Comparing chemical suppressants for the control of fugitive dust emission on mine hauls roads

Dust generated from haul roads poses a health and safety threat to mine sites. Traditionally, water has been applied on mine haul roads to control the dust. Using chemical surfactants to form a solution of chemical suppressants has been considered as a more effective method to control fugitive. However, the use of chemical dust suppressants is still in an “art” stage in which the selection and use of dust suppressants is largely based on site experience after numerous “trials-and-errors.” To this end, the objective of this proposed research is to develop a bench-scale testing framework and conduct a systematic investigation on various chemical dust suppressants in the mining industry. The results derived from the proposed investigation and its related characterizations will strongly benefit the selection of chemical dust suppressants for truck hauling in Canada’s mining sites.

Faculty Supervisor:

Wei Liu

Student:

Leon Yang

Partner:

Teck Metals Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

University of Alberta