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 Btated in any of ita publieationa. 
 
 TJIE USE OF SAFE EXPLOSIVES IN MINES. 
 
 I'AKT II. THB BESULT8 OP EXPERIMENTS. 
 
 By E. Gilpin Jun., M. Can. Soo. C. E. 
 To bo road on Friday, lllli Octoboi-, 1892. 
 
 Tho question of tho use of explosives in tho provincial coal 
 mines was forced on tho attention of tlio Nova Seotiu legislature 
 by tho explosion at Springliill. Hero apparently no trouble had 
 boon spared by tho Company to protect its workmen. Tho 
 localily in which (ho xnlosion oiiginated was worked with 
 safety lamps, the shuot, were fii'ed under tho diieclion of skilled 
 men rtpoi-ially appointed for tho pui'pose, and then at long intor- 
 val.-!, not lor loosening the coalj but to romovo a few inches of 
 Btono in part of the roof. Copious watering was reiiorted to for 
 laying the dust wliorevor the workings woie not naturally damp. 
 In spite of those precautions it appeared upon a careful enquiry 
 that a charge of gunpowder had partially done i's work, had 
 flamed out, and tlie heat acting upon an atmosphere containing 
 dust and gas gave rise to a very serious explosion. This showed 
 that the mining practice of firing charges of gunpowder in plac38 
 where dust and gas could be present was dangerous in spite of 
 tho precautious regaiding its use. 
 
 After deliberation the Logi.-latuie enacted that when gas was 
 found in any mine, in quantity sufficient to show in a safety 
 lamp in three consecutive days, no explosive could bo used for 
 two months. 
 
 Provision was however made, that the Governor-in Counc'l 
 could, upon the recommendation of a commission, including the 
 Inspector and persons skilled in tho use and composition of 
 explosives, that any explosive was safe, relax tho act in respect 
 to explosives in favor of such safe explosive. 
 
 In considering the practical application of the use of explosives 
 in coal mines, the first point to bo settled is what constitutes a 
 "gassy" mine, that is a inino in which the use of gunpowder 
 becomes unsafe. The theoretical definition is that any mine in 
 which gas is known to be given oil' may present it in volume 
 sufficient to be ignited either alone or in connection with dust by 
 the explosion of gunpowder. As a matter of fact small percent- 
 ages are known by special tests to be present almost continuously 
 in mines, although they cannot be detected by the best safety 
 lamps in use. In all parts of the world in v^ell ventilated mines, 
 gunpowder has been continuously used for years with impunity 
 in tho presence of these minute percentages of gas. In such 
 mines provided that they are damp, and free from dust, there is 
 little danger even from excessive chaiges, or blown out shots of 
 powder, so long as the ventilation is ml equate. 
 
 Such mines when carefully managed and under proper discip- 
 line gradually and by imperceptible degrees, pass, as they are 
 worked at an iucroa,ied depth, into what may bo termed the 
 Bocond stitgo, that of an increased ev-lutiou of gas, and usually 
 of a greater degree of dryness. When this stage is reached a 
 deficiency of ventilation in any district, coupled with dryjiess of 
 the workifgs, produces a state of affairs higliiy dangerous in the 
 
event of flaming or blown ut shots. The th it'll slage Ih that of 
 deep workings, which add to the dangew of incrousod exudation 
 of ga?, and genural dustiness, those of extended fracture of the 
 strata suddenly introducing volumes of gas directly into the 
 workings oppressing it out of the old goaves. Under these con- 
 ditions prudent management introduces safety lamps and 
 abolished the use of gunpowder. The second stage is the most 
 dangerous, as when the condition'* of safety and danger .are bal- 
 anced, a tritling mishap pftvos the way for a disaster. 
 
 Mining practice has so long sanctioned the use of open lights 
 and high explosives in mines that have reached the second stage, 
 that the reactio.i now setting in, in favor of their resti-iction, 
 promises to seriously att'ect the economic exploitation of some 
 coal beds. The Prussian Commission went so fur as to classify 
 as "gassy," mines in which gas had been detected once in two 
 years. It is therefore iipparont that in almost every di.itiict there 
 are mines vai-ying in their degree of danger. Any hard and 
 fast rule, for e.vamplo, precluding the use of high e.Kplo.iives when- 
 ever gas is found, would not ntfect the mines of the third stage, 
 but would greatly incrcaric the cost of the coal from the comp.xr- 
 atively non-gaeeous mines. In the case of nianj' mines giving 
 oif little gas, there are serious expenses, otT setting the cheapness 
 with which the coal is mined, such as faults, steepness of dip, 
 the presence of stone, weakness of the roof, etc. Su'ih mines 
 would find it difficult to produce coal, if explosives were abol- 
 ished. 
 
 As it was apparent that a mine at any given time fairlv clas- 
 sed as not " gassy" might in a few days on cutting a fault, giving 
 off gas, or entering a disturbed section of coal, become decidedly 
 "gassy" it was considered that the limitation imposed in the 
 act would give a fair warning of danger arising in the usual 
 conditions of mining. In the case of mines naturally damp, and 
 decidedly free from gas, permission was also made in the act 
 that any local and tcmporury detection of gas would not exclude 
 the use of powder UMtil it became evident that the incroa-<ed 
 proportion of gas was likely to prove permanent. 
 
