The paper presents a case study from a surface mine where the controlled augmentation of throw and drop of the blasted muck piles was warranted to spread the muck piles on the lower berm of the bench. While the augmentation of throw increased the lateral spread and the looseness of the broken muck, the augmentation of drop significantly lowered the muck pile height for easy excavation by the excavators. In this light, the present paper highlights and discusses some pertinent changes in the blast design parameters for such specialized application of cast blasting in a surface mine, where a sandstone bench, with average height of 22-24 m was to be made amenable for excavation by 10 m3 rope shovels, which possessed maximum digging capability of up to 14 m. The results of tailoring the blast design parameters for augmentation of throw and drop are compared with the baseline blasts which were earlier practiced on the same bench by dividing the full height of the bench in 2-slices; upper slice (10-14 m high) and lower slice (12-15 m high). Results of fragment size, its distribution and total cycle time of excavator (shovel) are presented, and discussed.