Explosive composition suitable for cartridging in paper and its method of manufacture

A process for manufacturing a cap sensitive watergel explosive composition containing an oxidiser salt:

• a sensitiser;
• a thickener:
• a crosslinking agent;
• a fuel;
• and water, the sensitiser component including more than 50% by weight of one or more water soluble compounds of oxygen balance more positive than -150%, selected from salts of nitric, chloric and perchloric acid with ayclic nitrogen bases, having no more than two hydrogen atoms bonded to each basic nitrogen atom and up to three carbon atoms per basic nitrogen atom, and the salts of nitric, chloric, and perchloric acid with a phenyl amine, comprising the steps of:
• preparing a thickened aqueous phase comprising a thickened, aqueous solution of at least some of the water soluble sensitiser, thickener and a portion of the oxidiser salt;
• preparing a dry phase comprising any remaining oxidiser salt, any remaining thickener, crosslinking agent, fuel, any water insoluble sensitiser, and any remaining water soluble sensitiser, separately;
• mixing the two phases;
• and
• reducing the density of the mixture by mixing the composition in such a way so as to incorporate gas into it or by adding a density reducing agent.