For many years, dust emissions from coal and post-mining waste during transport, handling, and heap formation have posed risks to workers, nearby communities, and the environment. Depending on weather conditions, dust particles easily spread beyond the boundaries of mines and landfills, reaching residential areas. This not only causes nuisance through visible pollution but, more critically, threatens human health, contributing to chronic respiratory diseases. Literature and in-situ studies indicate that 1–3% of coal is lost during transport and storage in the form of fine particles (1–100 μm) released into the atmosphere.
The project aims to better understand the mechanisms of dust emissions in relation to storage, transport, and meteorological factors through a combination of laboratory research, numerical simulations, and field studies. It will include detailed environmental analyses of the impact of coal dust on human health and ecosystems. A first-order toxicological risk assessment will establish whether the released emissions pose hazards for exposed populations or natural habitats.
Using meteorological stations and dedicated sensors, predictive models will be developed to forecast dust concentrations and associated pollutants carried by dust particles. These models will be applied to coal mining areas to evaluate risks under different conditions. At the same time, existing and innovative mitigation measures will be assessed, allowing the selection of effective strategies to reduce dust emissions, with particular attention to fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
The integration of predictive modeling with field measurements will support the identification of methods to minimize the intensity and spread of dust emissions. The ultimate goal of the project is to reduce the negative impact of coal dust on workers, local residents, and the environment, taking into account the physicochemical properties of the dust, storage practices, and atmospheric dynamics.
