Minova Americas, a leading supplier of underground mine consumables and technology in the U.S., Canada and Latin America, announced the expansion of its family of ventilation seals to include a new material that can be placed and obtain the required 120-psi strength in just three days.
“This new product will be a significant advantage for our customers,” said Steve Tadolini, PhD, director of research and development, Minova Americas. “It is common for mines to experience rapid build-up of dangerous gasses behind sealed-off areas. To overcome potential safety hazards associated with these build-ups, and to enable work to continue more quickly around newly sealed areas, our R&D team has developed a Tekseal that cures in only three days.”
Mined-out areas continue to generate methane gases. To seal or ventilate these areas is a site-specific decision all underground mines eventually have to consider. Continuous ventilation of these areas can strain fan systems and is usually not a practical decision for mines in operation for 30 years or more. In addition to the new three-day cure for Tekseal, Minova also unveiled new packaging that allows bulk handling of its standard-setting Tekseal products. “This will make it easier and faster to transport materials and minimize the physical requirements of seal construction,” Dr. Tadolini explained.
The new Minova bulk bags, constructed of a reinforced nylon material with a heavy-duty plastic liner, are tear- and waterresistant. The bulk bags can be placed above the placer unit to provide material previously contained in individual 45-lb bags. “Handling thousands of 45-lb bags for large seals in a confined space can cause slipping and stumbling accidents as well as serious back injuries,” Dr. Tadolini said. A Minova bulk bag contains the equivalent of a full pallet of individual bags and requires no manual handling. An added safety feature is the significant reduction in airborne dust and waste material handling. The Minova bulk system also reduces the time and labor required to install a seal and helps to ensure a consistent mix. www.minovaamericas.com
