An explosive composition

Abstract

An explosive composition comprising a reagent that inhibits corrosion of a metal or metal alloy when the explosive composition comes into contact with the metal or metal alloy.

1 . An explosive composition comprising a reagent that inhibits corrosion of a metal or metal alloy when the explosive composition comes into contact with the metal or metal alloy. 
     
     
         2 . An explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the reagent inhibits corrosion of copper and copper alloys when the explosive composition comes into contact with copper or the copper alloy. 
     
     
         3 . An explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the explosive composition comprises an explosive precursor and sensitising species. 
     
     
         4 . An explosive composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the explosive precursor comprises the reagent. 
     
     
         5 . An explosive composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the emulsion precursor is an emulsion produced by mixing an aqueous oxidizer salt solution with a fuel and emulsifier, and wherein the reagent is water soluble and provided in the aqueous oxidizer salt solution. 
     
     
         6 . An explosive composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the reagent is introduced into the explosive composition or explosive precursor via an aqueous lubricant that is used to lubricate delivery of the explosive composition or explosive precursor through a loading hose. 
     
     
         7 . An explosive composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the reagent is included in a gassing solution that is mixed with the explosive precursor in order to generate gas bubbles as the sensitising species. 
     
     
         8 . An explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the reagent inhibits corrosion by a direct mechanism. 
     
     
         9 . An explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the reagent inhibits corrosion by an indirect mechanism. 
     
     
         10 . An explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more reagents are used to provide corrosion inhibition by a combination of direct and indirect mechanisms. 
     
     
         11 . A blasting system comprising a detonator having a shell formed of a metal or a metal alloy and an explosive composition as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         12 . A blasting system according to  claim 11 , wherein the detonator shell is formed of copper or a copper alloy. 
     
     
         13 . A blasting system according to  claim 12 , wherein outer surfaces of the shell of the detonator comprises a coating that inhibits corrosion of copper or copper alloy when in contact with the explosive composition. 
     
     
         14 . A blasting system according to  claim 13 , wherein the explosive composition is sensitised with gas bubbles produced by mixing a gasser solution with an explosive precursor, and wherein the gasser solution comprises a reagent that inhibits corrosion of the detonator shell by reducing the affinity of the gas bubbles for the coating. 
     
     
         15 . A blasting system according to  claim 14 , wherein outer surfaces of the shell of the detonator comprise a multi-layer coating comprising a first hydrophobic layer that is provided on outer surfaces of the detonator shell and that passivates the outer surface with respect to corrosive species present in the explosive composition and a second hydrophilic layer provided over the hydrophobic layer. 
     
     
         16 . A method of blasting in which an explosive composition as claimed in  claim 1  is provided in a blasthole and initiated using a detonator. 
     
     
         17 . A method of producing an explosive composition as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reagent is introduced into an explosive precursor or explosive composition in a component that is used to produce the explosive precursor or explosive composition. 
     
     
         18 . A method of producing an explosive composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the reagent is included in a gassing solution that is mixed with an explosive precursor in order to generate sensitising gas bubbles and yield an explosive composition. 
     
     
         19 . A method of producing an explosive composition according to  claim 1 , which comprises introducing the reagent into the explosive composition or an explosive precursor via an aqueous solution that is used to lubricate delivery of the explosive composition or explosive precursor through a loading hose.