Tag: Road stabilisation

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In this article, we examine why it’s so widely used and suggest some cleaner options that have the same performance.

“The reason bitumen has traditionally been used for haul road stabilisation is that it lasts so long,” says Luitpold Fried, Chief Technical Officer at Bind-X. “It’s flexible, so you can drive huge loads along it and it won’t break — it’s like chewing gum in the soil.”

Bitumen may be effective at stabilising roads — which is particularly important on heavy use haul routes — but changing attitudes and regulations around the environment mean it’s worth looking at what else is out there.

Even on its own, bitumen is “ugly stuff”, Luitpold says. It’s difficult to handle and almost impossible to clean up. Splash it on your clothes and it will never come out. As a crude oil-based product its production generates high levels of CO₂. Industry attempts to make it easy to transport and liquified have led to the emulsion being diluted with toxic chemicals.

“For the mining industry, bitumen emulsion is commonly blended with other waste streams,” Luitpold says. “Mostly they’ll add a polymer, a biopolymer or sugar to mix it down. Pure bitumen emulsion is better, but the cheaper version will do the job.” These additives mean bitumen might still be used because that’s what has always been done, but it’s not necessarily safe. “The bitumen blends always have at least three to six different hazardous symbols on the packaging, so you know there are a lot of poisonous chemicals in there. You’re looking at toxins and acids that are being brought into the environment.”

The impact can be disastrous, effectively sterilising the soil by killing essential bacteria and organisms. If the chemicals aren’t seeping into the dirt, they risk evaporating into the air, from where they can easily end up contaminating groundwater. Chemicals, crude oil products and increasingly scarce water supplies don’t go well together. That staying power can make clean-up jobs an expensive and complicated prospect when mines close — and can get in the way of future mining if there’s a need to dig up the ground where bitumen roads have been laid.

“If the water is close by, this is a serious issue,” Luitpold says. “Lots of communities are unhappy having bitumen works nearby, because you don’t want to have poisonous stuff in your drinking water.”

Water pollution can be an expensive business. There are examples from overseas of mines having to be closed down, Luitpold says, after drinking water has been contaminated by their activities. Nearer to home, Alcoa has had to commit $15 million towards researching the impact of its mining upon West Australian water catchments, after the government found nine out of 15 major drinking water catchments had been affected by toxic run off. A fix was priced in the order of $2.6 billion.

Given that high price tag, it’s understandable that large mining companies across the globe are looking for a less toxic solution to dust suppression.

Biological dust control methods offer a proven and increasingly popular alternative that removes the risk of contamination. The natural process uses micro-organisms to react with dust and dirt to create a solid layer as hard as cement. It’s easier to ship and store than bitumen and far less messy to apply. It also means less water wasted, fewer applications and a reduced risk to the local flora and fauna.

“The ingredients in these biological binders are bio-based and also biodegradable, meaning that organisms within the soil can consume it,” Luitpold says.

These claims of biodegradability aren’t made lightly, he insists. While some plastic bags are touted as degrading naturally, they tend to require the sort of temperatures unlikely to be found in ordinary or even compost conditions — sometimes as high as 70 degrees centigrade.

Of course, it’s that very strength that is also one of bitumen’s shortcomings. Once bitumen emulsion has been sprayed on the ground, it’s almost impossible to get out again. Being biodegradable, biological dust control doesn’t need the same exhaustive cleaning regime. It can be safely broken up when needed, but while in use has the added bonus of getting stronger with each application. The big question, of course, is whether biological dust control methods can deliver the same stability that has made bitumen so reliable.

“It has similar performance to bitumen in the strength parameters and wet stability — and does slightly better than bitumen blends,” Luitpold says. “For maintenance, a small amount of product is sufficient to capture fugitive dust, which then produces another stable layer, closing any cracks that might have developed.”

Importantly, biological dust control doesn’t come with a high upfront cost, being cheap to source and easy to apply with equipment you probably already have on site.

“There are already lots of reasons to stop using bitumen emulsion, but we know it will be more expensive in future,” Luitpold says. “Prices will increase due to CO₂ taxes, the high energy need and the reduced availability of fossil fuel sources.”

Chemical companies are already researching how to cut back on the amount of bitumen in their products, substituting chemicals that might not yet be regulated. Some companies are even investigating biologically based bitumen, made out of renewable organic sources such as cashew nuts. As environmental regulations toughen in different parts of the world, Luitpold says it isn’t hard to imagine a near future in which the use of bitumen is banned entirely.

“It’s ugly stuff and it might very soon be coming off the market.”

