A Protocol and Standard for Mine Ventilation Studies

Rick Brake Mine Ventilation Australia

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Populations:

USA: 304 million Aust: 22 million

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Why do we need a generally-accepted protocol and standard?

Major mining houses are developing internal stds World bank & others developing own stds Legal implications of duty of carean industry accepted standard helps demonstrate care Building codes and national or international stds Prosecution policies of regulators Part of quality assurance principles Example: internationalisation of ore reserves codes Increasing use of peer review Will benefit stakeholders
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Safety and Health

Ventilation planning for the Westray mine did not address the requirements for a comprehensive system of fresh-air circulation and methane removal. The plan on which the ventilation was based was merely a brief outline in a feasibility study. A comprehensive engineering study by competent ventilation experts was not completed and documented before approvals were requested
The Westray Story-A Predictable Path to Disaster, Report of the Westray Mine Public Enquiry into the death of 26 miners on 9 May 1992: Province of Nova Scotia, Justice K P Richard, Commissioner
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Peer Review
... an assessment of an opinion or study conducted by a person or persons of similar expertise to the author Typically involves an additional cost of 2 to 5% of the study cost Peer review has stood the test of time with regard to technical publications; logical to extend it to study processes

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Peer Review (2)

Two types now in use in Australia:
Internal peer review within a consulting firm Independent peer review organised by client
By a third party Specialist panel within the clients organisation

For effective peer review, reviewers need:

To be technical competent (i.e. peers) Have no stake in the outcome of the review (unbiassed) Must be formal, rigorous and carefully documented else can become unfair and witch hunt
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Hold and Review

In a major study, there are many technical teams Battery limits separate the teams A key issue is to ensure disparate technical teams arent operating under conflicting design criteria or assumptions Example: rock mechanic team has resolved that maximum unsupported vertical airway size can only be 3.5 m, but ventilation team is assuming 4.5 m is acceptable Intention is to avoid rework, and additional costs and delays that go with it
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Hold and Review (2)

Hold & Review mtgs are formal mtgs at which key representatives from each technical discipline listen to each others presentations on the status of their design Purpose:
What incompatibilities exist in the designs? What duplication exists? What has fallen between the cracks (no-one is addressing)? What new opportunities for improvement exist in the design?
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E-rooms
Studies often produce hundreds of interim file notes from large number of individuals & teams Many have to be circulated for review Significant issue is documents being: lost, misfiled, or delayed to the point of adverse effect E-rooms:
Allow documents to be shared for review simultaneously Provide for formal document control ensuring those required to provide feedback do so Allow documents too large for email to be shared
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Implications of Duty of Care

Upside is that: Provides freedom from prescription so that innovation is possible with flexible solutions Captures risks not noted in regulations incl new risks Encourages greater ownership of risk mment by industry Downside is that standards may become worse Duty of Care is often linked to the as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) i.e. ALARA defines the standard of the duty of care Meeting minimum statutory requirements is not sufficient How can duty of care be established, and demonstrated / audited?
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Duty of Care: Clients perspective

Clients need to establish industry good practice? This changes over time, so major new studies need to re-establish what is ALARA? Importance of bench-marking Importance of risk assessment Importance of internal standards for consistency Importance of internal audit processes

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Duty of Care: Consultants perspective

Many issues are similar to the Clients perspective Consultants developing own internal standards Dilemma when client does not want to meet duty of care as consultant believes it to be Either withdraw from engagement, or use risk assessment process (with client) to demonstrate duty of care and ALARA is still being met

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Duty of Care: Regulators perspective (Compliance [Prosecution] Policy) (1)

Sufficiency of safety management plans Implementation of safety management plans Training of personnel in terms of:
Content of the plans Accreditation to be competent in the plans Understanding of implication of content of the plans

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Duty of Care: Regulators perspective (Compliance [Prosecution] Policy) (2)

