WASHINGTON – NIOSH recently presented the 2022 Mine Safety and Health Technology Innovation Award, which recognizes mines and organizations that demonstrate “extraordinary efforts to apply technology or approval processes in innovative ways, going beyond mandatory requirements, to improve miner safety and health. “
Recipients are divided into four categories.
Industrial Minerals: Genesis Alkali, for the implementation of an extraction well system that uses wells and extended casing to isolate electrical components from potentially dangerous mine gases, while still allowing water to enter the pump inlet.
coal: CONSOL Energy and Simmons Equipment Co. for S360 buckets. The bucket features a lift function that allows bucket operators to switch between attachments and improve visibility for safer maneuvering around workers and obstacles.
Metal: Emesent, for its specialized drone autonomy technology used at the Glencore Kidd mine. The company implemented a drone mapping system that can identify and capture visuals of hard-to-access ground areas, freeing engineers and surveyors from the mission and the risks associated with unstable ground.
Stones, sand and gravel: Peckham Industries, for the development of strategic stope holes in underground aggregate operations. Mining technology enables the transport of rock mined in open pits to underground operations near primary and secondary crushers. This enables more workers to work in safer ground conditions, while eliminating long hauls on steep grades and alleviating community concerns about mine noise and dust.
“Taking this innovative approach to addressing new and ongoing challenges is beneficial to the mining industry as a whole,” Jessica Kogel, NIOSH deputy director of mining, said in a release.
The award is presented in conjunction with the Essential Minerals Association; the National Mining Association; and the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association.