https://oizom.com/dust-monitoring-mines-quarries/ The underground mining sites pose even a graver threat to the miners due to insufficient ventilation. The dust particulates suspended in the enclosed area gets trapped and increases the dust concentration. High dust concentration reduces visibility and causes respiratory diseases to the workers. The workers and miners without proper protection masks may suffocate and experience serious health problems. As the safety of the worker at mining and quarrying sites is the liability of the mining company, it becomes mandatory for them to follow the OSHA standards and not to breach the prescribed exposure limit. Dust monitoring at mines and quarries is a primary step to curb particulate pollution ensuring better ambient air quality.

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DUST MONITORING AT
MINES AND QUARRIES

2. Increased mining
of Nickel, Cobalt,
Lithium, etc.
Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries
INTRODUCTION
The world is transitioning towards low carbon alternatives
to reduce its carbon footprint and achieve the Sustainable
Development Goals.
The transport sector will be undergoing a major shift
towards electric vehicles by the end of the year 2030.
It is estimated that Lithium
demand will be nearly 1.3
million tonnes of LCE (Lithium
Carbonate Equivalent) by the
year 2025.
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”

3. Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries
INDIAN SCENARIO
India is rich in minerals such as:
- Coal
- Steel
- Mica
- Aluminium
- Lead
The mining, on-site extraction, and processing of
these minerals cause severe air pollution and
water pollution.

4. Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries
The mines at the famous Kolar
Gold Fields (KGF), years after its
closure acts as a fugitive source
of dust particles.
The mine dust mixed with
Sodium Cyanide has caused
respiratory tract infections and
skin allergies to the citizens
living nearby.
Featured image: Mine tailings at Kolar Gold Fields. Photo: Wikimedia
Commons, CC BY-SA
MINE DUST AT KGF

5. CONTRIBUTORS Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries
Drilling Excavation Dynamite
Stone Crushing Smelting

6. HEALTH EFFECTS Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries
Dust particles at mines may contain traces
of Lead, Lithium, Uranium, etc. which can
easily penetrate into the respiratory system
causing fatal diseases.
- Stroke
- Heart Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Respiratory Infections
- Asthma
- Pneumonia.
Finer dust is responsible
for the death of nearly 7
million each year.
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”
- World Health Organization
(WHO)

7. REGULATION AND COMPLIANCE
Dust monitoring at mines and quarries proves to
be an important step towards planning
mitigation strategies and curb dust pollution.
Monitoring results help in:
- Environmental Impact Assessment. (EIA)
- Environmental Management Plan. (EMP)
- Environmental Clearance. (EC)
- Semi-annual compliance reports.
- Alerts and Awareness.
The data also acts as base data to compare the air
particulate concentration at different stages of
processes.
Dispersion analysis can be carried out for better
understanding of dust transport.
Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries

8. DUSTROIDTM
The monitoring devices like the Oizom’s low-
cost sensor DustroidTM (with variants - Light,
Smart, and Pro) are stationed at mines and
quarries.
DustroidTM measures the concentration of
various particulate matter PM1, PM2.5, PM10,
and PM100 in the ambient air which can be
further integrated with a weather station.
Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries

9. AUTOMATION
Dust Suppression
Automation through Real
Time Dust Monitoring
Dust Monitoring at Mines and Quarries