Emulsion explosive composition

Claim 2

A cap-sensitive water-in-oil emulsion explosive compositions comprising a water-immiscible liquid organic fuel as a continuous phase, an emulsified aqueous inorganic oxidizer salt solution as a discontinuous phase, an emulsifier and a density reducing agent, characterised in that the salt solution contains calcium nitrate in an amount of at least about 20% by weight based on the total composition to render the composition thermally stable.

Claim 3

An explosive composition according to claim 1, wherein the calcium nitrate is present in ananount from about 20% to less than 50% by weight based on the total composition.

Claim 4

An explosive composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the salt solution contains ammonium nitrate in an amount equal to or greater than the amount of calcium nitrate.

Claim 5

An explosive composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycol esters, unsaturated substituted oxazolines, and derivatives thereof.

Claim 6

An explosive composition according to any preceding daim, wherein the liquid organic fuel is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, waxes, benzene, toluene, xylene, and petroleum distillates.

Claim 7

An explosive composition according to any preceding daim, wherein the liquid organic fuel is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, waxes, benzene, toluene, xylene, and petroleum distillates.

Claim 8

An explosive composition according to claim 5, wherein the liquid organic fuel is a petroleum distillate which is gasoline, kerosene or diesel fuel.

Claim 9

An explosive composition according to claim 5, wherein the liquid organic fuel is mineral oil.

Claim 10

An explosive composition according to any preceding claim, wherein the density reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of small, hollow, dispersed gas or plastic spheres, perlite, a chemical foaming or gassing agent as a combination of any of these.

Claim 11

A explosive composition accordig to claim 8, wherein the density reducing agent is small, hollow, dispersed glass spheres.

Claim 12

An explosive composition according to claim 8,wherein the density reducing agent is perlite having an average particle size ranging from about 100 microns to about 150 microns in amount sufficient to reduce the density of the composition to within the range of about 0.9 to about 1.4 g/cc.

Claim 13

Cap-sensitive water-in-oil emulsion explosive composition comprising from about 1% to about 10% by weight based on the total composition of a water-immiscible liquid organic fuel as a continuous phase; an emulsified aqueous inorganic oxidizer salt solution as a discontinuous phase, which salt solution contains from about 20% to about 60% ammonium nitrate and from about 2% to about 15% water; from about 0.2% to about 5% emulsifier; and a density reducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the composition to within the range from about 0.9 to 1.4 g/cc; characterised in that the salt solution additionally contains from about 20% to less than 50% calcium nitrate to render the composition thermally stable.

Claim 14

Cap-sensitive water-in-oil emulsion explosive composition comprising from about 1% to about 10% by weight based on the total composition of a water-immiscible liquid organic fuel as a continuous phase; an emulsified aqueous inorganic oxidizer salt solution as a discontinuous phase, which salt solution contains from about 20% to about 60% ammonium nitrate and from about 2% to about 15% water; from about 0.2% to about 5% emulsifier; and a density reducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the composition to within the range from about 0.9 to 1.4 g/cc; characterised in that the salt solution additionally contains from about 20% to less than 50% calcium nitrate to render the composition thermally stable.

Claim 15

An explosive composition according to daim 11, wherein the oxidizer salt solution contains additionally a minor amount of an additional oxidizer salt.

Claim 16

An explosive composition according to daim 11, wherein the oxidizer salt solution contains additionally a minor amount of an additional oxidizer salt.