Mandatory Codes of Practice (COP) in the mining industry are regularly audited by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE). These COPs are often audited against the COP guidelines that are published by the regulator. One important mandatory COP that addresses spills in mines is the mandatory ‘Prevention of Fires at Mines’.
As a leader in high-performance industrial products, Pratley highlights the significant advantage of mines relooking at the methods they use to clean up liquid hydrocarbons or other nuisance spills in order to comply with the COP guideline.
Eldon Kruger, Marketing Director at Pratley, explains that while outdated solutions such as sawdust is often chosen for its low cost, it poses significant dangers, particularly in underground operations. Sawdust might appear to be an inexpensive solution, but opting for this method is not always the safest. “In fact, when sawdust is used to absorb oil, petrol or diesel, it becomes highly flammable, creating a serious fire risk in already hazardous mining conditions,” he warns.
Pratley produces an innovative absorbent product called Gunge Spunge® that is a far safer and more effective alternative for spill management in mining environments. In contrast to outdated solutions, Gunge Spunge® is a non-flammable absorbent mineral product that fully contains and removes oil and other liquid spills without leaving behind a residue. Many mines using traditional methods also rely on additional flammable solvent-based cleaners to deal with residues left behind, often compounding the danger.
“Gunge Spunge® eliminates the need for secondary cleaning with flammable solvents. It contains and absorbs the entire spill effectively, leaving the area safer and significantly reducing the risk of both fire and slip-and-fall incidents.”
Beyond improving fire safety, Gunge Spunge® supports compliance with mining environmental and safety regulations. Many municipal bylaws, for example, also prohibit the use of combustible materials to clean up flammable spills.
“Mines must often evolve to optimal safety and legislative best practices, and adopting non-flammable solutions like Gunge Spunge® is a helpful step in that direction,” says Kruger. Updating best practices in existing spill response procedures is often required. Gunge Spunge® provides an ideal and safety-conscious solution to be incorporated into a mine’s COP.
Unlike sawdust and peat moss which are bulky spill absorbents, Gunge Spunge® is supplied in easy-to-handle, compact 12 kg bags, making it ideal for easy storage, particularly in Trackless Mobile Machines (TMMs) with storage space constraints. It does not require any special storage or handling protocols due to its non-flammable and non-hazardous nature. Mine COPs are therefore being updated to incorporate Gunge Spunge® as a rapid response non-flammable spill absorbent that can now be applied by TMM operators.
“At Pratley, we are committed to innovative solutions that add value and help customers such as mines operate more safely and efficiently. Gunge Spunge® is just one example from our vast range of products adhering to that,” concludes Kruger.