Abstract:

A challenge that many mines encounter is the effective management of fugitive dust and demonstration that dust management activities are effective. Monitoring can be a tool to asses the effectiveness, for example using ambient particulate concentration level as a trigger to implement reactive mitigation measures. Challenges of air quality monitoring arise in balancing an effective, real-time, and financially feasible monitoring system. Traditionally, dust or particulate matter (PM) monitoring has been conducted using filter samplers, continuous monitors, and dustfall canisters. The challenge with the filter samplers and continuous monitors is the high capital cost, particularly in remote locations. In recent years, cost competitive fast deploy PM sensors such as PurpleAir sensors have become available

A mine in northern BC deployed a number of fast deploy PM monitors, where the fast deploy monitor was collocated with a US EPA federal equivalent method continuous monitor. A few challenges with the collocated monitors were: interference on sensors from the snow in cold environment, real-time data collection through Wi-Fi in a remote site, and analyzing PM data from the collocated fast deploy and continuous data.

The presentation will summarize the lessons learned with fast deploy sensors in the Northern Canadian environment.

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Jackson Mak