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The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)





Mining Project: Ventilation to Control Contaminants in Metal/NonMetal Mining Operations
Keywords: Airflow Booster fans Metal mining Nonmetal mining Ventilation
This page is archived for historical purposes and is no longer being maintained or updated.
Principal Investigator
Chris Pritchard -  Request informationStart Date
10/1/2010End Date
9/30/2013Objective
To enhance worker health and safety in underground metal/nonmetal mines by improving the effectiveness of ventilation airflow, thereby limiting airborne contaminant (gases, DPM, and respirable dusts) concentrations to statutory levels or lower.Topic Areas
Respirable Dust
Ventilation Overview
Research Summary

This project enhanced worker health and safety in underground metal/nonmetal (M/NM) mines by improving the effectiveness of ventilation airflow, thereby limiting airborne contaminant (gases, DPM, and respirable dusts) concentrations to statutory levels or lower.
This project involved three research aims:
Determine appropriate strategies for booster fan use to increase the quality, quantity, and, hence, the effectiveness of ventilation airflow in both tabular and multi-level M/NM operations. Strategies include optimal location of the fan with respect to the face, minimally acceptable stopping designs to limit leakage between the booster fan and adjacent entry, timing for booster fan installation, and booster fan operational setting point determination.
Determine appropriate strategies for controlled district recirculation to improve ventilation effectiveness in both tabular and multi-level M/NM operations. Strategies include acceptable recirculation percentages as a function of inby contaminant levels, booster fan placement (in-line in the return airway or in a crosscut), minimum stopping or bulkhead design to limit airflow losses in the intake airway, and distance of recirculation sites from the active faces (for dilution of dusts and gaseous contaminants).
Determine if ion generation and filtration systems can be made a feasible methodology for removing airborne particulates (dust and DPM aerosols) from the ventilation airflow. Included will be designs for scaling-up smaller units, and best practices for using and locating these devices in M/NM operations.

See Also
CO and CO2 Emissions from Spontaneous Heating of Coal Under Different Ventilation Rates
Engineering Factors in the Ventilation of Metal Mines
Experimental and Modeling Investigation of the Effect of Ventilation on Smoke Rollback in a Mine Entry
Investigation into the Practical Use of Belt Air at US Longwall Operations
Novel Stopping Designs for Large-Opening Metal/Nonmetal Mines
Silica Dust Sources in Underground Metal/Nonmetal Mines - Two Case Studies
Technology News 491 - NIOSH Releases Two New Safety Training Videos
Technology News 501 - Measuring Very Low Air Velocities in Underground Metal/Nonmetal Mines
Technology News 518 - Super Stopping: A Permanent Solid Stopping for Directing Ventilation Airflows in Large-opening Metal/Nonmetal Mines
Technology News 519 - EZ-Up Curtain Stoppings: A Practical Solution for Directing Ventilation Airflows in Large-opening Metal/Nonmetal Mines
Page last reviewed: January 3, 2017
Page last updated: October 22, 2016
Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program
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