Document O14g05V5vnqrYVmvgbvX4GMaQ

f 789 "C'j'v-, ' ->s ' I. : 1) f;: State Mining Engineer, Mines Department, PERTH. a KALGOORUE 19th August 1953. Ventilation - Australian Blue Asbestos Mine - fflttenoom. I visited the asbestos 'Bine operated by the Australian Blue Asbestos Ltd, at Wittenoonr from July *28th to August 1st and inspected the underground working places and treatment plant,~I also made an air survey of underground workings* The volume of air flowing through the Bine was measured using the vane anemometer and resulted* Intake ' t Hew* "PortalUpper Seas lower -.Seas 11*000 9*200 b.f.a. 12,590 -c.f.ra*; . Total 32,790 c.f.m. . ____- .............................................................. Main Entry (Upper Seas) 40,590 c.fia, (Measured past ifan) The fan in use is still the Bichardson $0" Axial Plow tfan powered by a 25 H.F, electric motor* The quantity of air circulating through the mine Is satisfactory for the number of working places. The Intake through the Hew Portal ventilates the new stopes and-development ends in this ^new.section of the sine, and the intahe.-apdit on the Upper Seam, ventilates those stopes In ths old section of the nine which -are still. working. Ths air through ths Lower -Seam la split and 'ventilates ths stopes still opsrating in this seam* This air than upcasts through jump - ups to ths Upper Seam and joint ths return air, through the old stoped - out workings, to ths exhaust fan* . Underground - .Conditions underground generally .were-satisfactory, I deplore the laek^of the use. of .water on brok'eh dirt. underground. Hater la used but;not to the extent I sufflcieht . to alnlalse.`the dust hhsard* Especially vhtra. aoraping was In operation the dust counts were high* The installation oxr fibrm"!lryihg pllnt in their mil is an urgent necessity in order to dry the .fibre product, and then the use of water underground can be rigidly enforced* The attached sheets show temperatures and dust counts recordsd underground. In some stopes ths working places were advanced more than 10 feet off an airway and the ventilation was not satisfactory* I requested that seecndary ventilating appliances be used in such stopes* * Treatment Plant. Extensive additions and alterations are being made to thl plant *. Included in the additions is the installation of a cyclone ; dust collector and three ft eld dust Collectors *.Thbse to connect ...the .five small cyclones which exhaust through the roof, of the buildingf^This. should prevent ouch of ths dust which is at present exhausted to atmosphere and drifts down end back into ths mil, (This installation should nowbs in operation)?- v K .7 - 2- 7Q f- Inside the mill hessian (and wool bale) walla have been erected. These enclose certain seotions of the plant and act as idas&B- to the 43" diameter Richardson Propellor fans installed in the roof. These fans also need exhaust duots to carry the dust into the air and away from the vicinity of the mill. The mill has been enclosed on two sides and according to reports this has had a good effect on the amount of dust in the plant. I consider the worst feature of the. mill is the cloud of dust which arises from the mill and then either drifts down to the ground or blows down the gorge. It seems to have a de moralising effect. By requesting that extensions be added to the exhaust ducts it is hoped that the dust will be taken away from the vicinity of.the mill. ... ,, ".-U;../--.J.The attached sheet; shows ,the:;.duat-counts recorded in the mill. These counts are high butipoaslbly the improved-dust collection set - up will improve* cbooitidhs in the mill..' G' en"eral` . " ;-. I was advised by the management of the proposed hoilding alterations. Among the alterations is the-conversion of the presen office building, situated near the lew Portal entrance, in'the Underground changeroom. Pr<rt4ion-is'-being .aade fof the admtnie- tratlon of Aluminium Therapy.and the management; propose aakl ng this treatment available when the ohangeroom 1st completed. PXSfgCCr IlfSPBCfOg OF MUTBS * C f 790 ... J :r v;