EXPLOSIVES

Types and Properties

WHAT IS AN EXPLOSIVES?
0Chemical compounds or mixtures that are
initiated by HEAT, S HO C K or a

combination of both.
0Decomposes or explodes very rapidly
and Violently
0Produces a rapid release of HEAT and
large quantities of High Pressure Gas

Detonation Process
Primary Reaction Zone

Path of Detonation
Expanding Gases

Detonation Process

CLASSIFICATION OF EXPLOSIVES

HIGH EXPLOSIVE
(Detonation)

Low Explosives
(Deflagration)
Black Powder
Gun Powder

Initiation/Primary SECONDARY
Lead Azide
TNT
Mercury Fulminate
ANFO
Emulsions

TYPES OF EXPLOSIVES

Explosives
NON-IDEAL

IDEAL
(Molecular)
TNT
PETN
NG
Lead Azide
$ EXPENSIVE $

(Composite)
ANFO
Emulsions
Heavy ANFO
$ COST EFFECTIVE $

Comparative Build Up

Definitions That Apply To Explosive

Manufacturing
0PRECURSORS - Non-explosive raw materials
used in the preparation of a BLASTING AGENT
(Ammonium Nitrate, Fuel Oil, Emulsion Matrix}

0BLASTING AGENTS - Term used to describe

Non-Ideal Explosive mixtures
1. Prepared from Precursors
2. Not Cap sensitive
3. Manufactured on Site

Blasting Agent Precursors

Ammonium Nitrate (AN)
Principle component (oxidiser )
Properties: Low Moisture, Free Flowing, Oil Absorbency,
Low Density, Good Friability, N o n-C a k I n g

Cycles above and below 35 - 37o C

Decompose around 250o C release O2
Can detonate under extreme conditions

Blasting Agent Precursors

Fuel Oil (FO)
Fuel component (Distillate)
Flashpoint greater than 61o C
Fuels such as petrol or kerosene must
never be used (flashpoints below 61oC)
making them too volatile

Blasting Agent Precursors

Emulsion (Matrix)
Viscous liquid mixture of oxidiser/water
solution suspended in fuel
Stabilised with emulsifiers
Dangerous Good until density is reduced
by adding sufficient ANFO or by Gas or
solid sensitisation

Physical Properties of Explosives

Density
How close or small the particles are the higher
the density and greater the weight
Measured as grams per cubic centimetre (g/cc)
Weight compared to water (1.00g/cc) float or sink

Higher density explosives is normally suited to

HARD massive rock and low density explosives
more suitable to SOFT jointed rock
Determines the weight of explosive per blasthole

Critical Density
Critical Density is when the product is so
dense that there is not sufficient gas voids for
the creation of hot spots to allow detonation
Explosives density and sensitivity are related
Deadpressing occurs when gas voids are
destroyed (by abuse, shock waves) reducing
sensitivity

SENSITIVITY
Explosives require the creation of hot spots to
maintain the reaction

Types of Test
Gap sensitivity
Drop Test
Minimum Primer

SENSITIVITY
Touch
Heat
No2
Detonator
No6
Detonator
No8
Detonator
Booster

LEAD
AZIDE

NG

DYNAMITE

CAP
SENSITIVE
EMULSION

BULK
EMULSION

BLASTHOLE LOADING
DENSITIES
BLASTHOLE
DIAMETER

BLASTHOLE
DIAMETER

(mm)
89
102
108
114
121
127
130
152
159
165
187
203
210
229
251
267
270
279
286
311
349
381
432

(inches)
3
4
4
4
4
5
5 1/8
6
6
6
7 3/8
8
8
9
9 7/8
10
10 5/8
11
11
12
13
15
17

EXPLOSIVE
0.8
4.99
6.55
7.35
8.19
9.22
10.16
10.65
14.55
15.93
17.15
22.03
25.96
27.78
33.03
39.69
44.91
45.92
49.03
51.53
60.93
76.73
91.44
117.56

0.85
5.30
6.96
7.81
8.70
9.80
10.80
11.31
15.46
16.92
18.22
23.40
27.58
29.52
35.10
42.17
47.71
48.79
52.10
54.75
64.73
81.52
97.16
124.91

0.9
5.61
7.37
8.27
9.21
10.38
11.43
11.98
16.37
17.92
19.29
24.78
29.20
31.25
37.16
44.65
50.52
51.66
55.16
57.97
68.54
86.32
102.87
132.25

1
6.24
8.19
9.18
10.23
11.53
12.70
13.31
18.19
19.91
21.44
27.53
32.45
34.72
41.29
49.61
56.13
57.40
61.29
64.41
76.16
95.91
114.30
146.95

WEIGHT
1.1
6.86
9.01
10.1011.26
12.68
13.97
14.64
20.01
21.90
23.58
30.29
35.69
38.20
45.42
54.57
61.75
63.14
67.42
70.85
83.77
105.50
125.73
161.64

PER

METRE
1.15
7.17
9.42
10.56
11.77
13.26
14.61
15.30
20.92
22.89
24.65
31.66
37.32
39.93
47.49
57.05
64.55
66.01
70.49
74.07
87.58
110.29
131.45
168.99