Communications in the organisation in terms of:
Internal comms within & between depts & individuals External comms between company & other orgs Retention of knowledge base (corporate memory)

Previous incidents of this type Risk assessment process esp controls in place Good practice across the industry What other options were considered, if any Audit systems in place
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Implications for ventilation studies

Must include examination of industry good practice Must demonstrate that alternative solutions were examined, and reasons for rejection (esp if lower risk) Must be linked to risk assessment at some stage

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Management of a Technical Study (3)

Irrespective of level of study, solution presented must be tangible, i.e. design presented can be implemented within existing knowledge, technology & experience Opportunities for improvement are listed Study is risk assessed before going to next phase of study

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Management of a Technical Study (5)

In practice, it is difficult or impossible to deliver study on time, to the required standard, meeting the fit for purpose objectives and within budget Consequences of study not meeting required standard, or not meeting fit for purpose could be very damaging Study manager needs to have sufficient clout to ensure these two key objectives are met, despite organisational push on the other two (time & cost)

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Key issues for multi-disciplinary team:

Purpose/objectives, deliverables & level of confidence of study must be identified & agreed Study needs experienced study manager Battery limits for various sub-teams/disciplines must be set out and agreed List of overall design specs must be owned by study manager and is a controlled document Cost & time estimates must be realistic & good controls in place Regular formal and informal communications Formal Hold and Review meetings
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Scope of a mine ventilation study

Review of ventilation hazards (gases, dusts, radon, heat, spon comb, etc) & management controls Primary ventilation network at all key milestones in the mine life (volume & distribution of air) Secondary/auxiliary ventilation design Review of egress & entrapment provisions over life Develop ventilation management plan covering day to day operation & management of the vent system including TARPs, SWPs and SOPs Formal risk assessments for normal activities & abnormal activities (e.g. power failure, fire, etc)
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Special problems of brownfields sites

Competition and conflict for limited plant & equipment (airflows, intakes/returns, etc) Existing mine is essential for current production Future mine is essential for longer-term prod Inevitable human resource conflicts and personality issues between the management teams Problems of adopting new good practice HR or safety or operating practices whilst leaving existing ones alone Overall higher complexity of brownfields site with numerous interactions well into life of project
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Required inputs for a ventilation study (1)

Dust, radon and/or methane or other airborne gaseous, fume or particulate contaminants or asphyxiants (e.g. nitrogen) Gas contents of orebody/coal seam and adjacent strata; issues of gas drainage Spontaneous combustion potential Outburst potential Water inundation (flooding) potential Dust audits, silica (or other contaminant) contents of strata Production, development, diamond drilling, raiseboring (or other vertical development) and production drilling schedules Other important schedules or deadlines (e.g. construction schedules) Mining methods, layouts, mine design, etc

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Required inputs for a ventilation study (2)

Manpower schedule, by job type and location for both production and construction phases Major mobile equipment schedules, especially diesel equipment (maximum kW rating, dimensions, speed loaded and unloaded, up and down ramp, tonnes moved) Mode of operation of diesel equipment (where travel, when, truck/loader combinations) Diesel fuel usage, average and maximum per shift Fixed electrical plant and efficiencies Any special areas requiring filtered air or special ventilation (e.g. control rooms, cribrooms, offices, ventilation at crusher jaws, transfer points on belts, tipping points) Coal, ore, mullock/waste or other materials handling flowcharts

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Required inputs for a ventilation study (3)

Humidity limits for ore/waste including transfer points Humidity limits for ground control/rock strata Backfill system and operation, type of fill, method of placement Locations of fuel and oil storage, refuelling, other major stores, combustible material, etc Parking arrangements Special fire fighting standards Special egress or entrapment standards Any maintenance arrangements impacting on egress (outages, inspections, etc) Minimum medical/physical requirements for continuing employment or for visitors

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Required inputs for a ventilation study (4)

