Emissão de poeira em vias não pavimentadas na mineração: avaliação em laboratório e aspectos corporativos

Abstract

Wind erosion has both positive and negative effects. Saharan dust provides nutrients to Amazonian soils, but erosion from degraded roads in mining operations generates wind-borne dust, affecting the health and well-being of employees and nearby communities. Water is used to control dust, but it is inefficient, especially during the dry season due to cost and scarcity. Additives such as biopolymers are effective, economical, and environmentally sustainable alternatives, requiring an understanding of road characteristics and suppressant properties. This study reviewed dust emission and control on unpaved roads, designed a mechanism to simulate road degradation, and developed a methodology for measuring dust emissions to evaluate suppressant efficiency. The results indicated that increasing water efficiency through the use of suppressants can help rationalize water consumption for dust suppression, particularly during periods of lower rainfall, when emissions tend to intensify. Reductions in emissions (average concentration) were 73 % (concentration adjustment) and 86 % (dosage adjustment) when compared to emissions from soils without suppressant application. Additionally, the adoption of the proposed methodology enabled the replacement of empirical water application with wetting cycles calibrated to laboratory parameters, with the potential to reduce operational costs and improve visibility and safety on unpaved roads. Particulate matter is an environmental, social, and economic concern; it must be integrated into mining companies' ESG strategies, linking dust management to indicators such as air quality, water use, stakeholder engagement, and compliance. This approach helps mining companies balance health, well-being, relationships, and sustainability, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.