What is ammonium nitrate—the chemical that triggered the explosion in Beirut’s capital—and why is its explosive power so immense?

Ammonium nitrate was first synthesized in 1659 by the German chemist J.R. Glauber. By the late 19th century, Europeans produced it via double decomposition of ammonium sulfate and Chilean saltpeter. Later, with the large-scale development of the synthetic ammonia industry, abundant raw materials became available for ammonium nitrate production, enabling rapid growth in the mid-20th century. Ammonium nitrate has two primary applications: manufacturing military explosives and serving as agricultural fertilizer. During World War II, several countries built dedicated ammonium nitrate plants to produce explosives. In the 1960s, ammonium nitrate ranked as the leading nitrogen fertilizer. Many nitrogen fertilizer plants in our country were established in the 1950s. Pure ammonium nitrate is stable at room temperature and exhibits low sensitivity to impact, collision, or friction. However, it can detonate under high temperature, high pressure, presence of oxidizable substances (reducing agents), or electric sparks. Thus, ammonium nitrate is an extremely insensitive explosive: its impact sensitivity is zero percent under a 50 kg hammer dropped from 50 cm. For comparison, the highly sensitive explosive nitroglycerin achieves 100% detonation under a 200 g hammer dropped from 20 cm. Yet ammonium nitrate has poor thermal stability; its decomposition behavior varies with temperature. As shown in the diagram above, when temperature exceeds 230°C, ammonium nitrate decomposes to release oxygen—posing significant fire hazards and potential for detonation in bulk storage. Regarding the 2,750-ton stockpile involved in the Beirut blast, editor Xiao Ning of the magazine *Arms* explained its destructive power on Weibo: Photographs of the warehouse site previously taken show bags labeled “NITROPRILL HD”—likely a counterfeit or imitation of Nitropril ammonium nitrate manufactured by Australian company Orica Limited. Orica is an Australian multinational corporation and the world’s largest supplier of industrial explosives, with products widely used in mining, quarrying, oil & gas, and construction markets. Orica rates Nitropril’s explosive energy at 15% of TNT’s equivalent—i.e., 0.15 × 2,750 = 412.5 tons TNT equivalent. Photographs reveal extremely haphazard storage conditions—making detonation virtually inevitable. Technical details on Nitropril ammonium nitrate are shown in the figure below. Upon heating, Nitropril decomposes to generate nitrous oxide, white ammonium nitrate mist, and/or brown smoke—consistent with the color of smoke observed just before yesterday’s massive explosion. For reference: the Hiroshima atomic bomb (“Little Boy”) equaled 15,000 tons TNT; the Nagasaki bomb (“Fat Man”) equaled 21,000 tons TNT. China’s 2015 Tianjin Port explosion, per the State Council’s final report, involved a first blast equivalent to 15 tons TNT, followed 30 seconds later by a second blast equivalent to 430 tons TNT; total yield—including residual explosions—was approximately 450 tons TNT. The Beirut explosion’s TNT-equivalent yield is roughly comparable to that of the Tianjin incident. According to subsequent media reports, the Beirut blast produced an ear-splitting roar, shook the entire city, generated seismic waves equivalent to a magnitude-3.3 earthquake—and in actual destructive force exceeded even that level; tremors were reportedly felt in Cyprus, hundreds of miles away.

A Complete Guide to Exporting Ammonium Nitrate

I. Types, Applications, and Current Export Status of Ammonium Nitrate Ammonium nitrate (chemical formula NH₄NO₃) has a density of 1.72 g/cm³ and exhibits strong hygroscopicity and caking tendency. It remains stable at ambient temperatures but decomposes upon heating. Decomposition products vary with temperature: around 169°C, it melts and decomposes into ammonia and nitric acid; above 400°C, it undergoes violent decomposition and may explode. Ammonium nitrate is categorized into industrial-grade ammonium nitrate and porous ammonium nitrate. The main distinction lies in particle size and structure: porous ammonium nitrate features smaller granules, greater specific surface area, enhanced adsorption capacity, and higher oil absorption rate. Applications of ammonium nitrate are broad: In the chemical industry, it serves as a base material for explosives—used alone with fuels or combined with solid fuels and sensitizers to enhance explosive performance. In agriculture, it contains 35% total nitrogen (as both ammonium and nitrate forms), making it an effective nitrogen fertilizer for promoting plant growth. Additionally, it finds use in pesticides, refrigerants, nitrogen oxide absorbents, nitrous oxide (“laughing gas”) production, pyrotechnics, and alkali-free glass manufacturing. Major international buyers include Brazil, Ukraine, Peru, the United States, and the United Kingdom; principal exporters include Russia, Georgia, Lithuania, the United States, and Bulgaria. Soaring global natural gas prices have caused domestic and international fertilizer price inversion. Long inspection cycles for fertilizer exports—combined with regulatory treatment of ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer—have hampered export operations. Customs data indicate China’s ammonium nitrate exports totaled 27,900 metric tons in 2022, down 59.61% year-on-year; in 2023, exports rose to 37,275.5 metric tons. In 2023, Chinese ammonium nitrate exports reached Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Vietnam, Uganda, the United States, the Philippines, and Mongolia. II. Export Procedures and Required Documentation 1. Signing an International Trade Contract: The importing party may be either a trading company or the end-user. If a trading company acts as importer, the contract must specify end-user information. 2. Applying for the Civil Explosives Export Approval Certificate (colloquially, the “Civil Explosives Certificate”): This approval is a prerequisite for customs inspection of ammonium nitrate exports. Enterprises must apply to the provincial civil explosives industry authority where they are registered. Required documents include: (a) official import license for ammonium nitrate issued by the importing country’s government (valid for both quantity and duration); (b) business license (commercial registration certificate) of the end-user; (c) statement identifying the end-user and intended end-use; (d) international trade contract and its Chinese translation. Applications are submitted via China’s Single Window for International Trade. 3. Customs Inspection for Export: A substantial volume of documentation is required for ammonium nitrate inspection, including: – Packaging Performance Inspection Report; – Packaging Usage Appraisal Report; – International trade contract; – Quality inspection report for exported products; – Declaration of Conformity for Exporters of Hazardous Chemicals; – Declaration of Conformity for Classified Management Enterprises’ Exported Products; – Hazard Classification Identification Report; – Bilingual (Chinese–English) Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS); – Transport Hazard Assessment Report; – Power of Attorney for Inspection Submission; – Packing List; – Commercial Invoice. 4. Booking Cargo Space Confirm all relevant shipment details—including quantity, specifications, packaging, and destination port—to select appropriate shipping lines and routes.

Orica secures ammonium nitrate supply for North American customers in 2027

8 hours ago

Orica Ltd. secured ammonium nitrate supply for North American customers through 2027, sourcing from US producers and its Canadian plant. It also expanded its explosives business via the Nelson Brothers acquisition to strengthen its mining and infrastructure presence.

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2026-03-25

Orica to Acquire Full Ownership of US Explosives JVs with Nelson Brothers

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Orica secures ammonium nitrate supply for North American customers in 2027

Orica secures ammonium nitrate supply for North American customers in 2027

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