An initiator apparatus (IA) for blasting, the IA including: a magnetic receiver configured to receive a through the earth (TTE) magnetic communication signal representing a command from a base station; a blasting controller, in electrical communication with the magnetic receiver, configured to generate response data in response to the command; and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter system (ETS), in electrical communication with the blasting controller, configured to transmit the response data for the base station using a TTE electromagnetic (EM) signal.