Mining Publication: Coal Dust Particle Size Survey of US Mines
Original creation date: July 2007
NIOSH and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) conducted a joint survey to determine the range of coal particle sizes found in dust samples collected from intake airways of US coal mines. The last comprehensive survey of this type was performed in the 1920s. The size of the coal dust is relevant to the amount of rock dust required to inert the coal dust, with more rock dust needed to inert finer sizes of coal dust. Dust samples were collected by MSHA inspectors from several mines in each of MSHA's 10 bituminous Coal Mine Safety and Health Districts. Samples were normally collected in several intakes at each mine. The laboratory analysis procedures included acid leaching of the sample to remove the limestone rock dust, sonic sieving to determine the dust size, and low-temperature ashing of the sieved fractions to correct for any remaining incombustible matter. The results indicate that particle sizes of mine coal dust in intake airways are finer than those measured in the 1920s. This finer size coal dust in intake airways would require more incombustible matter to be effectively inerted than the 65% incombustible specified in current regulations.
Authors: MJ Sapko, KL Cashdollar, GM Green
Peer Reviewed Journal Article - July 2007
NIOSHTIC2 Number: 20032562
J Loss Prev Process Ind 2007 Jul/Nov; 20(4-6):616-620
See Also
- Benchmarking Longwall Dust Control Technology and Practices
- Coal Dust Explosibility Meter Evaluation and Recommendations for Application
- Coal Dust Particle Size Survey of U.S. Mines
- Determining Flame Travel Measurements from Experimental Coal Dust Explosions
- Determining the Spatial Variability of Personal Sampler Inlet Locations
- Mitigating Coal Dust Explosions in Modern Underground Coal Mines
- Observations of Post-Explosion Dust Samples From an Experimental Mine
- Respirable Quartz Hazard Associated with Coal Mine Roof Bolter Dust
- Rock Dusting Considerations in Underground Coal Mines
- Technology News 515 - Float Coal Dust Explosion Hazards
- Content source: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Mining Program