THE DUST SUPPRESSION METHOD ON THE OPERATING TAILING DAMS

Abstract

Mining and processing plants are the most powerful sources of anthropogenic pollution of the environment in Republic of Armenia at extracting and processing ores, huge masses of rocks are extracted and processed. At that, only a small part of them is used, the rest is accumulated in the form of waste that pollutes the environment.

The main processing method is the flotation method, which produces liquid waste (slurry) which is collected in tailings. The applied technology of the tailing dump operation does not exclude the pollution of the environment by dust flows, especially in summer during the period of wind loads. The main sources of air pollution from tailing dumps are dusty surfaces of dry beaches of reclaimed compartments, slopes of dams, and dikes. As a result of the removal of pollutants by air flows at long distances and their subsequent deposition, soil contamination occurs, which adversely affects the agricultural plants grown in the region.

The main methods of dust suppression at the functioning tailing dumps are the creation of artificial erosion-resistant coatings on their dry surfaces; which are various

binders or cementitious substances of both organic and inorganic origin. Dust suppression methods proposed in the technical and patent literature have corresponding technical and technological drawbacks, and in some cases are not economically justified.

A method of dust suppression based on the use of an aqueous solution of a polyvinyl acetate dispersion as a fixing agent is proposet. To enhance the adhesion ability, the dusty surface is covered with a layer of crushed stone of the corresponding fraction before applying the agent.

Laboratory tests have shown reliable results.