Title: Surface mining in Western Macedonia, Greece: fugitive dust (PM10) emissions and dispersion

Authors: Athanasios Triantafyllou; Symela Andreadou; Nicolas Moussiopoulos; Stylianos Garas; Ioannis Kapageridis; Georgios Tsegas; Christos Diamantopoulos; Charis Sachanidis; Ioannis Skordas

Addresses: Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics (LAPEP), TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece; Technological Research Center (TRC), 50100 Kozani, Greece ' Public Power Corporation S.A., Western Macedonia Lignite Center, P.O. Box 21, 50200 Ptolemaida, Greece ' Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering (LHTEE), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics (LAPEP), TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece ' Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics (LAPEP), TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece; Technological Research Center (TRC), 50100 Kozani, Greece; Laboratory of Mining Information Technology and GIS Applications, Department of Environmental and Pollution Control Engineering, TEI of Western Macedonia, Kozani, 50100, Greece ' Laboratory of Heat Transfer and Environmental Engineering (LHTEE), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece ' Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics (LAPEP), TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece ' Public Power Corporation S.A., Western Macedonia Lignite Center, P.O. Box 21, 50200 Ptolemaida, Greece ' Laboratory of Atmospheric Pollution and Environmental Physics (LAPEP), TEI of Western Macedonia, 50100 Kozani, Greece

Abstract: In the operation of large open-pit lignite mines (extracting and handling excavation materials) a series of significant fugitive dust emission sources are recorded. The quantification of the emissions of each source and the investigation of atmospheric dispersion are subjects of great interest for the development and implementation of air quality management systems in the neighbouring residential areas. The study aims to investigate and locate the fugitive dust sources in the surface mines operated in Western Macedonia in NW Greece and quantify their contribution to the total fugitive dust (PM10) emissions produced by the mines' activities. The contribution of each emission source recorded was quantified. An effort was also made to investigate the dispersion of fugitive dust emitted from each individual mine and source activity and assess the contribution of the mining activities to the air quality of the surrounding areas, by using a three-dimensional, nestable, prognostic meteorological, and air pollution model. The results can contribute to the implementation of measures and scenarios for the air quality management in the area.

Keywords: fugitive dust; PM10 emissions; dust dispersion; surface mining; lignite; continuous mining.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMME.2019.104448

International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering, 2019 Vol.10 No.2/3/4, pp.288 - 310

Received: 19 Jan 2019
Accepted: 15 Apr 2019
Published online: 12 Jan 2020 *

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