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B.— Tlil.1 Society, ns iv bwlr, does not hold Hii\t responaibli for the fact! and opinions 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.