Whether your operation us utilizing bulk or packaged Ammonium Nitrate, ANFO, Emulsions, ANFO/Emulsion Blends or other agents for mining, construction or quarry operations, we have a Storage Magazine (indoor and outdoor certified) to ensure you stay in compliance with ATF, OHSA or DOD safety standards.
The Library below is meant for educational purposes on technical information of many explosives that our magazines are used for in compliance with safety & explosive hazards regulations.
AMMONIUM NITRATE – Composed of the nitrate salt of ammonium, this white crystalline solid is highly water soluble. Ammonium nitrate is predominantly used in agriculture as a high nitrogen fertilizer. One other major use of ammonium nitrate is as an explosive in mining, quarrying, and civil construction. Ammonium nitrate is the main component of ANFO (ammonium nitrate / fuel oil), which accounts for 80% of all explosives used in North America.
CAST BOOSTERS – Cast boosters are used to amplify the energy of a detonator. The booster acts as a conduit between a weak conventional detonator, and a low sensitivity explosive. (Ex: TNT). The most common form of cast booster is a cylindrical shell made of extruded or pressed cardboard or plastic which the explosive material has been cast into.
DELIVERY SYSTEMS – A delivery system is a generic term used to describe the method in which an explosive charge is ignited. 95% of all explosives are delivered into the borehole by bulk loading methods.
DETONATING CORD – Also known as a detonation cord, detacord, detcord, primer cord, or sun cord, the detonating cord is a thin, flexible plastic tube usually filled with pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN). The cord is a high speed fuse which explodes, rather than burning. Detonation cords are used for detonating high explosives, and act as a downline between the trigger and the blast area.
ELECTRIC DETONATORS – An electric detonator allows a circuit to be tested before firing a shot. Electric detonators come in three categories; instantaneous electric detonator (IED), short period delay detonators (SPD), and long period delay detonators (LPD). The detonation of SPDs are measured in milliseconds, while the detonation of LPDs are measured in seconds.
ELECTRONIC DETONATORS – Electronic detonators offer better precision for delayed ignition. These detonators are designed to provide precise control to produce accurate and consistent blasting results. Electronic detonators are primarily used in mining, quarrying, and construction. These detonators are programmed in one millisecond increments from 1 millisecond to 10,000 milliseconds.
EMULSIONS – Emulsions are explosives composed of water in oil based explosives. Emulsion explosives are ideal for bulk loading both on the surface and underground. Emulsions are the most commonly used explosive based on ammonium nitrate / fuel oil (ANFO) chemistry. These explosives are water resistant, and offer a higher bulk density.
NON-ELECTRIC DETONATORS – Non-electric detonators are shock tube detonators used to initiate explosions. A hollow plastic tube delivers a firing impulse to a detonator instead of electric wires. This makes non-electric detonators immune to most hazards associated with stray electrical current. A non-electrical reaction travels at approximately 6,500 feet per second along the length of the tube with minimal disturbance outside of the tube.
