A mixed surfactant system for use in emulsion explosives is provided which confers improved emulsion stability and comprises a surfactant and a co-surfactant, each having branched chain hydrocarbyl tail groups, the former having significantly longer tail chain groups than the latter, for which system poly[alk(en)yl] succinic anhydride based surfactants are especially preferred, said surfactants having an interaction parameter, .beta., which is less than zero.

Heteropolysaccharide S-7, either in the regular or low-calcium form, is used at levels from about 0.1 to 10%, preferably 0.1 to 3%, most preferably 0.2 to 2%, in aqueous ammonium nitrate solutions to provide explosive compositions which rapidly develop viscosity and can be easily adapted to field use.

A simplified aqueous gel ammonium nitrate suspension blasting agent is made by a procedure in which the step in which both solid and liquid ingredients are combined takes advantage of a balance of positive and negative heats of solution and the sensitivity of the composition is derived from the combination of hexamethylenetetramine and nitric acid. The blasting agent contains from 10 to 13 weight percent water and 75 to 85 weight percent ammonium nitrate, with no solid fuel, auxiliary oxidizers ...

A process is disclosed for the thickening of hydrocarbon oil slurries of ammonium nitrate with a latex of an elastomer which is inverted into the nitrate slurry.

An explosive composition is disclosed which comprises a discontinuous oxidizer phase comprising at least one oxygen-supplying component, a continuous organic phase comprising at least one water-immiscible organic liquid, and an emulsifying amount of at least one nitrogen-containing emulsifier derived from (A) at least one carboxylic acylating agent, (B) at least one polyamine, and (C) at least one acid or acid-producing compound capable of forming at least one salt with said polyamine. These exp...

This invention provides an improved method of foaming a water-in-oil emulsion explosive wherein a gassing agent which is a water-in-oil emulsion containing an aqueous solution of sodium nitrite in its discontinuous phase is mixed with the emulsion explosive. The sodium nitrite reacts with ammonium nitrate in the discontinuous phase of the emulsion explosive to generate small particles of gas which are distributed throughout the explosive. The method improves the gas bubble distribution and enhan...

Paste of the water-ammonium nitrate-fuel type, free of explosive elements, inert in manufacture, shipping and storage due to the fact that it does not contain air or not in a sensitizing form. A gum is used as a cross-linking agent. The product is an explosive pumpable on site by the incorporation of air.

An improved blasting composition comprising from about 13 to 15 weight percent unrefined petroleum wax, from about 15 to 20 weight percent aluminum powder, from about 10 to 52 weight percent sodium perchlorate and from about 10 to 52 weight percent ammonium nitrate. The blasting composition may be used in combination with ANFO and in place of conventional solid AP propellants and represents an economical alternative thereto.

An emulsion explosive composition having improved resistance to precompression desensitization comprising an emulsion explosive matrix and a high level of a low strength microspheres. Preferably, the microspheres having a crush strength of between 100 and 400 psi, and are present in at least 4% by weight of the formulation. Accordingly, the present invention allows the use of a more standard (and usually less expensive) microspheres in the production of a precompression desensitization-resistant...

The density of ammonium nitrate-based mining explosives, such as ANFO, heavy ANFO and emulsion explosives, is lowered by adding an expanded grain, such as expanded popcorn, expanded rice, or expanded wheat, to the explosive. As much as 10% of the explosive composition may be an expanded grain. The present invention may be used with porous ammonium nitrate, dense agricultural grade ammonium nitrate, crystalline ammonium nitrate, and ground ammonium nitrate.