Dust Control In Hard Rock MinesDust Control In Hard Rock Mines

What You Can’t See Can Kill You.What You Can’t See Can Kill You.

Dust Control In This Mine Is A Dust Control In This Mine Is A Large Complex ProblemLarge Complex Problem

Many items discussed in this presentation Many items discussed in this presentation requires problem solving at all levels of an requires problem solving at all levels of an operation.operation.

It may require engineering, operations, or It may require engineering, operations, or maintenance groups to assist to ultimately maintenance groups to assist to ultimately solve.solve.

It requires a total team effort from all It requires a total team effort from all underground personnel & other site-wide underground personnel & other site-wide groups. groups.

Dust Control In Any Mine Is A Dust Control In Any Mine Is A Large Complex ProblemLarge Complex Problem

Dust can cause health related issues whether Dust can cause health related issues whether it is a short acute related health problem or it is a short acute related health problem or a long term systemic problem like silicosis.a long term systemic problem like silicosis.

Prevention of dust is everyone’s problem. We Prevention of dust is everyone’s problem. We all breath the same air, if we don’t take care all breath the same air, if we don’t take care

of it. In other words: of it. In other words: “It can “It can killkill you.” you.”

Why Can Dust Get So Bad Here?Why Can Dust Get So Bad Here?

Fact: Major dust compliance problems in hard Fact: Major dust compliance problems in hard rock mines is caused by silica (quartz) in the rock. rock mines is caused by silica (quartz) in the rock. Mines high in silica content rock, 8% or more, are Mines high in silica content rock, 8% or more, are far more likely to have dust problems than those far more likely to have dust problems than those where there is less silica.where there is less silica.

Fact: On average the rock in this mine is 40% Fact: On average the rock in this mine is 40% silica content. Depending where you mine it can silica content. Depending where you mine it can go higher.go higher.

Fact: Exposure to silica dust can cause silicosis.Fact: Exposure to silica dust can cause silicosis.

Major Source of Dust GenerationMajor Source of Dust Generation

BlastingBlasting Mucking & HaulageMucking & Haulage Drilling & BoltingDrilling & Bolting Ore passes Ore passes CrushersCrushers Conveyors SystemsConveyors Systems Backfill ProcessBackfill Process Road HeadersRoad Headers ShotcretingShotcreting Fresh Intake Mine Dust Fresh Intake Mine Dust

Control Measures for Correction Control Measures for Correction & Reduction in Dust& Reduction in Dust

Water sprays & Spray BarsWater sprays & Spray Bars VentilationVentilation Control of drill dustControl of drill dust Control of conveyor dustControl of conveyor dust Control of ore pass dustControl of ore pass dust Control of mucking & haulage dustControl of mucking & haulage dust Control of blasting dustControl of blasting dust Control of road-header dustControl of road-header dust Control of fresh air intake dustControl of fresh air intake dust

Control MeasuresControl Measures

Drill Dust ControlDrill Dust Control

Good Dust ControlGood Dust Control Requires Good Regular & Requires Good Regular &

Consistent MaintenanceConsistent Maintenance

Factors that can lead to high Factors that can lead to high dust levels on drills:dust levels on drills:

Lack of Proper MaintenanceLack of Proper Maintenance Failure to use waterFailure to use water Inadequate quantities of Inadequate quantities of

waterwater Plugged water holes in drill Plugged water holes in drill

steels steels Dull drill bitsDull drill bits Dry collaring.Dry collaring. Poor Maintenance on dust Poor Maintenance on dust

collector systemscollector systems

Crushers & Rock BreakersCrushers & Rock Breakers

Water Sprays SystemsWater Sprays Systems Dust Collector SystemsDust Collector Systems Ventilation SystemsVentilation SystemsAll require regular All require regular

maintenance & maintenance & attention. attention.

Disabling dust control Disabling dust control systems are a bad systems are a bad practice that can cause practice that can cause long term health threats.long term health threats.

Conveyor Belt Dust ControlConveyor Belt Dust Control

Possible Solutions to Conveyor Possible Solutions to Conveyor System DustSystem Dust

Solutions to Conveyor Transfer Box Solutions to Conveyor Transfer Box Dust May Require Installing & Properly Dust May Require Installing & Properly

Maintaining Dust Collector Systems Maintaining Dust Collector Systems

Moving Rock Moves Air.Moving Rock Moves Air.

Maintenance of Water Spray & Maintenance of Water Spray & Sprinkler SystemsSprinkler Systems

Solving Ore Pass DustSolving Ore Pass Dust

A critical step in dust control is to A critical step in dust control is to prevent it’s escape & dispersal.prevent it’s escape & dispersal.

Confinement can be Confinement can be accomplished by systems of accomplished by systems of stoppings & air tight doors, stoppings & air tight doors, curtains, spray bars, or isolations curtains, spray bars, or isolations of passes away from travelways.of passes away from travelways.

Dust can be reduce by wetting Dust can be reduce by wetting before delivery & adding water at before delivery & adding water at the tipping site by spraying rock the tipping site by spraying rock as it falls into passes.as it falls into passes.

Mucking & Haulage Dust Mucking & Haulage Dust ControlControl

Large Strides can be made to Large Strides can be made to improve dust during this improve dust during this cycle.cycle.

