Mitigating Ventilation Air Methane Emissions

Mitigating Ventilation Air Methane Emissions
Safely and Cost-Effectively
1. Holmes, Robert; Federation University, Ballarat 3350, Australia
2. Tuck, Michael; Federation University, Ballarat 3350, Australia
Telephone +61 3 5463 2029 | Mobile 0418 352 801 Email; robertholmes@students.federation.edu.au

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Methane has been controlled in collieries in the past only for safety and statutory compliance reasons; however,
concerns over greenhouse gas emissions mean that this is now changing. About 65% of greenhouse emissions
associated with underground coal mining come from Ventilation Air Methane (VAM). The machinery to mitigate
these fugitive emissions has cost and safety concerns. An alternative solution would be a method to prevent methane
from entering the mine airstream and becoming VAM in the first place. Recently, in a colliery in the Hunter Valley,
this mitigation method underwent a 12-month trial. A reduction in fugitive emissions of 80,307 t/CO₂-e was quantified,
(1) at an average cost of A$1.28c t/CO₂-e. The mitigation method outlined herein represent a first known attempt in an
operating mine, to lower a collieries’ environmental footprint by preventing CH₄ from entering the mine airstream and
becoming VAM gas by the deliberate use of several targeted mitigation measures, that were individually quantified
and costed. Mine safety is also improved with each mitigation measure used.