Around 20 million tons of Ammonium Nitrate (AN) explosives are used globally and causes significant CO2 greenhouse gas emissions and environmental issues. In addition they are hazardous to the environment and require high energy for production. Emissions from AN explosives lead to billions of dollars in post-processing and production downtime. The Swedish company Hypex Bio Explosives Technology AB now unlocks sustainability with Green Bulk Explosives!
Why does this matter?
Because post detonation gas is highly toxic and the ventilation times required are long. Even longer for deep underground mines. Short- and long-term exposure to Nitrate fumes (NOx) leads to severe health issues. Ammonium Nitrate leads to leading to high levels of ammonia formation in leeching water and water treatment of nitrates and ammonia is expensive. Last but not least, the EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 compared to 1990.
What is Hypex Bio?
Hypex Bio is an emulsion explosive based on hydrogen peroxide that can be used in a similar operational manner to conventional bulk explosives. It has been proven to deliver the same blast performance results as current, nitrate based, emulsions without generating toxic and environmentally harmful gases and water-born pollutants. Since hydrogen peroxide only consists of water and hydrogen, no other toxic remnants are formed. The use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer also offers a large reduction in total carbon emission compared with nitrate-based explosives due to its production being significantly less energy intensive. Based on EU averages, the use of Hypex Bio instead of conventional explosives can reduce CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent.
Why develop a green explosive?
Hypex Bio Team believes that the migration to a green, nitrate- and ammonia-free explosives solution aligns with the mining industry´s green agenda and will have a positive impact on the sustainability transition of extractive industries in the future. By helping the mining and metals industry to expand while simultaneously reducing its carbon and pollutant footprint, Hypex offers a proven and effective contribution to the green energy shift that the world needs to achieve a sustainable, prosperous future. This is a new, green, initiative in the civil explosives marketplace.
In addition to their contribution to the industry today, Hypex Bio Explosives Technology (under the umbrella of AB Etken Teknologi) was also one of the two winners of the Innovation Idea Competition 2021 and took the innovative idea further via the project Hydrogen Peroxide Emulsion Stability Verification Project, financed through us. They were recognized as one of the top 33 start-ups in Sweden by NyTeknik.
This is one example of future technology that will allow for improved competitiveness and sustainability for the whole Swedish mining industry.
>Read more about what the Hypex Bio Team and their partners have achieved and what the future holds!
