Application of Extra-Trees Regression and Tree-Structured Parzen Estimators Optimization Algorithm to Predict Blast-Induced Mean Fragmentation Size in Open-Pit Mines

Blasting is an effective technique for fragmenting rock in open-pit mining operations. Blasting operations produce either boulders or fine fragments, both of which increase costs and pose environmental risks. As a result, predicting the mean fragmentation size (MFS) distribution of rock is critical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied sciences Vol. 15; no. 15; p. 8363
Main Authors: Mame, Madalitso, Huang, Shuai, Li, Chuanqi, Zhou, Jian
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Basel MDPI AG 28.07.2025
Subjects:
Accuracy
Artificial intelligence
blasting
Civil engineering
Data analysis
Data collection
Datasets
Explosives
extra trees algorithm
Human error
mean fragmentation size
Mines
Mining engineering
Normal distribution
open-pit mines
Optimization algorithms
rock fragmentation
Variables
ISSN:2076-3417, 2076-3417
Online Access:Get full text
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Summary:Blasting is an effective technique for fragmenting rock in open-pit mining operations. Blasting operations produce either boulders or fine fragments, both of which increase costs and pose environmental risks. As a result, predicting the mean fragmentation size (MFS) distribution of rock is critical for assessing blasting operations’ quality and mitigating risks. Due to the limitations of empirical and statistical models, several researchers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI)-based techniques to predict the MFS distribution of rock. Thus, this study uses three AI tree-based algorithms—extra trees (ET), gradient boosting (GB), and random forest (RF)—to predict the MFS distribution of rock. The prediction accuracy of the models is optimized utilizing the tree-structured Parzen estimators (TPEs) algorithm, which results in three models: TPE-ET, TPE-GB, and TPE-RF. The dataset used in this study was collected from the published literature and through the data augmentation of a large-scale dataset of 3740 blast samples. Among the evaluated models, the TPE-ET model exhibits the best performance with a coefficient of determination (R2), root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and max error of 0.93, 0.04, 0.03, and 0.25 during the testing phase. Moreover, the block size (XB, m) and modulus of elasticity (E, GPa) parameters are identified as the most influential parameters for predicting the MFS distribution of rock. Lastly, an interactive web application has been developed to assist engineers with the timely prediction of MFS. The predictive model developed in this study is a reliable intelligent model because it combines high accuracy with a strong, explainable AI tool for predicting MFS.
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ISSN:2076-3417
2076-3417
DOI:10.3390/app15158363