11
The limited data set generated in this study indicates
that the several aspects critical to the process of selection
of diesel engines and exhaust aftertreatment systems for
underground mining applications need to be considered in
order to avoid diminishing the overall benefits of imple-
menting “clean” diesel technologies. With few caveats, the
engine certification processes under jurisdictions of EPA
and similar agencies across the globe are an important use-
ful source of information on diesel emissions. However, due
to nuances associated with use of diesel-powered mobile
equipment in the underground mines, those processes,
primarily tuned toward certification of diesel engines for
surface applications, might not provide sufficient infor-
mation to allow for proper selection of power trains for
underground mining applications e.g., the information on
the performance of the catalyst as a function of duty cycle
(exhaust temperatures) appears to be missing information
particularly critical to the process of selection of catalyzed
exhaust aftertreatment systems for the “clean” engines oper-
ated in the sections of mines ventilated with limited quanti-
ties of air.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors want to acknowledge Jon Hummer for his
valuable contributions to the design and construction of
the test facilities and help with execution of the experimen-
tal work and data acquisition.
DISCLAIMER
The findings and conclusions of this publication have not
been formally disseminated by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health and should not be con-
stituted to represent any agency determination or policy.
Mention of any company or product does not constitute
endorsement by NIOSH.
REFERENCES
[1] Bugarski, Aleksandar D. and John D. Potts (2018),
“Exposures of underground miners to diesel particu-
late matter in the United States,” 24th Annual Mining
Diesel Emission Conference (MDEC Conference.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 2–4.).
[2] Saarikoski, Sanna, Laura Salo, Matthew Bloss,
Jenni Alanen, Kimmo Teinilä, Felipe Reyes, Yeanice
Vázquez, Jorma Keskinen, Pedro Oyola, Topi
Rönkkö, and Hikka Timonen (2019), “Sources and
characteristics of particulate matter at five locations
in an underground mine,” Aerosol and Air Quality
Research, 19: 2613–2624 https://doi.org/10.4209
/aaqr.2019.03.0118.
[3] Saarikoski, S, K. Teinilä, H. Timonen, M. Aurela, T.
Laaksovirta, F. Reyes, Y. Váasques, P. Oyola, P. Artaxo,
A.S. Pennanen, S. Junttila, M. Linnainmaa, R.O.
Salonen, and R. Hillamo (2018), “Particulate matter
characteristics, dynamics and sources in an under-
ground mine,” Aerosol. Sci. Technol. 52(1):114–122.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2017.1384788.
[4] Katta, Anil K., Matthew Davis, and Amit Kumar
(2020), “Development of disaggregated energy use
and greenhouse gas emission footprints in Canada’s
iron, gold, and potash mining sector,” Resource,
Conservation &Recycling 152: 104485. https://doi
.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104485.
[5] Bugarski, Aleksandar D., Jon A. Hummer, Shawn
Vanderslice, and Michael R. Shahan (2020),
“Characterization of aerosols in an underground
mine during a longwall move,” Mining, Metallurgy
&Exploration (MM&E 37:1065–1078. https://doi
.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00209-6.
[6] Bugarski, Aleksandar D., Shawn Vanderslice, Jon
A. Hummer, Teresa L. Barone, Steven E. Mischler,
Shawn Peters, Steve Cochrane, and Jared Winkler
(2021), “Diesel aerosols and gases in an under-
ground coal mine,” Tukkaraja P (Ed): Proceedings
of the 18th North American Mine Ventilation
Symposium (NAMVS) 2021, June 12–17, 2021,
Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, 95–104, https://doi
.org/10.1201/9781003188476-10.
[7] Gren, Louise, Annette M. Krais, Eva Assarsson,
Karin Broberg, Malin Engfeldt, Christian Lindh,
Bo Strandberg, Joakim Pagels, and Maria Hedmer
(2022), “Underground emissions and miners’ per-
sonal exposure to diesel and renewable diesel exhaust
in a Swedish iron ore mine,” International Archives of
Occupational and Environmental Health 95:1369–
1388, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01843-x.
[8] Halim A., J. Lööw, J. Johansson, J. Gustafsson, A.
van Wageningen, K. Kocsis (2022), “Improvement
of working conditions and opinions of mine work-
ers when battery electric vehicles (BEVs are used
instead of diesel machines -Results of field trial at
the Kittilä Mine, Finland,” Mining, Metallurgy &
Exploration 39:203–219. https://doi.org/10.1007
/s42461-021-00506-8.
[9] MSHA (2024a), “National coal diesel inventory,”
Mine Safety and Health Administration. Available
from https://egov.msha.gov/DieselInventory
/ViewDieselInventoryExternal.aspx. (Accessed on
July 10, 2024).
