Kevin Waldock was presented with the president’s Award by the International Society of Explosives Engineers, the industry body that overseas the international explosives industry, at its annual conference in Fort Worth, Texas, last month.

Mr Waldock is the founder and managing director of LDE Corporation Australia and began his career in the explosives industry with CBS  Mining Group, a company based in Singleton.

After 44 years in the industry, it was his leadership and innovation to control spiralling costs ,adverse environmental effects from the use of explosives and safety of mine workers that won him the international recognition.

Mr Waldock told The Singleton Argus he was shocked and speechless when he heard his name announced.

He went on to tell the group, that all engineers should be brave and not accept “as normal” the line of main-streamsuppliers, when clearly technologies have passed them. 

“If you follow your ideas you will succeed in this industry”.

Kevin Waldock’s achievements include 26 international patents, technology that completely eliminates toxic “orange” fumes caused by blasting and the use of alternative, more cost efficient raw materials and the development of a more appropriate mathematical system to evaluate the use and cost of explosives.

His latest development is a world first.

Mr Waldock has taken the use of drones  often used in military applications and applied his knowledge using specialist sensors, infrared cameras and other devices that can accurately define the size and contents of fumes clouds that are produced from every blast. 

This will provide invaluable and accurate information to the mines to plan the use of explosives with local communities, costs and results in mind.

“At the end of the day, mines and neighbours must and can cohabitate,”‘ Mr Waldock said.

“The future is exceptionally bright for the mines and the communities that intermingle with mines everywhere.”