Mine engineering and ventilation problems unique to the control of radon daughters

Quality and quantity of ventilation are the two interrelated but key factors in any radon-daughter control programme. The better the intake air quality (little or no contamination from radon and its daughters), the less are the total air requirements for ventilation of active mining areas. Engineering principles for quantity distribution of air through underground working areas are straightforward and the formulae and theories governing forced ventilation are not within the scope of this paper. Rather, this paper discusses the principal methods of utilizing mine planning to facilitate radon-daughter control and also treats the more subtle features of mine ventilation which are especially critical in the ventilation of mines where radon gas constitutes an environmental contamination problem. (author)