Nico Alberts, Director
NF Blast Consult and Training was founded in May 2025 by Nico Alberts, bringing 17 years of experience in surface and underground blasting operations and almost as many years of training.
Background
- DetNet South Africa
Started in 2008 as a Conversions Engineer, training customers in electronic initiating systems, and worked on the Gautrain project as an electronic initiation expert.
- AEL Mining Services (now AECI Mining Explosives)
Joined as a Technical Officer, supporting blasting at quarries, open pit mines and underground operations. Completed the Explosives Engineering certificate and was promoted to Explosives Engineer.
- Trainer and lecturer
Trained new explosives engineers and lectured at universities and mines in Chile, Africa and Indonesia, for mining engineering students and mine employees.
- Blast Consult team
Part of AECI's Blast Consult team, solving blasting problems for internal and external customers through blast designs, audits, training and advice.
- NF Blast Consult and Training, May 2025
Started his own business focused on blasting education, consulting and blast design software.
Qualified to teach and to design
Key areas
- Surface mining: from coal to iron and a wide range in between
- Civil blasting: trenching and tunnelling
- Underground: narrow reef stoping, shaft sinking, mine development tunnels and massive mining
- Design software: using the relevant software for each discipline to support designs
Our main focus is educating people in the mining sector on the safe use of commercial explosives. Our second focus is consulting on blast designs and blasting-related problems.
Ready to talk blasting?
Ask for a quote on training, a software licence or a consulting job. You'll get a reply from Nico directly.