.91kg per hole. The stemming length used in Bulletine Quarry can be considered as adequate though still 0.04m less than the minimum recommended length. Stemming length of 0.75m in Gitto Construction Company instead of 1.75m is grossly inadequate. Generally, all the selected quarries practice under stemming ranging from 0.05m for Rock Bridge to 1.00m for Gitto Construction Company