Experimental study on the effect of biopolymer suppressant application rate on dust suppression efficiency for mine tailings

• 2.0 L/m 2 is not the optimal application rate for biopolymer spray-on technology • High-concentration biopolymer treatment performs best dust control efficiency • Crust thickness is an important indicator of wind erosion resistance • Penetration resistance force can reflect wind erosion resistance of mine tailings precisely Dust emission is a serious environmental issue in mine tailing management. The most commonly used method for dust control is water spraying. However, the efficiency of pure water is relatively low due to the high evaporation rate, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. Biopolymers are promising sustainable solutions for dust control in tailing storage facilities. While previous studies have evaluated the dust control performance of biopolymers, the test application rates vary, which may significantly impact the biopolymers’ performance. Additionally, the impact of the interaction between application rate and biopolymer concentration on dust suppression performance remains unclear. To address these issues, this study aims to evaluate the dust control performance of a biopolymer at different application rates for mine tailings. Laboratory results demonstrate that the application rate significantly affects dust control efficiency. The results showed that higher application rates do not always outperform lower erosion rates with different concentrations. Various factors, such as the atomisation efficiency of suppressants and soil properties, could affect solution performance. A 1.2% concentration of guar gum solution, applied at a rate of 0.5 L/m 2 , exhibited the optimum performance based on the test results and economic benefits analysis. Due to the high viscosity of the concentrated biopolymer and the low permeability of the tailing sample, the biopolymer solution formed a surface film rather than a bonded crust, leading to poor dust suppression. This study offers valuable insights to guide the selection of optimum application rate and concentration of biopolymers for effective dust control in tailing storage facilities.