We need air to breathe and live. The air we breathe is a mixture that includes oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, with small amounts of carbon dioxide.
When oxygen is present at 21%, breathing becomes easier. However, when other gases pollute the air, oxygen levels fall, and problems arise.
Air in mines may be contaminated with gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), methane, and carbon dioxide. These gases can accumulate inside mines and pose a threat due to their combustible or explosive nature.
Some gases are commonly referred to as mine damps. The term “Dampf” is derived from the German word for “vapour.” Instead of being a specific gas, mine damps are mixtures of toxic or explosive gases with varying effects on human safety and health.
Damps can be generated by activities like drilling, blasting, and the use of mining equipment such as diesel or gasoline motors. They can also be released through the decay of wood, mine fires, and chemical processes like oxidation.
To prevent these gases from entering mines, it is crucial to implement high-quality mining ventilation systems and use early detection devices.
Several factors can contribute to a dangerous mine atmosphere, including the following types of damps:
1. Firedamp
2. Black Damp
3. White Damp
4. Stinkdamp
This post was written by Justin Tidd, Director at Becker Mining Communications! For over 15 years, Becker Communications has been the industry’s leader in increasingly more sophisticated electrical mining communication systems. As they expanded into surface mining, railroads, and tunneling they added wireless communication systems, handheld radios, tagging, and tracking systems, as well as gas monitoring. Click here to learn more!
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