Blasting arrangements: development and production, bins, chutes, etc, including frequency of blasting: development and production Re-entry times after blasting etc ANFO and other explosives consumption rates: development and production Cement usages and consumption rates Oxidation rates (to SO2 and/or CO2) Working in heat protocols Other special ventilation-related hazard protocols Internal corporate ventilation/workplace environment standards for each job type (i.e. typical ventilation arrangements) Statutory (legislative) requirements Internal (company or mine) generic standards, hazard management plans, etc
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Required inputs for a ventilation study (5)

Any noise criteria (impacting on noise insulation or siting of fans etc) Any sources of dust, e.g. due to cutting, loading, etc Dust controls (e.g. sprays) at drawpoints, tipples, conveyors, roads Other sources of heat Surface climate (WB, DB, BP) by hour for minimum of six years Surface elevation above sea level Depth of mining operations Near-surface virgin rock temperature and geothermal gradient Rock thermal conductivity, thermal capacity, diffusivity, density Maximum heading lengths for auxiliary development, development heights and widths Method of auxiliary ventilation, type and size of ducts, leakage factors Any existing ventilation circuits, fans (including fan curves), controls etc
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Required inputs for a ventilation study (6)

Any existing cooling devices Usage and policy on air-conditioned cabins in mobile equipment and fixed plant Mining (especially horizontal and vertical development) and ventilation (fan, controls, ducting) costs Friction (k) factors and shock losses used or measured in the operation Any surface considerations (dust from quarrying etc, prevailing winds, grass/bush fires, nearby plant) Surface environmental limits on fans and shafts: noise, dust, water, smell, visual amenity Shaft, raise and other major airway resistances and last time measured Standards in regard to allowable pressures on ventilation doors (airlocks) or other ventilation controls
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Required inputs for a ventilation study (7)

Ventilation or isolation of caved regions or goafs; leakage and pressure balancing Network analysis and validation (comparing to measured data) Multi-level tipping controls or protocols Ground/fissure water in mine (amount, location, temperature (if very hot)) Location of shafts, fresh and return air raises, distances apart (determines typical auxiliary ventilation line configurations and lengths) Wetness of shafts. If wet, potential for water corrosion or erosion on fans. Potential for the shaft to be subject to erosion or sloughing or water plugging Natural ventilation pressures; seasonal changes; impacts of refrigeration on natural ventilation pressures

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Required inputs for a ventilation study (8)

Network simulation program used Other computer programs in use or required to be used Data on ventilation monitoring (e.g. strata gases, diesel exhausts, airflows, on-line monitoring) Recent or relevant ventilation or feasibility studies Any other safety aspects that need to be considered Any recent ventilation audits completed Any concerns from the operators or planners about current or future ventilation problems Any telemetering, remote monitoring or remote operation/control requirements

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Characteristics of phased approach to studies

An increase in knowledge and confidence A reduction in risk to acceptable limits (risk is never eliminated completely) Significant increases in expenditure on project evaluation (design, drilling, metallurgical testing, etc) for each stage An increase in allocation of resources and personnel to the project and study An increase in third party stakeholder involvement Escalating internal momentum and expectations making major changes in direction or cancellation of the project increasingly difficult
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Basic objective of phased approach to studies

Screening projects so that excessive monies are not spent on projects that could have been rejected at a lower level of study. Ensuring that at a more detailed study stage, it is not possible to come up with credible options that should have been considered at an earlier phase, and which may then require a substantial amount of additional work to either adopt or eliminate Remove bias and make more sound investment decisions
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Required level of confidence for a ventilation study

Tendency in past to proceed very quickly to final feasibility study saving time and money Meant alternative approaches not properly considered Best possible outcome is sub-optimal design Worst possible outcome is complete failure Phased approach to studies gives lowest overall cost and fastest study time, in long run
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Phases of study (1)

