JV video: Retrofits can disarm diesel rules

Underground mines are scrambling to curb diesel exhaust as exposure limits tighten, workings go deeper and investors push for lower emissions without denting output, Mammoth Equipment and Exhaust group marketing operations manager Holden Bunco says.

Regulators are sharpening their focus on diesel particulate matter in mine air, Bunco told The Northern Miner host Devan Murugan. Ontario’s limit sits at about 0.12 milligram per cubic metre, while Australia is considering a far lower threshold of 0.01 mg per cubic metre.

“Ventilation and electrification can get you there, but both take time and money,” Bunco said. “Retrofitting after-treatment onto machines you already run is often the fastest way to meet the limits without rebuilding the mine or buying a new fleet.”

With most underground fleets still running on diesel, mines are starting with machine-by-machine emissions audits and tightening maintenance on factory aftertreatment systems to avoid clogged filters, idle problems and cold-weather freeze-ups.

The preceding Joint Venture Article is PROMOTED CONTENT sponsored by Mammoth Equipment and Exhaust and produced in co-operation with The Northern Miner. Visit: https://mammothequip.com/en-us for more information.