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An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship is provided. On acceptance of a detonation initiating signal having a detonation initiating property, the system initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The sy

An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship is provided. On acceptance of a detonation initiating signal having a detonation initiating property, the system initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The system includes an initiating device which accepts the detonation initiating signal and initiates and thus detonates the explosive charge. The initiating device is initially in a non-detonation initiating condition, in which it is not capable of accepting the detonation initiating signal. The system also includes a switching device that detects a chemical compositional component as a switching property of a switching signal that is transmitted to the detonator system, with the switching device being capable of switching the initiating device, on detection of the chemical compositional component, to a standby condition in which the initiating device accepts the detonation initiating signal when it is transmitted thereto.

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1. An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship and which, on operative acceptance of a detonation initiating signal that has a detonation initiating property, is capable of initiating and thus detonating the explos

1. An explosives detonator system for detonating an explosive charge with which it is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship and which, on operative acceptance of a detonation initiating signal that has a detonation initiating property, is capable of initiating and thus detonating the explosive charge, the detonator system including an initiating device which is capable of accepting the detonation initiating signal and of initiating and thus detonating the explosive charge, the initiating device being in a non-detonation initiating condition in which it cannot operatively accept the detonation initiating signal and thus assume a detonator initiating condition when the detonation initiating signal is transmitted thereto; anda switching device that is capable of detecting a chemical compositional component as a switching property of a switching signal that is transmitted to the detonator system, with the switching device being capable of switching the initiating device, on detection of the chemical compositional component, to a standby condition in which the initiating device is capable of operatively accepting the detonation initiating signal when it is transmitted thereto. 2. The detonator system according to claim 1, which includes a shock tube that is provided in initiating proximity to the initiating device and the switching signal is a shock signal which is provided by, and propagated along, the shock tube. 3. The detonator system according to claim 2, in which the shock tube has a hollow elongate body, inside of which is provided a shock tube explosive, detonation of which provides the shock signal; anda tracer chemical,with the proviso that the tracer chemical is not, and on decomposition, detonation or combustion thereof does not provide, a chemical that is the same as a combustion or detonation product of the shock tube explosive. 4. The detonator system according to claim 3, in which the tracer chemical provides the chemical compositional component. 5. The detonator system according to claim 2, in which the initiating device comprises an electronic detonation circuit which includes a primary conductive path having at least two spaced apart conductive electrodes between which a resistive bridge is provided, the electrodes being connectable to a voltage source which, when the initiating device is in the standby condition, is capable of generating a detonation initiating voltage difference, as the detonation initiating property, between the electrodes, which voltage difference exceeds the breakdown voltage of the resistive bridge, thereby, in use in the detonation initiating condition, to cause the resistive bridge to generate a voltage spark or plasma capable of causing initiation and detonation of the explosive charge. 6. The detonator system, according to claim 5, in which the switching device is a resistive component that is provided in the primary conductive path of the detonation circuit and provides resistance against conduction of current from the voltage source to the resistive bridge in the non-detonation initiating condition, such resistance being of sufficient magnitude that the detonation initiating voltage cannot, in use, be generated between the resistive electrodes. 7. The detonator system according to claim 6, in which the switching device has a variable conductance, with its conductance, in the non-detonation initiating condition, being of a magnitude that is non-conducive to generation of the detonation initiating voltage difference between the electrodes. 8. The detonator system according to claim 7, in which the conductance of the switching device is sensitive to, and thus capable of being changed, in response to the chemical compositional component of the switching signal such that, in the standby condition, the conductance of the switching device is of a magnitude that is conducive to generation of the detonation initiating voltage difference between the electrodes. 9. The detonator system according to claim 8, in which the switching device is a transistor. 10. The detonator system according to claim 9, in which the switching property also comprises a switching pressure, with the transistor including a pressure sensitive material that is sensitive to the switching pressure as a function of its conductance, and with a pressure-activated change in the pressure sensitive material at the switching pressure resulting in an increase in the transistor conductance. 11. The detonator system according to claim 10, in which the pressure sensitive material includes a pressure sensitive rubber, constituting a layer of the transistor, and a pressure sensitive laminate, constituting an external laminate of the transistor. 12. The detonator system according to claim 9, in which the switching property also comprises a switching temperature, with the transistor including a temperature sensitive material that is sensitive to the switching temperature as a function of its conductance, and with a thermally-activated change in the temperature sensitive material at the switching temperature resulting in an increase in the transistor conductance. 13. The detonator system according to claim 12, in which the temperature sensitive material is polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF). 