Page 9 - RMAI Bulletin July - September 2021

RMAI BULLETIN JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2021

be fully proven. They are very different from the
methods deployed on the land. Minerals are
scooped off the sea floor and then transported
through pipes to the vessel.

The choice of the mining method is purely dependent
on the geology, topography, relief, the mineral deposit,
cost of the equipment and the demand. Moreover, the
method used should guarantee mass production.

Risks and Hazards Associated with
Mining:
Mining industry can present much more dangerous
hazards and risks than our regular industrial facility.
Mining has been done since ancient times and is
always recognized as being arduous and liable to injury
and diseases. Mining is usually a long process, hence
Figure 4 - Source: large.Stanford.edu the exposure to these hazards are also for long
duration. Miners' exposure varies with the job,
Y Open Cut Mining: This method is used when proximity to the source and the preventive methods
mineral is found over large area and close to the used. If these hazards are not properly managed, they
surface. A pit is dug progressively as per the ore, can result into serious traumatic injuries, occupational
technical and economic conditions in a step or illness and even death.
benches form. Mining continues until the mine
becomes too deep, or too expensive or too Few of the risks and hazards are described below:
difficult to manage the method. It sometimes use Y Explosions: The risk of explosion is usually
explosives to break the ores. associated with the underground mining and it is
When complete the pit is left for the locals to use a serious threat to the miners. Chemicals and
it as a lake or modified conditions on the consent gases that continually run through the pipes
of the community. possess a serious issue of ventilation deep inside
the surface of the earth.
Y Sea Bed Mining: It involves mining of the
submerged minerals and deposits from the sea Y Fires: There are number of materials used in the
floor. It can be done in the shallow waters or the mining that can easily cause a fire and traditional
deep sea. The environmental impacts are yet to fire management systems may not always work in
this environment. This might
affect the whole procedure
which might lead to loos of
life and economical loss to
the contractor.
Y Dust: Dust inhalation or
coal dust is the most
common threat to the
miners. Coal dust can cause
a disease that is commonly
known as "Miner's Lung" or
black lung which can lead to
scarring of lungs tissue,
shortness of breath or even
Figure 5 - Source: kasm.org.nz kiwis against seabed mining respiratory diseases. Even

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