A. Grima, D. Hastie, L. Mar, P. Wypych
Australian Coal Preparation Society Limited
Proceedings of the Fifteenth Australian Coal Preparation Conference
The coal industry is facing increasingly difficult challenges to ensure sustainable operation and development (e.g. environmental and workplace dust emissions, social and cultural impacts, economics). Most existing dust control measures treat only the “symptoms” of dust generation and do not deal with the root cause/s of the problem. They also are relatively inefficient in terms of controlling dust emissions (e.g. dust extraction is one of the most common forms of dust control, but can also be one of the most inefficient ways of capturing or controlling dust).This paper summarises initially the various existing options available for dust control and some of their features, advantages and disadvantages. It then describes some of the new technologies that are being researched, developed and employed to minimise dust emissions by addressing dustability or dustiness, dust generation mechanisms, as well as processing and handling requirements. The paper also presents some results from research being undertaken on the:• comparison and evaluation of methods to quantify the dustiness or dustability of bulkmaterials (via rotating drum dustiness testers and standards)• development and implementation of high-energy dry-fogging technology (to suppressairborne dust)• air and dust generation mechanisms, including modelling and computer simulations.With improved understanding of dust generation mechanisms and also bulk material dustiness, it is possible to achieve a step-change improvement in the design, troubleshooting and application of more efficient dust control technologies.
Bulk materials, Coal, dust control, mining