2020
Explosives and Soybeans: Meeting the Need for a More Environmentally Friendly Explosive
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Contributor/Checkoff:
Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
Category:
Industrial
Keywords:
BiobasedBiodegradableIndustrial UsesProcessing co-productsProcessing technology
Parent Project:
This is the first year of this project.
Lead Principal Investigator:
Phillip Mulligan, Missouri University of Science & Technology
Co-Principal Investigators:
Philip Whitefield, Missouri University of Science & Technology
Project Code:
426-20
Contributing Organization (Checkoff):
Missouri Soybean Merchandising Council
$94,511
Institution Funded:
Missouri University of Science & Technology
$94,511
Brief Project Summary:

A Missouri researcher is studying a new way to use soybean oil as a replacement for diesel in manufacturing explosives. A new product was created to replace ammonium nitrate fuel oil called ANSOY. The products are comparable in size and performance, but soybean oil is considered biodegradable. Diesel has caused a hazard to the environment when a lot of blasting is used, contaminating the soil. After explosive blasts using ammonium nitrate, nitrous oxide gas is formed and can produce a noxious red cloud if there is a high enough concentration of gas, but gases are reduced when ANSOY is used.

Key Benefactors:
Military, mining

Information And Results
Project Deliverables

Understood as to why soybean-based fuel for ANFO does not have a presence and what actions must be taken to overcome these barriers. The information from the market research will be used to determine the viability of using soybean-based fuel in ANFO and detail an action plan to overcome the potential challenges.

By conducting market research, the proposed project aims to overcome current market barriers. Additionally, the performance and toxicity data will be used to help demonstrate the performance to cost savings achieved by using a soybean-based fuel, as well as the potential for lower toxicity. If successful, the proposed project may provide an explosive with lower toxicity to the United States and other countries.

Work with explosive manufacturers and local mining companies to implement soybean-based ANFO in regular mining operations, as well as further the characterization of soybean-based ANFO performance.

Final Project Results

The United Soybean Research Retention policy will display final reports with the project once completed but working files will be purged after three years. And financial information after seven years. All pertinent information is in the final report or if you want more information, please contact the project lead at your state soybean organization or principal investigator listed on the project.