Quarrying
Dust created during quarrying operations can be hazardous to workers and nearby neighbours particularly if the dust particles fall in the PM 10 range which are known to cause silicosis, a disease of the lungs.
1. Dust Control in the Crushing Plant
In order to control air borne dust at transfer points in the crushing and screening process, pressurised water sprays are generally used.
A very significant problem point is at the end of the road base stacking conveyor. In spite of the amount of water employed at this point, we still experienced an unacceptable amount of air born dust, free water could be seen running away from the base of the road base heap and the product emitted clouds of dust as it was re-handled according to Neilsen’s Quarry.
They then installed a 10,000 litre tank with a small electric pump to supply the water sprays. Each day the tank is topped up with water and WET IT DOWN is added at the rate of one litre for every two thousand litres of water.
For the same amount of water employed through the same water sprays the air born dust has virtually been eliminated at the head of the stacking conveyor.
All of the water from the water sprays is now absorbed into the road base and there is no free water running away from the base of the stock pile. Air borne dust from the re-handling of this product has been eliminated.
Our customers are aware of the reduced amount of machine time required to place the product and the reduced amount of water that needs to be applied to achieve compaction on the job. “Our laboratory tests have indicated a more effective absorption of this treated water into the road base matrix and an improved density”.
Another significant problem point is the bottom of the crusher. Crushed material falls onto a conveyor line and, in doing so, creates dust. SGG has created a foam designed to capture the dust particles then the foam collapse within 15 seconds.
The benefit to the quarry is that:
The foam (CONVEYOR FOAM) is most effective in capturing fine dust particles compared to water
Uses less water
CONVEYOR FOAM collapses quickly allowing the captured dust to settle onto the conveyor line instead of causing large amounts of foam with dust particles to spill out onto the ground causing runoff and a mess around the crusher.
The amount of fine dust around the crusher plant that can cause respiratory diseases such as silicosis is reduced.
Any transfer point between conveyor lines can be a point of dust emission. CONVEYOR FOAM can capture dust particles at any of these points.
2. Sand Laundering
During the sand laundering process, two sand tubs are employed in series.
In order to more efficiently wash the slimes and micro fines from the raw feed material, WET IT DOWN is added to the wash water and introduced into the first tub via a gravity-monitoring tank.
Observing the overflow water from each of these sand-laundering tubs without the WET IT DOWN added, the water has a uniform dirty brown appearance.
With the WET IT DOWN added, in each sand tub little rivulets of clear water can be seen separating from blooms of dirty brown water before the water exits over the sand tank weirs.
WET IT DOWN has reduced the surface activity on the sand particles thereby producing a more effective washing medium.
