All ProductsBrowse every BLASTBAG, liner, plug, inflator and tool MTi makes — 400+ field-tested SKUs.106
BLASTBAGS™Inflatable stemming bags — Solo, Aero, Evo and Bag Spider. Cut powder use and improve fragmentation.5
Blasthole LinerBLASTSHIELD™ PLUS and Heavy-Duty Poly liners — keep emulsion dry in wet, fractured ground.2
Blasting Machines & Initiation EquipmentHB-series electric and non-electric blasting machines — MSHA-approved, with circuit continuity.14
Collar / Hole ProtectionCOLLARCONE hole savers and foam cubes — stop collar collapse, debris fall-in and redrills.8
Delineation & MarkingPINTAGs, solar flashers, stake flags and bandanas — mark, flag and light up the bench.6
Electrical Measurement DevicesDigital ohmmeters and circuit continuity testers — verify your shot before you fire.2
In-Hole AccessoriesSLUMPSTOPPA brushes, multifit spiders, booster locks and shot bags — for reliable, well-loaded holes.5
Inflation EquipmentInflators, droplines, couplings, hose reels and repair kits — full setup for chemical or air inflation.7
Locks / StoragePadlocks, load locks, steering locks and bin skirts — secure magazines, vehicles and gear.4
LoadingLoad poles, C-hooks, barbed retrievers, tamping plugs and adaptors — everything to deck and prime.7
MeasuringMiTiMEASURE tapes, dip weights, laser hypsometers and GPS — drill depth, dip and field measurement.8
SafetyHi-vis vests, fall protection, earplugs, lightning detectors and first-aid — keep your crew safe on the bench.21
Signs/PlacardsDanger, Keep Out and Explosives warning signs plus DOT placards — adhesive, aluminum and magnetic.4
Stemming PlugsROCKRIVET, MITIPLUG, SPRINGLOCK and MARS — friction stemming plugs that lock the deck and hold the gas.6
ToolsCordcutters, shot firer mirrors, blasthole cameras, MITI hooks and clips, smoke dischargers and batteries.20
An air deck is a sealed column of air inside the blast hole — placed between charges, or between the charge and the stemming — that redistributes explosive energy more evenly through the rock. The result: better fragmentation, less flyrock, and lower explosive cost per hole.
This collection covers every product that creates or supports an air deck. Inflatable BLASTBAGS™ for surface benches. Compressed-air BLASTBALL™ and BLASTBAG™ AERO for underground and wet conditions. Mechanical plugs for tunneling and narrow headings. Retention and measuring tools to make sure the air deck sits exactly where you put it.
Non-flammable aerosol BLASTBAG™. Two SKUs cover blast holes from 4" to 9 7/8".
Load pole connector for easy installation of ROCKRIVET and SLUMPSTOPPA.
Air-operated blast hole plug. Two SKUs cover 2.5"–12.25". Non-DG. Fastest inflation.
The non-metallic, non-dangerous goods BLASTBAG™ with push-latch inflation.
Air decking is a blast hole technique where a sealed pocket of air is placed inside the column — between two charges, or between the charge and the stemming — to redistribute explosive energy more evenly through the rock. Instead of filling the entire hole with explosives, you place a gas bag or mechanical plug at a set depth. When the charge fires, gases expand into the air pocket and push outward against the rock mass. The result: better fragmentation, less flyrock, and lower explosive cost per hole.
MTi GROUP's air decking range covers every product that creates or supports an air deck — inflatable BLASTBAGS™ in aerosol, chemical, and compressed-air models, mechanical stemming plugs for underground and tunneling, retention devices that hold the column where it belongs, and measuring tools that make sure the air deck sits at the right depth. Hole size coverage runs from 1.75 inches (45 mm) through to 12.25 inches (311 mm).
