2.4.1 Practices To Reduce Ventilation Costs
2.4.1 Practices to Reduce Ventilation Costs
Ventilation can account for 30-40% of the total energy operating cost in mines (Mining, n.d.). That being said, the slightest amounts of change within this aspect of the mines can make a significant difference in costs. One of the biggest trends in the mining industry as of late is to switch from the conventional diesel-powered equipment to the newer electric powered machines offered on the market. This switch can make a significant impact on the ventilation requirements of the mines, as it decreases the overall particulate matter in the air as well as the heat losses provided by these machines. Resulting from this change, mines can reduce the mine ventilation requirements by 35-50% (Mining, n.d.). …show more content…
This is the concept behind tele-operating. It is a creative middle-way solution between having the worker perform his unsafe tasks and ensuring that he is safe at all times. This technology permits the worker to control a piece of mining equipment as if he is present at the workplace, however, he is taken away from potential hazards by operating at a distant location (see Figure 4). A similar technology is called remote monitoring. This allows mine supervisors to monitor their operations from a distance, thus allowing them to monitor various areas at once. In this section, these technologies and their impacts on society will be examined along with the ethical factors associated with …show more content…
One concern with the robots listed above is the factual issues that arise from statements on their websites. The Sandia National website indicates the applications that their Gemini-Scout robot can be used for, however, it does not give facts regarding the reliability of their robot in mine rescue situations. Furthermore, it does not provide information on ways in which their robot has assisted in previous mine rescue operations and its success rate. This is concerning because if a company purchases this robot and it does not perform as expected, it can delay the rescue times of the first responders and it can be detrimental to the trapped miners. There is also a moral dilemma on whether the company should spend money for an unproven technology given that it might increase the likelihood of
Ventilation can account for 30-40% of the total energy operating cost in mines (Mining, n.d.). That being said, the slightest amounts of change within this aspect of the mines can make a significant difference in costs. One of the biggest trends in the mining industry as of late is to switch from the conventional diesel-powered equipment to the newer electric powered machines offered on the market. This switch can make a significant impact on the ventilation requirements of the mines, as it decreases the overall particulate matter in the air as well as the heat losses provided by these machines. Resulting from this change, mines can reduce the mine ventilation requirements by 35-50% (Mining, n.d.). …show more content…
This is the concept behind tele-operating. It is a creative middle-way solution between having the worker perform his unsafe tasks and ensuring that he is safe at all times. This technology permits the worker to control a piece of mining equipment as if he is present at the workplace, however, he is taken away from potential hazards by operating at a distant location (see Figure 4). A similar technology is called remote monitoring. This allows mine supervisors to monitor their operations from a distance, thus allowing them to monitor various areas at once. In this section, these technologies and their impacts on society will be examined along with the ethical factors associated with …show more content…
One concern with the robots listed above is the factual issues that arise from statements on their websites. The Sandia National website indicates the applications that their Gemini-Scout robot can be used for, however, it does not give facts regarding the reliability of their robot in mine rescue situations. Furthermore, it does not provide information on ways in which their robot has assisted in previous mine rescue operations and its success rate. This is concerning because if a company purchases this robot and it does not perform as expected, it can delay the rescue times of the first responders and it can be detrimental to the trapped miners. There is also a moral dilemma on whether the company should spend money for an unproven technology given that it might increase the likelihood of