Title: Mosaic Potash Operations Refuge Stations
1MosaicPotash OperationsRefuge Stations
Esterhazy ColonsayFebruary, 2006
2Description of Permanent Stations
-
- A refuge station is an ordinary tunnel or drift
in the mine that has both ends blocked off. - Sometimes, it is a dead-end drift that only has
one end that needs to be sealed with a wall. - At Esterhazy, the enclosed area would usually be
50 feet wide x 8 feet high x 200 feet long. - At Colonsay, the drifts are taller and narrower
(10 or more high x 30 feet wide) and their
refuge stations enclose at least that same length
of drift (often more). - We always use two sealing walls about 10 feet
apart - The sealing walls may have a metal door or Velcro
doorflap that lets people pass through and seal
behind themselves. -
3Description of Permanent Stations
-
- Saskatchewan Mine Regulations 398 and 399
(available at www.qp.gov.sk.ca) defines and
requires two different types of refuge stations. - At least one primary refuge station must be
provided in a mine excavated in solid host rock
or made of steel, gas tight, clearly marked, etc.
and equipped with - at least 36 hours of breathable air for the
number of workers expected, - potable water,
- food,
- lights,
- first aid supplies,
- sanitation facilities,
- fire fighting equipment,
- an effective means of communication to surface
and - sufficient seating.
4Description of Permanent Stations
-
- Employers are also required to provide
auxiliary refuge stations within reasonable
distance of all locations where workers are
expected to take refuge. The auxiliary station
must have - 36 hours of air for the number of persons
expected to be there - potable water
- communication to surface and
- sufficient material to maintain the seal around
the door of the refuge station. - Although some refuge stations are equipped with
compressed oxygen bottles, or compressed
breathing air bottles, the 36 hours of
breathable air can be provided by the rough rule
of one cubic yard (meter) of air for one person
for one hour. 10 people x 36 hours require
minimum 360 cubic yards of air space a typical
Esterhazy refuge station has about 3,000 cubic
yards of air space.
5Description of Permanent Stations
-
- Employers are also required to provide
auxiliary refuge stations within reasonable
distance of all locations where workers are
expected to take refuge. The auxiliary station
must have - 36 hours of air for the number of persons
expected to be there, potable water,
communication to surface and sufficient material
to maintain the seal around the door of the
refuge station. - Although some refuge stations are equipped with
compressed oxygen bottles, or compressed
breathing air bottles, the 36 hours of
breathable air can be provided by the rough rule
of one cubic yard (meter) of air for one person
for one hour. 10 people x 36 hours require
minimum 360 cubic yards of air space a typical
Esterhazy refuge station has about 3,000 cubic
yards of air space. - The Colonsay mine has 8 primary refuge stations,
with 2 more planned, plus 4 portable units.
There is also material for 6 auxiliary refuge
stations near the working faces. - Esterhazy K1 and K2 mines have a total of 21
refuge stations.
6Permanent Stations General View of Refuge Station
7Permanent Stations View of bathroom facilities
8Permanent Stations General View Opposite end
9Permanent Stations Refuge Station Entrance
10Permanent Stations View of airlock at entrance
11Descriptions of Portable Refuge Stations -
Colonsay
- The portable units at Colonsay were developed in
response to the 2003 Mine Regulations which
required refuge stations to support people for at
least 36 hours. - Earlier home-made refuge stations that were used
by some Saskatoon area mines became
unacceptable. - Kevin Huber and the mine rescue group at Colonsay
did a great deal of research and testing to
develop and build a structure design that works
and meets the criteria of the 2003 Mine
Regulations. - Modeling by Dave Cisyk at Esterhazy and testing
by the Colonsay team have shown that the limiting
factors in refuge stations is not the amount of
oxygen available - Humans are always exhaling CO2 gas when they
breathe and the CO2 will build to toxic levels
long before the space runs out of oxygen. - Colonsay found that they had to stock and deploy
soda lime to absorb the CO2 in the portable
stations. - Humidity build-up was found to be quickly
unbearable in the portable stations until
de-humidifiers could be installed with sufficient
battery power for 36 hours, and a way of
disposing of the condensate from a gas tight
chamber.
12Photographs of Portable Refuge Stations -
Colonsay
13Photographs of Portable Refuge Stations -
Colonsay
14Photographs of Portable Refuge Stations -
Colonsay
15Photographs of Portable Refuge Stations -
Colonsay
16 Portable Refuge Stations - Colonsay
- A complete 28 page report on the Portable refuge
station is available at Colonsay. Contact R.
Bruce Fraser or Kevin Huber - Note that we are not promoting this refuge
station for other sites. It simply works well for
Colonsay.