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A method, system and apparatus for plasma blasting comprises a solid object having a borehole, a blast probe comprising a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the high voltage electrode and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe

A method, system and apparatus for plasma blasting comprises a solid object having a borehole, a blast probe comprising a high voltage electrode and a ground electrode separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the high voltage electrode and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip, and an adjustment unit coupled to the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively extend or retract the adjustable probe tip relative to the ground electrode and a blasting media, wherein at least a portion of the high voltage electrode and the ground electrode are submerged in the blast media. The blasting media comprises a thixotropic or electro-rheological fluid. The adjustable tip permits fine-tuning of the blast. The property of instantaneous high viscosity of thixotropic and electro-rheological fluids is advantageously used to seal the cavity containing the blasting probe thereby increasing the blasting pressure making the whole system more efficient.

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1. A blasting system comprising: a. a solid object having a borehole;b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the diel

1. A blasting system comprising: a. a solid object having a borehole;b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip; andc. a blast media comprising a fluid, wherein the fluid is characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force; wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the fluid. 2. The blasting system of claim 1, wherein the blast probe further comprises an adjustment unit coupled to the adjustable probe tip and configured to move the blast probe tip relative to the end of one or more of the plurality of electrodes. 3. The blasting system of claim 1, further comprising a power supply for providing electrical energy to the system. 4. The blasting system of claim 3, further comprising a switch, an inductor, an electrical storage unit and a voltage protection device each coupled to the blast probe and the power supply via a transmission cable. 5. The blasting system of claim 4, wherein the electrical storage unit is a capacitor bank. 6. The blasting system of claim 5, wherein the switch is selected from a spark gap, an ignitron, or a solid state switch. 7. The blasting system of claim 6, wherein the power supply charges the capacitor bank with the electrical energy such that when the switch is activated the capacitor bank transmits the electrical energy to the blast probe. 8. The blasting system of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a water suspension of cornstarch. 9. The blasting system of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises metal particles. 10. The blasting system of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises a combustible liquid. 11. A blasting system comprising: a. a solid object having a borehole;b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a first dielectric separator and a second dielectric separator, wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the second dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip; andc. a blast media comprising a fluid, wherein the fluid is characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force; wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the fluid. 12. The blasting system of claim 11, wherein the first and second dielectric separators comprise different materials such that the second dielectric is tougher than the first dielectric. 13. The blasting system of claim 12, wherein the second dielectric surrounds the at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes in a conic or parabolic formation such that the adjustable probe tip is prevented from bending. 14. A blasting system comprising: a. a solid object having a borehole;b. a blast probe comprising: i. a plurality of electrodes separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip; andii. an adjustment unit coupled with the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively move the adjustable probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes in an axial direction; andc. a blasting media, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the blast media. 15. The blasting system of claim 14, wherein the blast media is a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force. 16. The blasting system of claim 15, wherein the fluid is a water suspension of cornstarch. 17. The blasting system of claim 15, wherein the fluid comprises metal particles. 18. The blasting system of claim 15, wherein the fluid comprises a combustible liquid. 19. The blasting system of claim 14, wherein the blast media is an electro-rheological fluid characterized in that, if subjected to an electrical field, the viscosity of the electro-rheological fluid increases substantially proportionately to the strength of the electrical field. 20. The blasting system of claim 14, wherein the blast media is a solid. 21. The blasting system of claim 14, wherein the dielectric separator comprises a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material, wherein the second dielectric material surrounds the at least one of the plurality of electrodes in a conic or parabolic formation such that the adjustable probe tip is prevented from bending. 22. The blasting system of claim 21, wherein the second dielectric material is tougher than the first dielectric material. 23. The blasting system of claim 14, further comprising a power supply for providing electrical energy to the system. 24. The blasting system of claim 23, further comprising a switch, an inductor, an electrical storage unit and a voltage protection device each coupled to the blast probe and the power supply via a transmission cable. 25. The blasting system of claim 24, wherein the electrical storage unit is a capacitor bank. 26. The blasting system of claim 25, wherein the switch is selected from a spark gap, an ignitron, or a solid state switch. 27. The blasting system of claim 26, wherein the power supply charges the capacitor bank with the electrical energy such that when the switch is activated the capacitor bank transmits the electrical energy to the blast probe. 28. The blasting system of claim 14, wherein the position of the dielectric separator defines the shortest distance between exposed portions of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes and exposed portions of the one or more of the plurality of electrodes through the blasting media. 