The dictionary contains 1980 terms, 325 symbols, 77 acronyms, abbreviations and shortened forms, 221 references, 32 figures, 57 formulas and 28 tables. Not only short definitions of the terms are presented, but also a quantification of some terms is included, and their relationship to other parameters in blasting is highlighted. All students, teachers, technicians, engineers, scientists and practitioners in the field of blasting should get a copy as a desk reference book. If we all use the same symbols, the reading of blasting papers is speeded up and facilitated considerably.
The book is a hybrid between a conventional dictionary and a handbook in blasting offering the advantage, when compared to handbooks, that it is easy to find the definition.
As the diverse entries in this dictionary demonstrate, rock blasting is a multidisciplinary enterprise encompassing at a minimum: mechanics, rock mechanics, physics, chemistry, geology, geophysics, petrology, seismology, mining engineering, and rock construction engineering. The idea for compiling such a reference was mined from the Third International Symposium on Rock Fragmentation by Blasting Fragblast 3 (Brisbane, Australia, 1990). Value- added features include: quantification of select terms; new international standards for some descriptive and operational terms; a list of symbols; acronyms, abbreviations, and shortened forms; graphics, and references. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.
