To improve the quality and speed up the laboratory analysis of silica dust, a health hazard in the mining industry, parastatal science council the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has acquired the Bruker D8 Advance, an X-ray diffractor meter for powder X-ray diffractions (XRD).



Silicosis, a lung disease caused by exposure to respirable silica, is a cause of death for many South African miners and ex-miners, and is a major challenge in the South African mining industry, says CSIR competence area manager in mining Dr Declan Vogt.



The new equipment will be used for two projects that the CSIR is undertaking for the Mine Health and Safety Council (MHSC).



This is part of the drive by government, industry and labour organisations that jointly set targets for the elimination of silicosis in South African mines by 2013.



“The MHSC initiated a major research project to assess and prioritise dust sources, review technologies to lessen dust exposure, identify control technologies, develop standards for filtration efficiency, and com- pare international best practice,” explains Vogt.



He adds that the second project by the MHSC will determine a baseline for silica dust in the industry, to determine the levels of dust present in mines, and to monitor the implementation of control techniques.



“To ensure accurate measurements of quartz in dust, it was necessary to acquire technology, such as the D8 Advance,” comments Vogt.



The D8 Advance improves on existing XRD facilities in this regard, and complements another technology, the Horiba LA-950, a laser particle size analyser for full airborne particulate analysis.



The D8 Advance is a machine that can analyse the phases or crystal forms of any material to determine the materials present in a sample. In mining, it is used to determine what proportion of a dust sample consists of quartz. The quartz portion of the dust is responsible for harm to human life.



The equipment will be used at the CSIR offices in Emma-rentia. While it is not new to the South African mining environment, Vogt says that the CSIR has acqui- red the latest version of the D8 Advance to ensure improved effici- ency.

To subscribe to Mining Weekly's print magazine email subscriptions@creamermedia.co.za or buy now.