In 1991 the Mine Safety and Health Administration conducted a special program to assess occupational exposures to respirable coal mine dust in underground coal mines. Priority was given to longwall mining operations, mines with a history ofhaving a problem controlling dust to the applicable standard, and a representative number of all other mines. Measurements were obtained on approximately 720...

This paper examines methods for limiting occupational silica exposures for roof bolting personnel in underground coal mining. A canopy air curtain and an air tube were evaluated as means to provide filtered air over the breathing zone of these personnel. Laboratory testing showed that dust reductions beneath the air curtain and air tube approached 60 percent and 40 percent, respectively, with l...

Contaminated drainage from metal mines is a serious water-quality problem facing nations that exploit metal mineral resources. Measurements of river hydrochemistry during baseflow are common at mine sites, whilst detailed hydrochemical information regarding stormflow is limited and often confined to a single event. This study investigates the seasonal evolution of stormflow hydrochemistry at an...

The mining industry is among the top ten industries nationwide with high occupational injury and fatality rates, and mine rescue response may be considered one of the most hazardous activities in mining operations. In the aftermath of an underground mine fire, explosion or water inundation, specially equipped and trained teams have been sent underground to fight fires, rescue entrapped miners, ...

With ever-increasing productivity targets in mining operations, there is a growing interest in mining automation. The PIMM project addresses the fundamental challenge of network communication by constructing a pilot 5G network in the underground mine Kankberg. In this report, we discuss how such a 5G network could constitute the essential infrastructure to organize existing systems in Kankberg ...

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers have investigated seat design issues for the occupants and operators of underground mine transport vehicles relative to wholebody vibration (WBV) and mechanical shock. Considering the ergonomic and engineering improvements made to underground mine shuttle car seats, this study has focused on reducing injury risk by im...

LKAB’s Kiruna Mine is located above the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden, and produces about 24 million tons of iron ore per year, making it is the second largest underground mine in the world today. The orebody, a world-class high-grade magnetite deposit, is approximately 4 km long and 80 m wide on average, and lies roughly in the north-south direction, with a dip of some 60 degrees. Surface m...

Excavations at the Giro mine located in commune of Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (France) have revealed a metallic and cylindrical artifact that resembles connecting element for wooden duct sections. Early modern literature, especially De Re Metallica, mention such technologies intended particular to force ventilation underground mines which air quality was harmful miners. The found gallery leading st...

Abstract: Mine ventilation system is critical for maintaining safe working conditions in an underground coal mine. At present, there exist some problems in developing mine ventilation software such as long development cycle, redevelopment, low commercialization and weak extensibility. The traditional digital mine ventilation systems is complicated to be modified or extended after published unle...