In situ investigation of gaseous pollution in the ramp of an underground gold mine

Abstract

This paper presents an in situ investigation of gaseous pollution in the ramp of an underground gold mine in Shandong, China. Air velocities, number of vehicles and the concentrations of gaseous pollutants such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were measured at different depths of the ramp. The relationship between these data sets was analysed statistically. The results showed that the gaseous pollution in most sections of the ramp was severe except the section close to the ground entrance. In the sections close to the main production area, the concentrations of CO, CO2 and NO2 exceeded the Chinese air quality standards more than two times, posing a health and safety risk to underground miners. Given that the air velocity in the ramp was generally lower than 0.5 m/s, increasing the air flow rate in the entire ventilation network may help to control the gaseous pollution. However, the added energy cost of the exhaust fans should be evaluated. It may be more cost-effective to reduce vehicle emissions by improving the performance of automobile engines or by adopting high-efficiency exhaust control systems. These alternatives are important considerations for further study.