FRAGBLAST 2025, the 14th International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting, served as a major international scientific platform where the latest developments in blasting and explosive engineering were shared. The primary objective of the symposium was to facilitate the exchange of scientific research in the field of blasting with the industry, and conversely, to convey practical applications and field experience back to the academic community, fostering a deeper understanding of all aspects of explosive-rock interactions.
Recognized as one of the most prestigious scientific and technical events in the drilling and blasting sector, FRAGBLAST has been hosted in countries such as Sweden, USA, Australia, Austria, Canada, South Africa, Chile, Spain, India, China, and most recently, Türkiye since its inception in 1983. FRAGBLAST 2025 was organized between April 7–11, 2025 in Antalya, Türkiye, in collaboration with the Istanbul Branch of the Chamber of Mining Engineers (TMMOB) and the Mining Engineering Department of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa.
At FRAGBLAST 14, a total of 547 participants from 26 different countries and 150 universities/companies attended. In the technical sessions, a total of 101 papers, including 9 invited talks, were presented. The event was supported by 20 sponsors/exhibitors. Additionally, a Blasting Video Contest was organized as part of the event, with selected videos screened throughout the venue during the symposium.
Over the four days of the symposium, 101 technical papers were presented and discussed, 9 of which were invited lectures. The papers were grouped under 13 main topics:
- The Importance of Drilling and Advances in Drilling Equipment (3 papers)
- Electronic Detonators and New Generation Explosives (3 papers)
- Mechanics of Rock Blasting (12 papers)
- Blast Impact Assessment and Control (6 papers)
- Fragmentation Prediction and Control (16 papers)
- Blasting Information Technologies (2 papers)
- Blasting Damage and Vibration (11 papers)
- Blast Modeling and Simulation (15 papers)
- Explosive Performance (3 papers)
- Sustainable Blasting and Recent Developments (5 papers)
- Surface and Underground Blasting (5 papers)
- Case Studies (15 papers)
- Demolition and Special Blasting Techniques (5 papers)
The technical sessions featured not only newly developed theories but also practical field applications.
With participation from 150 universities, institutes, and companies, the symposium also featured an exhibition area supported by 20 sponsor/exhibitor companies. The exhibition stands received considerable attention and offered a dynamic networking environment for companies and participants. Bringing together hundreds of engineers, companies, and academics from around the world working in the mining and drilling-blasting sector at such a prestigious event as FRAGBLAST has been a great honor. The new collaborations, friendships, and the positive feedback we received were the greatest rewards for our organizing team.
During the symposium, the FRAGBLAST International Organizing Committee (FIOC) held a meeting and decided that FRAGBLAST 15 will be held in Vancouver, Canada, in 2028.
We extend our sincere gratitude to FIOC for their support in bringing FRAGBLAST 2025 to Türkiye, to the authors who contributed their papers, to the sponsors and exhibitor companies who supported the event, to the institutions that backed the symposium, and to the Executive Board and the Organizing Committee.
We wish the Canadian Organizing Committee great success with FRAGBLAST 2028.
Respectfully,
FRAGBLAST 2025 Executive Committee
April 16, 2025 – Türkiye
