This Bureau of Mines report describes the evolution of modern-day blasting agent and slurry products and the state of the art of the usage of these products as it exists today. The steadily increasing consumption of blasting agents and slurries at the expense of cartridged high-explosive usage is related. Although safety is not covered in depth, reference is made to pertinent safety literature available. Product formulations, detonation reactions, and detonation products are discussed. Product terminology is defined and the significant differences between the relatively insensitive modern-day dry blasting agents and slurries and cap-sensitive high explosives are described. Blasting agent and slurry properties are discussed, as well as methods of determining and describing these properties, and specific types of products are also discussed with reference to their ingredients, -properties, and field applications. Increasing consumption of slurries, particularly in small-diameter boreholes, and the development of more cap-sensitive varieties of slurries are forecast although dry blasting agents should continue to dominate the market. The consumption of cartridged high explosives will level off or gradually decrease.

The objective of this study was to refine and/or develop new demolition techniques which would serve to minimize hazards to the environment in areas where demolition activities are scheduled or are on-going. The objective of the first year's effort was to survey present demolition techniques and provide a vehicle for assuring that the most modern demolition techniques and procedures are described so that the Army might make use of them in developing demolition contracts. The phase of the study reported herein involved (1) determining the general state-of-the-art of the demolition industry regarding techniques and current practices, (2) assessing Army demolition problems as characterized by typical projects, and (3) evolving basic guidelines and optional plans of action to be considered in planning demolition projects. It is concluded from this investigation that current Army policies concerning protection of the environment from demolition operations are in step with broad Federal policies aimed at improving the national level of environmental quality. (Modified author abstract).

The fourth of several volumes on solids in this series, the six extensive chapters here are more specifically concerned with detonation and shock compression waves in reactive heterogeneous media, including mixtures of solid, liquid and gas phases.