![[src + arch inside] 60,000 Lbs. Explosive Ammonium Nitrate Missing from Train in California - the FBI is planning to blow up a federal building. [684x817 - 363KB]](https://pic8.co/sh/QveMiC.png){kind=link}
If somebody makes a quality bomb out of that it is surely the feds. Or the Mexican cartels, but I repeat myself.
is a blasting products manufacturer. Ammonium Nitrate ("AN") being shipped to Wyoming is probably blasting agent shipped to mines in [Powder River Basin].(http://www.powderriverbasin.org/).
AN is not itself explosive. AN used in blasting applications is manufactured differently than AN used in agriculture. Blasting AN granules are porous such that they can absorb diesel fuel. The blended product, ammonium nitrate and fuel oil ("ANFO") is also not an explosive. ANFO will not explode if you shoot it with a .30 calibre rifle, for example. Using ANFO for blasting also requires high-explosive devices to make ANFO detonate. Getting the high explosives to make an ANFO bomb would be the difficult part - they are not shipped on unsupervised trains and are subject to constant inventory and chain of custody recording. I believe that legitimate users are required to report any HE inventory problems to ATF no matter how small.
So, somebody got a bunch of AN prill. That's probably bad. But being able to make a blasting agent out of that, and then being able to turn that into a bomb - that takes a lot of technical skill, equipment, and access to specialist blasting products that are very tightly controlled. It would also be a large device with 30 tons of material which is lighter than water. Stay tuned to this one and watch out for the Truck of Peace.
Thank you.
would tannerite be able to make the reaction as opposed to a blasting cap?
Couldn't say. You need more than a cap to get ANFO going though. If you don't provide enough energy to detonate ANFO you can still make a helluva mess.
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