How to purify fertilizer grade Ammonium Nitrate

In its pure form: KNO3, ammonium nitrate can be detonated with a 6 dynamite cap at a blast radius of 14,000 feet per second. However, KNO3 has become increasingly difficult to acquire.

CAN fertilizer that “looks right” might result in an inert compound as many substances are hard to fraction out as they were intentionally put there to prevent easy distillation. A small amount of Magnesium or Sulfur does not make the fertilizer inert. However, I don’t have enough time to research which purification method that should be used to remove these compounds, if this is desirable.

Before buying the fertilizer check the composition of the mixture. 32(34)-00-00 is the absolute best option and can even be used without purification but unfortunately, the EU banned it several years ago. You need a minimum of 32% purity on the AN. The current mixes are only available in 27-xx-xx usually so it MAY require purification. Also, the most similar compounds are often not available in 50 kg bags, and only available in 600 kg+ large bags due to the EUs anti-terror laws. The EU will most likely ban “usable” AN fertilizers completely and force everyone to use Urea based fertilizers instead (46-00-00). The problem with urea (urea nitrate) is that it is much more unstable than AN with a significant decomposition rate. In addition, it is considerably more time consuming to convert Urea fertilizer to large quantities of Urea Nitrate (more than 100 kg) for one person. This in combination with the limited 30 day “shelf life” of Urea Nitrate limits its use significantly as an explosive. We may go down that road in the future, but at the moment, better options are available.

If fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate is to be used it may have to be purified first in order to maximize the effectiveness. I am not yet 100% sure which of the additives included in the various types of fertilizer will make the compound inert. To be sure you get a fertilizer type you can work with find a compound similar to the old classic: 32-0-0 (which the EU banned a few years ago). The reason they banned it was because you basically got a finished blasting agent. All you had to do was to add 6-7% diesel and you had ANFO, ready to use.

AN vs Urea

Sources for Urea is the fertilizer: 46-00-00 or often the prills used for de-icing sidewalks. Urea can also be derived from concentrated urine (animal and human). This is a common variation used in South America and the Middle East by terrorists. Many animals (e.g., dogs) have a much more concentrated urine and it contains a higher urea amount than normal human urine.

Urea nitrate would not be the method of choice for +100 kg detonations due to the rapid decomposition of the more unstable urea nitrate which reduces the shelf life to 30 days. AN is preferred as it is much more stable and has a considerably longer shelf life (up to 1-2 years). Also, it takes considerably longer and more knowledge in chemistry to convert urea fertilizer to urea nitrate, compared to AN. The only advantages of Urea nitrate is that it is easier to acquire the products needed and it is more sensitive to detonation than AN. Urea nitrate is "piss" easy to make and there’s also a certain amount of "Fvck You" factor in there as well because... well... we just blew you up with our urine:P Still, not recommended as long as you have access to AN.

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 883