Assessment of the status of work zone air environment due to opencast coal mining

In India coal production will have to be increased to meat the energy demand at a very high rate. By 2000 AD the cool production from opencast (O/C) mining will rise to 250 Mt. which will be about 70% of the total coal production. The increasing trend of O/C mining leads to cause air pollution problem. A survey was conducted to assess the status of work zone air envirnment due to opencast coal mining in Jharia Coalfield. Keeping in view of place of dust generation air quality monitoring stations were selected. Methodology adapted for sampling and analysis of air pollutants have been described. Four season data revealed that maximum concentration of SPM was observed at dragline section and the next high concentration was at haul roads. At all the locations SPM and RPM concentrations exceeded the permissible limits specified by Indian Pollution Control Board. Shift wise and location wise analysis for getting higher concentration of SO2 and NOx have been discussed. Wind velocity and directions, mixing heights, ventilation coefficient of the area have been analyzed. Huge dust generation creates vision problem to HEMM operators. The methodology adopted may be utilised on industrial scale for various sites.