Microbial degradation of expired slurry explosives in mines: a review

摘要

Minerals are mostly produced from opencast and underground mines and blasting is an essential operation in India. Mining explosives and initiating accessories are used for removing overburden rocks and to produce minerals. Ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO), emulsion (Water-in-Oil) and water gel slurry explosives are used in the blasting operations. In India, the quantity of cartridge slurry and bulk slurry explosives used in mining is approximately 30% of the total mining explosives consumed in the country. Huge amounts of slurry explosives deteriorate in storage, as their properties become impaired, and they should be discarded safely. The only method for disposal of slurry explosives is open burning, which creates air pollution. This paper reviews the characteristics of uni-molecular and slurry explosives and their available disposal methods.