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African iron ore mine achieves 30% less water truck trips on haul roads



Client:
An Iron ore mine

Location:
South Africa

Challenge:
Water scarcity 

Use-Case:
Haul road stabilisation and dust control

Each day, this inefficient method strained the mine’s water resources, increased equipment wear, and put pressure on production costs.
The regulatory environment intensified the need to look for alternative options as the site faced warnings from South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) due to excessive dust levels.

They knew that if they continued exceeding dust fallout limits, the DMRE could halt operations entirely. Faced with these challenges, the Mining Manager began to look into a more sustainable, cost-effective alternative that could control dust and reduce water use.

Researching alternative dust control methods

The mine operates in an arid region and access to water is limited. Anything that could reduce the amount of water on the roads was something the Iron Ore mine seriously considered.

“It’s a very water-scarce area. They’ve got a set amount of potable water that they can utilise across the whole mine. So anything that can reduce the amount that’s being sprayed onto the roads is worth considering because that’s put to better use in the process plant,” says Alex McHaffie, General Manager, Bind-X.

Initially, the mine considered continuing with their existing options: lignosulfonates and bitumen blends. While these methods offered decent performance, they brought several limitations. Bitumen emulsions stained the water trucks, added wear and tear to equipment, and became cumbersome to apply.

Costs also posed a challenge: bitumen, being a crude-oil-based product, is deeply connected to the oil price which continued to rise, adding budget strain to an already cost-sensitive operation.

Although lignosulfonates helped stabilise roads, they required frequent reapplication and high volumes of water, both of which clashed with the mine’s commitment to conserving water in their community.

The Mining Manager explored newer technologies and found a biological dust control method by Bind-X which addressed each of these challenges. With Terrabind, the mine site could reduce daily dust suppression applications by 30%, conserving water and lowering labor costs.

The product’s application also proved simpler, required less frequent attention, and left no staining or residue on vehicles. And from an environmental perspective, it was clean for plants, animals, and waterways.

Soil testing and compatibility

First, Bind-X conducted soil sample tests to confirm compatibility with the mine’s iron ore haul roads. With positive results, they chose to move forward, providing training on the product’s application methods. As Alex explains, “They initially queried whether less water and fewer applications would mean reduced effectiveness, but they were thrilled when we achieved the opposite: better dust results with less water.”

A biological approach also aligned with the mine’s strict budget and commitment to environmental safety. Instead of multiple daily sprays with high water volumes, the team could now apply a concentrated solution at less frequent intervals. This adjustment helped the operation reduce water and labour costs, optimise haul road durability, and prevent vehicle staining and equipment wear.

30% less water truck trips

With the new dust control method in place, the mine experienced substantial and immediate improvements. By reducing dust suppression applications by 30%, they cut water usage significantly, which allowed the operation to redirect water to essential mining processes. As a result, the haul roads required less maintenance, improving cycle times and production targets.

Moreover, they began to consistently meet the DMRE’s strict dust fallout regulations, ensuring the mine operated without regulatory interruptions. “Since switching to Bind-X, we haven’t faced any DMRE warnings in over 20 months,” reported the Mining Manager.

He also noted that vehicle maintenance had declined as the new dust control solution left no residue.

Mining manager
A South African iron ore mine

“It allowed us to achieve outcomes that meet or even surpass those from previous products. The application aligns perfectly with our environmental safety goals and also safeguards our equipment. We’re seeing superior dust control at lower costs, with the added benefit of reducing our carbon footprint. Each regulatory visit confirms our full compliance, and we’ve set a new benchmark for dust control on site.” 

By implementing a biological dust control method, the mine addressed critical water and dust control challenges head-on, and made their operation more environmentally responsible at the same time.  The mine’s success exemplifies how strategic, sustainable choices can drive operational excellence, allowing the mine to set a new standard in water efficiency, regulatory compliance, and long-term productivity.

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Transforming dust management at Rosh Pinah Zinc Mine’s TSF

article



Client:
Rosh Pinah Zinc mine

Location:
Namibia

Challenge:
Excessive dust and potential disruption of local environment 

Use-Case:
Erosion control on tailings storage facilities

Managing the environmental and community risk of dust emissions is a big priority for the mine owners, that’s why they explored innovative methods to reduce dust and be more sustainable.

Today, the mine demonstrates how new dust control technology can improve operations, reduce costs, and pave the way for long-term rehabilitation.

The problem: dust and durability

At Rosh Pinah, the TSF has two main sections—one active and one dormant. Over time, the dormant sections became a significant source of dust, particularly during the windy season. Prior to 2021, the mine controlled dust by spraying polymers mixed with water on the TSF surface, particularly on the flat “beach” areas and the sidewalls.

Polymers initially seemed effective—they reduced dust fallout to acceptable limits—their application came with challenges. “Using polymers required specialised equipment and frequent maintenance,” explains Alex McHaffie, General Manager at Bind-X. “It was hard on the pumps and water carts, often clogging seals and damaging centrifugal pumps. They would see two or three pumps wear out in a single application cycle.”

 Additionally, the plastic film created by the polymer spray was a long-term environmental liability, particularly for future rehabilitation. Polymers prevent vegetation growth and complicate efforts to return the land to its natural state when rehabilitation takes place.

