10th International Aerosol Conference September 2 - September 7, 2018 America's Center Convention Complex St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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Sources of Particulate Matter in Mines and Mining Environments
Hilkka Timonen, Joel Kuula, Anssi Arffman, Jenni Alanen, Kimmo Teinilä, Matthew Bloss, Minna Aurela, Laura Salo, Risto Hillamo, Sampo Saari, Pedro Oyola, Felipe Reyes, Yeanice Vasquez, Jorma Keskinen, Topi Rönkkö, Eija Asmi, SANNA SAARIKOSKI, Finnish Meteorological Institute
Abstract Number: 1154 Working Group: Aerosol Chemistry
Abstract Previous studies have indicated, that the main sources of particulate matter in mines are operations associated with mining activities (e.g. drilling, crushing, blasting) and vehicular engine emissions (used in mining machines, ore hauling and for transportation of people) (e.g. Saarikoski et al., 2017). The aim of this study was to conduct detailed characterization of particulate matter (PM) near intensively operating mine. In this study, PM measurements were conducted both at the underground mine and next to open pit mine during spring 2014.
A variety of instruments was used to measure the chemical composition, secondary aerosol formation potential, physical and optical properties of PM near actively operating mining environments. Key instruments of this study include the Soot Particle Aerosol Mass Spectrometer (SP-AMS), the Multiangle absorption photometer (MAAP), aethalometer (AE33), nephelometer (TSI), a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and potential aerosol mass chamber (PAM). Stationary measurements were conducted at a measurement container located at the maintenance level 500m underground as well as 150m from the open pit mine. In addition, a mobile laboratory, equipped with a large variety of PM instrumentation was used to study spatio-temporal variation of PM in the mine. Low cost sensors were installed to different locations around the mine to test their capability to measure concentrations of fine and coarse particles (PM2.5 and PM10) in the mine in real time.
The concentrations and sources of PM varied in different locations in the mine. Clearly different size distributions and PM compositions for PM were observed at different locations (maintenance level, blasting, crushing, transfer belt and dumping site) at the underground mine. Results of low-cost sensors were comparable to high-end instrumentation results. The benefit of sensors in the mine were easy installation, small size and low cost enabling installation of sensors to several locations simultaneously as a sensor network. In the boreal arctic environment, next to the actively operating open pit mine area, the PM concentrations originating from mining activities were low. Elevated PM and BC concentrations were only observed when wind brought particulate matter from mining area directly to the measurement container. However, when compared to typical urban PM concentrations, the PM concentrations next to the open pit mine were mostly lower.
This project provides important information about the composition of PM and sources in underground and open pit mines as well as novel tools (e.g. sensors) for PM monitoring in mining areas. This information can be used to assess environmental, health and climate impacts of mining in future.
This work was supported by Academy of Finland, (PARMAT, Grant nro 297804), Tekes (HIME project 2-011-2014) and CONICYT, Chile. The great help of the mine staff during the measurement campaigns is highly appreciated.
Saarikoski, S., Teinilä, K., Timonen, H., Aurela, M., Laaksovirta, T., Reyes, F., Vásques, Y., Oyola, P., Artaxo, P., Pennanen, A. S., Junttila, S., Linnainmaa, M., Salonen, R. O. and Hillamo, R. (2017). Aerosol Sci Technol., DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2017.1384788.