Exposure to dust in mineral extraction
In the mining industry, minerals such as coal or lignite are extracted and processed using explosives and very heavy machinery. The materials extracted from the quarries often cause significant dust pollution. Exposure to this poses a major risk to people and the environment.
Dump lorries transport the mined material to the open-cast mine’s crushing plants for further reduction into smaller chunks. This transport along the quarry’s roads causes road dust nuisance. A great deal of dust is also released when the large chunks of raw material are crushed in the open-cast mine’s crushers.
In addition, the conveyor belts used to transport the various fractions of material on the mine site constitute an additional source of dust generation due to their drop points. Open-cast mines usually also have their own railway siding. When loading the railway wagons for outbound trains, the large volume of air displaced also generates a great deal of dust.
Wuvio offers solutions which, on the one hand, improve working conditions in the mine, whilst also reducing material loss through dust dispersion, thereby making mining operations more efficient in every respect:
Freko-Crust or Eco-Crust S (transparent or coloured) create a protective top layer on the stockpiles, ensuring that the stored material is exposed to the wind as little as possible.
Water atomisation and the addition of Freko-Humidifier – an additive that reduces the surface tension of water – prevents dust formation during the handling and transport of bulk materials.
Dry foam, Freko-Foam, is primarily used at drop points or transfer points on conveyor belts or in crushing plants. The foam has a binding effect and thus prevents dust formation.
RDS (Road Dust Solution) is an additive that is mixed with water and is easy to apply using a spray boom and a water tanker.
