The concentration of NO, NO2 and CO in workplaces in underground mines arises predominantly from the use of explosives and from diesel engines in mobile equipment. Engine exhaust emissions, consisting of NO and NO2 – generally referred to as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM), represent the most difficult diesel engine emissions to control.
New EU regulations will be affecting the type of diesel engines used in mining operations, particularly underground, and the Occupational Exposure Limits (OEL) for nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide and diesel exhaust particles. The limits for exposure of personnel have been updated in the EU Commission Directive 2017/164, and the regulations for diesel engines have been updated in Directive 97/68/EC.
Currently, SRK is working on several mining projects in Europe, and in this presentation we aim to present the effect of these regulations on the technical and economic feasibility of operations, mobile equipment choices, ventilation requirements, and options for exposure reduction.
