Dynamite and mining
Dynamite, a stabilized form of nitroglycerine, is a powerful explosive that has significantly shaped the mining industry since its introduction. Initially, black powder was the only explosive available for underground mining, but it posed safety risks and lacked efficiency. The discovery of nitroglycerine in 1847 revolutionized explosives, although its instability presented serious hazards. Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel developed dynamite in 1867 by stabilizing nitroglycerine with diatomaceous earth, creating a safer and more manageable explosive. Modern applications of dynamite in mining utilize its high explosive power effectively, with formulations tailored to minimize harmful emissions and optimize performance in various conditions. Dynamite is typically packaged in cylindrical forms and used in boreholes, with specific types selected based on the desired shock wave characteristics for tasks such as coal dislodging or rock fragmentation. Additionally, in strip mining, dynamite serves as a primer for detonating lower-cost explosives. This evolution of explosive technology reflects ongoing efforts to enhance safety and efficiency in the mining sector.
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Dynamite and mining
The invention of dynamite has had an effect on the procuring of coal, silver, gold, and any other materials which are mined by tunneling.
Definition
Many different formulations are called dynamite, but all are stabilized forms of nitroglycerine. Dynamite is an explosive that is highly dense so that a large explosive power is available from a small volume of material.
Overview
Explosives have been a part of underground mining ever since their discovery. Until the mid-1800’s the only explosive available was black powder, which was lacking in power and created flames that constituted a fire or dust explosion hazard in mines. Nitroglycerine was discovered by an Italian chemist, Ascanio Sobrero, in 1847. It is an oily organic liquid that is a highly powerful explosive—and an extremely unstable chemical. Temperature increases or mechanical shock readily detonate nitroglycerine. Although it did find use in the mining industry, the hazard of premature explosions was extreme, and the industry searched for an alternative.
The material known as dynamite was discovered by Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel in 1867. After several years of experiments aimed at stabilizing nitroglycerine, Nobel found that when the liquid was absorbed by the mixture was safe to handle and did not explode unless a blasting cap was used to initiate the reaction. Nobel went on to commercialize the production of dynamite by building manufacturing facilities on a worldwide basis and thereby accumulating a large fortune. Upon Nobel’s death, his will left a considerable portion of his fortune to establish the Nobel Prizes.
Modern dynamite is a dry granular material that is fundamentally stabilized nitroglycerine. It finds its greatest application in underground mining, where its high explosive power per volume is a desired quality. Other chemicals are mixed with the basic ingredients to improve certain aspects of its performance. Some particular formulations are designed to reduce the level of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide that are produced in the explosion so that they do not create a hazard for miners. Another form is of particular use when high explosive power is needed at low operating temperatures.
When packaged for use, the solid is packed into paper cylinders ranging from 2 to 20 centimeters in diameter and from 20 to 100 centimeters in length. These sticks are placed in boreholes in the mine face, tamped into place, and fitted with an electrical detonator. In coal mining, a dynamite form that produces a slow shock wave is used so that the pieces of coal dislodged are relatively large. For other deep mining purposes a form producing a fast shock wave is used to fragment the more thoroughly into smaller rock pieces that can be more easily processed. Dynamite also finds a role in or pit mining, where its highly dense explosive power is not needed. In these instances, it is used as a primer to detonate other, lower-cost, blasting agents.
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Morgan, Kate. "How Dynamite Shaped the World." Popular Mechanics, 26 May 2020, www.popularmechanics.com/science/a32447280/history-dynamite/. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
"What Are Chemical Explosives Used in Mining." Bisley International, 24 Jan. 2023, bisleyinternational.com/what-are-chemical-explosives-used-in-mining/. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.