Dust Suppression Systems

Australia produces approximately 6% of the world’s coal, and nearly 80% of our coal comes from open-cut mines, compared to around 40% globally. Open-cut mining presents significant challenges in dust control and air quality due to the inevitable generation of respirable dust. Respirable dust (PM10) refers to particles typically less than 10 microns in size. Invisible to the naked eye, this fine dust can cause issues ranging from vision impairment to serious health risks, including black lung disease.

What are dust suppression systems?
These systems are wet or dry control methods designed to bind or capture fine dust particles. Wet systems use dust suppressants, while dry systems often use baghouse filters. For dust suppression to be effective, these systems must be strategically positioned to target dust at its source.

In the mining & civil industries the most common dust suppression systems use what is known as the wet technique. There are many and varied forms of ‘wet’ dust control or mitigation techniques, which include constant wetting, dust fogging or the use of sprinklers to provide dust suppression in a particular area.

Points of high use or areas of constant product movement such as crushing plants, blasting areas, conveyor cross overs, ROM Bins, conveyors & load out areas predominately utilise fixed dust control systems such as fogging, misters, sprinklers as dust suppression measures.

Wind erosion of tailings dams & ash pits are also an major issue, utilising a similar method of permanent dust control systems to mitigate airborne dust. As this infrastructure normally covers a smaller area comparatively the use of Dust Suppression Towers, Dust Control Sprinklers, Fog Cannons and Misting Jets.