The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1923-11-29
TEST OF LIQUID OXYGEN
AS A MINING EXPLOSIVE
SAFER, CHEAPER AND AS Eff
FEcTIVE AS DYNAMITE
HAS ITS DISADVANTAGES.

Liquid oxygen explosive has been
successfully used in Colorado by the
Department of the Interior in expert
mental mine blasting and road con-
struction work at a cost Of approx
mately one-half that Of the gelatin
dynamite required to do the same
work. The experiments were con-
Quoted by +. d. Gardner, mining en-
gineer Of the Bureau of Mines. in
cooperation with a representative Of
the Compressed Air Corporation.
"A liquid oxygen explosive consists
of gas black, wood pulp or some other
carbonaceous material made up into
cartridges and soaked in liquid Oxy-
gen. This explosive can be deton-
ated similar to ordinary dynamite
with cap and fuse or with electric
decorators.
The liquid oxygen was obtained
from a plant designed to furnish oxy-
gen gas and was shipped to the point
of use in dewar TASKS. which are
made on the same principle as Their
mos bottles
Used in Road Work.
The first Colorado tests made by
the Bureau of Mines were conducted
with cartridges made in Germany,
but later cartridges manufactured at
less cost in Denver proved very much
more satisfactory.
As the use of this explosive is new
in this country, numerous tests and |
experiments were necessary to find a |
iow-priced carbonaceous material
which would have the desired quail |
ties and to learn the technique of |
blasting with this new material
Hand steel holes We're blasted in
granite on "a road construction job |
above Idaho Springs. with results
similar to those obtained with 40 per
cent gelatin dynamite. Trees were
also cleared from the right-of- way
and 20O-ton cliff blasted down sue
cessfully instantaneous electric det-
orators and blasting battery were
used for this work and no misfres
occurred and no holes failed to break
properly. The oxygen was taken to
the job in an automobile and the
quantity not used was taken back to
Denver The small-sized cartridges
were made on the ground from Ger
man material
Details of Drift Blast.
Regular drift rounds were blasted
on the 200 level of the Yak mine
The oxygen was expressed from Den
yer and a cartridge developed and
made at Denver was used. Eleven
and 1s-hole rounds. to 5 feet deep
in by SIT drift in firm limestone.
were successfully shot with the
liquid oxygen explosive. The rounds
were loaded and blasted by two men
n to II minutes. which was well
within the life limit of the cartridges
The blasts We're made according to
he standard practice in western
mines with time fuses and caps The
POUNDS were broken clean in each
'ase and the broken material was
iner than when blasted with 40 per
'ent gelatin dynamite. Disregarding
he express charges on the oxygen,
he cost of this liquid oxygen OK
'losive was about one-half that of
he gelatin dynamite needed to break
he same round. AS far as is known, "
hese are the first blasts of regular !
rift rounds made in the United "
tates. Z
Besides costing less. the liquid oxy- h
en- explosive is much safer to use Z
han ordinary dynamite. There are O
resulting from its use, l.
owever, and much is yet to be ~
armed before 1t can be universally q
dopted in metal mines. ii
p