Effective blasting using mixture of ammonium nitrate, fuel oil, sawdust and used oil at limestone mine

Abstract

The efficacy of a mixture of ammonium nitrate prills, sawdust, fresh diesel and used oil (engine oil, hydraulic oil, transmission oil, etc.) as an efficient explosive was investigated in a limestone mine of Adhunik Cement Limited, Jaintia Hills, Meghalaya, India. An air decking column of 1 m length wooden spacer was used in each blast hole. The method was proved to be well effective in not only improving the blasting performance but also reducing the cost of blasting. The paper highlights scientific explanation of the methodology buttressed by data generated during the investigation. This method will open up an effective approach to the utilisation of waste materials like sawdust and used oil in blasting operation.