Dust dispersion from haul roads in complex terrain: the case of a mineral reclamation site located in Sardinia (Italy)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been significant research effort to investigate the use of plume dispersion models to assess the environmental impact of fugitive dust emissions from surface mining operations. In particular, the results of these studies have identified challenges to the use of traditional Gaussian plume dispersion models to satisfactorily reproduce fugitive dust dispersion and deposition experienced from low elevation release heights within complex topography. This paper presents a discussion of the results of a preliminary series of modelling studies that have employed the UK-Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling System (ADMS) model to investigate the dust dispersion and deposition from a former mining site currently undergoing remediation. The remediation site is located within a valley in south-western Sardinia that may be considered an aerodynamically complex terrain. A series of field measurement surveys were conducted along the length of an unpaved surface haul truck roadway to measure the PM2.5 and PM10 dust fractions within the emitted plumes. To investigate the potential effects that the surrounding topography may have on the atmospheric dispersion and deposition experienced a series of UK-ADMS dispersion models were solved for a range of meteorological stability conditions typical of the area under investigation. A preliminary analysis of the results of these simulations concludes that there was a strong influence of the surrounding terrain on the dispersion and deposition phenomena predicted.

Keywords:

• mine reclamation
• unpaved roads
• fugitive dust
• emission factors
• atmospheric dispersion

Acknowledgements

Investigation carried out in the framework of projects conducted by IGAG-CNR (Environmental Geology and Geoengineering Institute of the National Research Council), Cagliari, Italy, and by CINIGeo (National Inter-university Consortium for Georesources Engineering, Rome, Italy).