Ammonium nitrate a simple inorganic compound but versatile oxidising agent, till recent past was considered and treated like any other industrial chemical having many applications. The use of ammonium nitrate came into prominence in the last 40 years or so in the manufacture of explosives mainly for civil application as it provided a greater margin of safety to the manufacturer as well as to end users as compared to the then popular nitroglycerine based explosives commonly called "Dynamite". As readers are aware manufacture, sale and use of nitroglycerine based explosives was prohibited throughout the country from 1st April 2004 by central government vide Gazette Notification no. GS.R. 59(E). Dated 21st January, 2004. The huge demand of explosives in the country paved way for entrepreneurs for setting up ammonium nitrate based explosives, called "Class 2(Nitrate Mixture) Explosives" under Explosives Rules, 2008; which could be manufactured in high tonnage with a good margin of safety. The most simple use of ammonium nitrate as an explosive in mining came in form of "ANFO", though it required to be manufactured and used only under a valid licence granted under the Explosives Rules.
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