IMPROVED BLAST RESULTS WITH VARIABLE DENSITY,

GASSED EMULSIONS
L. D. Lawrence, IRECO Incorporated
R. S. Day, IRECO Incorporated
Gordon Coleman, Alpha Explosives
Abstract
Commercial emulsion explosives are typically characterized by their relatively high
detonation velocities due to the intimacy of oxidizer and fuel and to their sensitization with
glass microballoons. However, numerous blasting operations in softer, more porous rock
formations are better fragmented with slower shooting explosives. Although mixtures of
emulsions with large amounts of ANFO (60-80%) can considerably reduce the high
velocities, little water resistance is achieved with low levels of emulsion blended with
ANFO. "Water proof" blends containing typically 50 percent of emulsion become quite
costly due to escalating powder factors in ANFO patterns. Blends of sensitized emulsions
with 20-30 percent ANFO retain the high velocity characteristics of the emulsions as well
as increased densities which can also adversely affect blasting results in softer rock
formations. The introduction of a reliable and predictable on-site gassing process for
sensitization and density control of repumpable emulsions, with or without added ANFO,
offers the end user the option of supplying a final product more suited to his blasting
needs. The capability to widely vary final product loading densities and consequently
product detonation rates better tailors the final explosive to different rock characteristics.
The beneficial advantages of this system in softer rock formations have been well
documented. Overall comparison between these variable density products with typical
repump emulsions containing solid density control will be reviewed. Besides the obvious
cost advantages and safety advantages of these systems the end user is provided more
definitive control of his blasting operation.
Chemical Gassing - What is It?
For final product sensitization a fundamental necessity in most commercial repumpable
emulsions is the presence of discreet, gas-filled voids to contribute to the propagation of
the detonation front. These voids are typically introduced into the emulsion by adding
unicellular or agglomerated gas bubble containing solid density agents. However, virtually
any form of air bubble entrainment in sufficient quantity will contribute to the sensitivity
of the final product. Other feasible sensitization mechanisms are air entrainment by
dynamic agitation, or the addition of any particles that contain significant quantities of air
voids such as porous AN prills. A recent development now has repumpable emulsion
compositions being sensitized at the point of borehole delivery with chemical additives
which introduce gas bubbles within the emulsion composition.

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The most reliable method of introducing voids without the use of solid additives is
the-utilization of a defined chemical reaction to produce gas bubbles within the final
product. IRECO's approach is the chemical generation of nitrogen bubbles for this
sensitization. The common usage of nitrogen, which dates back about 20 years in water
based commercial explosive compositions, represents the most reliable and
environmentally attractive alternative to solid density control additives.
Chemical Gassing - What Does it Do?
As will be further discussed, the use of a chemical reaction to produce sensitizing voids
offers the user intriguing control over final detonation properties. An insensitive bulk
emulsion which does not represent a detonable product can be transported and stored until
the chemical additives are mixed into the composition at the borehole site. During the
chemical reaction the product appears to "grow" as more and more air voids are formed
within the emulsion matrix. Under defined conditions, and mostly due to the yield stress
pseudoplastic rheology of emulsions, the generated air voids remain in place in the
explosive column much like solid density control. Unlike solid density control the gas
bubbles vary considerably in size distribution and are compressible. These features greatly
modify the detonation characteristics of the final products compared to those containing
solid density control. When a gassing system is used effectively the end user has a
valuable tool to better perform his rock blasting operation. The end user now has the
flexibility to vary percentages of ANFO and emulsion plus being able to increase or
decrease the densities of any blend.
Chemical Gassing - Why Use It?
The biggest advantages to considering the use of a chemically gassed product other than
safety considerations include the ability to greatly vary product detonation velocity while
improving product sensitivity. The gassed emulsion products can be used in smaller
diameter applications with considerably higher levels of dry AN prill or ANFO. These
gassed bulk systems can readily be employed in boreholes down to two inches. The use of
these products in diameters between two and four inches can represent a significant
reduction in total pounds consumed compared to a single density emulsion sensitized with
solid density control. Additionally, gassed compositions can contain considerably greater
quantities of added AN or ANFO in smaller diameter borehole applications. Additional gas
bubbles can be incorporated into the blends to offset the density increase imparted by the
addition of dry prills. The added prills can significantly further reduce product velocity for
excellent heaving characteristics in softer rock. The economic incentive of adding ANFO
to gassed emulsion in smaller borehole applications is an additional attractive incentive
towards these systems.
Many end users have sites that contain several geological formations. The same basic
product can be tailored for different rock types either at different locations or in the same
pattern. This flexibility greatly enhances blast design for areas of multiple formations.
Chemical Gassing for Reduced Detonation Velocity

