Dust reduction method based on water infusion blasting in open-pit mines: a step toward green mining

ABSTRACT

This research proposes a new dust reduction method based on water infusion blasting in order to effectively minimize the dust production during blasting in open-pit mines. The proposed method was applied at the Haerwusu open-pit coal mine, China. A high-speed camera was used to record the dynamic process of dust generation during blasting. The images acquired from the main locations of the dust were analyzed using the gray level recognition method in MATLAB. The proposed method was then numerically simulated using ANSYS/Fluent software. Finally, the field experiment was conducted to verify the method by analyzing its dust reduction efficiency. The numerical results show that the dust reduction rate of about 78% can be achieved when the water bag is filled at the height of 1.8 m according to the blast design parameters of the mine (burden = 11 m, spacing = 7 m, hole diameter = 0.25 m, hole depth = 20 m). The experimental results achieved a 75% dust reduction rate, which meets the requirements of reducing blasting dust pollution in the studied mine. These investigations and findings conclude that the proposed method is effective, technically feasible, and economical. It can be widely applied to other open-pit mines as a green mining technology.

KEYWORDS:

• Open-pit mine
• water infusion blasting
• dust reduction
• green mining
• coal mining

Acknowledgments

The authors are indebted to the Haerwusu Open-Pit Coal Mine for cooperation and, of course, for permission to conduct the experimental work.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (2017XKQY097).

Notes on contributors

Zhi-Ming Wang

ZHI-MING WANG is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Mining Engineering from China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. He studies dust distribution characteristics and prevention under the influence of mining operation and climate in the open-pit coal mine.

Wei Zhou

WEI ZHOU is a Professor at the School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. He has authored two books and more than sixty research articles. He also holds five patents. His research interests include surface mining, soil-rock mixture, land reclamation, and green mining.

Izhar Mithal Jiskani

IZHAR MITHAL JISKANI is a Ph.D. Scholar at the School of Mines, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. His research interests are related to green mining, climate smart mining, and sustainable mining.

Xiao-Hua Ding

XIAO-HUA DING is an Associate Professor of Mining at the China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. His main research areas are open-pit blasting design parameter optimization and dust reduction.

Zhi-Chao Liu

ZHI-CHAO LIU is a doctoral student at China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. His main research interests include the application of solid mine waste in the reclamation of open-pit mines.

Yan-Zhen Qiao

YAN-ZHEN QIAO is a Lecturer of Mining at Hulunbuir University, China. The current research is about the ecological restoration of open-pit coal mines and green mining.

Boyu Luan

BOYU LUAN is a doctoral student at China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou. His main areas of research include loose soil rock mixture and intelligent mining.