I've just finished reading Alistair MacLeod's novel "No Great Mischief" (McClelland and Stewart 1999)which deals in part with the way of life of a group of hard rock miners from Cape Breton. Chapter 21 recalled for me "Taku Miners" and the write-up and diagram in Phil
Thomas' "Songs of the Pacific Northwest". MacLeod describes the process of drilling blast holes, the necessity of detonating the charges in the proper order (breast holes, side holes, lifters, etc.), and the importance of keeping track of the number of explosions.

Catters might also be interested in the episode in which the Cape Breton miners get involved in a day-long jam session with some Franco-Ontarians, catalysed by a Cree fiddler from James Bay.