Multidimensional spatial monitoring of open pit mine dust dispersion by unmanned aerial vehicle

Dust pollution is one of the most severe environmental issues in open pit mines, hindering green mining development. Open pit mine dust has characteristics of multiple dust-generating points, is irregular, influenced by climatic conditions, and has a high degree of distribution with a wide dispersion range in three dimensions. Consequently, evaluating the quantity of dust dispersion and controlling environmental pollution are crucial for supporting green mining. In this paper, dust monitoring above the open pit mine was carried out with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on board. The dust distribution patterns above the open pit mine were studied in different vertical and horizontal directions at different heights. The results show that the temperature changes less in the morning and more at noon in winter. At the same time, the isothermal layer becomes thinner and thinner as the temperature rises, which makes it easy for dust to spread. The horizontal dust is mainly concentrated at 1300 and 1550 elevations. The dust concentration is polarized at 1350–1450 elevation. The most serious exceedance is at 1400 elevation, with TSP (the concentration of total suspended particulate), PM10 (particulates with aerodynamic diameter < 10 μm), and PM2.5 (particulates with aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 μm) accounting for 188.8%, 139.5%, and 113.8%, respectively. The height is 1350–1450 elevation. Dust monitoring technology carried out by UAV can be applied to the study of dust distribution in the mining field, and the research results can provide reference for other open pit mines. It can also provide a basis for law enforcement part to carry out law enforcement, which has expanded and wide practical application value.