Chemical inhibitors for high temperature and reactive ground

Abstract

The present invention relates to the field of explosives. In particular, the present invention relates to explosive formulations for use or when used in reactive ground. The present invention also relates to uses of the explosive formulations and a method of blasting a reactive ground using the explosive formulations.

1 . An explosive formulation for use or when used in reactive ground comprising metal sulphide, the formulation comprising:
 a blasting agent comprising a nitrate;   a metal-ion binding agent and/or a pH buffering agent.   
     
     
         2 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the nitrate comprises ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate and/or sodium nitrate. 
     
     
         3 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal sulphide comprises iron sulphide, iron disulphide, iron copper sulphide, copper (II) sulphide, lead sulphide, molybdenum disulphide, zinc sulphide, and/or copper (I) sulphide. 
     
     
         4 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal-ion binding agent comprises phospholipids, phosphate, amino acid, xanthate salt, silicate, and/or acid. 
     
     
         5 - 9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal-ion comprises iron (I), iron (II), iron (III), iron (IV), iron (V), iron (VI), iron (VII), copper (I), copper (II), copper (III), copper (IV), lead (II), lead (IV), zinc (II), molybdenum (I), molybdenum (II), molybdenum (III), molybdenum (IV), molybdenum (V), and/or molybdenum (VI). 
     
     
         11 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH buffering agent comprises base, acid, and/or amino acid. 
     
     
         12 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the pH buffering agent has a pH between about 1 to 10, about 1 to 7, about 2 to 7, about 7 to 10, or about 8 to 10. 
     
     
         13 - 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the metal-ion binding agent and/or the pH buffering agent are stable at a temperature of between about 50° C. and 500° C. 
     
     
         17 - 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation comprises between about 0.1 wt % and about 30 wt % of the metal-ion binding agent. 
     
     
         20 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the formulation comprises between about 0.1 wt % and about 30 wt % of the pH buffering agent. 
     
     
         21 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the blasting agent is in the form of an emulsion with fuel oil, whereby the fuel oil is a continuous organic phase and the blasting agent is a discontinuous oxidiser phase. 
     
     
         22 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 21 , wherein the discontinuous oxidizer phase comprises the metal-ion binding agent, and/or the pH buffering agent. 
     
     
         23 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 21 , wherein the metal-ion binding agent and/or the pH buffering agent are in the form of crystals, granules, and/or powders. 
     
     
         24 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , further comprising a nitrous acid neutralising agent. 
     
     
         25 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 24 , wherein the nitrous acid neutralising agent comprises urea, allantoin, arginine, glycine, asparagine, hydroxy ammonium salts and/or biuret. 
     
     
         26 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 24 , wherein the nitrous acid neutralising agent is stable at a temperature of between about 50° ° C. and 500° C. 
     
     
         27 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein formulation comprises between about 0.1 wt % and about 30 wt % of the nitrous acid neutralising agent. 
     
     
         30 . Use of the explosive formulation according to  claim 1  in blasting reactive ground. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of blasting in reactive ground, the method comprising loading a blasthole with the explosive formulation according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         33 . The explosive formulation according to  claim 1 , wherein the reactive ground is high temperature reactive ground.