From: b-davis%cai%cs.utah.edu@ssyx.ucsc.edu (Brad Davis) Subject: Fertilizer explosives... Date: 2 Mar 90 04:19:24 GMT Just as a background, my father works for one of the largest explosives firms in the country. His company makes and markets fertilizers, most of what they sell is ammonium nitrate. They will sell a carload (railroad car, open top) of pellets (what you buy in the 80 pound bags) and the purchaser will add oil right into the car. This is then poured down the drill holes (as a slurry) and then ignited with something conventional (dynamite, etc.). All the big open pit mines that I know of do this. One of the travelling salesmen loved to visit the gold mines in Nevada because they let him set the charges off. Most of their NH4NO3 is used as an oxidizer, some does make it to living things. If anyone is interested I could find out exactly what oil and what percentages the mines use. Brad Davis b-davis%cai@cs.utah.edu