Mining is increasingly relying on wireless communication for a diverse set of functions in the mine. As additional wireless devices and systems are added to the mining cycle, they must continue to function acceptably in the presence of the other wireless devices and systems currently in use. This paper presents a case study to illustrate the importance of testing for wireless coexistence in the mining sector. A commercial wireless Emergency Stop (E-Stop) system is evaluated for wireless coexistence with another technology commonly found in mines: IEEE 802.11 WLAN. Two hypothetical E-Stop application use cases are presented. Functional wireless performance and key performance indicators are defined, and testing is performed. Analyses of the results are shown as they pertain to each application use case. The results indicate that unintended signals can impact the wireless performance of the E-Stop system devices in certain circumstances. The conclusion is that evaluating and understanding wireless coexistence performance can lead to safer and more reliable wireless system deployments on or around safety-critical mining equipment. © 2024 IEEE.

Occupational exposures to respirable dusts and respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is well established as a health hazard in many industries including mining, construction, and oil and gas extraction. The U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is researching methods of controlling fugitive dust emissions at outdoor mining operations. In this study, a prototype engineering control system to control fugitive dust emissions was developed combining passive subsystems for dust settling with active dust filtration and spray-surfactant dust suppression comprising a hybrid system. The hybrid system was installed at an aggregate production facility to evaluate the effectiveness of controlling fugitive dust emissions generated from two cone crushers and belt conveyors that transport crushed materials. To evaluate effectiveness of the system, area air measurements (n = 14 on each day for a total of 42 samples) for respirable dust were collected by NIOSH before, during, and after the installation of the dust control system in the immediate vicinity of the crushers and the nearby conveyor transfer point. Compared to pre-intervention samples, over short periods of time, geometric mean concentrations of airborne respirable dust were reduced by 37% using passive controls (p = 0.34) but significantly reduced by 93% (p < 0.0001) when the full hybrid system was installed. This proof-of-concept project demonstrated that the combined use of active and passive dust controls along with a spray surfactant can be highly effective in controlling fugitive dust emissions even with minimal use of water, which is desirable for many remote mining applications. © This is a U.S. Government work and not under copyright protection in the US; foreign copyright protection may apply 2024.

In underground metal/nonmetal mines, repeated localized short-term exposure to high levels of airborne contaminants can become a serious health issue. Currently, there are no common mechanisms to control or mitigate these short-term high exposures to contaminants. To improve miners' health and safety, the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's Spokane Mining Research Division (SMRD) is developing a smart monitoring and control (SMAC) system for the real-time monitoring of mine air quality, with integrated countermeasures to reduce high concentrations of airborne contaminants in localized sections of mines. To develop and test a SMAC system capable of being implemented in an underground mine, SMRD researchers built a test apparatus incorporating a fan, louver, ducting and sensors combined with atmospheric monitoring and control software. This system will institute effective countermeasures to reduce contaminant levels, improving miner safety and health.