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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

[Comparison between calculation- and measurement-based assessments of the effects of ambient air dust concentration on the environment and health status of the population living in the vicinity of a mineral mining plant].

Airborne and PM10 fraction dust concentrations were measured at seven measurement points in the area occupied by the plant. A GRIMM 1.105 laser meter was used to determine automatically total dust and PM10 fraction concentrations at 1 min intervals. The measurements were continued for 1 to 3 days at selected measurement points. The results were used to calculate the 30-min and mean 24-h (C24) concentrations. Significant differences were found to exist in the assessment based on the calculated and measured results of the ambient air dust concentrations. The calculation-based assessment did not predict any values above admissible limits, while the measurement-based assessment resulted in dust concentration values dangerous to the exposed population living in the vicinity of the plant, over both short (days) and long (years) time intervals. In emergency situation, when the dust-collection system was inoperative, dust concentrations in the ambient atmosphere of the plant were even 100 times higher than the current admissible values.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Changes in the blood concentrations of interleukins and electrolytes in miners working in deep coal mines].

Miners working in deep coal mines, engaged in hard physical work under most harsh mine conditions demonstrate a striking imbalance between pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines and a rise in the blood levels of electrolytes K+ and Na+ as well. The analysis performed revealed a direct correlation between the level of blood concentration of IL-6 and that of K+, Na+.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

The energy cost of metalliferous mining operations in relation to the aerobic capacity of Indian miners.

Mining in India is still relatively unmechanized, and in the hot, humid, and noisy environment with uncomfortable postures, many work operations impose a considerable physiological strain. The physical characteristics, including aerobic capacities, of 54 workers in an Indian metalliferous mine have been studied, and their energy expenditures measured during long periods of work in different tasks. The mean VO2max was 2.32 +/- 0.6 l/min and the mean body mass was 60 +/- 4 kg. Averaged energy expenditures for different tasks ranged between 9.4 and 22.8 kJ/min and were usually more than 33% of the workers' maximal work capacity. Recommendations about reducing the stress of mining work are made.

Anthropometry↗
PubMed2004

Application of biosolids in mineral sands mine rehabilitation: use of stockpiled topsoil decreases trace element uptake by plants.

Mineral sands mining involves stripping topsoil to access heavy-mineral bearing deposits, which are then rehabilitated to their original state, commonly pasture in south-west Western Australia. Organic amendments such as biosolids (digested sewage sludge) can contribute organic carbon to the rehabilitating system and improve soil chemical fertility and physical conditions. Use of biosolids also introduces the risk of contamination of the soil-plant system with heavy metals, but may be a useful source of trace elements to plants if the concentrations of these elements are low in unamended soil. We expected that biosolids amendment of areas mined for mineral sands would result in increased concentrations of metals in soils and plants, and that metal uptake would be decreased by adding stockpiled topsoil or by liming. A glasshouse experiment growing a mixed annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum)-subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) sward was conducted using two soil materials (residue sand/clay and conserved topsoil) from a mineral sands mine amended with different rates of biosolids (0, 10, 20, 50 dry t/ha), and including a liming treatment (2 t/ha). Total concentrations of metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) in soil increased with increasing rate of biosolids application. Metal uptake was generally lower where topsoil was present and was decreased by liming. With increasing biosolids application, plant metal concentrations increased for Cd, Ni and Zn but decreased or were erratic for other elements. In clover, biosolids application removed the Zn deficiency observed where biosolids were not applied. Plant uptake of all elements increased with increasing biosolids application, suggesting dilution by increased plant biomass was responsible for erratic metal concentration results. Despite the observed increases in uptake of metals by plants, metal concentrations in both species were low and below food standard thresholds. It is unlikely that a single application of biosolids in this system posed a threat from heavy metal contamination of soils or plants, and was beneficial in terms of Zn nutrition of T. subterraneum.

Australia↗
PubMed1998

Low back pain in mineral sand mine workers. Incidence and management.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the prevalence of low back pain suffered by workers in three mineral sand mining companies operating in the south west of Western Australia; to determine what use was made of health care providers by those experiencing low back pain; to derive the perceptions of the value of the treatment for low back pain by health care providers. METHOD: A total of 350 questionnaires were distributed to sand mine workers who were asked to complete the questionnaires which were collected 1 week later. RESULTS: completed questionnaires were returned by 204 workers giving a 58% response rate. Seventy-seven percent of male workers and 60% of female workers could remember suffering low back pain sometime in their lives. Low back pain was experienced by 61% of male sufferers and 57% of female sufferers at least two to three times a month. A total of 16% of men and 12% of women experienced low back pain on a daily basis while 30% of men and 22% of women reported that the type of work they were doing increased their low back pain. Only 19% of all male workers and 6% of all female workers had ever taken time off work due to low back pain with the average time taken off work for an acute episode, being 14 days. Overall, 47% of respondents indicated that the treatment received from general practitioners was ineffective, and only 16% of respondents assessed GPs as being better than average. Chiropractors were rated higher than physiotherapists or general practitioners in providing the most effective treatment for low back pain. Mobilising exercises were considered to be better treatment than analgesics or anti-inflammatory medication. CONCLUSION: Low back pain is a common problem among mineral sand mine workers who preferred the services of the chiropractor or the physiotherapist to the general practitioner. Physical treatment modalities with stretching and mobilising exercises were preferred to pharmacological treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

The design of hazard risk assessment matrices for ranking occupational health risks and their application in mining and minerals processing.

