ANFO: Mixtures of ammonium nitrate and fuel oils.
Accessory Initiator: A sensitive device, with low activation energy, designed to provide enough energy to reliably initiate an explosive train at the specified time and in the correct sequence.
Explosive Accessory: A not very sensitive device, with high activation energy, intended to provide sufficient energy for the continuation of an explosive train, requiring an initiator accessory for activation.
Barricade: An approved intermediate barrier, natural or artificial, of a type, size, and construction to effectively limit the effects of a possible explosion in adjacent areas.
Black Powder: A mixture of potassium nitrate, charcoal, and sulfur.
Booster: Explosive accessories intended to amplify the shock wave to initiate explosives that are generally not sensitive to a common No. 8 detonator or detonating cord; usually specific types of shaped charges of TNT, nitropenta, or pentolite.
Cartridge Emulsion: Emulsion-type explosives packed in cylindrical cartridges, usually made of plastic film, sensitized during manufacturing.
Common Detonator: An aluminum tube, generally containing a charge of nitropenta and a mixture of lead azide and styphnate. It is designed to initiate explosives, with the most commonly used type being the common No. 8 detonator; also known as a non-electric or pyrotechnic detonator.
Detonating Cord: A flexible tube filled with nitropenta, RDX, or HMX, designed to transmit detonation from the initiation point to the explosive charge; the most common type is NP 10, containing 10 grams of nitropenta/RDX per linear meter. For storage purposes, the unit to be used is the meter.
Emulsion: Mixtures of ammonium nitrate diluted in water and fuel oils obtained through an emulsifying agent; contain microbubbles dispersed within their mass responsible for their sensitization; normally sensitive to a common No. 8 detonator and occasionally requiring a booster for initiation.
Explosive Plastic: A malleable mass, usually based on cyclonite (RDX), trinitrotoluene, nitropenta, and binding oils, which can be molded as needed. These are the most coveted explosives for illicit purposes due to their ease of initiation (sensitive to a common No. 8 detonator), destructive power, and practicality. They are known as moldable charges.
Explosive Slurry: Mixtures of nitrates diluted in water and sensitizing agents in the form of pastes; also known as “slurries.”
Granulated Industrial Explosive: Explosive compositions that, in addition to ammonium nitrate and fuel oil, have additives such as sawdust, rice husk, and aluminum powder (for density correction, oxygen balance, sensitivity, and energy potential); also commercially known as granulated, powdery, pourable, or nitrocarbonitrates.
Handling: Activity of moving explosives at all stages, contained in containers, portable tanks, drums, barrels, vessels, boxes, cans, bottles, and similar items. Act of handling the packaged, packaged, or sealed product.
Immediate Use of Explosives: Involves the situation where the use of explosives must occur within 24 hours of the material’s arrival at the detonation site.
Initiation Cord: Flexible tube filled with black powder designed to transmit the flame to initiate detonators.
Mobile Temporary Storage: Special constructions, usually closed sheds made of lightweight material, with reinforced sides and low-resistance roofs. They can be dismantled or not, to allow their movement from one point to another on the ground, following the change of work locations.
Permanent Storage Depots: Intended for the prolonged storage of material. They are constructed of masonry or concrete, with double walls and natural or artificial ventilation, generally used in factories, warehouses, and for large quantities of material.
Permanently Fixed Temporary Storage: Deposits that cannot be moved. They are of simple construction, consisting, in principle, of a single room. Walls with low shock resistance. Concrete slab roof or tiles over a fixed grid on the walls. Equipped with natural ventilation, usually obtained through screened openings in the upper parts of the walls. Cemented or asphalted floor. Widely used for storing explosives used in industrial demolitions, quarries, mining operations, and rock blasting.
Pyrotechnic Detonator with Electrical Activation: A detonator coupled to an electrical circuit with the same effect as a common detonator but activated by an electric current.
Pyrotechnic Detonator with Electronic Activation: A detonator coupled to an electronic circuit allowing delay programming; activated by a specific programming and detonation equipment set.
Risk Analysis: Assessment of potential risks, their causes, consequences, and preventive measures.
Shaped Charges: Explosives with a fixed, predefined shape, according to an initial mold; the most common type has a conical cavity in its body intended to concentrate the explosion’s energy in a specific direction; these devices operate based on the Monroe effect or “hollow charge,” and are widely used in armor-piercing ammunition.
Shock Tube: A hollow flexible tube with an internal coating of explosive or pyrotechnic mixture sufficient to transmit the shock or heat wave without damaging the tube.
Storage Depots: Constructions intended for storing explosives and their accessories, ammunition, or other products controlled by the Army. They can be permanent or temporary.
Temporary Storage: Intended for the brief storage of the product, usually to meet the detonation service provision. They can be fixed or mobile.
Technical Responsible: A legally qualified professional in the chemical field responsible for coordinating quality control laboratories and/or process control, as well as production operations, including the development of new products, as per current legislation.
Temporary Storage Depots: Special constructions, usually closed sheds made of lightweight material, with reinforced sides and low-resistance roofs. They can be dismantled or not, to allow their movement from one point to another on the ground, following the change of work locations.
TNT: Any explosives containing nitroglycerin in their composition, requiring greater care in handling and use due to high sensitivity.
Unit of Mobile Support (UMA): A vehicle intended to supply the UMBs.
Unit of Mobile Pumping (UMB): A vehicle intended for transporting base emulsion to the site of use, where the sensitization and pumping of emulsion-type explosives are performed, as well as the on-site manufacturing and application of ANFO-type explosives.
Use of Explosives: Comprises application, research, detonation, demolition, and other exceptional purposes where the product is initiated by the user’s registered technical staff, without third-party mediation.
Vehicles transporting explosives and their accessories, ammunition, and other military material implements: Are not considered storage depots. They must meet the characteristics, safety devices, and driver qualifications required by hazardous cargo transportation legislation.