 It must also be remembered that explosives play an importatit 
 part in mining in addition to their employment for loosening the 
 coal. Faults have to be penetrated, often through stone, tunnels 
 must be driven to connect seams, roofs and pavements have to 
 bo romovod, etc. These operations \7h0n expedited by the use of 
 gunpowder or high explosives, have frequently proved very 
 dangerous, and the source of serious explosions in the presence 
 of gas and dust. So much is this the case that there is evidence 
 tending strongly to show that, in haulage planes containing 
 much dust, and presumably almost entirely free from gas, shots 
 fired to bring down portions of a stone roof have caused disost- 
 rouB explosions. Still such operations are essential to working 
 coal mines, and their cost would be enormous if they had to be 
 performed by manual labour only. 
 
 Upon a careful consideration from every point of view of the 
 difficulties surrounding the problem, it appeal's that the total 
 prohibition of explosives would bo almost impracticable, and 
 result speedily in the closing of mines already compelled to use 
 every economy to make both ends meet in the face of competi- 
 tion. 
 
 Under these conditions the importance became evident of 
 ascertaining if there was any explosive that could be safely used 
 in the presence of gas and dust, in order that the exploitation of 
 the Provincial mines might not be injuriously affected. The 
 International and Acadia collieries, in Pictou County, had for 
 some time used Boburiie, at first imported from England, but 
 afterwards supplied from a branch factory in Halifax, working 
 under the companv controlling the patent in Canada. 
 
 The commission appointed to enquire into the subject, under 
 
 i-nv |.? .'- i^i'.iir? *'! itit* •••■*■ i-r'trt\-ty itjicireu tv, COiupi'iacu i:j6 
 
 Inspector and several mining engineers and practical minere 
 familiar with the three principal mining districts of the Province. 
 The CJommissien met several times at Stellarton, in Pictou 
 
 2 
 
County.arid oxporimcntod in the collieries of the Acadia Company, 
 and appointed a Bub-committoe to experiment in Cape Breton. 
 
 The general value of the explosives tested before the Commis- 
 sion a* Stollartoii, may be gathered from the following selection 
 of experiment!*, conducted under the supervision of members of 
 the Commission. 
 
 Two rartios submitted explosives. The Acadia Powder Com- 
 pany of Halifax, which had been for some time engaged in the 
 investigation of flumcloss explosives suitable for ute in gaseous 
 mines, piodiiced two grades of a dynamite explosive, claimed to 
 be rendered flamoloss by the addition of certain chemicals. As 
 the explosives wore experimental, it was not deemed necessary at 
 that stage to consider their ])orcontago composition. The Robn- 
 rito Company submitted Roburite as manufactured by them at 
 JIalifa.v, giving its composition as 18 per cent of chloro-dinitro- 
 benzole and 82 per cent of nitrate of ammonia. It may be 
 remarked that the socieiary of the English company intimated 
 lalor that tho compound as manufactured there did not contain 
 over 12J per icntof chloro-dinitrobenzole, and that presumably 
 it was made in Halifax of the same str.Migth. The commission 
 up to the date of its preliminary report, has dealt with the ques- 
 tion of exact Composition of explosives oidy in a general manner. 
 
 It may be remarked that in those expo iments, the shots were 
 fire<J with dotonutoi-s, ignited by a victor battery. 
 
 1st I'Ltporiment. Two tJ or, cartridges of roburito wore placed 
 on tlie ground on tho same wire, and covered with a few shovel- 
 fulls of dry slack cocl. Both shots gave a short bright flash. 
 
 2nd Kxporimont. One 6 oz cartridge of grade " B," and a 3 oz 
 cartridge of grade " C," of the explosives of the Acadia Powder 
 Company, were connected to the same wire, placed on the 
 ground and covered with slack as befoi-e. On firing there was a 
 flaf<h froii. grade " C " cartridge, but nonj from grade " B" cart- 
 ridge. 
 
 3rd K::poriment. — A 4 oz cartridge of roburite, covered with 
 four inches of slack coal, gave a flash on being tired. 
 
 These experiments were n.aie on a dark night, and as far as 
 possible under the same conditions. 
 
 The tests wore continued in the McGregor pit of the Acadia 
 Coal Corapimy. A number of holes were bored in firm coal, in 
 the high side of a level, in a five foot seem, about half way bet- 
 ween the roof and floor. The holes were three feet six inches 
 deep, and from IJ to If inches in diameter. 
 
 1st Experiment.— Charge 7 oz, explosive " B," hole tamped 
 with clay for 25 inches. Shot blew the outside tamping off for a 
 depth of 18 inches. No light visible. 
 
 2nd Experiment. — Charge 4 oz. roburite. Hole tamped with 
 clay for 20 inches. Shot blew out tamping. No light visible. 
 
 3rd E.xperiment.— Charge 4 oz explosive " B," hole tjimped 
 with clay for 20 inches. Shot blew out tamping. No light 
 visible. 
 
