What is "kinetite"

Kinetite was an explosive material patented in 1884 by T. Petry and O. Fallenstein, It consisted of nitro-benzol thickened or gelatinised by the addition of some collodion-cotton incorporated with finely ground potassium chlorate and precipitated antimony sulphide. It is an orange coloured, plastic mass, with the characteristic strong smell of nitro-benzol. It was manufactured by dissolving gun cotton in nitrobenzene.

Developed as a safer alternative to dynamite, its manufacture and manipulation were claimed to be without danger as it required a very high temperature to ignite and, under ordinary circumstances be exploded by heat alone when unconfined. Instead, it detonated only under shock, and then only the part exposed to concussion. Largely manufactured in Germany, it was introduced to Australia in 1885 by Thomas Wilkins. In the same year it was reported to be both £5 per ton cheaper than dynamite, and more efficient for mining operations: In sinking a shaft, a given weight of dynamite enabled to be sunk in 114 shifts, and with the same weight of kinetite were sunk in 94 shifts.