Case Study 2 – Iron Ore Mine

An iron ore mine were looking to reduce dust emissions from their crushing plant, as they were causing a number of issues including:

• Health and safety concerns
• Environmental concerns
• Loss of material

Best-Chem proposed its unique Foam Dust Suppression and were subsequently invited to conduct a trial.

As can be seen in the videos, the trial showed a dramatic reduction in dust emissions from the final discharge conveyor.  The trial also proved that the results could be achieved by adding only a minimal amount of moisture.  This not only maintained productivity but reduced water consumption, which was a big positive for a site located in a region where water usage is a major environmental concern.  The trial also highlighted the benefits of a suppression which keeps the dust with the material: 1) the dust is not lost into the wind 2) the dust is not being collected separately, thus requiring rehandling or reprocessing.   The effectiveness also persists downstream of the actual foam application point, ensuring no further dust issues.

Following the trial the system was implemented on the main crushing plant.  The system was installed during a regular scheduled maintenance stop and no further downtime was required.