Coming in HOT!! — Blasting aims to fracture rock, making it more easily “diggable.” While a few other components are involved, the primary explosives do the work. — Powder factor is the amount of explosives used per unit of rock. The blasters will determine the factor for each blast based on the general geology, rock hardness, the hole size and depth, and the desired outcome. — The black stuff you see atop this blast are blasting mats, made of old tires. These are to keep energy within the rock,