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The History of Explosives and Blasting

What is an Explosives Engineer?

How Explosives Work

How Explosives Have Shaped Our World

The Many Uses of Explosives

A Few Major Projects

Blasting in Your Neighborhood (coming soon)

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History of Explosives and Blasting
In the US and Canada alone, blasters use more than 6 billion pounds of explosives and 75 million detonators per year. Coal mining accounts for two-thirds of consumed explosives of which more than 80% of it is ANFO.

Today, sophisticated explosive materials and new technologies are being utilized to improve the quality of life for all of us. Computers are used to: drill, log and monitor blastholes — automate blending and delivery with bulk trucks — determine bench heights and face conditions — analyze production efficiency, design blast patterns — and more.

The time line below presents the history of the explosives industry... a tradition of excellence in mining, quarrying, construction, and many other pursuits involving the peaceful use of explosives to break rock in service to mankind.

50 B.C.
Early form of seismoscope used by Chang Heng in China.

668 A.D.
"Greek-fire" used in battle.

1200 A.D.
Arabian author Abd Allah records use of saltpeter as main ingredient of black powder.

13th Century
Chinese use "Roman Candles" in seige of Kai-Feng Fu.

1242
English Friar Roger Bacon publishes gunpowder formula.

1380
German Franciscan Monk, Berthold Schwarts developed gunpowder and its use in guns.

Berthold Schwarts
German Franciscan Monk

1627
First recorded use of black powder for rock blasting (Hungary).

1670
Black powder use spreads to tin mines of Cornwall England by German miners.

1675
First powder mill in U.S. constructed in Milton, Mass.

1696
First recorded use of black powder for road construction in Switzerland.

1745
Doctor Watson of British Royal Society explodes black powder with an electric spark.

1749
Hungarian Miners introduce chisel bit.

1750
American inventor Benjamin Franklin encases and compresses powder in cartridges.

1773
Black powder first used in U.S. at Copper Mine in Connecticut.

1785
Machine to detect earthquake vibrations invented.

1818-1821
First use of black powder in construction of road tunnel in Pennsylvania.

1830
Moses Shaw of New York patents electric firing of black powder.

1831
William Bickford of Cornwall, England invents Safety Fuse.

1832
Dr. Robert Hare of University of Pennsylvania demonstrates bridge wire electric blasting cap.

1841
Milne invents "Seismometer" to detect ground vibrations by earthquakes.

1846
Italian chemist Ascanio Sobrero discovers nitroglycerine.

1849
Jonathan Couch patents first practical American percussion-style steam powered rock drill.

1861
First practical use of piston-type compressed air mechanical drill in 8-mile long Mount Cenis Tunnel in the Alps.

1863
Wilbrand invents Trinitrotoluene (TNT).

1864
Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel develops first detonating blasting cap.




Alfred Nobel
The Father of Explosives

1866
Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel invents dynamite by mixing kieselguhr with nitroglycerine.

1866
First U.S. plant to make nitroglycerine, Little Ferry, NJ.

1869
First use of diamond drills for prospecting and blasthole drilling.

1870
First U.S. dynamite plant, Giant Powder Co., San Francisco, California.

1871
Simon Ingersoll patents tripod mount for steam powered rock drill.

1872
Gunpowder Trade Association formed in U.S.

1875
Nobel patents blasting gelatine.

1878
Rack bar electric blasting machine developed by H. Julius Smith.

1884
Ammonium Nitrate (AN) becomes widely used in dynamite formulations.

1885
Two component explosives used in New York Harbor.

1888
Nobel invents ballistite, a dense smokeless powder.

1885
Permitted explosives officially recognized in Europe.

1890
First stoper drill with hammering action and airleg feed introduced by C.H. Shaw.

1896
First successful hammer drill with hollow steel patented by J. George Leyner.

1902
Detonating cord introduced in Europe.

1907
Consumption of black powder in U.S. more than 287 million pounds.

1908
U.S. Geological Survey assigned task of testing explosives for use in underground coal mines.

1910
Mine accident work transferred to U.S. Bureau of Mines.

1912
Government orders Breakup of duPont. Creation of Hercules and Atlas Powder.

1912
Lightweight hand-held (Jackhammer) sinker drill invented.

1913
Insitute of Makers of Explosives (IME) formed in Chicago.

Cordeau, a TNT filled, lead-sheathed detonating cord, introduced in U.S.

First wild oil well fire put out by M. Kinley with explosives in California.

1914
Fifty-one mile Panama Canal opens, largest engineering project to date, using more than 67 million pounds of dynamite.

1917
German scientist L. Mintrop invents first portable seismograph.

U.S. Explosives Act sets regulations for purchases.

1919
Three component vibration recorder used by General Crushed Stone Co.

1920’s
Cambridge Vibrograph developed to record vertical vibrations.

Falling Pin "Seismograph" used by General Crushed Stone.

1921

U.S. National Academy of Sciences studies Ammonium Nitrate (AN) after explosion in Oppau, Germany.

1924
First use of seismograph for oil prospecting by Gulf Production.

Largest industrial blast to date in U.S. fired at California Blue Diamond quarry using 328,000 lbs. of dynamite 1924.

1926
Blasting cap safety education program launched by IME

Mid 1920’s
Liquid Oxygen based explosives commercialized in U.S.

1927
History of Explosives Industry in America published by IME.

1928
Detachable drill bits introduced at Anaconda Copper Mine, Butte, Montana.

1930
U.S. Bureau of Mines forms geophysical section headed by Dr. F. Lee.

Early 1930’s
Jackleg drill introduced.

