The Navan Mine, owned and operated by Tara Mines Limited (a subsidiary of Tara Exploration & Development Limited, 75% owned by Outokumpu Oy, Finland), is situated 50 km northwest of Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. The mine is the largest zinc producer in Europe and current ore production is 2. 6 Mt/y to produce 420,000 t/y of zinc and lead concentrates. In May 1987 over 300,000 tons of ore were broken in a single blast in Tara Mines Ltd's Navan Mine. The author outlines the circumstances under which this large blast became necessary and describes how the blast was carried out.
