NIOSH identifies respirable dust and silica, lead, arsenic, mercury, and other elements as hazards in mine-assay laboratories during ore drying, crushing, pulverizing, and fluxing operations, and describes local-exhaust controls for crushers and sample splitters.
Source: CDC/NIOSH: Engineering Controls Database — Mine Assay Laboratories ↗Dust entry
Mine-assay ore dust
Respirable mineral dust generated while drying, splitting, crushing, pulverizing, and fluxing ore samples in mine-assay laboratories.
Airborne form
dust
The form describes what is suspended in air at the point of exposure. A material can produce more than one form, such as dust during handling and fume during heating.
Health effects
silicosis concernrespiratory irritationlead poisoningarsenic exposuremercury exposureoccupational cancer concernkidney and nervous-system effects
Evidence
Controls
- downdraft local exhaust ventilation
- enclosed crushers and splitters
- premixed fluxes
- wet or controlled cleaning
- exposure monitoring
- appropriate respiratory protection