Underground coal mining can lead to serious and ongoing health problems. The fine dust created during mining and transport that workers breathe deep into their lungs can lead to coal worker’s pneumoconiosis, a life-threatening disease with no effective clinical treatment once it progresses. Is it possible to achieve a dust-free working environment underground and eliminate the incidence of pneumoconiosis? This is the focus of research by Yudie Dong, Na Luo, Jie Geng, Daolong Yang, Yuming Cui, Haiquan Li, Dekun Zhang, Wenlu Hang, and Songquan Wang. Their new study, “Research Progress on the Technology of Dust Removal and Individual Protection for Miners in Coal Mines: A Review,” gives readers a broad look at how dust moves through underground mine spaces, where it tends to build up, and why it remains so hard to fully control even as mining technology has improved.
The work brings together current research on dust-removal methods and personal protective equipment for a better understanding of what is working, what still has limits, and where improvement is most needed. It shows that while dust-control technologies can reduce exposure, they still often cannot keep inhalable dust within a fully safe range, which is why personal respiratory protection remains essential. The review walks through key themes such as dust behavior in different underground work areas, targeted dust-reduction technologies, and newer developments in mask and filter design, including advanced nanofiber materials that may improve filtration while staying breathable. It also points to practical future directions, such as smarter dust-control systems, more reliable equipment in humid underground conditions, and more comfortable reusable protective masks. Learn more about this study and its spotlight on protecting coal miners in the Journal of Environmental Engineering at https://doi.org/10.1061/JOEEDU.EEENG-8280. The abstract is below.
Abstract
With the continuous improvement of mechanized operation level in coal mines, the amount of small breathable coal dust generated during coal mining and transportation has significantly increased. After being inhaled by miners, coal dust can easily cause coal worker’s pneumoconiosis (CWP), which has a high mortality rate and currently has no effective treatment in clinical practice. The application of various dust removal technologies reduces the dust concentration of the working face to a certain extent, but the concentration of inhalable particles in the workplace is difficult to be controlled within the safe range required by standards, and the removal rate of respiratory dust is still very low. Therefore, the scientific selection and proper use of individual respiratory protective equipment represent the final critical line of defense against dust hazards. This article first systematically reviews the diffusion characteristics of coal dust particles in different working scenarios underground in coal mines, and introduces targeted dust removal technologies along with their application effects. Subsequently, it comprehensively discusses the research progress of individual protective technology for miners, including the development of personal protective equipment and the design and implementation of effective dust masks. Finally, the article addresses the limitations of existing protective technologies and dust removal measures while proposing potential optimization solutions. The review aims to provide significant theoretical support for enhancing the working environment underground in coal mines and preventing CWP.
Explore more about the current state of protection for below-ground coal miners in the ASCE Library: https://doi.org/10.1061/JOEEDU.EEENG-8280.