The limited data set generated in this study indicates
that the several aspects critical to the process of selection
of diesel engines and exhaust aftertreatment systems for
underground mining applications need to be considered in
order to avoid diminishing the overall benefits of imple-
menting “clean” diesel technologies. With few caveats, the
engine certification processes under jurisdictions of EPA
and similar agencies across the globe are an important use-
ful source of information on diesel emissions. However, due
to nuances associated with use of diesel-powered mobile
equipment in the underground mines, those processes,
primarily tuned toward certification of diesel engines for
surface applications, might not provide sufficient infor-
mation to allow for proper selection of power trains for
underground mining applications e.g., the information on
the performance of the catalyst as a function of duty cycle
(exhaust temperatures) appears to be missing information
particularly critical to the process of selection of catalyzed
exhaust aftertreatment systems for the “clean” engines oper-
ated in the sections of mines ventilated with limited quanti-
ties of air.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors want to acknowledge Jon Hummer for his
valuable contributions to the design and construction of
the test facilities and help with execution of the experimen-
tal work and data acquisition.
DISCLAIMER
The findings and conclusions of this publication have not
been formally disseminated by the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health and should not be con-
stituted to represent any agency determination or policy.
Mention of any company or product does not constitute
endorsement by NIOSH.
REFERENCES
[1] Bugarski, Aleksandar D. and John D. Potts (2018),
“Exposures of underground miners to diesel particu-
late matter in the United States,” 24th Annual Mining
Diesel Emission Conference (MDEC Conference.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, October 2–4.).
[2] Saarikoski, Sanna, Laura Salo, Matthew Bloss,
Jenni Alanen, Kimmo Teinilä, Felipe Reyes, Yeanice
Vázquez, Jorma Keskinen, Pedro Oyola, Topi
Rönkkö, and Hikka Timonen (2019), “Sources and
characteristics of particulate matter at five locations
in an underground mine,” Aerosol and Air Quality
Research, 19: 2613–2624 https://doi.org/10.4209
/aaqr.2019.03.0118.
[3] Saarikoski, S, K. Teinilä, H. Timonen, M. Aurela, T.
Laaksovirta, F. Reyes, Y. Váasques, P. Oyola, P. Artaxo,
A.S. Pennanen, S. Junttila, M. Linnainmaa, R.O.
Salonen, and R. Hillamo (2018), “Particulate matter
characteristics, dynamics and sources in an under-
ground mine,” Aerosol. Sci. Technol. 52(1):114–122.
https://doi.org/10.1080/02786826.2017.1384788.
[4] Katta, Anil K., Matthew Davis, and Amit Kumar
(2020), “Development of disaggregated energy use
and greenhouse gas emission footprints in Canada’s
iron, gold, and potash mining sector,” Resource,
Conservation &Recycling 152: 104485. https://doi
.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2019.104485.
[5] Bugarski, Aleksandar D., Jon A. Hummer, Shawn
Vanderslice, and Michael R. Shahan (2020),
“Characterization of aerosols in an underground
mine during a longwall move,” Mining, Metallurgy
&Exploration (MM&E 37:1065–1078. https://doi
.org/10.1007/s42461-020-00209-6.
[6] Bugarski, Aleksandar D., Shawn Vanderslice, Jon
A. Hummer, Teresa L. Barone, Steven E. Mischler,
Shawn Peters, Steve Cochrane, and Jared Winkler
(2021), “Diesel aerosols and gases in an under-
ground coal mine,” Tukkaraja P (Ed): Proceedings
of the 18th North American Mine Ventilation
Symposium (NAMVS) 2021, June 12–17, 2021,
Rapid City, South Dakota, USA, 95–104, https://doi
.org/10.1201/9781003188476-10.
[7] Gren, Louise, Annette M. Krais, Eva Assarsson,
Karin Broberg, Malin Engfeldt, Christian Lindh,
Bo Strandberg, Joakim Pagels, and Maria Hedmer
(2022), “Underground emissions and miners’ per-
sonal exposure to diesel and renewable diesel exhaust
in a Swedish iron ore mine,” International Archives of
Occupational and Environmental Health 95:1369–
1388, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-022-01843-x.
[8] Halim A., J. Lööw, J. Johansson, J. Gustafsson, A.
van Wageningen, K. Kocsis (2022), “Improvement
of working conditions and opinions of mine work-
ers when battery electric vehicles (BEVs are used
instead of diesel machines -Results of field trial at
the Kittilä Mine, Finland,” Mining, Metallurgy &
Exploration 39:203–219. https://doi.org/10.1007
/s42461-021-00506-8.
[9] MSHA (2024a), “National coal diesel inventory,”
Mine Safety and Health Administration. Available
from https://egov.msha.gov/DieselInventory
/ViewDieselInventoryExternal.aspx. (Accessed on
July 10, 2024).