New Swedish company Hypex Bio Explosives Technology AB (Hytech) has launched its potentially game changing innovation, the Hypex Bio nitrate free emulsion technology, into the mining market. “After significant research and development efforts, we can offer a CE marked, UN transport tested and verified civil emulsion explosive without NOx, nitrate leaching and crystallisation issues,” said Thomas Gustavsson, CEO.
Hytech was formed to commercialise and to take ownership of the hydrogen peroxide explosives technology developed under the umbrella of the Swedish explosives company AB Etken Teknologi. AB Etken Teknologi have been working for some years with international and Swedish agents and partners to explore the commercial and industrial potential of hydrogen peroxide explosives. Initially, testing where conducted using hydrogen peroxide water gel formulations (HPG) and extensive testing where done to explore the benefits, costs and risks with the technology. Resulting in a HPG patent application and a in depth data study of production aspects, risks and performance metrics (from an underground operation) concerns over reactivity issues led to a further development of a significantly more stable hydrogen peroxide emulsion technology – HPE.
Significant efforts have been made to develop a stable, cost effective and reliable HPE type explosive which have led to a commercialisation of the technology in the European Union through a CE certification process and multiple HPE patent applications. As a part of this commercialisation, the HPE technology have been branched to the new Swedish entity Hytech. Hytech is capitalised to operate verification and implementation projects and have been organised with a experienced management board, investors and key experts to ensure the HPE commercialisation success. Hytech holds laboratory, manufacturing, IP and regulatory assets making the entity ideally positioned to succeed in the commercialisation of the Hypex Bio technology.
The company states: “Hytech wishes to operate a model in which existing emulsion production and loading equipment can be used or easily retrofitted to enable production of the Hypex Bio emulsion. Hytech will produce, customise and sell the crucial oil phase and gassing agents required in the emulsification and sensitisation steps along with production and charging machinery where so is required. Utilising our significant experience with the technology, Hytech will partner with distributors, partners and clients to ensure a successful and safe implementation of the HPE technology. By using our laboratory and effecting verification procedure, Hytech will be able to quickly test and iterate advances of the product to ensure that new benefits are offered to the market as soon as they are proven viable. Hytech believe in partnerships and understands the investment burden and verification steps needed to implement a new explosive system. We have therefore ensured that we can supply the skill, machinery and grit to successfully overcome such challenges.”
In more detail, Hypex B01 is a highly viscous emulsion with a white to light yellow colour. The product can be custom made to exhibit viscosities between 60-125 kPas and comes with or without a sticky texture allowing for use in up holes. The emulsion is waterproof and can be used in wet applications and underwater. Production of the HPE unsensitised matrix is done in a cold emulsification process using pumping and mixing techniques to allow for small droplet formation. The unsensitised HPE matrix have passed the UN transport regulation tests (ADR) for emulsion matrix and is considered as a 5.1 (Oxidiser) product. The Hypex B01 emulsion is CE approved under the European Union Civil Explosives Directive and has hence passed the relevant tests. The B01 emulsion is suitable for use in colder temperatures under 30°C with a focus on underground applications. Sensitisation to enable detonability is performed by either incorporation of micro balloons (glass or plastic micro balloons) but preferably done via a proprietary bio degradable chemical sensitisation which is comparable to traditional chemical sensitisation but without the health hazards of the traditional chemical gassing agents such as sodium nitrite.
“Hypex B01 is suitable for underground or surface blasting where the drill hole diameter are in the range of 36- 200 mm where high demands are placed on charging speed, good water resistance and gassing time. The Hypex B01 is unsensitised upon production and can be either produced on site or delivered in tanks or IBC containers. Un-sensitised Hypex B01 emulsion must be stored in a cool, dark and well ventilated area where tem- perature control are in place. Storage temperature may not exceeed 20°C.”