Combat Dust - Cover Your Stockpile

Fugutive dust is a nuisance.

Dust — it pervades all earthly things and the deepest recesses of space. We battle domestic dust, atmospheric dust, saw dust, road dust, industrial dust, coal dust, and mineral dust.  Billions of tons of it rises annually into the air.  It smothers, clogs, dulls, and pollutes.

Reducing dust levels at a bulk material handling operation is a requirement driven by a combination of environmental, occupational health and safety, and community expectations.  

Within the operation, dust adversely affects visibility, air quality, maintenance costs, and employee well-being.  Externally, the irritation caused by fugitive dust can have a major impact on community relations and may even result in closure.  Increasingly stringent environmental regulations add yet another layer of concern.  

Finding a solution that balances all these issues while keeping your business competitive is a complex challenge. 

Many industries have tried foams, sprays and windbreaks, but while these may buy some time, they are seldom sufficient to control dust over large areas and they are ineffective for runoff.  While the application of water (with or without additives) is the most common way to address dust, the amount of water used is staggering. In many regions, due to water scarcity, this isn’t a sustainable solution either.

Why not cover your stockpile?  Geometrica designs long-span domes and vaults that cover stockpiles, prevent runoff, contain dust and spare landscapes.  Your operations, employees, and neighboring communities are protected against fugitive dust.

Dust is contained with a covered stockpile.

Geometrica offers a practical solution that saves both time and money.  

Geometrica’s assembly process ensures a fast, safe and easy installation.  The structures are fully prefabricated with mechanical connections. Little or no welding is required. Assembly takes place from man-lifts while small cranes feed parts to the crews.

While it is preferable to stop stockpile operations during dome build, it is also possible to design domes so that installation is done while the pile maintains some operation. 

Maximum space without any internal columns

Covering your stockpile also helps protect the bottom line.  Fighting off wind, rain and other contaminants safeguards inventory from erosion and deterioration.  Material is kept dry, ready for immediate handling and it’s not depleted.

Geometrica structures can be made of galvanized steel or aluminum. Cladding can be steel or aluminum, and translucent skylights may be arranged in a beautiful pattern to save energy during daytime operation.  And, cladding can be applied inside or outside the structure, or both. 

Geometrica has been in business since 1992, and has completed installations in over 40 countries around the world.  

Interior of longitudinal dome for coal storage (Tunisia)

Design and functionality are hallmarks of Geometrica.  We have delivered domes for just about every stockpile shape imaginable. 

Stockpile domes

Existing equipment covered with our free-form dome

The vineyards near Coemin are protected

At the Coemin site in Chile, dust from ore handling and crushing was smothering the landscape and neighboring vineyards.  Coemin had used foam sprays and fabric barriers, but they were ineffective.  It was time to cover the plant.  Geometrica’s free-style dome was the perfect solution for the sprawling stockpile, equipment and conveyors. 

Since the 19th century, people have tried to get rid of dust by paving roads, turning yards into lawns and using vast amounts of water to wash dust away.  Dust knows no boundaries.  From the cosmos to the kitchen counter, dust in all of its forms is a nuisance.  

Regardless of geography or climate, Geometrica solves dust problems with endless design options.  We believe that industry can be dust-defiant, tread more softly around Mother Nature, and be a good corporate citizen — without breaking the budget — sustainably.

Dome at San Cristobal, Bolivia

Our mission is to provide solutions for industries around the world.  The question is, “What can Geometrica do for you?”

To learn more, please complete our inquiry form.