Emulsion explosives containing high concentrations of calcium nitrate

Claim 2

A water-in-oil emulsion blasting agent comprising a water-immiscible liquid organic fuel as a continuous phase; an emulsified aqueous inorganic oxidizer salt solution as a discontinuous phase, which salt solution contais calcium nitrate in the amount of from about 50% to about 70% by weight based on the total composition and has a calcium nitrate to ammonium nitrate weight ratio of 1.5 or greater; an emulsifier; and optionally a density reducing agent.

Claim 3

An explosive composition according to claim 1 wherein the blasting agent is noncap-sensitve.

Claim 4

An explosive composition according to claim 1 wherein the salt solution contains ammonium nitrate in an amount of from 10% to about 33% by weight based on the total composition.

Claim 5

An explosive composition according to claim 1 wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of sorbitan fatty acid esters, glycol esters, substituted oxazolines, alkyl amines or their salts, and derivatives thereof.

Claim 6

An explosive composition according to claim 1 wherein the liquid organic fuel is selected from the group consisting of mineral oil, waxes, benzene, toluene, xylene, and petroleum distillates such as gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuels.

Claim 7

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

Claim 8

An explosive composition according to claim 1 wherein the density reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of small, hollow, dispersed glass or plastic spheres, perlite, a chemical foaming or gassing agent, and a combination of each.

Claim 9

An explosive composition according to claim 7 wherein the density reducing agent is small, hollow, dispersed glass spheres.

Claim 10

A noncap-sensitive water-in-oil emulsion blasting agent comprising from about 3% 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 comprises from about 50% to about 70% calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate and from about 5% to about 20% water and in which the calcium nitrate to ammonium nitrate weight ratio is 1.5 or greater; from about 0.2% to about 5% of emulsifier, and a density reducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the composition to within the range from about 1.0 to 1.4 g/cc.

Claim 11

A noncap-sensitive water-in-oil emulsion blasting agent comprising from about 3% 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 comprises from about 50% to about 70% calcium nitrate, ammonium nitrate and from about 5% to about 20% water and in which the calcium nitrate to ammonium nitrate weight ratio is 1.5 or greater; from about 0.2% to about 5% of emulsifier, and a density reducing agent in an amount sufficient to reduce the density of the composition to within the range from about 1.0 to 1.4 g/cc.

Claim 12

An explosive composition according to claim 9 wherein the oxidizer salt solution contains from about 10% to about 33% ammonium nitrate by weight based on the total composition.