The Coal-Dust Question

How does limestone rock dust prevent coal dust explosions in coal mines?

Coal dust explosions in underground coal mines are pre­ vented by a generous application of rock dust (usually lime­ stone). If an explosion should occur, the rock dust disperses, mixes with the coal dust and prevents fl ame propagation by acting as a thermal inhibitor or heat sink. To investigate this process in more detail, a number of ex­ plosion experiments using various coal dust and limes...

Airborne Dust Liberation During Coal Crushing

Further studies of the dust in lungs of coal-miners.

In a previous communication (King and Nagelschmidt, 1945), analytical data were given for the amount and composition of the dust found in the lungs of 54 coalworkers from South Wales. Coal, total silica, quartz, mica, and kaolin were determined as the percentages of dried lung tissue, and the results were related to type of work and degree of pathology. The main findings were the following: (1)...

Airborne dust in coal mines: the sampling problem.

Equivalency of a personal dust monitor to the current United States coal mine respirable dust sampler.

The United States National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, through an informal partnership with industry, labor, and the United States Mine Safety and Health Administration, has developed and tested a new instrument known as the Personal Dust Monitor (PDM). The new dust monitor is an integral part of the cap lamp that coal miners normally carry to work and provides continuous info...