Respirable-dust levels in coal, metal, and nonmetal mines. Information Circular/1987

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6419342

Watts, W F; Parker, D R

The objectives of this report are to describe the current contents of Mine Inspection Data Analysis System (MIDAS), to report analyses of coal and noncoal mine respirable-dust samples collected by Mine Health and Safety Administration (MSHA) inspectors, and to evaluate the proposed change in the metal and nonmetal respirable dust standard from a formula based upon the percentage of quartz identified in the sample to 100 micrograms/cu m of respirable quartz. Based on samples collected by MSHA inspectors, changing the noncoal respirable-dust standard would result in 4% fewer samples with dust concentrations exceeding the standard. Analysis of respirable-coal-dust data collected by MSHA inspectors showed that mines with longwall plows or shears had the highest geometric mean concentrations (1.64 and 1.29mg/cu m, respectively). Mine operations using continuous rippers outnumbered longwall mine operations about 10 to 1 and had a geometric mean concentration of 0.66 mg/cu m.

• Research Organization: Bureau of Mines, Twin Cities, MN (USA). Twin Cities Research Center
• OSTI ID: 6419342
• Report Number(s): PB-87-195962/XAB; BM-IC-9125
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
012033 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Underground Mining-- Mine Environment-- (1987-)
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR POLLUTION
CHALCOGENIDES
COAL MINES
DUSTS
INSPECTION
MINERALS
MINES
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
QUARTZ
RESPIRATION
SAFETY
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
STANDARDS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES