Abstract: A blasting mat is provided with a body of sectional construction comprising an array of vehicle tire elements, which tire elements are mounted and held in place by retaining lines. The tire elements are arranged tread to tread, in rows, which rows are positioned adjacent to similar rows in stacked offset fashion, the rows in this manner alternating and forming a brickwork pattern. Interior lines are threaded through holes in side walls of individual tire elements holding the array in place. Reinforcing bars positioned at the ends of the array prevent the tearing of tire elements in the vicinity of the bars, during a blasting operation. The blasting mat may be pulled from place to place by means of exterior lines which are attached along their length to parts of the above-mentioned interior lines that are adjacent to the ends of the blasting mat.