14. The detonator system according to claim 9, in which the switching property also comprises a switching light pulse, with the transistor including a photoconductive material that is sensitive to the switching light pulse as a function of its conductance, and with a light pulse-activated change in the photosensitive material at the switching light pulse resulting in an increase in the transistor conductance. 15. The detonator system according to claim 14, in which the transistor includes an organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell that provides the photoconductive material. 16. The detonator system according to claim 9, in which the transistor includes a sensing material that is sensitive to the chemical compositional component as a function of its conductance, with a chemical reaction-activated change in the sensing material on exposure to the chemical compositional component resulting in an increase in the transistor conductance. 17. The detonator system according to claim 16, in which the chemical compositional component is carbon monoxide, and wherein the sensing material comprises polyaniline, tin oxide (SnO2) doped with palladium (Pd), complexes of porphyrine, or a complex of phthalocyanine. 18. The detonator system according to claim 16, in which the chemical compositional component is, or includes, hydrogen cyanide (HCN), and wherein the sensing material comprises polyaniline or a complex of porphyrine. 19. The detonator system according to claim 16, in which the chemical compositional component is, or includes, NOx, and wherein the sensing material comprises polyaniline, poly(3-hexylthiophene), α-sexithiophene, a complex of porphyrine, a complex of phthalocyanine, or amorphous poly(triarylamine). 20. The detonator system according to claim 9, in which the transistor is an organic thin film transistor (OTFT) or an organic field effect transistor (OFET). 21. The detonator system according to claim 20, in which the organic transistor is a printed organic transistor that is printed onto a substrate, with the substrate thus being included in the initiating device. 22. The detonator system according to claim 5, in which the voltage source is an integrated voltage source, being integrated with the primary conductive path. 23. The detonator according to claim 5, in which the voltage source comprises a charging component that is capable of charging the voltage source on exposure to the switching property, thus rendering the voltage source ready for discharge when the initiating device is in the standby condition. 24. The detonator system according to claim 1, in which the switching signal includes: (i) a pressure component;(ii) a temperature component; and/or(ii) a light pulse, with the switching signal thus providing, as a switching property additional to the chemical compositional component, a switching pressure, a switching temperature, and/or a switching light pulse, and with the switching device thus also being capable of detecting the switching pressure, the switching temperature and/or the switching light pulse and of switching the initiating device to the standby condition on detection thereof. 25. The detonator according to claim 24, which includes shock tube that is provided in initiating proximity to the initiating device and the switching signal is a shock signal which is provided by, and propagated along, the shock tube; andin which the shock tube also includes a photo-luminescent chemical which provides the whole or a part of the light pulse. 26. The detonator according to claim 25, in which the photo-luminescent chemical includes a fluorescent and/or a phosphorescent chemical. 27. In an explosives detonator system comprising an initiating device that is in a non-detonation initiating condition in which it cannot operatively accept a detonation initiating signal but which is capable, in a detonation initiating condition caused by operative acceptance of the detonation initiating signal, of causing initiation of an explosive charge with which the detonator system is, in use, arranged in a detonating relationship, a method of operating the detonator system which includes transmitting a switching signal having, as a switching property a chemical compositional component, to a switching device of the detonator system whilst the initiating device is in the non-detonation initiating condition; andswitching the initiating device into a standby condition by means of the switching device on detection of the switching property of the switching signal, thereby rendering the detonator system susceptible to operative acceptance of the detonation initiating signal and thus susceptible to being switched into the detonation initiating condition. 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the switching signal includes, in addition to the chemical compositional component, (i) a pressure component;(ii) a temperature component; and/or(ii) a light pulse, as an additional switching property. 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the switching signal is a shock signal that is provided by, and propagated along, shock tube; andwherein the shock tube includes a photo-luminescent material that provides the whole or a part of the light pulse. 30. The method according to claim 29, in which the photo-luminescent chemical includes a fluorescent and/or a phosphorescent chemical. 31. The method according to claim 27, wherein the switching signal is a shock signal that is provided by, and propagated along, shock tube. 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the shock tube includes a tracer chemical, with the proviso that the tracer chemical is not, and on combustion does not provide, a chemical that is the same as a combustion or detonation product of the shock tube explosive. 33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the tracer chemical provides the chemical compositional component. 34. The method according to claim 27, wherein the initiating device comprises an electronic detonation circuit which includes a primary conductive path having at least two spaced apart conductive electrodes which are connected to a voltage source and between which a resistive bridge is provided, with switching the initiating device into the detonation initiating condition when the initiating device is in the standby condition includes applying as the detonation initiating property of the detonation initiating signal a voltage difference over the electrodes that exceeds the breakdown voltage of the resistive bridge, causing the resistive bridge to generate a voltage spark or plasma that causes initiation and detonation of the explosive charge. 35. The method of according to claim 34, wherein the switching device is a transistor with variable conductance which, in the non-detonation initiating condition, provides resistance against conduction of current from the voltage source to the resistive bridge such that the detonation initiating voltage cannot, in use, be generated between the resistive electrodes, with switching of the initiating device into the standby condition including increasing the conductance of the transistor.