Investigation into the Influences of Post Detonation Fumes on the Explosibility of Sulphide Dust

Abstract

As a new approach, a system of calculation formulae, named the “Pyrite Method”, has been developed to predict the relative explosibility of sulphide ore dusts. The significant advantage of this method is that dust explosion propensity can be calculated from the sulphide ore mineralogical composition without the undertaking of costly and time consuming explosion tests. This method is derived from standard explosion test results on pure or near pure sulphide minerals. Comparative studies on the explosibility of five mine sulphide dust samples confirmed that the predicted results from the “Pyrite Method” were highly compatible with the values from full explosion tests. The analysis of the calculation accuracy also demonstrated that the “Pyrite Method” gives acceptable levels of confidence for a practical mine environment. In developing the approach, five concentrate samples of sulphide minerals and five samples of ore dusts sampled from sulphide orebodies were investigated through experimental study. The mineralogical and chemical composition of the dust samples were analysed by X-ray powder diffraction and atomic absorption techniques. The explosion tests were conducted in a 20 litre Siwek explosion chamber that, due to the number of units in use around the world, many regard as a standard international testing system for conducting dust explosion studies. Derivation of the calculation approaches which form the basis of the method are detailed. Results from actual explosion tests are given and compared with predicted values.

Meeting Name

6th International Mine Ventilation Congress (1997: May 17-22, Pittsburgh, PA)

Department(s)

Mining Engineering

Keywords and Phrases

Coal Mines; Dust Explosion; Pyrite Method; Sulphide Ore Dusts

Document Type

Article - Conference proceedings

Document Version

Citation

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 1997 Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration Inc. (SME), All rights reserved.

Publication Date

22 May 1997

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