Enhanced dust monitoring system provides for greater accuracies
The dust monitoring network at ZAC has been extended and dust monitoring buckets have been put in homesteads in close proximity to the mine in order to enable more accurate dust monitoring. This initiative came about owing to the vandalism of dust monitoring equipment, which had previously been placed near the stockpiles.
The stands for dust monitoring systems were modified from metal stands to perforated PVC pipes to avoid vandalism, enabling ZAC to continuously and accurately measure dust particulate levels to ensure the mine is in compliance with regulations.
ZAC Environmental Officer Msawenkosi Buthelezi says that to date the results from people’s homes have shown that dust from the mine is within the required range. However, problematic areas have been identified within the processing plant and the discard dump areas, and ZAC is making good headway in reducing the dust levels in these areas.
“We are running trials with Dust-A-Side, Liquid Mist, Flow Centric and Polyroads products on our site. Once we have completed the trials, we will appoint the successful company that has provided the most environmentally friendly solution, which will bind and limit the dust fallout to be within the legislated limits,” explains Msawenkosi.
Indlela yokuhlola esezingeni elithuthukile yokubheka uthuli
Uhlelo lokubheka uthuli lwase-ZAC selithuthukisiwe, kwafakwa amabhakede okubheka uthuli emakhaya aseduze kwezimayini ukuze uthuli lubhekisiswe kangcono. Lo mkhankaso waqalwa ngemuva kokucekelwa phansi kwezinto zokubheka uthuli.
Onoxhongo bohlelo lokuhlola uthuli baphuculwa ekubeni ngonoxhongo bakathayela benziwa abamapayipi ukuze bangacekelwa phansi, okwenza i-ZAC yakwazi ukubheka nokulandela amazinga ezintuli ukuqinisekisa ukuthi imayini ayiphuli mthetho.
UMsawenkosi Buthelezi, obhekele nezeMvelo e-ZAC, uthi kuze kube manje imiphumela yasemizini yabantu iveza ukuthi izinga lezintuli liyemukeleka, kodwa zikhona izindawo ezihluphayo esezibonakele ngasefemini nasezindaweni zokulahla izibi, kanti kuhamba kahle ngakwi-ZAC ngasohlangothini lokunciphisa izinga lezintuli kulezi zindawo.
“Endaweni yethu sihlola ngemikhiqizo ye-Dust-A-Side, i-Liquid Mist, i-Flow Centric neye-Polyroad. Uma sesikuqedile loku kuhlola, siyobe sesiqoka inkampani ezobe inekhambi elingacekeli phansi imvelo eledlula ezinye, eyolawula izinga lezintuli lifinyelele kulelo elemukelekile,” kusho uButhelezi.