The Most Dangerous Gases In Mining
The Most Dangerous Gases In Mining There Must Be Something In The Air. It goes without saying that we need air to live and breathe. The air we breathe on the surface is a mixture of several gases including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, and other gases in trace amounts. We breathe easiest with 21% oxygen present in the air. When other gases contaminant the air, the oxygen levels drop, and that is when the trouble begins. The air in mines can be contaminated by the presence of other gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and excess of carbon dioxide. Due to being in a confined space these gases are not always able to disperse and can therefore build up in the mine, and due to their combustible, explosive, or toxic qualities this is a serious issue. These other gases are often referred to as mine damps. This name comes from the German word Dampf meaning “vapour”. Rather than one particular gas they are a toxic or explosive mixture of different...