ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF WATER CONTENT IN ROCK ON THE REACTIVITY OF ROCKS CONTAINING SULFIDE MINERALS WITH AMMONIUM NITRATE-BASED EXPLOSIVES

• Main Author: Naufal Harnendy, Rifqi
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/67697
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

In rock mining, the rock cracking process has various methods, one of which is blasting. Drilling and blasting are the most effective methods of breaking and cracking large volumes of rock if done properly. Generally, the explosives used are ammonium nitrate (AN) based explosives. This explosive has the disadvantage of being easy to react with side rocks containing sulfide minerals, so that when the blast hole with rocks containing sulfide minerals is filled with AN explosives, the AN will decompose, raising the temperature around the blast hole, and causing premature detonation. This reaction is known as the reactive ground condition. The method that has been commonly used to determine the reactivity of rocks when reacted with AN is the chemical compatibility test method. The Australian Explosives Industry and Safety Group has developed a laboratory test that can be carried out, namely the Isothermal Reactive Ground Test. One of the factors that affect rock reactivity is water content. The right water content will be the medium for the reactions to occur but if there is too little or too much then the reactions that occur will be inhibited. This study aims to determine the effect of water content on the reactivity of rocks containing sulfide minerals when reacted with AN. The test results shows that the relationship between water content and rock reactivity is that the more water content in the rock, the reactivity of rock decreases.