Study Name Order of study Principal purpose Scoping/ Magnitude 1 Identify issues esp key project drivers to be investigated in subsequent studies Conceptual 2 Develop all credible concepts in project development, addressing key issues identified in scoping study Screening of concepts not worth further studies Pre-feasibility/ Preliminary 3 Reduce the list of credible concepts to single, preferred option Feasibility/ Definitive 4 Examine the single preferred option to determine if the project should proceed Firm/ Final 5 Detailed design, engineering, procurement, employee and contractor selection

Copurpose

Commit to full feasibility study of single option

Commit to Provide all project detailed design development. and drawings Obtain project finance, esp if bankable feasibility study [BFS]

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Phases of study (2)

Study Scoping/ Conceptual Name Magnitude Approx 2 weeks 2 to 6 months time study Equipment/ None Hypothetical plant selection Study team Small inSmall in-house house team, and one team, with or two key minimal specialist input from consultants in consulting areas of groups particular technical concern Pre-feasibility/ Preliminary 3 to 18 months Preliminary Feasibility/ Definitive 6 to 24 months Optimised Firm/ Final 1 to 2 years Finalised

In-house personnel, a generalist mining consultancy and one or two key specialist consultants in areas of particular technical concern

In-house personnel leading a team of specialist consultants recognised by lending institutions (prospective funding bodies).

Client project manager supervising EPCM contractor leading teams of external engineering designers, contract managers, etc.

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Phases of study (3)

Study Name Design basis Scoping/ Magnitude Suitable team brainstorming and risk assessment Unlikely x Pre-feasibility/ Preliminary Rough layouts Layout take-offs, and factoring budget pricing and some factoring Conceptual Feasibility/ Definitive Layout take-offs, vendor quotes, budget pricing with little to no factoring Essential 20x 15 % Firm/ Final GA and AFC drawings, tendered prices

Site visit Relative estimation effort Capital & operating cost estimates

Possible 4x 40 %

Recommended 10x 25 %

Essential 50x 10 %

None

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Phases of study (4)

Study Name Ventilation design deliverables Scoping/ Magnitude List of likely vent issues to be resolved in subsequent studies List of critical infor required for first-pass assessment Scope and battery limits of study Conceptual

Conceptual vent plans incl egress Estimate of overall mine airflow, cooling/ heating & gas mment reqts Contaminant distribution & release or climate from available sources, e.g. AIRAH or ASHRAE Key vent drivers Ventilation impacts (pros and cons) of concept designs Approximate capex and opex of concept designs

Pre-feasibility/ Preliminary Vent plan (circuits, flows, fans, egress) for each phase of devt/ construction for each option Vent model & contaminant conc models (e.g. gas or temperature) of each option at full production only Surface climate from local long-term records Formal risk assessments Preliminary review of construction and preproduction vent reqts Approximate capex and opex of options

Feasibility/ Definitive

Firm/ Final

Detailed vent plan (circuits, flows, fans, egress) for each phase of devt, construction, production. To show all activities in all workplaces on all levels & the intake and exhaust for each. Vent models at all key vent milestones Contaminant conc models (gas, temperature, etc) at all key vent milestones in project Surface climate from local long-term records Detailed review of construction and preproduction requirements Formal constructability and production assessments of risks, controls, contingencies List of fans, duties & ventilation control devices at each key milestone Performance specs and capex and opex of all ventilation equipment incl main fans, cooling/heating plants, other ventilation plant at each phase of operation

Assistance with prep of specs for fans, refrigeration, etc Routine support for vent design and conflicts during project devt, construction and preproduction phase Involvement in formal risk processes, including HAZOP etc studies Assistance with tender evaluation and award. Clients representative for some contracts. Performance and acceptance testing.

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Summary and conclusions

No national, international, or professional standards for mine ventilation studies at present Duty of Care and ALARA will push our profession towards being able to demonstrate consistency and quality that will meet peer review Some codification of the study process and deliverables is in our own interest, and that of our stakeholders (clients) as well as the Public Any standard is likely to develop over time, and may never be fully formalised
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