Gold mining in the vast and arid landscapes of Western Australia, Northern Queensland, and South Australia presents unique challenges in terms of effective dust control. 

Dust control measures, particularly during the hottest months and following blasting activities in underground mines, often create significant interruptions to mining operations. However, the implementation of dust suppressant sprays on haul road surfaces have demonstrated significant benefits for a number of mines, especially for one of Dust-A-Side Australia's clients in Western Australia.

Our client is a gold mine and was facing persistent issues with excessive dust on their site caused by haul road traffic. This dust posed risks to worker safety and was hindering production. Conventional dust control methods were costly and required a substantial amount of water.

After meeting with the client and inspecting the site, our team of experts recommended the use of HydroTac as a spray-on dust control treatment to help reduce the amount of fugitive dust. HydroTac, acting as a hygroscopic binding agent, reduces the dependence on water carts for dust control by retaining moisture in the road surface, extending the time between respraying and resulting in significant cost savings.

Hyper-saline water is commonly found and managed throughout mining sites in Australia. However, using saline water as a dust suppressant is subject to several variables. The type of salts dissolved in the water and the lack of atmospheric moisture in dry regions can limit its effectiveness for dust control.

In contrast, HydroTac stands as the ideal solution as it offers consistent performance in all weather conditions, year-round, and is robust against saline water, making it exceptionally suitable for mines with hyper-saline water. The binding properties of HydroTac, derived from lignosulphonates and sugars, effectively reduce dust generated by road traffic, creating a long-lasting solution.

HydroTac is not only highly effective but also environmentally friendly, being a specially formulated biodegradable binder devoid of corrosive chloride compounds.

The introduction of Dust-A-Side Australia’s Hydrotac as a dust suppressant spray at this gold mine not only mitigated the dust problem but also resulted in substantial cost savings. In addition to reducing water usage, it has significantly cut water cart operating hours by up to 60%. 

These remarkable outcomes led to the renewal of Dust-A-Side Australia's contract for an additional 12 months and initiated discussions about upgrading the clients’ existing dust suppression systems to further enhance efficiency and productivity.

Interested in learning more about our range of dust control products?

Talk to the team at Dust-A Side Australia.

Click here to arrange a no obligation consultation or give us a call on 1800 662 387.