An Analysis of Blasthole Condition towards Toxic Fumes Generation from Blasting Activities in Surface Mine

Abstract

One impact of blasting activities is the release of toxic fumes capable of disturbing living creatures around the blasting zone. Fumes are affected by several factors, including blasthole conditions. Measurement for this research was performed in a coal mine called PT. Kaltim Prima Coal in Kalimantan, Indonesia, to investigate the impact mentioned above through a quantitative method, which was performed directly in the field. The results show that the formed CO gas level ranged between 60.34 - 360.29 ppm, while the formed NO2 gas level ranged between 0.3 - 3.16 ppm, with average temperature and relative humidity of the blastholes at 31°C and 77.01%, respectively. Based on these results, the temperature and relative humidity conditions in the blastholes have a linear effect on the formation of toxic fumes by 84%. Considering the average wind speed at the measurement sites was 2.14 m/s, the trend of decreasing toxic fumes, time variables, and threshold limit values of exposure for humans of up to 15-minutes, it can be concluded that the safe time for workers to return to the site is less than 1 minute.