Design of Fogging Nozzles as Alternative Stock Pile Dust Suppression Medium at Gold Mining Sites

摘要

The aim of this study is to design fogging nozzles as alternative stock pile dust suppression medium at gold mining sites. Furthermore, this fogging medium helps to arrest the dust without getting the area wet and without any substantial expenditure. Emission of dust, which is one of the main contributors to the pollution of the environment, has been associated with mining industries for years, especially in the mining towns of Ghana and Liberia. The emission of dust takes place mainly around the haul roads, ore drilling, blasting and trafficking areas, crushers and, and especially, the stock pile unit. The intensity of the emissions of the dust is such that all the plants, objects, living things, gadgets, instruments and structures in the area are engulfed in the dust. Residents, who are hard hit by this phenomenon, backed by their traditional rulers often take the mining companies to task through legal or unlawful actions, which, many a time, become violent and confrontational. Sprinkling of water has been done to alleviate the situation but this process rather creates more problems in that, the area, especially roads, once wet becomes dry again, and the emission of dust gets intensified and aggravated.