Although best known for supplying dust solutions to some of the world?s biggest mining houses, Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) also busts dust on a grand scale in its own backyard.
Notably, RST have provided dust suppression technology solutions to Boral West Burleigh?s hard rock quarry site for a number of years, with great success.
Boral, one of Australia?s largest construction materials suppliers, is renowned for being environmentally conscientious in all its operations. Having airborne dust as a result of its aggregate processing, Boral required an eco-friendly, biodegradable solution to its problem, ensuring the site did not pose any health risks to nearby residents or Boral employees and met environmental standards.
{{image2-a:r-w:250}}RST business development manager Paul Heimburger said the company was quick to come to the aid of the West Burleigh Quarry when Boral contacted it for advice on its haul road and stockpile dust management options.
?Airborne dust is the most common and concerning air pollutant that can be produced from quarry operations, being a contentious side effect of the handling, crushing, grading, road haulage and blasting processes on quarry sites nationwide,? said Heimburger.
?Boral needed a solution to control dust right from the materials handling chain, starting at the crusher, along the conveyors to the stockpiles and into the loading trucks.?
RST supplied Boral with its HiFoam solution ? a foaming dust suppressant technology that provides a ?total dust blanket? effect throughout the crushing and screening processes.
Used for bulk dust suppression applications, the HiFoam technology contains ultra-high foaming surfactants with added wetting and binding agents, which ensures optimum crusher, screening and transfer performance is maintained and on-site watering requirements are significantly reduced.
?We implemented our HiFoam dust suppressant into the crusher system to capture airborne dust particles through the crushing and screening process,? Heimburger said.
?The foam agent worked instantaneously, significantly reducing fugitive dust to a minimum as the dust particles adhere to the foam and suppression is continued right through to the stackers. As the foam is less water intensive, it has also successfully lowered the annual usage of water on-site.
?In addition, we applied our heavy water solution into Boral?s haul road watering program, to mitigate excessive dust caused by damaged or unsealed haul roads. This polymer solution is added into water carts in small dosages and sprayed onto the roads, successfully reducing grading maintenance and water frequencies as well as increasing water cart efficiencies and improving overall road performance.?
{{image3-a:l-w:250}}Boral further required durable solutions for its stockpiles, turning to RST?s Total Ground Control technology, which can seal dust for between 12 and 18 months in the right conditions.
?Total Ground Control is a unique blend of water dispersive co-polymers and when applied to the stockpile?s surface it crusts and binds the fine particles together, creating a matrix that will suppress the movement of fines by both water and wind action,? Heimburger said.
?Like most of our products, Total Ground Control successfully lessens windblown dust emissions, water cart expenses and water consumption.?
RST not only supplies products each month to the West Burleigh Quarry, it also conducts monthly on-site monitoring, modelling and assessment inspections to ensure the products are working correctly and efficiently, keeping all dust levels at a minimum.
Heimburger said Boral, along with all quarry operators, had to comply with strict dust management guidelines set down by the Queensland Department of Environment and Resources Management (DERM).
?Generally, all sites have standard dust emission levels, which are set at a maximum allowable limit; if the site exceeds its set levels, penalties can be imposed,? he said. ?RST has been working back with Boral to successfully achieve consistent dust levels which are below the set governing standard.?
Quarry manager Alan Seidenkamp said Boral was committed to ensuring its quarries maintained environmental standards. Due to its close proximity to residential and commercial development, dust suppression will always be a high priority at the West Burleigh Quarry.
?RST?s products are very effective at keeping dust to a minimum,? Seidenkamp said. ?We monitor dust on a monthly basis against dust deposition limits according to DERM standards.?
RST operations and technical director David Handel said clients appreciated the fact RST?s products are not only environmentally sustainable but also economically viable with validated results.
?The most important role is protecting the environment,? he said. ?Together with extractive and mining companies, we have an obligation to protect the environment and continue to develop eco-friendly, sustainable products.
?We?re helping the quarry and mining companies to meet these obligations and maximise productivity and return at the same time.?
RST has more than 24 years? experience specialising in total dust management, soil stabilisation and erosion, and water and agricultural solutions for quarries, mine sites, haul roads, ports and land sites in Australia and overseas. With experienced technicians designing, constructing and maintaining all systems, RST ensures its innovative products and programs supply clients with optimum results.
Source: Reynolds Soil Technologies