Sticking with bitumen for dust suppression on haul roads is anything but a safe bet. In the short term, it’s difficult to handle, messy to apply and brings the risk of a costly clean-up bill. But in the longer term, it means investing in a product that — after a strong and steady run — might soon be reaching the end of the road.

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Haul roads are the backbone of every mining operation and their condition is heavily influenced by weather. In the dry season, dusty roads can obscure visibility, accelerate vehicle wear, and breach environmental regulations. In contrast, heavy wet season rainfall saturates and erodes roads, making them unstable and slippery for haul trucks.

As Johan Smit, Dust Control Application Manager at Bind-X explains, “Managing haul roads effectively through seasonal changes is not just about compliance—it’s about productivity. A well-planned approach to dust control and road maintenance supports faster haul cycles, reduces downtime, and conserves critical resources.”

Dust control methods that work in the dry season often require adjustments—or a completely different approach—in the wet season. Ignoring these seasonal shifts can lead to road degradation, higher maintenance costs, and reduced productivity.

What is the best dust control strategy for your haul roads during the dry season? Here are four practical tips:

1. Use dust-binding agents

We recommend you use a biological dust binder which will bind surface particles in place, reducing the frequency of water applications. Dust binders not only control dust but also strengthen road surfaces, extending maintenance intervals. Johan explains, “Dust-binding agents work on the principle of locking dust particles together, significantly reducing airborne dust and the frequency of water spraying.” There are other dust control options available but he cautions that you should always consider the effect of these products on the plants, animals, and surrounding waterways. Some will be cleaner for the environment than others.

2. Optimise water usage

Avoid overwatering by applying water sparingly and only where it’s needed. Pairing water with stabilisers can make this possible. “A good binding agent will reduce your water applications by up to 90%,” says Smit. “In 2025, there’s no need to waste so much water on your roads when there are now biological road stabilisation options available. With water being so scarce now, we should be saving it for other areas of the mine where it’s needed.”

3. Focus on road surface maintenance

Regular grading and compaction helps maintain smooth surfaces and reduce dust fallout, supporting faster haul cycles and lower fuel consumption. “Make sure that your road surface is clean. Instead of just applying a product, make sure that your road is clear of contamination by sweeping or blowing away rocks or loose material,” explains Smit.

4. Adopt a biological approach

“Biological dust control can reduce watering frequency from five times a day to just once, eventually extending intervals to every 4-5 days. This minimises damage and improves road stability,” says Smit. Biological binders can also be mixed as a slurry for patch repairs, or churned into the soil as you would mix a concrete solution for surfaces that require increased stability.

In the wet season, saturated roads are prone to erosion, potholes, and softening. Here are four considerations to stabilise your roads during this time of year:

1. Ensure proper drainage

Proper camber and high walls with drainage channels allow water to flow off roads instead of pooling. Shoulders must be level with or below the road to prevent standing water.

2. Plan for post-rain grading

Frequent grading after heavy rains helps restore road profiles and prevent rutting, though repair costs are higher in wet conditions. Johan advises, “Grading is essential after rains, but timing it correctly can prevent further damage and control costs.”

3. Monitor road conditions

Engineers and safety managers should assess road conditions daily. Toolbox talks can address speed adjustments and braking distances to ensure safe operations.

4. Use road stabilisation agents

The last thing you need is slippery and unstable road conditions. Apply road stabilisation agents like Terrabind which creates a hard, cement-like layer to stabilise the soil during periods of heavy rain. “When it’s applied in the right ratio, it will improve your soil structure and reduce erosion of your road over time,” says Smit.

As seasons change, so do the demands on haul roads. Smit says “It’s essential that you get your soil tested so you know the right volume of binding agent to get the best results as conditions change.” A proactive approach to transition between wet and dry seasons includes:

• Conduct pre-season inspections to identify vulnerabilities. 
• Test the soil and adjust dust control products and application schedules to match anticipated conditions.
• Train staff on seasonal best practices for road maintenance and dust suppression.
• Develop a seasonal haul road dust management plan to streamline efforts and reduce expenses. This plan should include:
• An annual schedule for inspections, treatments, and maintenance activities. 
• Clear guidelines on when and how to apply dust-control agents. 
• Metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of dust control measures, such as water savings, reduced downtime, and maintenance costs.

By adapting your dust control strategy to each season, you can break the cycle of reactive road maintenance, optimise haul road performance, and ultimately achieve better roads, more loads, and a stronger bottom line.

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New technologies, rooted in natural biological processes have emerged. One of these soil stabilising products allows mine operations to tackle two significant challenges: conserving scarce water resources and improving the quality of haul roads. It’s a method that is both effective and sustainable.

