Quarrying With the Expanding Chemicals

Nowadays, quarrying and its common methods are constantly evolving and many research centers and institutions active in quarrying affairs are trying to produce materials that have the highest efficiency and at the same time, in addition to being economical, to advance the quarrying goals. The environment should be compatible.

One of the things that is used more and more in Iran’s quarrying works is expanding powders various types. This material has been used in natural stone quarries instead of Nariya material, and their consumption in natural zinc quarries is increasing.

The explosion power and these materials destruction is not like gunpowder, dynamite, and anfo, and in fact, it behaves similar to Pars and Gaveh Method. To use these materials, parallel holes must be dug in the rock. Then mix the desired material with water to make a grout.

The grout is poured into the pits and after some time due to the dewatering phenomenon, the grout increases its volume up to several times its volume. There are different types of these powders, such as: Fract, Dexpan, Stomit, Ketrac, etc., which we will introduce some these powders types below.

Fract:

It is a new product from Italy, the use of which has many advantages over all quarrying methods in natural stones. This method costs are generally lower than other similar methods and do not require heavy machinery.

This material can function in a wide temperatures range (from below zero degrees Celsius to 70 degrees Celsius) in a way that no other material has been able to function until now. This powder is available in 6 different types according to the ambient temperature. Quarries that use this powder in Iran are: Nain granite quarry in Isfahan, Lavasan granite quarry north of Tehran and Meybod granite quarry in Yazd.

Fract Powder Compared to Other Powders Advantages

• Production with ambient heat conditions
• Adjusting the performance speed
• Saving powder use consumption
• Ease in horizontal wells
• Pumping capability
• No toxic gas production
• Very high compressive stress Production
• Progressive pressure applied to the hole wall
• Create a tall works chest
• No need to dig a hole completely
• No need for heavy machinery and low quarrying cost
• Long distance between pits
• Not entering the stone natural seams
• The stone square or rectangular shape
• No need for pure water

Dexpan:

This material is currently widely used in the natural stones quarrying in the United States.

Ketrak:

Ketrak is one of the chemical non-explosive materials in quarries. It breaks the rock by applying tensile force on the pit wall. Ketrak works in such a way that it does not produce gas and high heat, but it performs the breaking action almost like an explosion. This material is also used in stone quarrying in Iran.

Stamina:

 It is one of the materials used in the natural stones quarrying and to a lesser extent in civil works. Although at first glance, the low these materials price makes it welcome, but at the end, the side costs and the reduction in the quarrying amount will increase the total costs. Stamaite is one of the unusual chemical explosives in quarries, which is a destructive substance without noise and danger.

Stamaite is available in four different types and four numbers in the market. Each of its types is used for stones at a specific ambient temperature. One of the main article defects is its late action and, in some cases, it doesn’t work at all. One of the biggest material disadvantages is the inefficiency in cutting the floor.

Using Expanding Chemicals Advantages

• No need for fillers
• Use Ease: the expanding powders use does not require expert personnel, and with a short-term training, these powders can be used.
• Transportation Ease
• Arbitrary cut shape
• Compatibility with the environment: in general, expanding powders are natural minerals compounds that their use does not cause any special problem from the environmental point of view.

Using Expanding Chemicals Disadvantages

• Production standards Lack: Many of the expanding powders available in the Iranian market are prepared by different manufacturers, and due to financial competition, many of these manufacturers do not meet the production standards. Therefore, many of the manufactured products lack specifications in terms of quality. are desirable
• Climatic conditions: Many powders available in the Iranian market are not produced for use in different climatic conditions. Therefore, the same powder is used in hot and cold areas. Therefore, because the heat factor plays a very decisive role in these powders’ expansion process, in cold weather, the time and the quarry financial efficiency is greatly reduced.
• Explosion and stone throwing Risk
• Cut small size
• Health: Many people who have used some locally produced powders complain of some lung and eye problems. Although the direct relationship between these diseases’ occurrence and these powders use has not been proven, the low production quality and the harmful substances use due to the low production cost can cause these diseases occurrence. It is also possible to produce toxic gases when using these non-standard powders.

Sources:

Iranian stone magazine, autumn and winter 2004, numbers 287 and 286.

Hamidi-Anarki, G., (1375), quarrying methods without mineral materials, Geological Organization.

Fazel Bastami, K., (2015), natural stone (quarrying), Roshan Rooz Publications.

Fahimi Far, Jamshid, 1381, “Investigating the natural and decorative stone processing competitiveness units in global markets”, second and third stage report, industrial research, educational and information plan, Industries and Quarries Ministry.