During many of the extraction and processing processes related to the production and processing of rock and mineral products, dust particles are created and can become airborne. To effectively combat this issue, it’s essential to understand its origins. We’ll delve into the three primary sources of dust in mines: drilling and blasting, loading and hauling, and crushing and grinding.
Drilling and Blasting
This method of breaking rock for excavating purposes involves the controlled use of explosives and other techniques such as gas pressure blasting pyrotechnics. Drilling and blasting are most frequently used in mining, quarrying, and other engineering operations. A rock cut is the product of rock blasting. Each explosion sends a massive dust cloud into the air, filled with silica and other harmful minerals, posing a severe respiratory threat.
Loading and Hauling
The shattered rock moves after blasting. Loaders are massive devices that gather waste and transport it to haul trucks. As shovels scrape rock and trucks cross complex terrain, this activity generates a lot of dust. The movement of these trucks and transferring material to conveyor belts continues the cycle of dust creation, putting workers and anyone nearby in danger.
Crushing and Grinding
The next stage involves processing the rock to extract valuable minerals. The terms crushing and grinding are used for the same meaning, i.e. for size reduction. The term crushing represents the size reduction.
Crushers break down rocks into smaller fragments, whereas grinding means the reduced size of the crushed materials, which gives fine products than crushing. Because of the wide variety of devices used, making a rigid classification in which the groups’ definite limitations can be established: deciding coarse crushers, intermediate crushers, and fine grinders is tough. Each step releases a fine dust cloud, contaminating the air and posing inhalation risks.
Understanding the specific contributions of drilling and blasting, loading and hauling, and crushing and grinding to dust generation is critical to designing effective control measures. By focusing on these hotspots, we aim to create a healthier, safer mining environment and reduce the environmental impact of these activities(Davda, 2024).
Reference:
Davda, K. (2024, January 18). Dust Control in Mines: Methods, Sources, Solutions. Oizom. https://oizom.com/dust-control-in-mines/
