Canadian miners are underestimating the risk of explosives shortages that could disrupt production as trade tensions and geopolitical instability expose weaknesses in critical supply chains, EPC Canada president and CEO Olivier Vandenabelle says.
The warning comes as the Kirkland Lake, Ont.-based explosives supplier marks a decade of operations in Canada. Since acquiring Nordex Explosives in 2016, its French parent, EPC Groupe, has expanded the business to five sites across Ontario and Quebec, increased sales tenfold and grown its workforce to nearly 200 employees.
“Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 was the clearest turning point,” Vandenabelle said. “Russia was the world’s largest exporter of ammonium nitrate, a key raw material for commercial explosives.”
The conflict forced EPC Canada to abandon Russian ammonium nitrate imports and switch to US suppliers, using rail transportation to maintain deliveries. The experience exposed the mining industry’s reliance on a limited number of chemical producers and transportation routes.
While permitting delays, infrastructure shortages and labour constraints dominate discussions about Canada’s mining future, Vandenabelle argues that access to essential industrial inputs deserves greater attention. Even a fully staffed and equipped mine can face production interruptions if it cannot obtain explosives.
Supply chain risks
The pandemic had already disrupted chemical imports from Asia and increased shipping costs. More recently, a November 2025 incident at CF Industries’ Yazoo City facility in Mississippi disrupted another major North American supply source.
EPC Canada responded to these challenges by diversifying suppliers, maintaining additional inventory and using different transportation networks. Its ammonium nitrate melting facility also allows it to process solid high-density ammonium nitrate into a solution used in emulsion explosives, widening its sourcing options.
“Inventory buys time, and alternative sourcing provides a way forward,” Vandenabelle said.
The company says these measures allowed it to maintain uninterrupted deliveries to customers under long-term contracts, although maintaining additional stocks and logistics capacity increases costs.
Vandenabelle sees further uncertainty arising from Canada-US trade tensions. Tariffs and potential countermeasures could complicate the movement of chemicals and equipment across a border that mining suppliers have traditionally relied on for predictable access to materials.
“For mining companies, this means a North American supplier is not necessarily insulated from international trade risk,” he said.
He argues that miners should scrutinize suppliers’ contingency plans, inventories and transportation alternatives rather than treating explosives primarily as a commodity purchased on price.
Blasting advances
Beyond supply concerns, digital systems are changing how mines plan and execute blasts.
EPC Canada uses technology developed by EPC Groupe’s Global Technical Solutions division to share drilling and blasting information among engineers and field crews in real time.
Previously, crews often recorded information on paper for review after operations. Digital systems now allow workers to flag drilling problems immediately, identify holes requiring further work and compare planned explosive quantities with actual loading.
“The biggest change is that information recorded in the field can now influence decisions while the work is happening,” Vandenabelle said.
The technology can improve coordination and help engineers refine blast designs, although EPC Canada did not provide quantified evidence of cost savings or productivity improvements.
Environmental performance is another area receiving greater attention. Vandenabelle said newer emulsion explosives have reduced visible nitrogen oxide (NOx) fumes during blasting, with many blasts producing no visible orange plume.
However, the absence of visible fumes does not necessarily mean emissions have been eliminated, and the company did not provide measured reductions.
NOx gases pose respiratory hazards and can delay workers returning to mining areas after blasting. Their formation depends on explosive formulations, geological conditions and field practices.
Despite growing interest in environmental performance, Vandenabelle said purchasing decisions remain heavily influenced by price.
“A standardized, one-size-fits-all product may come at a lower price, but those savings can disappear if the product compromises blast performance,” he said.
He argues that miners should consider how explosives affect downstream excavation, crushing and grinding costs, rather than evaluating products solely on their purchase price.
For the coming decade, Vandenabelle believes supply reliability will become an increasingly important factor in mining competitiveness, particularly if cross-border trade becomes less predictable.
“Choosing a quality explosive, applying the right quantity in the right manner, and working with a resilient supplier should be part of a mine’s production strategy from the outset,” he said.