This new category — biological dust control — uses a natural biocementation process to bind dust particles together into a solid wearing course layer. It uses 90 percent less water than spraying water alone, and gives bitumen emulsion a run for its money when it comes to stability, with none of the environmental downsides. In this article, we look at what it is and why this alternative to traditional dust suppression methods is sparking interest across the sector.

“The basic technology behind biocementation is naturally occurring bacteria that devour the nutrients in soil and convert it to a mineral,” says Luitpold Fried, Chief Technology Officer of Bind-X.

“That mineral becomes a glue that binds soil particles together. You end up with solidified soil, which you’ll see in natural structures like the Pinnacles of Nambung National Park or the Thrombolites at Lake Clifton in Western Australia.”

Indeed, there is a strong West Australian connection to the technology, originally developed at Murdoch University. What Bind-X has done is further developed this research and this natural process to make it suitable for mines wanting to move away from environmentally unfriendly dust control methods.

“Normally, bacteria like to live in liquid. We were the first to be able to dry this biocementation bacteria and keep them alive so we can deliver our product as a powder,” explains Luitpold.

This powder base contains only a small amount of bacteria, but when mixed up on-site, they quickly come back to life and get to work.

“It’s like if you make pizza at home, you go to the grocery store and you buy the dried yeast, which you add to your dough. The client gets a big bag with our product in, they dissolve it in water, and the process gets started.”

Biological dust control can be applied in two different methods — one is to grade the existing road, spray Terrabind into the loosened material, then mix and compact the road surface to build a stabilised 10-15 cm layer (build-in application), while the other is to spray it onto the surface of existing roads (spray-on) and create a stable crust on the top wearing course. Both methods use equipment you already have onsite.

“At the moment, 70 percent of our clients use a spray on application,” Luitpold says. “Bigger mines might also build the road from scratch, especially if it’s a heavy use road like those in Australia, where you’re getting trucks with loads of 500 to 800 tonnes.”

Luitpold says switching to biocementation is often a case of just switching to a new product, rather than a new process. Given the importance of stable roads for productivity, it’s important that biological dust control can match or exceed bitumen emulsion’s performance while being more sustainable.

“The performance is identical to bitumen emulsion, so you get high flexibility and very similar levels of stability.”

The surface created by the biocementation process is solid and flexible. It’s a good match for bitumen emulsion in terms of road durability, without any of the toxic, crude oil-based downsides. Those drawbacks — sticking to equipment, damaging water trucks, and the toxicity to people and the environment — are familiar to operations teams who maintain haul roads. By creating a smooth, low-friction layer it reduces damage to tyres and vehicles, reducing maintenance and enabling safer, faster cycle times.

Luitpold says that mines in more than 15 countries, including Australia, have adopted biological dust control for environmental, safety and productivity reasons.

It’s been adopted quickly across the mining sector because it’s reapplied far less often than plain water for dust control, with each new application strengthening the original surface by binding any cracks together. This matters in parts of the world where water is a scarce and increasingly expensive resource.

“We had a client in Senegal who had to spray water five to 10 times a day to keep the dust down,” Luitpold says.

“They were consuming a lot of water and spent too much time and money on the maintenance of the trucks, which were on the road all day.”

Overwatering of mine roads also causes erosion and destabilisation and tends to make the surface muddy and slippery. This makes the roads less safe and requires trucks to slow down and maintain larger braking distances. All of which has a big impact on cycle speeds and productivity.

Within three months of switching to biological dust control, the mine saw a dramatic drop in water usage and haulage costs. Water use was reduced by 85 %, diesel consumption also dropped by 85 % and CO₂ emissions linked to dust control were slashed by 94 %.

“Water is a scarce resource in Senegal, so they have to drill really deep to get the groundwater for their operations,” Luitpold says.

“Cutting back on water has a real benefit for them. And there are local communities close to the mine — farms and schools and families of mine employees — so it’s important that the site uses a dust control method that is natural, biodegradable and non-toxic for people, animals and water sources.”

Similarly strong results have been seen in other parts of the world, with Australian iron ore mines adopting the technology over the last few years. Indeed, the increasing scarcity of water and tightening environmental regulations in these arid regions will make plain water and older dust control methods like bitumen less and less attractive over the coming years.

There is another major change that will require mining operations to think again about the most effective means of dust control.

“If you have 250 kilometres of road networks and you’re running autonomous trucks, without a person at the wheel, then dust control is going to be really, really important to you,” Luitpold says.

“A person at the wheel will drive slowly through heavy dust, but an AI-driven truck will just stop dead.”

As times change, it makes sense to look at what else is out there if you don’t want to be left behind. Biocementation is a proven method of dust control that’s economical, simple to apply and makes your roads better. With zero environmental risks and much less water required, it’s an appealing option for operational and environmental teams.

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