Explosive composition and method of delivery
AssigneeDyno Nobel Asia Pacific Pty Limited
InventorsNathan Paris, Jeff Gore, Paul Thornley
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is an explosive composition for soft and wet ground. The explosive composition comprises an explosive comprising an oxidiser component in a water in oil emulsion or a water gel, and a bulking agent comprising discrete particles of a combustible substance. The combustible substance is water soluble but, in the explosive composition, migration of the combustible substance from the discrete particles to the oxidiser component is inhibited. Also disclosed is a method for delivering an explosive composition to a borehole, for example a borehole in soft and wet ground.
Claims34
An explosive composition for soft and wet ground comprising:
- an explosive comprising an oxidizer component in a water in oil emulsion or a water gel;
- and
- a bulking agent comprising solid discrete particles of a combustible substance, wherein the bulking agent is not ammonium nitrate prill and wherein the proportion of bulking agent is sufficient to reduce the theoretical energy of the explosive composition by between about 20 and 30% when compared to a composition containing ammonium nitrate prills or ANFO instead of the bulking agent,
- whereby the combustible substance is water soluble, but is resistant to being dissolved in the composition so that migration of the combustible substance from the discrete particles to the oxidizer component is inhibited, and wherein the discrete particles of the solid combustible substance are shaped to have smooth outer surfaces, such that the smooth outer surfaces resists the dissolution thereof into the oxidizer component, and the water-soluble combustible substance remains in the composition in the form of solid, discrete particles,
- wherein an open cup density of the explosive composition is reduced to less than 1.15 g/cm3 to reduce the power of the explosive composition and to enable the composition to be usable in soft and wet ground.
An explosive composition for soft and wet ground comprising:
- an explosive comprising an oxidizer component in a water in oil emulsion or a water gel;
- from about 20% to about 50% (by weight) of a bulking agent comprising solid and smooth discrete particles of urea;
- a sensitizing agent distinct from the bulking agent;
- and
- wherein the explosive composition has the following features making it suitable for soft and wet ground:
- does not include ammonium nitrate prill,
- an open cup density of less than 1.15 g/cm3, and
- a negative oxygen balance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.