Using a digital camera to monitor dust emissions at mine sites

Minerals industry has a considerable responsibility to implement effective dust management plans, thereby controlling the mine dust emissions. In dust management plans, the monitoring of dust emissions is an indispensable part in both mine sites and process plants. However, mine sites cover a wide range of locations where conventional monitoring instruments cannot be all installed. These locations are still under interests, but there is a lack of technology to monitor their dust emissions to the environment. To this end, new technology using a digital camera will be developed to monitor dust emissions at mine sites. The fundamental understanding of light scattering and absorption and their relationships to dust concentrations will provide valuable guidance for the dust management plans. The findings of this research could be used to create guidelines that will be used in other mining sites in Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Wei Liu

Student:

Linping Wu

Partner:

Teck Metals Ltd.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Mining and quarrying

University:

Program: