Subscribe to DeepL Pro to edit this document.

Visit www.DeepL.com/pro for more information.

1. Introduction

The process of extracting minerals can involve several stages that generate an exaggerated
amount of dust. This air pollution can lead to serious health problems, especially for workers
in the affected area. The application of polymers was a solution found to reduce the spread of
dust in the environment.

In general, an aqueous polymer solution is sprayed onto the surface of the iron ore, thus
forming a protective layer against the action of the wind. Spray cannons are an excellent
option for containing the dust generated during stages such as lorry loading, roadsides and on
the slopes of iron ore stockpiles.

In this case, the cannons can work in one of two ways: by spraying a fine mist of water and
causing the dust in the air to settle, or by applying an aaqueous
queous polymer solution, which also
prevents the dust from spreading throughout the environment. These dust suppression
methods are there to make it easier for mining companies to comply with the tolerance limits
for exposure to mineral dust.

1
 2. Objectives

The work has the following objectives:

2.1.General objective
 Talking about dust management

2.2.Specific objectives
 Talk about ways of controlling dust;
 Describe how a dust control system is selected;
 Talk about the basic types of dust control systems

3. Methodology

According to Galliano (1979:6), a method is a set of steps, arranged in an orderly fashion, to

be completed in the investigation of the truth, in the study of a science or to achieve a certain
end. This work is qualitative in nature, and the method used to gather information was to
consult manuals and research on the Internet. Once the information had been collected, the
analysis followed, which consisted of reading, synthesis, interpretation, organisation and
subsequent revision.

2
 4. Air pollution caused by mining

The process of opening mines, the use of machinery, especially in open-cast mining, the
transport and processing of the mined material, determines significant changes in the
characteristics of the atmospheric air near the mines. The amount of dust emitted by these
activities depends on the physical characteristics of the material and the way in which it is
handled and controlled.

Air pollutants from mining activities can be classified as gaseous and particulate. Among the
main gaseous pollutants are carbon monoxide (CO), which is colourless, odourless and
tasteless, but a highly toxic gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), sulphur oxides (SOx), nitric oxides
(NOx) and hydrocarbons, which are chemical compounds made up essentially of carbon and
hydrogen atoms. Most of these gases are emitted by the different processes and equipment
that use chemical agents and combustion engines, used in the extraction and transport of ore.

Particulates are produced by the detonation and dismantling of rocks, the movement of lorries
and machinery, the action of winds on mining fronts, in waste rock piles and in the crushing
and grinding of ores. Dust is also formed by mechanical disintegration, the action of drilling,
excavation, sieving, transfer, and loading and unloading of mineral substances.

5. Forms of dust control in mining

The definition of air pollution control methods in mining is based on a preliminary survey of
the type of pollutant, the characterisation of the polluting source and the possible impacts
caused by atmospheric pollutants on the environment. In this way, an environmental
diagnosis is made in the area of the project and in the surrounding regions.

Once this has been done, the desired anti-pollution measures can be defined, as well as those
that are most effective in solving the problem. Among the anti-pollution measures for
atmospheric air most commonly used in mining are:

a. Spraying water on roads, in waste rock piles, in drilling holes, at ore transfer points
and even using chemical stabilising agents. Water quality control is of paramount
importance in this measure, especially with regard to salinity.
b. Use of natural and artificial protection against wind drag, such as vegetation cover in
blasted areas, waste rock piles and mine pits covered with artificial coverings such as

3
 plastics and rubbers. Such measures reduce the effect of winds on possible sources of
dust emissions;
c. Use of air-polluting equipment in processing plants such as filters, electrostatic
precipitators, centrifugal separators, scrubbers, etc.

The last of the anti-pollution measures, letter c, will be emphasised below, as will how to
select dust control systems for mineral processing plants and the three basic types of dust
control currently used in mineral processing plants.

5.1.Selecting a dust control system

According to OSHA's Manual on Dust Control in Mineral Processing, the selection of a dust
control system for mineral processing plants is usually based on the desired air quality and
existing regulations. A variety of factors relevant to the implementation of a dust control
system should be investigated in detail before selecting one.

Emphasis should be placed on the process, operating conditions, equipment characteristics,

associated dust problems and dust toxicity. Before a dust control system can be designed,
information such as:

 Flowchart of the facility's process indicating items such as material flow rates, the
type of material to be handled and the types of equipment;
 Main emission points and dust conditions that occur at these points during normal
operations;
 Desired system performance;
 Drawings showing equipment - layout;
 Material retention time in silos or stocks;
 Availability of electrical equipment and other utilities;
 Indication of the permanent and occasional population of workers in each area
affected by the emission points.
 Risk map.
6. Dust control

According to the three basic types of dust control systems, some equipment corresponding to
each basic system mentioned was chosen in order to present their respective characteristics,
their operating principles and their advantages and disadvantages.

4
 6.1.Dust collection system equipment

6.1.1. Cyclones

It is used to collect the largest particles with a high specific weight, often acting as a pre-
collector to reduce the collection load on the main collector. Cyclones establish a rotating
movement for the emissions so that the centrifugal force applied to the particles, being
greater than the forces of molecular cohesion and gravity, causes them to be thrown against
the walls, removing them from the gaseous mass in flow. To achieve this result, the air must
penetrate tangentially into the upper part of a cylinder or cone, creating a downward helical
flow which, on reaching the bottom of a cone, returns with a central upward helical flow to
the outlet mouth at the top of the cylinder.

6.1.2. Mango Filters

Filters are the equipment most commonly used to remove fumes and dust from industrial
emissions from rock and mineral grinding systems, screening, abrasion, etc. They are used to
clean air flows containing very fine particulate material. It is a sealed chamber consisting of a
spacer plate (mirror), several "bags" of filter fabric (sleeves) supported by rigid frames
(cages) located inside the filter bags, and a system for cleaning the sleeves.

5
 7. Conclusion

Dust control in materials handling (unloading, transport, screening, crushing and storage) is a
subject of interest to designers and operators in many industries, as dust generation is an
inevitable result of their operations. In many areas, dust emissions are controlled by federal,
state and local bodies, and mining is one of them. The requirements are becoming stricter and
the penalties imposed for operating without adequate control are high risk and very costly.

Considering the expense of fines and the improvement in the environment that can be
provided, dust control becomes an investment in safe operations. There are numerous
technologies available for controlling dust emissions, each with its own set of implications
for permitting, capital cost, production, operating cost and maintenance. Choosing the path
that best suits each plant is not an easy task.

However, as we have seen in this work, there are many alternatives for systems and
equipment to control dust emissions, both for the mine as a whole and for an ore processing
plant. In this specific case, it can be seen that the choice of system and equivalent equipment
depends very much on the material handled and the types of equipment that process this ore.

8. References

6
[1] Colinet, J. et al. (2010). Best Practices for Dust Control in Coal Mining. Pittsburgh:
NIOSH.

[2] Lima, A. (2009). Approach to air pollution in mining: impacts, forms of monitoring and
control. Maraba: Federal University of Pará

[3] Ramos, M. (2017). Environmental Control and Monitoring in Mining. Cruz das almas:
UFRB.