1. technology and computing

ARKOMON® XP 1014
Delivers Excellent
Blast Results Using
Low-Grade, Porous
Ammonium Nitrate
CASE HISTORY
THE BOTTOM LINE
Clariant Mining Solutions partnered with an explosives manufacturer to
custom design the high quality ARKOMON® XP 1014 emulsifier to
consistently work with low-grade, low-density Ammonium Nitrate
(LDAN) to…
CLARIANT MINING SOLUTIONS
performance and value delivered.
2750 Technology Forest Blvd.
The Woodlands, TX 77381
USA
Phone +1 281 465 9100
BENEFITS

Significantly reduce crystal formation

Increase in-hole gassed sleep time

Deliver consistent blast results

Reduce emulsion droplet size

Increase blast program management flexibility
OBJECTIVES
An explosives manufacturer in Indonesia tasked Clariant with developing
a new, custom-designed emulsifier that eliminates large crystal formations
and improves blast consistency when using low-grade AN bulk explosives.
Clariant developed testing procedures using a microscopic quantitative
approach for lab trials to achieve reliable, accurate and consistent test
results.
The goal of the project was to create more stable emulsions, using the low
grade and highly variable AN sources and yet, still provide higher
velocities of detonation than the current emulsifier.
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CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD 2014
BACKGROUND
Operating in one of the most competitive markets in the world, an
Indonesian explosives manufacturer serving the mining industry switched
to using a low-grade AN bulk explosive for its blasting program as part of a
cost reduction initiative. Immediately following the change, the explosives
manufacturer experienced significant crystallization with its emulsifier,
which led to poor blast performance, and switched to an emulsifier the
company had used previously. However, the company still experienced
crystallization issues and inconsistent blast performance with the
competitive emulsifier.
The explosives manufacturer supplied material to customers who drilled
up to 500 holes in their blast patterns and depended on the explosive to
offer a maximum seven-day sleep-time. It was imperative the company
offered a dependable explosive product for its customers’ load-and-shoot
blasting programs.
However, reaction between the competitive emulsifier and sodium
naphthalene sulphonate crystal modifier/anti-caking agent led to
significant crystallization of the emulsion during the one-to five-day sleeptime period. This interrupted the relationship between the fuel and
oxygen, resulting in inconsistent blast performance, poor muckpile
uniformity, high downstream processing costs and increased NOx fumes.
As Clariant technologists worked through emulsifier trials with the
customer, they discovered that the commonly used “feel” testing
procedure for determining the amount of crystallization was too subjective
to give accurate, repeatable and comparative results for selecting the best
performing emulsifier, since the act of rubbing the emulsion between the
fingers itself can cause crystal formation. Using Clariant’s global
resources and experience in the emulsions industry, a more quantifiable
testing procedure was developed that was able to determine the amount of
crystallization.
ACTIONS
Sodium naphthalene sulphonate is commonly used by manufacturers
of low-grade ammonium nitrate as a crystal modifier/anti-caking agent.
Clariant discovered that the quantities added of this agent varied widely
even within the same product.
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CLARIANT MINING SOLUTIONS
performance and value delivered.
2750 Technology Forest Blvd.
The Woodlands, TX 77381
USA
Phone +1 281 465 9100
www.mining.clariant.com
COPYRIGHT ©
CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD 2014
Clariant tested varying percentages of diesel fuel oil and recycled oil as
well as a variety of ARKOMON emulsifiers as part of the research
program.
Technicians collected uniform sample sizes of un-gassed and gassed
explosives using the various emulsifiers at predetermined intervals, and
the explosive sample was kept at a constant temperature for uniformity.
This ensured a high degree of statistical significance for trials and
laboratory tests.
In head-to-head testing against competitive products, three, one-week
trials were conducted to test the performance of different ARKOMON
emulsifier formulations against the customer’s current emulsifier. Five
ARKOMON formulations passed the quantitative crystallization tests,
showing only negligible to moderate crystal formations after nearly a
month. By contrast, the competitive emulsifier failed the quantitative
tests, exhibiting moderate crystallization within five days and heavy
crystallization after nearly a month.
Clariant’s ARKOMON XP 1014 was selected as the best performing
emulsifier.
ARKOMON XP 1014 Good result –
negligible crystallisation
Phase contrast Microscope 40X
Gassed 5 days
3
CLARIANT MINING SOLUTIONS
performance and value delivered.
2750 Technology Forest Blvd.
The Woodlands, TX 77381
USA
Phone +1 281 465 9100
www.mining.clariant.com
COPYRIGHT ©
CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD 2014
RESULTS
Working closely with the explosives manufacturer, Clariant Mining
Solutions developed a tailor-made emulsifier that is proven to give longterm stability in the hole when using low-grade AN with a sodium
naphthalene sulphonate crystal modifier/anti-caking agent.
By using ARKOMON XP 1014, the explosives manufacturer

Has the best performing emulsifier on the market to minimize
crystallization when using low-grade AN

Can source lower quality AN to reduce costs

Achieves desired blast results using low-grade AN

Delivers blast consistency and better blast management in the field

Has a 20% smaller and more stable emulsion droplet size than the

CLARIANT MINING SOLUTIONS
performance and value delivered.
competitive emulsifier
2750 Technology Forest Blvd.
The Woodlands, TX 77381
USA
Can offer a significant reduction in blast failure costs with
Phone +1 281 465 9100
their customers
www.mining.clariant.com
COPYRIGHT ©
CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD 2014
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