Part 3

Ammonium nitrate 68·5 67 Dinitro-benzene 7 -- Trinitro-toluene 7 14·5 Sodium chloride 17·5 7 Starch -- 11·5

Limit charge 14 oz. 18 oz. Power (swing of ballistic pendulum) 2·85” 2·79”

The permits have now been repealed.

Abelite (without distinguishing number) is simply a mixture of ammonium nitrate and trinitro-toluene--

Ammonium nitrate 83 Trinitro-toluene 17

It is therefore a variety of Bellite in which the dinitro-benzene has been replaced by trinitro-toluene. It is used for filling grenades and general blasting purposes, but is not permitted in dangerous coal mines.

=AEROLIT= is a Danish ammonium nitrate explosive, e.g.--

Ammonium nitrate 78·125 Potassium nitrate 7·5 Sulphur 8·75 Fat 2·5 Sago meal 1·25 Manganese dioxide 1·25 Resin 0·625

=AETNA COAL POWDER= is an American coal-mine powder on the Permissible List. Brands A, B and C are nitroglycerine explosives. AA and No. 2 are ammonium nitrate explosives.

=AETNA POWDER.=--A variety of American dynamite containing 15 to 65 per cent. of nitroglycerine mixed with wood pulp and sodium nitrate. Roasted flour has sometimes been substituted for wood pulp.

=AJAX POWDER.=--A coal-mine explosive made by Nobel’s Explosives Co.

Date of Permit 1-9-13 Nitroglycerine 22·3 Nitrocotton 0·7 Di- and trinitro-toluenes 3·5 Potassium perchlorate 37 Wood meal 11·5 Ammonium oxalate 25 Limit charge 12 oz. Power (swing of ballistic pendulum) 2·69”

In 1914, 329,000 lbs. were used in coal mines, but the permit has now been repealed.

=ALBIONITE.=--A mixture of gelignite and ammonium oxalate. It was formerly on the Permitted List.

=ALBIT.=--A German chlorate explosive introduced in 1915 in consequence of the scarcity of nitrates due to the War. It is defined as consisting of not more than 80 per cent. sodium or potassium chlorate, not more than 4 per cent. nitroglycerine, and mono- or dinitro-hydrocarbons. It may also contain inorganic salts and carbon carriers such as vegetable meal, oils, soaps or carbohydrates. A variety made for use in coal mines is called Wetter-Albit or Kohlen-Albit.

=ALDORFIT.= See =DORFIT=.

=ALKALSIT.=--A German chlorate or perchlorate explosive made by the Dynamit A.-G. of Hamburg. It contains not more than 80 per cent. sodium or potassium chlorate, or not more than 80 per cent. sodium, potassium or ammonium perchlorate, and 19 per cent. of aromatic nitro-hydrocarbons and nitrocotton, also coal, hydrocarbons or carbohydrates, and nitrates. The chlorate mixtures must not contain ammonium salts. Alkalsit I contains not more than 27 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, not more than 24 per cent. of sodium nitrate, not more than 8 per cent. of trinitro-toluene, also wood meal, flour and nitro-naphthalene. Alkalsit A contains not more than 55 per cent. of potassium perchlorate, ammonium nitrate, not more than 31 per cent. trinitro-toluene, and not more than 5 per cent. of a neutral liquid mixture of nitrated toluenes. Alkalsit B is similar except that it contains also ammonium nitrate.

=ALSILITE S.G.P.=--A Belgian coal-mine explosive on the list of Explosifs S.G.P. It is of the Ammonal type--

Ammonium nitrate 62 Trinitro-toluene 11 Ferro-silicon-aluminium 5 Sodium chloride 22

Charge limite 900 g.

=ALUMATOL.=--A mixture of ammonium nitrate, trinitro-toluene and a little aluminium powder, used for charging trench-mortar bombs, etc.

=AMASITE.=--A coal-mine explosive formerly on the Permitted List--

Ammonium perchlorate 34 Sodium nitrate 31 Myrobolans 34·7 Agar agar 0·3

It was made by the Société Anonyme de Vilvorde in Belgium, and was originally called Ugolite.

Rock Amasite and S.T. Amasite are non-permitted explosives of composition somewhat similar to the above.

=AMATOL.=--A mixture of ammonium nitrate and trinitro-toluene. The composition is shown by the figures placed after the name; thus Amatol 40/60 contains 40 per cent. ammonium nitrate and 60 per cent. trinitro-toluene, and Amatol 80/20 consists of 80 parts ammonium nitrate and 20 parts trinitro-toluene. These explosives are used very extensively for filling shell and other projectiles. The mixtures rich in trinitro-toluene can be cast after being heated to temperature above the melting-point of this constituent, but those rich in ammonium nitrate are stemmed into the projectile hot or pressed. Similar mixtures are used by the Germans and other powers under various names. In Germany it is called Füllpulver (q. v.).

=AMATOXOL.=--A mixture of ammonium nitrate and Toxol, which consists of trinitro-toluene and trinitro-xylene.

*=AMBERITE.=--A smokeless shot-gun powder made by Curtis’s and Harvey at Tonbridge. Amberite No. 1 contained nitroglycerine as well as nitrocotton and various other substances. According to “Arms and Explosives,” 1917, p. 78, a sample of Amberite No. 2 had the composition--