Implementation of High Density Ammonium Nitrate Prill in Emulsion Blends in an Open Pit Coal Mining Application

摘要

This paper discusses recent changes to the emulsion blend blasting agent used at the Drummond Pribbenow Mine in Colombia, one of the world's largest open pit coal mines, and the resulting improvements in rock breakage and excavator productivity. Based on field evaluations, the use of High Density Ammonium Nitrate (HDAN) can be effectively implemented in an emulsion blend blasting agent, yielding excellent results in terms of energy release, shelf life and velocity of detonation (VOD). Field evaluations showed that formulations using HDAN exceed the performance of the actual 50%/50% emulsion/ANFO blend using Porous Prill Ammonium Nitrate (PPAN). PPAN is conventionally used for emulsion blend manufacturing, with physical characteristics to facilitate sensitivity during the detonation process. This paper details laboratory and field tests of the HDAN emulsion blend under critical conditions. It provides the reader with strong evidence of the reliability and effectiveness of HDAN prill used in emulsion and AN prill blends for different mixtures. Detailed in this document are the specific conditions that the explosives blend must meet to ensure a proper detonation and energy liberation. This document also covers a careful review and comparison of these two types of Ammonium Nitrate and the use of a deterministic measure to calculate the explosives properties of the new blend.