Product terminology
Rock splitting agent – meaning and use
Rock splitting agent is the wording used where the material is stone: quarries, excavation for basements, trenches and access roads in rock.
What does the term mean?
A rock splitting agent is an expansive powder that opens rock along a line of boreholes and lets it be removed with an excavator instead of a blast.
The name is used for granite, basalt, limestone and sandstone alike; the difference between materials shows up in drill spacing, not in the product.
Where does the name come from?
Quarry work has always been described as splitting stone. When chemical agents replaced black powder for sensitive work, the traditional wording stayed.
It is the closest English counterpart of the German „Spaltmittel“ applied to rock.
Where is the term used?
Used in quarrying, groundworks, landscaping and by excavation contractors working close to buildings.
Also common where a blasting licence is unavailable or would delay the programme.
- Quarrying and stone yards
- Excavation and groundworks
- Landscaping and garden construction
- Projects without a blasting licence
Is the term technically unambiguous?
Fairly clear in context, but like other splitting terms it can also mean a hydraulic rock splitter.
For tender documents, expansive demolition agent or NEDA removes the ambiguity.
How does the product work?
Holes are drilled to the depth of the intended bench or trench and filled with the mixed agent. The pressure follows the weakest tensile path, which is the line between the holes.
Harder rock needs closer spacing; the values for each material class are in the data sheet and in how expansive mortar works.
Typical applications
- Basement and trench excavation in rock
- Bench and step formation in quarries
- Splitting boulders and blockstone
- Access roads and hillside cuttings
- Work near buildings and slopes
BETONAMIT® and this term
BETONAMIT® is used as a rock splitting agent in quarries and excavation work worldwide, from single boulders to bench production.
Material-specific drill spacing is listed on the BETONAMIT® product page.
Frequently asked questions
+Which rock types can be split?
All common natural stone including granite, basalt, limestone and sandstone. Harder rock simply needs closer borehole spacing.
+How long does rock take to crack?
Usually several hours, depending on temperature, borehole diameter and rock type. Cold conditions slow the reaction down.
+Is a blasting licence required?
Not for the product itself, since it is not an explosive. Local rules for the site still apply.
More product names
Concrete splitting agent
Names the same product from the perspective of concrete demolition work.
Read moreExpansive demolition agent
The umbrella term preferred by KUBATEC in English for products that split rock, stone and concrete by controlled expansion pressure.
Read moreExpansive grout
Emphasises the fluid mix that can be poured into deep or closely spaced boreholes.
Read moreSilent cracking agent
Trade wording that puts the main benefit first: cracking without noise.
Read moreNEDA
Non-Explosive Demolition Agent
The international abbreviation that states the legal status of the product group: demolition without explosives.
Read moreQuestions about the right term or the product?
We have advised planners, contractors and distributors on non-explosive demolition for over 50 years – from drill pattern to pack size.