Rural Road Dust Control

If you are looking for haul road dust control solutions for mines then please go to our Mine Haul Road Dust Control page.

Rural road dust is a challenging area as there are many different road types, road surfaces, road usage and budget. The main difference between mine roads and rural roads is that mines have equipment (eg water carts and graders) to maintain the roads on a daily basis. As a result road dust control solutions for mines usually involve regular watering. For a rural road most people want a solution they can apply once and forget. As a result the solutions for rural road dust control all require the application of chemical.

Rural Road Dust Control Chemicals

There are a large range of chemicals which can be used for dust suppression. They can be used to bind the fines into the road surface, attract moisture to the road, or improve road structure preventing fines from working their way to the surface. Note that with all of these chemicals the better the road surface (including less surface dust) then the less chemical required and the better it will perform. All Wet Earth chemicals are environmentally safe.

Zero

Zero is a environmentally friendly ‘Synthetic Organic’ formulation which coats the fines and binds them to the road surface. A single application of Zero can prevent 100% of dust without the need to regularly water the road for up to 12 months. Reapplication usually only requires 30% of the original dosage.

Zero will work on any type of road surface, and is ideal for hire yards, transport depots and container yards or small areas of road. If dust is continually added to the road surface, eg material falling off trucks or dragged onto the road off stockpiles or blown onto the road then the Zero will suppress these, but may need to be applied at a higher application rate or more frequently.

Zero is applied at around 1L per m2 and costs around $4.50 per m2. Follow the link for more information on Zero.

RT8

RT8 is a biodegradable natural oil which coats the fines and binds them to the road surface. It is similar in its performance and behaviour to Zero but due to its faster biodegrading it will only last for up to 3 months. 

RT8 is applied at around 0.25L per m2 and costs around $2.20 per m2. Follow the link for more information on RT8.

Shield AWR

Shield AWR is a is a blend of nano polymers and dispersing chemistry supplied as a free flowing, non-hazardous, eco friendly liquid. It works by binding the fines (dust particles) into the the road surface. An application of Shield AWR should last for 3 months. Reapplication usually involves 10% of the original dosage.

Shield AWR will work on any type of road surface as long as it has some dirt / clay particles in it. It works best on freshly graded roads or roads in good repair. It will not work on pure sand or stone surfaces. Shield AWR works by binding and locking up the surface of the road. It will not suppress any dust that is subsequently added to the road surface, eg material falling off trucks or dragged onto the road off stockpiles or blown onto the road.

Shield AWR is applied at around 0.35L per m2 and costs around $2.00 per m2. Follow the link for more information on Shield AWR.

Magnet

Magnet is a Magnesium Chloride based product which attracts water out of the atmosphere into the road surface keeping it moist to prevent dust lift off. Magnet gets degraded by watering or rainfall particularly shortly after application. A single application of Magnet can prevent 100% of dust without the need to regularly water the road for up to 12 months (assuming minimal rainfall).

Due to the concerns with the salt leaching, corrosion of vehicles and the dilution of product with rainfall we find the use of Magnet is very limited.

Magnet is applied at 0.5L per m2 and costs around $2.00 per m2. Follow the link for more information on Magnet.

DustWorx GX

DustWorx GX is a concentrated polymer which binds the particles in the road surface together. It works best for straight roads based on dirt or clay as vehicle turning and loose gravel break the polymer bonds. It is safe and easy to use and will not gel and clog pumps or nozzles. The application rate used depends on the time required between watering.

Follow the link for more information on DustWorx GX.

Please follow the link for more information on Dust Control Chemicals.