The solution: a biological approach

A solid crust is formed on the surface of a tailings dam by means of biological dust control

In 2021, Rosh Pinah began trialing Bind-X’s biological dust control approach, Terrabind, as part of its broader push for sustainable mining practices. Unlike polymers, biological dust control is non-toxic, inert, and water-soluble. The trial, conducted on a two-hectare section of the TSF, focused on erosion resistance and binding performance over a two-month period.

“The results spoke for themselves,” says McHaffie. “The biological product formed a solid crust 20-30 millimeters thick—thicker and more durable than the polymers they’d used before.”

And the best part? It was far easier to apply.

Unlike polymers, which require specialised pumps and extensive flushing to prevent sticky residues, biological dust control can be mixed easily with water and applied using standard equipment. “It’s an entirely new category of dust control and it’s a game-changer in terms of simplicity and cost-effectiveness,” adds McHaffie.

Environmental and operational benefits

Beyond performance, a biological approach offers clear environmental advantages. Unlike polymers, which form a plastic-like layer that hinders plant growth, the biological cap binds the soil together with a solid rock-like consistency, while remaining water-soluble. This allows the area to be rehabilitated without additional cleanup or disruption.

“One of the biggest advantages is how well the biological product integrates into rehabilitation efforts,” McHaffie explains. “It provides a solid buffer for dust control while buying time to manage rehabilitation costs and timelines.”

In the two years since adopting Terrabind, Rosh Pinah has reported 30-40% cost savings compared to polymers. These savings are due not only to the lower product cost but also to reduced equipment wear, faster application, and easier handling.

A sustainable future

With the new dust control approach, Rosh Pinah has successfully reduced dust levels, met environmental regulations, and enhanced sustainability efforts. Dust control applications now last 6-12 months per cycle, providing consistent performance without the drawbacks of polymers.

Alexander McHaffie
General Manager Bind-X South Africa

“This wouldn’t have been possible a few years ago with older dust control technologies,” They’re not just controlling dust, they’re actively setting the stage for rehabilitation and long-term environmental stewardship.”

As mining operations face increased pressure to adopt sustainable practices, the Rosh Pinah Zinc mine offers a compelling example of how new and proven technologies now available can balance environmental responsibility with operational efficiency.

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Eramet’s GCO reduces road water usage by 85% with biological dust control approach



Client:
Client
Grande Côte Opérations (GCO)

Location:
Location
Senegal

Challange:
Challenge
Water damages road infrastructure 

Use-Case:
use-case
haul road stabilisation and dust control

The mine is close to a local community, so there’s always pressure to do things better — reducing environmental impact and using less water are top priorities. 

 In 2022, the mining services team realised they were spraying over 242,000 litres of water per day on the roads just to keep road dust under control. They wanted to reduce water consumption, so the business proactively decided to test other options. One of the tests, a biological dust control method, reduced water usage by 85% and created a three-fold drop in dust fallout. Here’s how they did it. 

The pressure on water resources in WA mining

With a local community living nearby, the mine services team had to keep a close eye on air quality. And from a production point of view, any fines kicked-up from the road reduced visibility for the drivers and slowed down cycle time. 

At that time, the mining services team was using only ground water to control dust on very arid land. All of their water trucks were being run at maximum capacity, and they had even bought new trucks to expand the fleet and keep the dust down. 

As they increased the frequency of watering, they noticed another problem. 

“Once you apply water to a road, it evaporates and afterwards you’ve got no stability in that road infrastructure,” says Alex McHaffie, General Manager, Bind-X. 

“GCO has got some of the better road construction teams that I’ve seen across Africa, and they take a lot of pride in managing their roads the right way,” he explains. 

Losing fines from the road surface forced them to frequently re-lay the wearing course layer, trapping them in an endless maintenance cycle.  

Trialling bitumen emulsion and biological dust control

The team at GCO decided to trial different dust control options to conserve water and stabilise the roads.  

They had already tried bitumen-based emulsion products and were reasonably happy with the road stabilisation and dust control results. However, it’s expensive, especially to get the product into West Africa. And there were other challenges like shipping and handling bituminous liquids on site. From an environmental standpoint, there were concerns about the risk of water and soil contamination. 

Eramet had recently discovered a new, cleaner option — biological dust control — that had just won the Responsible Mining Innovation Challenge. This is a new method of dust control by Bind-X that binds the upper road layer, forming a stable cement-like structure in the soil. Made from a natural bio-based technology, it’s completely clean for the soil and waterways. Solidifying as hard as bitumen, it improves rolling resistance on the road surface, and dust fallout.  

They decided to trial the biological method on an extremely dusty 3 km section of primary haul road, and a smaller section of secondary road, over 3 months. The well-built road was laterite on top of a chert bed, built to handle heavy vehicles passing once every minute.   

They applied it two ways:

  •  Building it into the road surface
  • Spraying it on top of the existing road

The results

Three months later, the water trucks were no longer running at full capacity. The GCO team had reduced water use on the roads to just 36,000 litres on average per day — a 85% reduction.


“We drastically reduced water truck trips from three times a day to once every third day,” said Alex.


Also, onsite dust monitoring data showed a three-fold reduction in dust fallout.

18 months on, GCO now uses it routinely across the site.


“It had a huge impact on water usage,” says Alex. “Not to mention, they reduced chemical use on site, and reduced the ongoing cost to manage the roads.”


Because Bind-X’s biological product is a solid powder-based product, not a liquid, the operations team finds it easier to handle on site. And it eases logistics, too. Where they would ship two and a half containers, they now ship one container to treat a similar area on the mine.

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