1.2
7.48
9.83
11.02
12.28
13.83
15.24
15.97
21.83
23.89
25.72
33.04
38.94
41.67
49.55
59.53
67.36
68.88
73.55
77.29
91.39
115.09
137.16
176.34

1.25
7.80
10.24
11.48
12.79
14.41
15.88
16.63
22.74
24.88
26.80
34.42
40.56
43.41
51.62
62.01
70.17
71.75
76.62
80.51
95.20
119.88
142.88
183.69

1.3
8.11
10.65
11.94
13.30
14.99
16.51
17.30
23.65
25.88
27.87
35.80
42.18
45.14
53.68
64.49
72.97
74.62
79.68
83.73
99.01
124.68
148.59
191.03

WATER RESISTANCE
Explosives penetrated by water have their
efficiency impaired
Water resistance depends on:
Explosives ability to withstand water
Packaging of product
Type of water
Static (low pressure)
Dynamic (high pressure)

Critical Diameter
Critical diameter is the minimum diameter
that a detonation will occur or continue
Caused/Determined
By loss of energy from the edge effects of the detonation process

Ideal Explosives small critical diameter

Non-ideal Explosives much larger

Critical Diameter

Chemical Stability
An explosives ability to remain chemically
unchanged under specified storage conditions
(shelf life)
Ideal Explosives

Excellent (molecular
bonding)

Non-Ideal Explosives

Less stable (Bonding

reliant on chemical
additive)

Factors Affecting Chemical

Stability

Temperature extremes
Poor quality raw material
Contamination
Poor storage facilities

Combination of the above may accelerate

deterioration

Fume Characteristics
Gases resulting from detonation

Principal Gases
Non-Toxic
Toxic
Carbon Dioxide
Nitrogen
Water (steam)

Carbon Monoxide
Nitrogen Oxides

Causes
Water Penetration
Poor Mixing

Lack of Confinement
Not Oxygen Balanced

Velocity of Detonation
The speed at which a detonation occurs

Factors that influence VoD

Product type

Particle size (molecular, liquid, solid)

Explosive Diameter

Slows closer to critical diameter

Degree of confinement Varies in the blasthole and patterns

Degree of Priming
Steady state VoD or overdrive is
achieved faster with with high energy
primers

Temperature

Higher product temperature the faster

the reaction
Due to the above variables VoD is not always a good indicator as to
product performance

Detonation Pressure
The application of
detonation pressure to the
blasthole wall as the
reaction zone travels
along the charge column
that is responsible for the
primary shock wave

Blasthole Pressure
Pressure applied by the expanding gases to
the walls of the blasthole and jointing

Explosive Energy/Strength
Field performance has shown that fragmentation
and rock displacement are not exclusively
reflected in the numerical values of explosives
energy/strength
RWS
Relative to
ANFO

10kg
ANFO

RBS

Emulsion

Not all ingredients

of emulsions
contribute to reaction

(100%)

10Lt
ANFO

Emulsion

Higher densities of emulsions

put more product into the
volume area

Detonating Cords
0Contains a Core of PETN
0Sizes Vary but generally 3.6g,
5g or10g per metre
0VoD 6400 m/s
0Initiated by: No 8 caps
Detonating Cord
(10g should not be initiated with
cords less than 5g)
0Purpose: Used as surface and
down-hole initiating lines

Emulsion Cartridges
0Contains SENSITISED emulsion
in wrapped cartridges
0Sizes Vary from 25mm to
80mm diameters
0VoD dependant on product
type and diameter
0Initiated by: No 8 caps
Detonating Cord (10g)
0Density 1.6 g/cc
0 Purpose: Used for wet and
small hole diameter blasting,
On occasions may be used as a
booster or primer

Bulk Emulsion Blends

0 Emulsion and ANFO blends are water resistance
gassed bulk emulsions designed to be pumped
from a bulk delivery truck through a delivery
hose to the bottom of the blasthole
0 Minimum Hole diameter depends on the product
and blend (75 - 98mm)
0 VoD dependant on product type, density, blend,
diameter, confinement, primer type
0 Initiated by:Boosters
0 Density can be 1.00 g/cc to 1.25 g/cc
0 Purpose:
An effective Blasting Agent for wet
holes that allows complete coupling in the
blasthole, allows for variable density across the
shot and added ANFO can modify explosive
performance if required

Emulsions
Essentially a liquid oxidiser phase Suspended in a
Continuous fuel phase with an emulsifier added to
the fuel phase to prevent separation.

Oxidiser Phase
Suspended
Fuel Phase
Continuous
(surrounds the oxidiser)

Heavy ANFO
0 ANFO mixed with emulsion matrix in blends
where the majority of the mixture is ANFO.
Heavy ANFO are ANFO based explosives
with higher detonation properties and better
water resistance, they are augred from a
bulk delivery truck from the top of the
blasthole
0 Minimum Hole diameter depends on the
product and blend (89mm - 127mm)
0 VoD dependant on product type, density,
blend, diameter, confinement, primer type
0 Initiated by:Boosters
0 Density can be 0.85 g/cc to 1.30 g/cc
0 Purpose:
Emulsion provides a water
resistant coating to the ANFO, this increases
the bulk density, hence higher energy