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Mining Chemicals
PIBSA and sorbitan ester mining chemicals for emulsion explosives in open-pit and underground mining. Chlorine-free thermal process PIBSA from CheMost.
What Are Mining Chemicals?
Mining chemicals are specialized additives used throughout the mining value chain — from mineral extraction and ore processing to the formulation of industrial explosives for rock blasting. The category spans flotation reagents, solvent extractants, grinding aids, dust suppressants, and emulsifiers for explosives. CheMost's mining chemicals portfolio focuses on emulsifiers for emulsion explosives — the high-performance surfactants that stabilize the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion structure at the core of modern commercial blasting agents. These emulsifiers are the single most critical formulation component in an emulsion explosive: they determine shelf life, water resistance, sensitivity, and detonation reliability. A poorly emulsified ANFO (ammonium nitrate/fuel oil) matrix can crystallize within hours; a well-stabilized one remains blast-ready for weeks underground.
The mining industry consumes roughly 5–6 million metric tons of industrial explosives annually, and emulsion explosives account for over 70% of that volume — displacing dynamite and water-gel explosives due to superior safety (low mechanical sensitivity), water resistance (the continuous fuel phase seals out moisture in wet boreholes), and adjustable density for varying rock types. CheMost supplies the emulsifier chemistries that make this technology work, manufactured at the Jinzhou facility using the chlorine-free thermal PIBSA process. For detailed emulsifier chemistry and selection guidance, see our emulsifiers for explosives category page.
What Are Emulsion Explosives?
An emulsion explosive is a blasting agent in which microscopic droplets of a supersaturated aqueous oxidizer solution (typically ammonium nitrate at 70–85% concentration, sometimes blended with sodium nitrate or calcium nitrate for density adjustment) are dispersed as the internal phase within a continuous fuel oil phase (mineral oil, diesel, wax, or recycled oil). The oxidizer-to-fuel ratio is typically 90:10 to 95:5 by weight, and the emulsion is "inverted" — water droplets suspended in oil — which is why the emulsifier chemistry matters so much. This structure gives emulsion explosives three critical advantages over dry ANFO: water resistance (the oil phase seals out borehole water — critical in wet mining operations), safety (the intimate oxidizer-fuel contact is only achieved at the moment of detonation via a booster charge; the bulk emulsion is classified as a blasting agent, not a high explosive, and is insensitive to friction, impact, and even small flames), and density control (gas bubbles can be entrained during mixing to adjust density for specific rock types and blast designs).
Two delivery forms exist: packaged emulsions (pre-formed cartridges for small-diameter boreholes, requiring maximum shelf stability — PIBSA alone at 1.0–1.5% is the standard formulation) and bulk emulsions (mixed on-site and pumped from a truck directly into the borehole — this is where S80 co-emulsifier at 0.3–0.8% provides the rapid viscosity build needed to trap gas bubbles for sensitization). The choice of emulsifier chemistry and ratio directly determines whether the explosive functions reliably after sitting in a wet borehole for 3 days versus 3 weeks.
Mining Emulsifier Chemistry Types
CheMost manufactures two emulsifier chemistries for mining explosives at the Jinzhou plant. They are designed to be used together — PIBSA as the primary emulsifier for long-term stability, sorbitan ester (S80) as the co-emulsifier for rapid viscosity build and gas bubble retention. For full technical specifications and treat rate guidance, refer to the individual product pages linked below and the emulsifiers for explosives category.
| Type | Chemistry | Primary Function in Mining | CheMost Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polymeric — PIBSA-Based Polyisobutylene succinic anhydride |
High-MW polyisobutylene tail (1,000–1,300 Da) + succinic anhydride head. Thermal process — chlorine-free. Activity ≥99%, residual MA <0.5%. | Primary emulsifier for long-term emulsion stability (12+ months). High shear resistance — survives bulk truck pumping. 0.5–1.5% treat rate. Compatible with recycled oils. | PIBSA · PIBSA Emulsifier |
| Monomeric — Sorbitan Ester Sorbitan monooleate (SMO, Span-80) |
Fatty acid (oleic) esterified with sorbitan ring. Low MW (~428 Da). Acid value 6–8, saponification 140–160 mgKOH/g. | Co-emulsifier for rapid viscosity build and gas bubble entrapment in bulk explosives. Effective under low-shear mixing. 0.3–0.8% treat rate as co-emulsifier. | S80 Sorbitan Ester |
How to Select a Mining Emulsifier
- Packaged vs. bulk emulsion. Packaged cartridge explosives need PIBSA alone at 1.0–1.5% for maximum shelf stability (12+ months). Bulk pumped explosives need PIBSA (0.8–1.2%) + S80 co-emulsifier (0.3–0.6%) for rapid viscosity build and gas bubble retention during pump-down. The PIBSA/S80 ratio is the primary formulation lever.
- Sleep time in the borehole. Quarry blasts (hours) can use S80-rich formulations. Underground mining with sequential blasting schedules (days to weeks) requires PIBSA-dominant formulations for 7–30 day sleep times. The trade-off: more PIBSA = longer sleep time but higher cost per ton of explosive.
- Water conditions at the mine. Wet boreholes require maximum water resistance — PIBSA at the upper end of the treat range (1.2–1.5%). The continuous oil phase, stabilized by the PIBSA film, is the water barrier. Sorbitan ester-only formulations have poorer water resistance and are not recommended for underwater or high-water-table blasting.
- Chlorine content — a regulatory gate. Traditional chlorination-process PIBSA contains residual chlorides (0.1–0.5%) that can corrode equipment and are increasingly restricted. CheMost's thermal process PIBSA is chlorine-free — critical for mining operations subject to environmental discharge permits that monitor halogenated compounds. Request the certificate of analysis (COA) to confirm chlorine content.
- Oil phase composition. PIBSA dissolves readily in mineral oil, diesel, paraffinic oil, and recycled oils. Sorbitan esters have narrower compatibility — they perform well in diesel and mineral oil but can precipitate in highly paraffinic or recycled oil blends. If your fuel phase includes recycled oil (increasingly common as sustainability requirements grow), PIBSA-dominant formulations are the safer choice.
Mining Applications at a Glance
| Mining Operation | Explosive Type | Key Emulsifier Requirement | Recommended Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open-Pit Mining (Copper, Gold, Iron Ore) | Bulk emulsion pumped from truck | Shear stability through 50–100m hose, rapid gassing, variable sleep time (hours to days) | PIBSA (0.8–1.2%) + S80 (0.3–0.6%) |
| Underground Mining (Coal, Precious Metals) | Packaged cartridges + bulk | Long sleep time (days–weeks), fume quality, water resistance in wet conditions | PIBSA (1.0–1.5%) for packaged; PIBSA + S80 for bulk |
| Quarry & Construction Blasting | Bulk or packaged, short sleep | Cost-sensitive, short sleep times (hours), rapid sensitization | S80 (1.0–2.0%) as primary, or PIBSA (0.5–0.8%) + S80 (0.5–1.0%) |
| Tunneling & Civil Infrastructure | Packaged cartridges | Precision blast control, variable geology, wet boreholes | PIBSA (1.0–1.5%) — chlorine-free for tunnel fume quality |
CheMost
CheMost Additives CO.,LTD
ADDRESS: CheMost Additives CO.,LTD, Jinzhou city, Liaoning provice, China