Lower an inflatable bag or mechanical plug to your target depth in the blast hole, leaving a gap of air above the explosives. The device seals against the hole wall and creates an air pocket between the explosive column and the stemming. When the charge detonates, that pocket acts as a buffer — reflecting and redistributing the pressure pulse so the energy goes into breaking rock instead of venting up the column. You get better break from the same amount of explosive, or the same break from less.
By replacing a portion of the explosive column with a sealed air pocket, you redirect detonation energy into the surrounding rock instead of wasting it pushing stemming up the collar. Documented results across MTi GROUP customers: explosive consumption reductions of 7% per hole on average, and up to 11% per hole at a Powder River Basin coal operation using BLASTBAG™ air decks. The cost of an air deck device is typically a fraction of the explosive savings on a single hole.
Different mining environments need different air decking products. Surface benches usually run aerosol BLASTBAGS™ (SOLO and EVO) for fast, single-operator deployment. Underground development and back-stope holes use compressed-air BLASTBAG™ AERO or chemical BLASTBAG™ ACE II when service air isn't available. Tunneling and narrow headings use mechanical plugs like MITIPLUG and SPRINGLOCK that lock into the hole wall without inflation. Retention devices and measuring tools support all of the above by making sure the column stays in place and the air deck sits at the correct depth.
 BLASTBAG™ SOLO
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 BLASTBAG™ EVO
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 BLASTBAG™ ACE II
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 BLASTBAG™ AERO
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 BLASTBALL™
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 MITIPLUG
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 ROCKRIVETS
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 SLUMPSTOPPA™
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| Type | Inflatable bag | Inflatable bag | Inflatable bag | Inflatable bag | Inflatable plug | Mechanical plug | Retention plug | Retention device |
| Inflation / Mechanism | Aerosol, 2-speed actuator (non-flammable, non-toxic) | Aerosol, variable pressure sleeve | Chemical reaction (non-DG, no metal) | Compressed air (service air lines) | Compressed air via drop line, hermetic bladder + nylon webbing | Flexible pilgrim-hat fins (no inflation) | Collet-fin friction (rigid or semi-rigid) | Polymer bristles + stainless spine (gas-permeable) |
| Hole Size Range | 4.5" – 12.25" / 114 – 311 mm | 4" – 9⅞" / 100 – 250 mm | 3" – 10⅝" / 76 – 270 mm | 2.5" – 12.25" / 64 – 311 mm | 2.5" – 8" / 64 – 203 mm | 2.5" – 4" / 64 – 102 mm | 3" – 9" / 76 – 230 mm | 2.5" – 4.5" / 64 – 115 mm |
| Surface / UG | Both | Surface | Both | UG specialist - both | Both, wet-hole rated | UG | Both | UG |
| DG Class | Class 9 | Class 9 | Non-DG | Non-DG | Non-DG | Non-DG | Non-DG | Non-DG |
| Best For Air Decking | The most-used aerosol bag worldwide — single-operator, ~30 seconds per hole | Two SKUs cover most hole sizes — simpler stocking, fewer decisions | Sites with strict storage rules or metal-detector conveyors | Underground sites running service air — snap-on coupling | Wet holes, breakthroughs, cracks/voids — the only wet-hole-rated inflatable | Underground emulsion or ANFO upholes — column retention + air deck in one | Retains the charge column and creates a controlled air deck on trim and pre-split rows | Emulsion uphole loading — holds the column while letting gas through |
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Pick BLASTBAG™ SOLO when you're running surface benches and want the most-used aerosol gas bag on the market. Self-contained, single-operator deploy, no extra gear — ~30 seconds per hole. Two-speed actuator lets you inflate slow or fast depending on the situation. Sizes from 4.5" to 12.25" (114 – 311 mm) cover every standard production hole. Class 9 DG — stores and ships under aerosol rules.
Pick BLASTBAG™ EVO when you want aerosol convenience without the SKU sprawl. Two sizes — Hawk (4" – 6") and Eagle (6" – 9⅞") — cover most surface holes, so you stock less and make one decision on the bench instead of four. Single bladder seals against the hole wall; pressure sleeve controls inflation speed. Class 9 DG.
