A Study of Respirable Silica in Underground Coal Mines: Sources

Details

• Personal Author:
  Keles C ; Pokhrel N ; Sarver E
• Description:
  An ongoing resurgence of occupational lung disease among coal miners in the United States has been linked to respirable crystalline silica (RCS). To better protect miners, a deeper understanding of key exposure factors is needed. As part of a larger investigation of RCS in 15 coal mines, this paper describes analysis of silica mass content in two types of samples: (1) respirable coal mine dust (RCMD) collected in standardized locations in each mine; and (2) respirable dust generated in the laboratory from primary source materials, including coal and rock strata being mined at the production face, material obtained from the dust collection system on roof bolter machines, and rock dust products being applied by the mine. As expected, results indicate that rock strata drilled for roof bolting or being extracted along with the coal are a major source of RCS in many coal mines-although the coal seam itself can contain significant silica in some mines. While silica content of rock strata encountered in central Appalachian mines is not necessarily higher than in other regions, the sheer abundance of rock being extracted in thin-seam central Appalachian mines can explain the relatively higher silica content typically observed in RCMD from this region. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Dust Occupational Health Safety Silicon Dioxide
• Keywords:
  Analytical Methods Author Keywords: Respirable Crystalline Silica Coal Dust Coal Mines Crystalline Silica Dust Analysis Fourier Transform Infrared FTIR NIOSH Manual Of Analytical Methods 7603 NMAM 7603 RCS Respirable Dust Scanning Electron Microcopy With Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy Scanning Electron Microscopy SEM-EDX Silica Dusts Source Spectroscopes Underground Coal Mine

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• ISSN:
  2075-163X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Contract
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  12
• Issue:
  9
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067825
• Citation:
  Minerals 2022 Sep; 12(9):1115
• Contact Point Address:
  Cigdem Keles, Mining & Minerals Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
• Email:
  cigdem@vt.edu
• CAS Registry Number:
  Quartz (SiO2) (CAS RN 14808-60-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2022
• Performing Organization:
  Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20190901
• Source Full Name:
  Minerals
• End Date:
  20210831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:f2aefd1547655750eebee77bce4a01c2d712fe7907d6ab9dadfd667813d7d471ef481075f0d31400c3d48dca425cd84c57ec587e9d6bb3aa4f02f53f5085d2aa
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/230080/cdc_230080_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.20 MB ]