Improvement to water trucks Improvement to water trucks sprinklers.sprinklers.

Installation of mine wide Installation of mine wide sprinkler systems.sprinkler systems.

Dust surfactants testing & Dust surfactants testing & implementations.implementations.

Wetting down entire muck Wetting down entire muck area prior to removal of area prior to removal of material.material.

Blasting Dust ControlBlasting Dust Control

Thoroughly wetting down area Thoroughly wetting down area surrounding the blast (Back, Ribs & Seal) surrounding the blast (Back, Ribs & Seal) before a blastbefore a blast will help settle dust from will help settle dust from previous operations from becoming previous operations from becoming airborne.airborne.

Blasting Dust ControlBlasting Dust Control

Uniform rock moisture content of only Uniform rock moisture content of only 1% greatly reduces dust compared to dry 1% greatly reduces dust compared to dry rock both before & after a blast.rock both before & after a blast.

Shotcreting Dust ControlShotcreting Dust Control

Note: Predampening & washing down of Note: Predampening & washing down of rock surfaces in shotcreting zone will rock surfaces in shotcreting zone will greatly improve adhesion of product & greatly improve adhesion of product & eliminates a lot of dust that can be liberated eliminates a lot of dust that can be liberated during pneumatic application of product.during pneumatic application of product.– When dry systems are utilized predampening of When dry systems are utilized predampening of

product can reduce dust.product can reduce dust.– Also spray bars in close proximity can knock Also spray bars in close proximity can knock

down goodly amounts of generated dust.down goodly amounts of generated dust.

Road Header Dust ControlRoad Header Dust Control

Dust Control for machines like roadheaders Dust Control for machines like roadheaders usually depend on some degree of dust cloud usually depend on some degree of dust cloud confinement.confinement.

Road Header Dust Control Road Header Dust Control Managed Through Ventilation & Managed Through Ventilation &

Water SpraysWater Sprays

Fresh Air Intake DustFresh Air Intake Dust

Dust is liberated from Dust is liberated from other sources (i.e. process other sources (i.e. process facilities, haul roads, facilities, haul roads, backfill stockpiles.backfill stockpiles.

Possible solutions: Possible solutions: – Surface application of dust Surface application of dust

surfactants around fresh air surfactants around fresh air intakes.intakes.

– Increased water trucks Increased water trucks scheduling.scheduling.

– Better dust control at Better dust control at surface crusher facilities.surface crusher facilities.

Respiratory ProtectionRespiratory Protection

Ultimately it is the objective of the safety department Ultimately it is the objective of the safety department to do away with mandatory respiratory protection to do away with mandatory respiratory protection for all underground personnel. This will only be for all underground personnel. This will only be possible by diligent efforts of all personnel possible by diligent efforts of all personnel underground.underground.

There are definitely in roads that need to be made. There are definitely in roads that need to be made. Some of it is behavioral. Some of it is Some of it is behavioral. Some of it is improvement in conditions that create dust improvement in conditions that create dust releases. It will require everyone’s help & active releases. It will require everyone’s help & active participations to solve.participations to solve.

Let’s Talk About Near Misses & Let’s Talk About Near Misses & AccidentsAccidents

We all know that accidents & near misses We all know that accidents & near misses are when conditions & behaviors run close are when conditions & behaviors run close enough together to cause an incident the enough together to cause an incident the only way to control them is to separate only way to control them is to separate conditions away from behaviors. The conditions away from behaviors. The farther apart these are the greater margin of farther apart these are the greater margin of safety.safety.

You say, “What does that have to do with You say, “What does that have to do with dust control?dust control?

Conditions Can Drive BehaviorsConditions Can Drive Behaviors& Behaviors Can Drive Conditions& Behaviors Can Drive Conditions

What conditions can drive behaviors?What conditions can drive behaviors?

How do we correct them?How do we correct them?

What behaviors can drive conditions?What behaviors can drive conditions?

How do we correct them?How do we correct them?

The Key to solving this problem is what?The Key to solving this problem is what?

YouYouYou may not be able to control how your fellow You may not be able to control how your fellow

worker will react.worker will react.The Key is being able to control how you react.The Key is being able to control how you react.

Proactive Safety can help solves problems. Proactive Safety can help solves problems. Collectively if we all choose to do the most Collectively if we all choose to do the most productive correct solution to this problem,productive correct solution to this problem,

It won’t belong to until we all have eaten this It won’t belong to until we all have eaten this elephant.elephant.

It starts with the first bite. It starts with the first bite.

In SummaryIn Summary

Dust is by product of the mining process.Dust is by product of the mining process. It take daily commitment from all personnel It take daily commitment from all personnel

underground to solve this problem every underground to solve this problem every shift.shift.

Remember controlling dust every day can Remember controlling dust every day can keep the respirator & 02 bottle away.keep the respirator & 02 bottle away.

Please do your part every day.Please do your part every day.

Created by Pat GazewoodCreated by Pat GazewoodA.k.a. Capt. ShotcreteA.k.a. Capt. Shotcrete

Thanks to Niosh for source Thanks to Niosh for source information used in this information used in this

presentations.presentations.