29. A blast probe comprising: a. a plurality of electrodes separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip; andb. an adjustment unit coupled with the adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively move the adjustable probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes in an axial direction. 30. The blast probe of claim 29, wherein the dielectric separator comprises a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material, wherein the second dielectric material surrounds the at least one of the plurality of electrodes in a conic or parabolic formation such that the adjustable probe tip is prevented from bending. 31. The blast probe of claim 30, wherein the second dielectric material is tougher than the first dielectric material. 32. The blast probe of claim 29, wherein the position of the dielectric separator defines the shortest distance between exposed portions of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes and exposed portions of the one or more of the plurality of electrodes through the blasting media. 33. A method of breaking a solid with a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes separated by a dielectric separator, wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip, wherein the adjustment unit is configured to selectively move the adjustable probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes in an axial direction, the method comprising: a. adjusting the position of the adjustable probe tip relative to the one or more of the plurality of electrodes;b. inserting the blast probe into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media;c. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy; andd. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the dielectric separator comprises a first dielectric material and a second dielectric material, wherein the second dielectric material surrounds the at least one of the plurality of electrodes in a conic or parabolic formation such that the adjustable probe tip is prevented from bending. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the second dielectric material is tougher than the first dielectric material. 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the blast media is a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the fluid is a water suspension of cornstarch. 38. The method of claim 36, wherein the fluid comprises metal particles. 39. The method of claim 36, wherein the fluid comprises a combustible liquid. 40. The method of claim 33, wherein the blast media is an electro-rheological fluid characterized in that, if subjected to an electrical field, the viscosity of the electro-rheological fluid increases substantially proportionately to the strength of the electrical field. 41. The method of claim 33, wherein the blast media is a solid. 42. The method of claim 33, wherein the position of the dielectric separator defines the shortest distance between exposed portions of the at least one of the plurality of electrodes and exposed portions of the one or more of the plurality of electrodes through the blasting media. 43. A method of breaking a solid comprising: a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip;b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy; andc. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media; wherein the blast media comprises a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force. 44. The method of claim 43, wherein the blast probe further comprises an adjustment unit coupled to the adjustable probe tip and configured to move the blast probe tip relative to one or more of the plurality of electrodes. 45. The method of claim 43, wherein the electrical storage unit comprises a capacitor bank. 46. The method of claim 45, wherein the charging further comprises a power supply coupled to the blast probe and the capacitor bank via a transmission cable, wherein the electrical energy used to charge the capacitor bank is provided by the power supply. 47. The method of claim 46, wherein the transmitting further comprises a switch coupled to the blast probe and the capacitor bank via the transmission cable, wherein when the transmitting is effectuated by activating the switch such that the capacitor bank is able to transmit the electrical energy to the blast probe. 48. The method of claim 47, wherein the switch is selected from a spark gap, an ignitron, or a solid state switch. 49. The method of claim 43, wherein the fluid comprises a water suspension of cornstarch. 50. The method of claim 43, wherein the fluid comprises metal particles. 51. The method of claim 43 wherein the fluid comprises a combustible liquid. 52. A method of breaking a solid comprising: a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a first dielectric separator and a second dielectric separator, wherein at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes and the second dielectric separator constitute an adjustable probe tip;b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy; andc. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between the plurality of electrodes through the blast media; wherein the blast media comprises a fluid characterized in that, if subjected to a shearing force in the order of tens of microseconds, the viscosity of the fluid increases substantially proportionally to the shearing force. 53. The method of claim 52, wherein the first and second dielectric separators comprise different materials such that the second dielectric is tougher than the first dielectric. 54. The method of claim 53, wherein the second dielectric surrounds the at least one of the plurality of electrodes in a conic or parabolic formation such that the adjustable probe tip is prevented from bending. 55. A blasting system comprising: a. a solid object having a borehole;b. a blast probe having a plurality of electrodes, wherein the blast probe is positioned within the borehole, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip; andc. a blast media comprising a fluid; wherein at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes are submerged in the fluid. 56. A method of breaking a solid comprising: a. inserting a blast probe comprising a plurality of electrodes into a borehole within the solid thereby submerging at least a portion of the plurality of electrodes in a blasting media, wherein at least two of the plurality of electrodes are separated by a dielectric separator, and further wherein the dielectric separator and at least one of the at least two of the plurality of electrodes constitute an adjustable probe tip;b. charging an electrical storage unit coupled to the blast probe with electrical energy; andc. transmitting the electrical energy to blast probe such that the electrical energy causes a plasma stream to form between at least two of the plurality of electrodes through the blast media; wherein the blast media comprises a fluid.