Dust Suppressant Solution with a Technological Edge (Quarry)

October 10, 2019

With over 25 years of industry experience in total dust management, Reynolds Soil Technologies (RST) has recently launched its latest cutting edge product Heavy Water Dynamic for haulage operations.

The surfactant technology aims to suppress dust emissions, increase ground compaction rates and reduce excessive water usage for quarrying, mine and construction sites.

Generating large volumes of airborne dust as a result of clearing, road haulage, drilling, blasting and processing, Australia’s quarrying companies are continuously reviewing best environmental practices to meet regulatory standards for managing overall dust levels.

Requiring preventative measures to suppress bulk dust emissions on-site, quarrying companies often turn to quick solutions that, though fast acting and temporarily effective, require excessive water consumption.

With water wastage and overwatering common on most sites, RST identified a gap in the market for a product that improved water management efficiency and developed an alternate solution that not only mitigates wheel-generated dust but also significantly reduces watering requirements, operation costs and ongoing road maintenance.

HEAVY WATER DYNAMIC

Comprising an ultra-concentrated formulation, RST’s operations and technical director David Handel said Heavy Water Dynamic had been designed for easy use, being applied as part of the site’s existing watering program via an automated dosing system.

Haulage activity is one of the main causes of excessive dust levels at quarries, as most sites operate with unsealed roads, Handel said.

For sites positioned close to residential, commercial or industrial areas, they often require a quick fix to prevent hazardous dust emissions from being carried off-site and posing a threat to the environment and nearby communities. Operators will generally use just water in an attempt to suppress excessive dust. This temporarily reduces dust levels for a short period, however often leads to over-watering and damage of the site and roads.

These companies are required to be environmentally responsible across the board, which is why we developed a product that is super-concentrated and easy to use, and when sprayed onto unsealed ground, would increase water penetration, bind fines and greatly improve dust control to assist with maintaining dust control efficiency.

By using this solution, the site’s watering requirements will also be significantly reduced, meaning water wastage and over-watering will no longer be an issue.

NANOTECHNOLOGY AND FOAM

Achieving maximum results using minimal product, Handel said Heavy Water Dynamic utilised the latest innovation in environmentally friendly, biodegradable chemical solutions.

We have used nanotechnology to develop Heavy Water Dynamic. Nanotechnology is a micro-particle, which when formulated, holds a gigantic surface area. This means the dosage rate of a product can be greatly reduced, while still able to treat large volumes of material, Handel said.

This latest technological advancement ensures Heavy Water Dynamic is highly competitive against other solutions currently on the market, being economically compliant with significant cost-saving benefits, while achieving optimum and long-lasting results through minimal product use. As minimal product is required, Heavy Water Dynamic will also greatly reduce freight, operation and maintenance costs for quarrying companies throughout the project’s duration.

The other benefits of Heavy Water Dynamic include enhanced ground compaction and rehabilitation, minimised erosion of soil and significant improvements to on-site safety.

The latest product joins RST’s proven range of innovative, environmentally friendly solutions for the quarrying industry, including its high performance and cost-effective dust control products HiFoam, RT5 Superskin and RT60 Super Wetter which are currently being implemented at quarry sites across Australia.

Used for bulk dust suppression applications, RST’s HiFoam technology is an ideal solution for the quarrying sector, as it suppresses dust right through the material handling chain. Ensuring optimum crusher, screening and transfer performance is achieved, HiFoam also joins Heavy Water Dynamic in significantly reducing on-site watering requirements through its use of ultra-high foaming surfactants with added wetting and binding agents.

For quarry sites with exposed stockpiles, RST’s RT5 Superskin eliminates wind erosion and dust lift-off in one application, forming a strong and flexible crust when applied at low concentration.

Handel said RST’s range of dust control and soil stabilisation products were designed to manage any area of a quarry, construction or mine site that experiences dust and soil related issues.

We work closely with quarry and mining companies to ensure all products being implemented are environmentally sustainable, cost-effective and achieve validated results, Handel said.

It is about indentifying the problem and tailoring a solution to ensure the best outcome is achieved. We also can utilise Queensland based company Proof Engineers’ mobile dust monitor to automatically measure and quantify the effectiveness of our products, in controlling dust emissions on-site.

Using the monitor, we can accurately identify exactly when and where treatment needs to be applied and provide validated proof for the success of our products. The dust monitor can also produce monthly site reports and site-specific baseline analysis, which will greatly assist with ensuring each site’s dust levels remain permanently low.

Using the monitor, we can accurately identify exactly when and where treatment needs to be applied and provide validated proof for the success of our products. The dust monitor can also produce monthly site reports and site-specific baseline analysis, which will greatly assist with ensuring each site’s dust levels remain permanently low.

RST has more than 25 years experience specialising in total dust management, soil stabilisation and erosion, water for mine sites, civil projects, ports and land sites in Australia and overseas.

The company’s head office is based at Burleigh Heads, Queensland with an additional office in Carlisle, Western Australia. RST’s international operations extend to regions including South and North America, Africa, Asia, Oceania, and Europe.