Blasting systems and methods
OwnerAllen Parkinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In one preferred form of the present invention there is provided a method of stemming a blast hole with a super absorbent polymer. The method includes providing a super absorbent polymer substance as a gelled length in the blast hole. The gelled length provides a pressure wave reflecting stem, to increase the efficiency of an explosive during blasting, with the explosive being located in the blast hole.
Claims16
A method of stemming a blast hole, the method comprising pumping a super absorbent polymer gel having at least a 25:1 ratio of water to super absorbent polymer into a blast hole loaded with explosive to create an unrestrained gelled column of water, thereby providing a pressure wave reflecting stem in the blast hole to increase efficiency of the explosive during blasting, wherein the gelled column of water reduces detonation pressure by at least 98% over a distance of 200 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.