 4th Experiment. — Charge 7 oz explosive " B ". No tamping. 
 Shot gave bright flash. 
 
 5th Experiment. — Detonator of Acadia Powder Company fired 
 outside the hole alone and uncovered, gave flash. 
 
 6th Experiment. — A 4 oz cartridge explosive " B " with deton- 
 ator in rear of cartridge, aud pushed in the back of the hole, 
 gave slight flash on being fired. 
 
 In the opinion of those witnessing these experiments, the flash 
 observed when the explosives where flred, without tamping, was 
 not greater than that due to the detonator, except perhaps, in the 
 case of the fourth experiment in the McGregor pit. It is probable 
 that the greater or less amount of flash visible in a number of 
 experiments, may be due either to a lack of uniformity of the 
 explosive mixture, or to the detonitors not occupying, in each 
 case, the same position in the cartridge. The fact was evident 
 that the explosives, fired unconfiiied, did not give a flame, but a 
 vcvj brief flash of light. Tho bloNvti out shots did not fiamo, 
 nor did Ihey give a light, a very slight tamping being apparently 
 enough to delay the progress of the explosion long enough for 
 the flash to have disappeared, when the rupture of the enclosing 
 
 3 
 
matter touk place. It may be imagined that the Hiidden com- 
 pression of the air in the vicinity of the charge might produce 
 visible hc.it, iti a manner parallel to iho gnition of gunpow- 
 der by sudden compressirn of air in a cylinder. 
 
 Numerous practical experiments wore made in this pit, sub- 
 stituting the new explosives for gunpowder in the ordinary 
 working of the coal. These Jiowed that as soon as the workmen 
 understootl the changed methods of apportioning the charge, 
 tamping, etc, they got equally good piacticol .eHults. A.w a 
 specimen the following memo given the jiurticulars of u shot tired 
 in one of the regular working places of the McGregor pit. 
 
 Working place 16 (eet wide. Bench feet by 7 feel, by 3 feet 
 9 inches hi^h. (1575 cubic feet.) Hole 5 feet deep, 2 feet (5 
 inches from the higher side, (the team dipj)iiig about 1 in 3) 
 level, and on bottom of seam. Charji;o 18 oz. "U" Kxplosivo. 
 First half of bolo slommed with clay, rest with slutk coal. Tho 
 shot was Hatisfacloiy. Coal hard and compact and tho bench 
 had a layer of stone on top 9 inches thick. 
 
 The committee appointed to experiment in Capo Breton coals, 
 which arc softer than those of Pictou, reported that, in spite of 
 their meeting with objections on account of cost, and 
 prejudices in favor of the long establishetl gunpowder, ihoir 
 opinion was that these explosives could readily replace gun- 
 powder in that district. 
 
 At the close of the year the Commission submitted a prelimi- 
 nary report to the Govornor-in Council, in which they state that 
 they had sclucled two of the explosives subniiticd, as apparently 
 sale and adapted for coal mining, and that they had confined 
 their enquiry solely to tho question of safety in blasting, but 
 had not gone into the question of cost, or of safety in manu- 
 facture, transportation, or storage, and that no investigation had 
 been carried into tho composition of these compounds pending 
 the results of certain changes recommended by the Commission 
 08 calculated to render them safer. 
 
 The Commission recommended that any of the four exph)sivcs, 
 approved of by the French Minister of Public works, August 1st, 
 1890, be allowed to bo used, and any other explosive, not yield- 
 ing as the product of its detonation any combustible matter, 
 such as carbon, nitrogen, etc, or having its temperature of deton 
 ation higher than 1500° C. if employed in coal blasting. 
 
 Kecommendations are also made as to tho proper length of 
 tamping. Arrangements were made for the issue of licenses to 
 manufacturers, testing of samples, firing by electrical fuses by 
 low tension electricity etc. 
 
 Since the report was made, samples of ammonite have been 
 received from England. This explosive is put up in thin metal- 
 lic cartridges to prevent the action of moisture on the nitrate of 
 ammonia. The explosive, which is highly spoken of in England, 
 is likely to prove expensive, where it comes into competition 
 with other explosives, which can be supplied to the miner fresh 
 from the factory, if not as well protected from dampness. Op- 
 portunity has hitherto been aiTorded only of testing this 
 explosive in Cape Breton, and the results were not conclusive, 
 but further tests will be made in Pictou County, where more 
 experience has been gained in handling new explosives. 
 
 The Acadia Powder Company have improved their explosive, 
 and are experimenting with an addition which has, it is claimed, 
 the power to effectually waterproof their ammonia nitrate. 
 Their new compound is substituted for the grades " A " & " B " 
 referred to in this paper. The compound contains under 20 per 
 centum of dynamite, and has in addition to the nitrate of 
 ammonia, a chemical, which, .stable in itself, is calculated to 
 neutralize any trace of acid that may bo present. So soon as 
 the changes in the explosives are finished, the Commission will 
 probably resume its work, and it is hoped will be able to recom- 
 mend, at least two explosives superior in safety to any yet 
 iuti-oduced in Jiiiiglaud or on the Continent. 
 
 NOTE.— The final results, analyses, etc., will be shortly sub- 
 nnltted.