Method of blasting

Abstract

An initiation device for initiation of an explosives charge, which comprises: a transceiver for receipt of wireless command signals; a control circuit for processing of wireless command signals received by the transceiver; and a light source that is suitable for initiation of the explosives charge and that is activated by the control circuit.

1 . An explosive booster comprising:
 a working explosives charge that is a secondary explosive;   a confined explosives charge disposed in an elongate tubular member that is embedded in and surrounded by the working explosives charge, wherein the confined explosives charge is a secondary explosive dosed with a heat transfer medium;   a power supply;   a laser diode coupled to the power supply and configured to emit light;   a lens that focuses light emitted by the laser diode directly onto a portion of the confined explosive charge;   a transceiver configured to receive wireless command signals sent from blast control equipment;   a control circuit coupled to the power supply and in signal communication with the transceiver and the laser diode, wherein the control circuit is configured to process received wireless command signals and activate the laser diode in response to a specific wireless command signal; and   a common housing in which each of the transceiver, the control circuit, and the laser diode reside.