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Despite the wide acceptance of emulsion explosive compositions throughout our industry
it is a curious fact that certain blasting operations note the following conclusions: Either
blast results are inferior to standard ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO) products, or, if the
shot results are comparable, the relative shot cost of the emulsion explosive relative to
ANFO is too high. These conclusions typically come from blasting operations in areas
where a soft, sedimentary geology exists. A fragmentation theory that is well known to the
technical body of this Society is that explosive velocity should be matched to the sonic
velocity of the material being blasted. With typical emulsion product velocities being
projected upward to 20,000 ft/sec (6,000 m/s) it is probably not surprising that blast results
using high velocity emulsion explosives are not up to par with the slower shooting ANFO
product (14,000 ft/sec or 4,000 m/s) in softer rock geologies. Some sedimentary rock sonic
velocities range from less than 6,500 ft/sec up to 16,500 ft/sec.
The basic chemistry surrounding emulsion explosives has been presented to this group
many times. Emulsion explosives are intimate mixtures of oxidizers and fuels.
Traditionally, unicellular voids are introduced in the form of glass microballoons to impart
sensitivity and density reduction to the final emulsion product. These unicellular voids are
in a typically tight size diameter of about 50-100 microns. To enlarge these voids
tremendously reduces their adaptability to commercial emulsion explosives due to the
increased fragile nature of large glass spheres. Documented studies have shown that the
larger the unicellular void the more reduction of emulsion detonation velocity.
Introduction of a chemical reaction to produce gas bubbles within the emulsion matrix is
an excellent method to provide large voids for good emulsion sensitivity and simultaneous
reduction of detonation velocity.
The attractive nature of extremely high detonation velocities during early emulsion
explosive commercialization using solid, unicellular voids somewhat ignored the necessity
of reduced velocity of detonation for many rock geologies. The more recent efforts to
reduce the final explosive velocity by adding 20 to 35 percent dry ANFO or ammonium
nitrate has not always sufficiently improved blasting results in softer rock formations.
As previously mentioned, the use of chemical reactions to impart necessary voids for final
product sensitization has been a common factor in commercial slurry explosives
development dating back more than twenty years. Due to the very different physical
characteristics of emulsions compared to slurries, however, the use of chemical gassing in
emulsions is more difficult. Furthermore, the specialized area of fluid, repumpable
emulsions that may be used at cold temperatures presents even more challenges to gassing.
It is only recently that the understanding of gassing technology has progressed to the point
that all of these difficulties can be overcome.
As the use of chemical gassing for final emulsion product sensitization returns to our
industry, the end user of these products need to be aware of the benefits from such a
system. The basic differences between new emulsion products using a chemical reaction
for sensitization and older emulsion products containing unicellular voids (microballoons)
are reviewed during this presentation. Additionally, field data where standard sensitized

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products were compared to chemically gassed products will be presented by Alpha

Explosives based on results documented at two of their California gold operations. The
obvious field advantages with slower detonating emulsion products can be technically
predicted by the following comparisons.
1.

Detonation Characterizations of Gassed Emulsion Products

For comparison purposes Table I reviews the detonation characteristics of two
commercial emulsions sensitized with solid density control. Emulsion C is identical to
emulsion B, but without solid density control. Final emulsion products using gassable
emulsion C indicate detonation data at various gassed densities. Most notable are the
reduced velocities of the gassed examples, yet these products exhibit a higher degree
of product sensitivity at final densities equivalent to examples A and B. Interestingly,
the critical pressure data on the gassed products are quite acceptable, although
noticeably inferior to the products containing solid density control. The data depicting
the detonation characteristics of the emulsion with blended ANFO in Table II
significantly favor the gassed final Products. Since the addition of AN or ANFO to
the sensitized examples begins to significantly increase final product density, which
could adversely effect minimum borehole considerable restrictions are placed on these
systems. With a gassed system more nitrogen bubbles can be introduced into the final
blends to offset the density rise imparted by the dry additive. The gassed blends have
a lower average product density compared to standard blends using sensitized
emulsion which reduces the total cost of the shot since less pounds are loaded per
hole. The borehole collar can be maintained at an adequate level for favorable surface
fragmentation with considerably fewer pounds per foot at the top of the shot.

2.

Borehole Loading Effects Using Gassed Emulsion

A gas bubble is obviously compressible especially when compared to a solid density
control additive. Figure 1 depicts the typical effect of static pressure on a gassed
emulsion column using a typical ungassed density of 1.35-1.45 g/cc. A range of
density variation is apparent depending upon borehole depth and total pounds of final
product put in the borehole. An average borehole density can be calculated from the
borehole diameter, total pounds in the borehole and final explosive column height. A
distinct advantage of gassed emulsions is the intrinsic density gradient which exists in
any given borehole column. The highest density (or most compressed) product exists
at the bottom of the borehole where it is advantageous to have more toe bulk energy
to move the existing burden. As the detonation progresses up the column a significant
reduced velocity profile is realized which greatly improves the heave characteristic of
the explosive, particularly in the softer geologies. Figure 2 depicts a typical borehole
column of gassed emulsion compared to emulsion sensitized with solid density control.