Two hazard risk assessment matrices for the ranking of occupational health risks are described. The qualitative matrix uses qualitative measures of probability and consequence to determine risk assessment codes for hazard-disease combinations. A walk-through survey of an underground metalliferous mine and concentrator is used to demonstrate how the qualitative matrix can be applied to determine priorities for the control of occupational health hazards. The semi-quantitative matrix uses attributable risk as a quantitative measure of probability and uses qualitative measures of consequence. A practical application of this matrix is the determination of occupational health priorities using existing epidemiological studies. Calculated attributable risks from epidemiological studies of hazard-disease combinations in mining and minerals processing are used as examples. These historic response data do not reflect the risks associated with current exposures. A method using current exposure data, known exposure-response relationships and the semi-quantitative matrix is proposed for more accurate and current risk rankings.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed2006

Effects of moisture and temperature on carbon and nitrogen mineralization in mine tailings mixed with sewage sludge.

Digested sewage sludge mixed with copper mine tailings was incubated for 3 mo at 16 combinations of temperature (-1, 5, 10, and 15 degrees C) and soil moisture content (2, 8, 14, and 24% by weight). Carbon dioxide evolution and net N mineralization were measured at increasing time intervals. A two compartment first-order kinetic model (refractory and labile C) was fitted to the time series of measured CO2 fluxes using nonlinear regression analysis. The dependencies of the rate constants on moisture and temperature could be well described by log-linear functions. The estimated Q10 value (the factor by which the rate is increased as temperature is increased 10 degrees C) was 2.55. Within the range of temperature and moisture considered here, which correspond to conditions occurring naturally in Sweden, CO2 evolution was more strongly controlled by moisture than by temperature. Less mineral N accumulated during the experiment at the lowest moisture or temperature. However, the dependency of net N mineralization on moisture and temperature in the remaining treatments was less clear than for C evolution, presumably due to denitrification at the higher temperatures and moisture contents. Nitrate was formed after around 2 wk but only at 10 and 15 degrees C.

Carbon↗
PubMed1989

[Signs of chronic overheating in miners of deep coal mines].

Both miners exposed to high temperature and excess heat and miners working under permissible temperature conditions (a control group) had similar nonspecific signs, i. e., complaints of heartache and headache, erethism, flaccidity, hydrosis, degradation of appetite and sleep, vertigo, dimness, the sense of air shortage, palpitation in rest, uncertain gait, muscle spasm. There were also presented the following objective data: tremor of close eyelids, asymmetry of tendon reflex, convergence weakness, emotional lability, changes in orthostatic test results, higher Kerdau index, instability of sensitizing Romberg's test. The above signs were more pronounced in miners exposed to high temperature, thus it was possible to regard them as indicators of miners' chronic overheating.

Adult↗
PubMed1977

[Dermatomycoses in miners of the "Anna" mine].

100 miners have been examined for mycosis pedis. All had interdigital macerations, mainly of both feet. 57 cultures of fungi were positive. Blastomyces and especially Candida albicans were the most frequent fungi. Some remarks are made concerning individual hygiene and surface disinfection.

Dermatitis, Occupational↗
PubMed1995

ICRP recommendations applicable to the mining and minerals processing industries and to natural sources. International Commission on Radiological Protection.

The current views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection on exposure to natural radiation are presented in the new recommendations (ICRP Publication 60) where the concepts of practice and intervention are both used to establish mechanisms of control. The history of the present recommendations is reviewed, and the latest guidance on the control of 222Rn at home and at work (ICRP Publication 65) is outlined. The new model of the respiratory tract, which has been adopted by ICRP, is discussed in the context of its predictions of the doses from radon and from particulate natural radionuclides. Consideration is given finally to criteria for the restoration of sites previously contaminated by natural radionuclides.

Air Pollution, Indoor↗
PubMed1975

Immunoglobulins under the influence of nonspecific factors II. The influence of work-stress on levels of immunoglobulins (IgG, IgA, IgM) of miners in uranium mines.

In 2 groups of 22 miners each, exposed 5.4 and 10.8 years respectively to the environment of uranium mines, the serum levels of IgG, IgA, and IgM were measured before and after one workshift. In the group longer exposed the work-stress resulted in a significant decrease of all 3 classes of Ig. In the group exposed for a shorter time only the IgG decreased significantly. In the group longer exposed the initial levels of IgG were considerably lower in comparison with the group exposed for a shorter time.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Suppression of arsenopyrite surface oxidation by sol-gel coatings.

Oxidation of arsenopyrite (FeAsS) in mine tailings is considered as the major cause of arsenic release in groundwater around mineral mine sites. Oxidation rate is increased by the biooxidation of chemolithoautotrophic bacteria, such as Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans via the adsorption mechanism. Hence, coating with thin films as a physical barrier for oxidants surrounding the mineral surface is one of the effective abatement strategies. In this work, we studied and characterized the formation of thin films using sol-gel on arsenopyrite and investigated the resistance of thin films to biological and chemical oxidations. We selected methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMOS), tetramethoxysilane (TMOS), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (AAPS) as sol-gel precursors. MTMOS coating arsenopyrite particles at a H2O/Si molar ratio of 2 suppressed both biological oxidation and chemical oxidation and was superior to other alkoxysilane monomers. Factors involved in oxidation suppression are the crack-free morphology and the hydrophobicity of MTMOS coating. The Si-O-Si spectrum by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) distinctly found for the MTMOS film is considered to indicate the formation of the networks of the film, and the Fe-O-Si spectrum confirmed the bonding of the film to the arsenopyrite surface.

Acidithiobacillus↗