Utilization of Waste Lubricant Oil in Fuel Phase of ANFO Explosives: Its Field Applications and Environmental Impact

Disposal of used lubricant oil in an ecosystem is a serious environmental threat. In this context, recycling waste lubricant oil into a valuable product has an immense commercial and environmental significance and is a challenging area of research. In this article, we have demonstrated the use of waste lubricant oil as a partial replacement of diesel oil of ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO) explosives. Moreover, the effect on detonation properties and rock fragmentation patterns by the use of lubricant oil based ANFO in blasting operation has also been studied. The field trial experiments were carried out with lubricant oil based ANFO explosive to demonstrate the real applicability of the prepared explosive composition at Nimbeti Limestone open-pit mine of Shree Cement Limited, India. These explosive compositions revealed effective detonation performance. Importantly, air quality was analyzed during blasting operations to indicate that the emitted toxic fumes such as CO, NOx, and fine dust particles (PM2.5 & PM10) were found within the permissible limit at the mining area by the use of lubricant oil based explosives. Further, rock fragmentation analysis indicated that ANFO explosive compositions with 20 %, 30 %, and 40 % (w/w) lubricant oil in diesel oil revealed good rock fragmentation as compared with normal ANFO in the conducted experimental blast.