BME WA detonator plant: blast timing and supply-chain takeaways for mine engineers
Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

First reported on Australian Mining
30 Second Briefing
BME has commissioned a new electronic detonator plant in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, to localise supply of its AXXIS electronic detonators and support tighter control of blast timing across hard‑rock operations. The company has run field trials across multiple WA mine sites to validate more controlled and reliable blasting, focusing on timing accuracy, reduced misfires and improved fragmentation. Local manufacturing is intended to cut lead times, reduce import logistics risk and give mine engineers closer technical support for complex blast designs.
Technical Brief
- Plant is located in Kalgoorlie, directly within WA’s major hard‑rock mining hub.
- For other mining operations, similar regional plants could de‑risk detonator supply chains in remote provinces.
Our Take
BME’s move in Western Australia sits alongside its “green chemistry” hydrometallurgy work reported on 19 January 2026, signalling that the company is trying to build a broader Australian footprint that spans both blasting and downstream processing services.
Within our mining-projects coverage, Kalgoorlie is one of the most frequently mentioned regional hubs in Australia, so local detonator capability there is likely to be attractive for mid-tier and contractor fleets that currently rely on longer supply chains from the east coast or overseas.
Across the 1803 tag-matched Projects/Product pieces, relatively few focus on explosives suppliers, so BME’s investment in Australia suggests it is positioning to compete more directly with the established blasting majors that dominate WA hard‑rock operations.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
Related Articles
Related Industries & Products
Mining
Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.
Construction
Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.
CMRR-io
Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.
QCDB-io
Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.
HYDROGEO-io
Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.