Using mine planning and other techniques to improve ventilation in large-opening mines.
Authors
Grau RH III; Krog RB
Source
2008 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 24-27, Salt Lake City, Utah, Preprint 08-060. Littleton, CO: Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration, Inc., 2008 Feb; :1-4
Abstract
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has conducted research to improve the ventilation of large-opening mines. The research has demonstrated that the ventilation of large-opening mines improves significantly by including ventilation requirements in the mine planning process and implementing some practical techniques during mining. Planning the location of long pillars to reduce the number of crosscuts between intake airways and return airways, positioning auxiliary fans in their proper locations, and establishing ventilation stoppings with minimal leakage all significantly improve the ventilation of large-opening mines. Mine operators that adopt these techniques in the mine ventilation plan will reduce mineworkers' exposure to airborne contaminants.
Keywords
Mining-industry; Ventilation; Underground-mining; Ventilation-systems; Dust-control; Engineering-controls; Control-technology
Document Type
Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Source Name
2008 SME Annual Meeting and Exhibit, February 24-27, Salt Lake City, Utah, Preprint 08-060
