• Dust Management Technologies

A variety of dust-control technologies have been developed to help mineral extraction and processing operations meet planning conditions and environmental compliance for fugitive dust emissions.
The three basic types of dust-control systems currently used in minerals extraction and processing operations are:

•dust collection
• wet dust suppression
• airborne dust capture.

Dust-collection systems use ventilation principles to capture the dust-filled airstream and carry it away through ductwork to the collector. Wet dust-suppression techniques use water sprays to wet the fugitive material so that it generates less dust. Airborne-capture systems also use water sprays but in this case, the airborne dust particles are sprayed with atomized water. When the dust particles collide with the water droplets they agglomerate and rapidly settle out due to their increased size. Chemical surfactants may be added to the water to reduce surface tension, thereby reducing droplet size. These additives also improve the ability of water to wet and to agglomerate finer particles. Although water sprays have been the preferred treatment to suppress dust for many years, too much water can cause operational problems, while too little water means ineffective dust control.