Mine Hazards

There are hazards associated with exploring, developing, and mining mineral resources.  Many of these hazards are resource specific and there is a need to better understand the underlying causes and effects of these to allow the identification, management, and mitigation of the risks.

The New Zealand geological landscape is potentially unstable and dangerous in many areas where exploration, development, and mining are practised. While careful attention and commitment to best safety practices can mitigate many hazards and risks, the necessary New Zealand - focussed body of knowledge required to underpin best safety practices in mining is significantly underdeveloped. 

There are some high priority areas of study relevant to New Zealand where there is a need to carry out and integrate fundamental studies with working situations:

• Methane gas content, outbursts and explosions;
• Gas drainage technologies;
• Spontaneous ignition and mine fires;
• Friction ignition and mine fires;
• Rock reactivity; and
• Gas monitoring.

The principle stakeholders in this research will include mine owners, mine workers, mine contractors, regulators, mine rescuers, and researchers.

The New Zealand coal industry is fully supportive of a substantial research effort to address these issues and a detailed work programme is currently being prepared. 

Links

R70: Spontaneous Combustion

R&D: Spontaneous Combustion

Gas Outbursts