Washington — NIOSH not too long ago offered its 2022 Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovations Awards, which acknowledge mines and organizations exhibiting “extraordinary effort to apply technology or approve processes in innovative ways, above and beyond mandatory requirements, to improve mine worker safety and health.”
Recipients had been honored in 4 classes.
Industrial minerals: Genesis Alkali, for implementing an extraction effectively system that makes use of effectively and extension casings to isolate electrical elements from probably hazardous mine gases whereas nonetheless permitting water to enter the pump consumption.
Coal: CONSOL Energy and Simmons Equipment Co., for the S360 scoop bucket. Featuring lifting and reducing capabilities, the bucket permits a scoop operator to vary between attachments and enhance visibility, enabling safer operation round staff and obstacles.
Metal: Emesent, for its specialised drone autonomy expertise used on the Glencore Kidd Mine. The firm applied a drone mapping system that identifies and captures visuals in inaccessible floor areas, eradicating engineers and surveyors from the duty and the dangers related to unstable floor.
Stone, sand and gravel: Peckham Industries, for growing a strategic stope gap at an underground aggregates operation. Mine expertise enabled the supply of rock mined within the floor quarry to the underground operation adjoining to the first and secondary crushers. This allowed extra staff to function in safer circumstances above floor whereas eliminating lengthy haul distances on steep grades and abating neighborhood issues associated to noise and mud on the mine.
“It is a benefit to the entire mining industry to have such innovative approaches tackle both new and persistent challenges,” NIOSH Associate Director for Mining Jessica Kogel mentioned in a press launch.
The awards had been offered together with the Essential Minerals Association; the National Mining Association; and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.
