The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-08-13
USE LIQUID
OXYGEN FOR
N BLASTING
Recommended by u. S. Blu.
reau Of Mines After Series
of Tests
NOT ELY USEL
No Chance of Premature
lgnitiOn-NO Mis-
fires

Washington, Aug. Is. - The use
OF liquid oxygen as an excellent
and cheap explosive in sale. metal
and other nOn-gaseous mines and
in quarry and other outside blast
ing, Is recommended by the United
States Bureau of Mines after a
series of tests. Preliminary ex-
periments in this novel explosive,
conducted at the bureaus expert
mental station at Pittsburgh, indi-
cate that 1t may be used to advant
age where dusts and gases are not
present, but Is especially useful
elsewhere in lessening the cost OF
blasting.
While liquid oxygen has not been
used in this country so far for this
purpose, 1t is already widely used
in Mexican mines; has been en-
plOyed in large quantities in the
Upper Silesian mines of Germany
since the war, and has been adapt
ed to tunnel work. iron mining,
subway and excavation work in
cities in that country. 1t was used
not only in Germany but in the
French iron mines of Lorraine af-
ter the German seizure, and APP
piled them also to the destruc-
ton of French steel plants. French
officials of the Briey iron district
believ the explosive has come to
stay, and the bureau is conducting
negotiations with Alaskan compa-
MES for its adoption there.
An advantage Is that it can be
prepared on the job at low cost
after the erection Of COMPRISING
plants. which will make it OF espe-
cial value in Alaska. As liquid
oxygen can be made at the place of
consumption. dangers common to
the transportation Of other explo-
sives can be done away with. Low
production cost, lessening the cost
per unit OF material blasted, is an
other advantage.
In the use of liquid oxygen ex-
plosives there is practically no
danger of premature ignition, 1t
was found. The danger of misfires
too, is eliminated by a wait of 30
or 40 minutes after the fuse is
lighted, when practically all of the
oxygen will have evaporated. An
other advantage is the elimination
of the danger of unexploded sticks
in shOveling and subsequent hand
ling of coal or ore going out of the
mine. Other sources of danger
avoided are the handling and
thawing processes such as are ne
cessary from lightning or fire when
stored.
But there are certain disadvant-
ages in the use of this explosive,
the bureau says. Because of its
rapid evaporation liquid oxygen
must be used quickly and within a
definite time after the hole is
charged, thus limiting the number
OF holes than can be fired stimuli
taneously. although in Germany as
many as % have been fred at once.
Its use virtually requires the in
stallation of a liquidating plant at
considerable first cost, and this
plant must he kept running regu-
larly to obtain low cost explosive,
as the main cost is in the power
used.
That the power of liquid oxygen
as an explosive is favorably COM
parable with other explosives is
shown in the fact that 100000
pounds of liquid oxygen are equal
to 100000 pounds of dynamite. /
One of the interesting features
of the high development OF this ex-
plosive in Germany has been the
designing of small portable liquid
oxygen making plants to produce
three tiers an hour. Such plants
have been constructed to move
about on trucks, making the ma
terial much more available for
small operators.