OFR-79-80 Improved Spontaneous Combustion Protection For Underground Metal Mines

The objective of this 20-month program was to define the relationships between mine ventilation, temperature, humidity, ore properties, material's used in mine operations, etc., and the spontaneous combustion problem in underground metal mines. Tradeoff studies of availability, reliability, cost, and maintenance of spontaneous combustion protection sensors and telemetry were conducted, after which a prototype system was selected from four design alternatives. This selected system was then laboratory tested and demonstrated in an underground copper mine.