1931
Fiberboard cases approved for dynamite shipping.

1933
Roller cone bits introduced in oil fields.

1935
U.S. Geological Survey develops blast vibration machine — cost $25,000.

1935
duPont introduces first commercially successful non-nitroglycerin ammonium nitrate (AN) blasting agent.

1936
IME establishes fume classes for explosives in underground mines.

1938
Modern PETN-filled fabric-covered detonating cord introduced in U.S.

1939
U.S. Bureau of Mines begins work on vibration standards.

Modern plastic explosives invented during WWII.

1940’s
Self propelled open pit rock drills introduced.

Use of tungsten carbide bits began in mining in Sweden.

1946
Short interval millisecond delay electric blasting caps introduced.

1947
Industry assists with federal investigation of Texas City, Texas — Ammonium Nitrate explosion.

1948
Pennsylvania issues regulations limiting blast vibrations.

First shot on Crazy Horse monument South Dakota.

U.S. production of ammonium nitrate (AN) for fertilizer totally converted to prilling method.



Crazy Horse Memorial - 2003

1950
First portable 3 component monitor developed, the Leet Seismograph weighs 65 lbs.



Leet Seismograph

1952
New Jersey issues regulations on seismic effects and airblast.

1955
Maumee Collieriers Drilling & Blasting Superintendent Bob Akre introduces "Akremite" at Coal Show in Cleveland, Ohio.

1955
Down hole drill introduced using high-pressure portable air compressors.

1956
First use of ANFO by U.S. Steel Corp.’s Oliver Mining Division.

Dr. Mel Cook introduces Slurry to mining.

1957
Underground explosives consumption reaches 100 million pounds in the United States.

First bulk vehicles blow mixed ANFO down-the-hole at Iron Ore Co. of Canada.

1959
Roseberg, Oregon fire and explosives truck explosion (Download Full Story).

August 7, 1959
Roseburg, Oregon

Thirty-nine dynamite plants operating in the United States.

1950’s.
High-speed photography for blast analysis introduced.

Late 1950’s
Prilled AN fuel mixture begins to replace dynamite.

Bulk trucks and loaders developed.

1960’s
Tunnel boring machines begin to seriously impact the use of explosives in large tunnel jobs.

1964
Dromedary trucks used to haul explosives approved by US ICC.

1967
Shock tube-type non-electric delay detonators introduced in Sweden.

1969
Emulsion explosives introduced.

1960’s & 70’s
Large rotary drills with drag bits and roller cone bits come into use.

1971
Emulsion ANFO blends introduced.

1972
Lang & Favreau introduce Computer Modeling of Blast Design.

1973
Electronic sequential blasting introduced at first Kentucky Blasters Conference.

Largest pre-production shot to date - 4 million pounds at Old Reliable Mine in Arizona.

1970’s
Hydraulic powered drifter drills come into use.

Early 1970’s.
First electronic recording seismographs developed by Dallas Instruments.

1974
British Institute of Explosives Engineering established.

Shock tube-type non-electric delay detonators introduced in U.S.

The Society of Explosives Engineers officially formed to "advance the art and science of explosives engineering" on August 20, 1974 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

1977
First commercial use of glass "bubbles."

1978
OSMR created under U.S. Dept of Interior. MSHA created under Dept of Labor.

J. Wiss & P. Lineham complete research on controlling vibrations through shot design for USBM.

Twenty-six story hotel, tallest steel structure demolished to date using explosives, Oklahoma City.

1979
IME member and S.E.E. Director Deane Boddorff demonstrate easy removal of taggants from dynamite for U.S. Senate Committee.

1980
Bulk Blends introduced.

Dr. Per-Anders Persson of Sweden, inventor of the Nonel (non-electric) blasting system, receives Society of Explosives Engineers’ first Distinguished Service Award.

1980’s
Digital sampling seismographs developed.

Drill monitoring equipment first used.

Commercial use of computers to improve blast timing patterns and blast shot plans introduced.

1985
Society of Explosives Engineers members assist with rescue and clean-up efforts after 5,000 die in Mexico City earthquake. (Download Full Story)

September 20, 1985
Mexico City, Mexico

1987
Largest underground shot in Western Europe 628,000 pounds shot in Ireland.

1988
Laser profiling for blast design and analysis, developed in Britain, introduced in the United States.

1989
Society of Explosives Engineers assists Congressional Committee with investigation of USS Iowa explosion.

Late-1980’s
Electronic delay detonators (EDD’s) introduced.

1991
Industry works with USDOT to adopt HM 181, UN classifications for explosives packaging.

1992
Explosives used to extinguish most of 700 Kuwaiti oil well fires after Gulf War.

1990’s
Use of automated drilling, GPS hole spotting and PLC operated drills for surface mining.

1994
Society of Explosives Engineers Education Foundation formed.

First Annual Golf Outing in memory of former member Jerry McDowell raises funds for SEE Education Foundation scholarships.

1995
One dynamite plant still operating in the United States.

Australia’s largest shot ever, 1.25 million pounds of explosives at Ord River project.

U.S. Bureau of Mines dismantled despite strong industry and ISEE support.

1996
ISEE goes online at www.isee.org/

IME video released, Explosives: The Power Tool, cosponsored by ISEE and Nobel Insurance.

1998
Virginia Polytechnic and University of Missouri-Rolla are the first student chapters chartered by ISEE.

International Society of Explosives Engineers (ISEE) celebrates 25th Annual Conference and 25 years of service to the explosives industry.

2001
ISEE members assist with World Trade Center clean-up efforts.

ISEE members assist in anti-terrorism efforts in Afghanistan.

2004
Public Education Committee of ISEE releases DVD "Understanding Vibrations from Blasting" .