Patent ID: 8850984

Claim:
An explosive cartridge that is self-deactivating if detonation does not take place as intended, the explosive cartridge comprising: an outer shell surrounding an explosive composition; a deactivating agent that is capable of desensitising the explosive composition and that is provided in a form that is rendered mobile on contact with water; and a barrier element that is provided between and prevents contact between the explosive composition and the deactivating agent, wherein the cartridge is adapted to allow water from the environment to enter, or be delivered into, the cartridge and come into contact with the deactivating agent, thereby rendering the deactivating agent mobile, wherein the barrier element is adapted to be breached or at least partially removed when the deactivating agent has been rendered mobile by contact with water from the environment that enters or is delivered into the cartridge so that the deactivating agent will come into contact with the explosive composition, and wherein when mobile the deactivating agent will contact the explosive composition and will render the explosive composition insensitive to detonation after a predetermined period of time by which detonation of the explosive cartridge should have occurred but has not occurred.