Pick BLASTBAG™ ACE II when storage or transport rules make aerosol products a hassle, or when you're running metal-detector conveyors that throw false trips. Chemical reaction inflation — no aerosol, no metal components, non-DG. Same air-deck performance as SOLO and EVO, just delivered through a controlled chemical reaction instead of pressurized gas. Sizes 3" through 10⅝" (76 – 270 mm).
Pick BLASTBAG™ AERO when you're underground with service air lines available. Compressed-air operated, dual-bladder construction, snap-on coupling for fast connect/disconnect. Works in any direction — up holes, down holes, even underwater. Sizes 2.5" through 12.25" (64 – 311 mm). Best-seller in underground and the cleanest install when air is already on site. Non-DG.
Pick BLASTBALL™ when the hole is wet or you've got breakthroughs and cracks to seal. The only inflatable in this collection rated for wet-hole deployment — lower it through water on a drop line, then inflate with compressed air. Reinforced rubber bladder with nylon webbing handles -58°F to 185°F (-50°C to 85°C). Sizes 2.5" to 8" (64 – 203 mm). Underground development specialist.
Pick MITIPLUG™ when you're loading emulsion or ANFO into underground upholes and need a mechanical plug that creates an air deck AND retains the column. Flexible pilgrim-hat fins fold back on insertion, then lock in place — and the fins let gas through. Revised design includes downline protection. Fits 2.5" to 4" (64 – 102 mm). The most popular plug for underground emulsion upholes.
Pick ROCKRIVET™ when you need to create a controlled air deck on a trim or pre-split row, or hold the charge column with maximum retention and downline pass-through. Collet-style fins bite the hole wall and don't walk, twist, or shift. Iron ore case study: 38% smaller P80 fragment size with ROCKRIVETS installed. Sizes 3" to 9" (76 – 230 mm), rigid for heavier loads, semi-rigid for tighter holes.
Pick SLUMPSTOPPA™ when you're loading emulsion in underground upholes and need a gas-permeable retention device to hold the column without compromising the gassing reaction. Polymer bristles with a stainless steel spine hold the column while letting emulsion gas through. Fits 2.5" to 4.5" (64 – 115 mm). The dedicated emulsion-slump solution for underground upholes.
Inflatable gas bags, mechanical plugs, and retention devices that hold an air deck inside the blast hole — the work that decides whether your blast energy goes into the rock or up the column. Used by drill-and-blast crews across surface, underground, tunneling, and civil operations to cut explosive consumption while maintaining or improving fragmentation.
Air decks that earn their keep on the bench.
Four inflation methods, two mechanical plug designs, two retention devices. Aerosol when speed matters. Compressed air when service lines are already on site. Chemical reaction when DG rules are tight. Ball-style for wet holes and breakthroughs. Mechanical plugs for narrow headings and upholes. Match the air deck to the hole instead of forcing one product to do every job.
Documented across MTi GROUP customers: up to 11% less powder per hole at a Powder River Basin coal operation, up to 70% flyrock reduction at a West Africa gold mine, and 38% reduction in P80 at a South America iron ore mine. The cost of the air deck device is a fraction of the explosive savings on a single hole.
Every air decking application is covered. Surface benches and pre-split rows run aerosol BLASTBAGS™. Underground development uses compressed-air AERO and BLASTBALL™. Tunneling uses mechanical SPRINGLOCK. Uphole emulsion uses MITIPLUG™ and SLUMPSTOPPA™. ROCKRIVET™ handles trim and pre-split retention. One collection, every application.
BLASTBAGS™ are high-performance gas bags used to create reliable air decks in blastholes, helping reduce explosive consumption and improve fragmentation. These inflatable...
Inflation Equipment is the kit that turns a flat BLASTBAG™ AERO or BLASTBALL™ into a sealed air deck at the bottom of...
