Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

One of the most significant environmental impacts associated with open-pit mining is pollution caused by emission of wind-eroded dust and aerosols. This process is perhaps most notable due to the potential speed, distance, and spatial extent in which the pollution and contaminants can be transported in the environment. In Canada, there is growing evidence and concern about toxic dust and particulate matter (PM) emitted from mining operations in the oil sands region. However, the technology and scientific research needed to inventory and monitor PM sources are lagging behind parallel efforts to improve the air quality monitoring framework. This RTI proposal outlines a new technology that will be used to quantify real and potential PM emissions from mine surfaces. The Portable In-Situ Wind Erosion Lab (PI-SWERL) developed by Dust - Quant LLC, is a compact device for measuring the susceptibility of surfaces to emit PM. It measures the threshold shear velocity, emission concentration, and it can be configured to extract samples for chemical analysis of contaminants. Furthermore, its compact size and portability mean that a large number of sites can be measured in a short period of time, which is important for quantifying spatiotemporal changes of PM emissions from different mine surfaces, and for testing the effectiveness of mitigation techniques. PI-SWERL is a proven system for measuring emissions from desert soils, but it has yet to be applied in the context of oil sands mining. The data will support the design and implementation of mitigation strategies to reduce PM emissions from the oil sands open-pit mines; thus reducing the environmental impact and footprint associated with bitumen extraction in northern Alberta.