"Major Variola (ret)" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >AN is extremely deliquescent; perhaps the sulphate was for that?
No, it was specifically required as a desensitiser by the European nitrogen cartel, since they felt the pure nitrate was too dangerous for processing into fertiliser. >Removing chunks with dynamite is trying rather hard for a Darwin award. As I said, at the time its explosive properties weren't known so this wasn't unreasonable. There are numerous stories of multi-thousand-ton ammonium nitrate piles burning for hours without exploding (Oppau was the first time there was any significant explosion involving it). Even after Texas City, there were cases of (embarrassed) firefighters watching warehouses full of ammonium nitrate quietly burn to the ground without incident. Peter.
