Objectives:
To equip students with the basic understanding of safety and health issues related with carrying out responsible mining and mineral processing activities, including basics of how to plan mine rescue missions when mine accidents and hazards occur. The course is also geared to expose the students to environmental issues related with the construction, operation and closure phases of mining projects. The knowledge gained during the study will equip the students with tools to carry out responsible mining and mineral processing activities.
Learning outcome:
At the end of the course the student should be able to:
- Identify and manage the main hazards often encountered in mines and the surrounding environment;
- Understand the common mine accidents and plan for their rescue missions;
- Understand the various environmental issues related with carrying out mining and mineral processing activities and the legislative requirement of carrying out the environmental impact assessments (EIA’s) and environmental auditing (EA).
Pre-requisite: MN 323
Mode of Delivery: 3 hrs lecture + 1 hr tutorial per week (60 Hours)
Assessment Mode: Course work 40% + University Examination 60%
Course Content:
Mine Safety and Rescue: General aspects of mine safety (Safety organizations, Industrial hygiene, PPEs, First Aid Programmes, Mine health and safety laws, etc.); Mine occupational health and safety (Causes and nature of mine accidents, accidents statistics, International mine safety rating scheme); Mine rescue (emergency behaviour, confined space operations, recovery operations/procedures, etc.); mine communication and reporting and; mining legislations.
Mine Environmental Issues: Environmental management and legislation in respect of the bio-physical conditions (flora & fauna, land disturbance & pollution, surface and ground water pollution, noise, mine dust, illumination, ground vibrations, mine gases, mine fires, radioactivity, toxic elements, etc); Waste management and control (rock waste handling, waste water treatment, tailings dam management, domestic waste handling, AMD and heavy metals); EIA and EA processes; Mine closure and rehabilitation; environmental economy;
Recommended Textbooks:
Saskatchewan Labour, Occupational Health and Safety, “Saskatchewan Mine Rescue Manual”, February, 2001.
Recommended References
1. AMC Consultants, ‘’Basic Mine Ventilation” Revision 5, AMC Consultants Pty Ltd 2005.
2. Lack, R. W., 1997, "Essentials of Safety and Health Management".
3. Massawe, A., ‘’Mine Ventilation Manual’’, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG & Co.KG, Saarbrucken, Deutschland, June, 2010.
4. Massawe A., “Mine safety & Rescue Engineering”, LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing AG & Co.KG, Saarbrucken, Deutschland, June, 2010.
5. Environmental Management Act No. 20, 2004;
6. Environmental Impact Assessment and Audit Regulations, 2005
7. Mining Act, 2010
8. The Mining (Safe Working and Occupational Health) Regulations, 1999
9. NN, 1998, “Mineral Processing and the Environment”, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, Boston, MA,.
10. Dick, V., Marshal K, and Ta M. L,.1992 “Risk Assessment / Management Issues in the Environmental Planning of Mines”, Published by the Society of Mining Engineers, Inc. (SME), 214 pages, 1 volume.
11. Jerrold, J.M., 1997 “Mining Environmental Handbook: Effects of Mining on the Environment and American Environmental Controls on Mining”.
12. Cornwell D.A., 1991 “Introduction to Environmental Engineering”, McGraw Hill, N.Y.