Alpha Explosives is currently involved in an expansion of open pit gold mining in the
Northern California area. Due mainly to advances in milling technologies, mining
operations moving between 800,000 to 1,000,000 tons of material per month, have been
gradually coming on line during the past several years.

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Typical blast pattern configurations utilize a 6.5 inch diameter borehole on 20 ft. to 30 ft.
lifts. Drill patterns are used for assaying purposes and can vary from a 12 ft. x 12 ft. square
to a 16 ft. x 24 ft. staggered. Water content in the borehole is seasonal and will vary with
location and depth in the pit.
Normal explosive loads include ANFO and ANFO-emulsion blends augered into dry holes
or a sensitized emulsion containing up to 30 percent prilled ammonium nitrate in wet holes.
Operators prefer the high-density heavy ANFO loads which provide optimum drill pattern
expansion and good fragmentation of mineralized zones.
However, excessive displacement and movement inherent in blasts of this design are
undesirable for ore control and can dilute ore with waste material. Thus a normally
impressive swell factor could result in ore in the waste dump and reduce mill recovery
rates.
Alpha Explosives has been involved in implementation of variable density, gassed
repumpable emulsions in ore-bearing formations, regardless of the existing water
conditions. Initially conceived for a wet hole application, gassed emulsions are providing
fragmentation surpassing 50/50 heavy ANFO blends, with minimal displacement and
heave, at a reduced powder factor.
RG 12 emulsion supplied by IRECO Incorporated is blended with 20 percent to 30 percent
ammonium nitrate prills and injected with trace chemicals in order to trigger the gassing
reaction as the product is being delivered into the borehole. Cup densities at this time
range from 1.32 to 1.35 grams/cc. A typical 24 ft. borehole might be loaded with 10 ft. of
product, or brought to within 14 ft. of the collar. Density checks are taken every 15
minutes and recorded. Depending on the percentage of trace chemicals, the gassing
process can be adjusted to between 10 and 30 minutes. Upon completion of this process,
cup densities range from 1.00 to 1.15 grams/cc. At this time the explosive column will
have risen approximately 2 ft., or within 12 ft. or the borehole collar.
Within any particular drill pattern many types of geological formations might exist. Often,
gold occurs in faults and transition zones dividing different types of rock, Massive,
homogeneous, greenstone formations come into contact with bedded fillite, shale, and
other softer material. By varying the ratio of trace chemicals as they are blended, the
density of the product can be varied to suite the existing ground conditions.
A typical load in greenstone would be a 80 percent emulsion/20 percent ammonium nitrate
prill blend with a final cup density of 1.15 grams/cc. This relatively dense blend with a
reduced AN prill content provides higher loading densities and a product of higher velocity
in harder formations. In the black fillite, the product can be gassed down to 0.90 to 1.00
grams/cc with the ammonium nitrate prill content boosted to 30 percent or 35 percent. The
fillite is very soft, and a much lighter overall loading density and reduced velocity will
suffice.

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It is proving cost effective to load a more expensive, sensitized emulsion in order to reduce
contamination of ore zones caused by the energetic heaving action of heavy ANFO,
without compromising fragmentation. We have also seen a 10 to 15 percent actual
reduction in total product consumption due to loading at lower density.
Safety
A factor that cannot be ignored is the improved safety parameters of emulsion
compositions designed for chemical gassing. A quick comparison of the earlier detonation
characteristics of unsensitized and sensitized emulsions indicate in nominal borehole
diameters up to six inches the unsensitized product fails to detonate using a one pound
Pentolite primer. Fuel rich emulsion compositions capable of being oxygen balanced with
30-40 percent dry ammonium nitrate can be prepared which fail to react in 22 inch
diameters at production temperatures nearing 160.F using three pounds of Pentolite. Since
these compositions are non-detonable and, therefore, are not explosives they are shipped
under non-explosive categories, i.e. COMBUSTIBLE liquids. A final situation exists where
a combustible liquid and an oxidizer can be stored in separate bins on a single truck, but
when mixed and gassed a highly effective explosive blasting agent can be generated within
a given borehole. Given the current state of reevaluation of accepted safety practice
involving shipping and storage of explosives these data may play an important role in the
future of our industry.
IRECO now commonly uses chemically gassed emulsions in day to day blasting
operations. This practice is a valuable option for consideration in blasting operations where
a lower detonation velocity product or a variable density/energy product is desirable.

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