The arrival of the summer rains changes the job of every unpaved road in South Africa. Across the Highveld and the mining belts of the north, November brings storms after a long, dry and windy stretch, and haul roads, access routes and site yards are about to be tested in a new way. According to Dust-A-Side, the South African dust and road management specialist, the end of dust season does not mean road management can stop. Instead, this is when the treatment applied to a road surface proves its worth.
Dust-A-Side is urging mines, quarries, construction sites, farms and municipalities to think ahead about how their roads will cope in the coming months. The aim is to plan treatments that keep surfaces usable during storms and allow them to recover quickly once the weather clears.
One road, two seasons
The first heavy downpour can turn a road that threw up dust clouds in September into a slick, rutted track. The loose fines that the wind carried off during the dry months now wash away or turn to mud under wheels. Potholes get deeper, drains clog and haul trucks have to slow down. Operations then often lose production time while roads are graded, reshaped or shut until they dry.
Among the key benefits of its road solutions, Dust-A-Side names less downtime after rain and better overall hauling cycle times. Its products bind road surfaces, and seal them where required, so that work can continue safely whatever the weather. On the ground, this gives a road that sheds water instead of soaking it up and can carry traffic again sooner after a storm.
Matching the binder to the site
Dust-A-Side offers both binders and non-binders, and selects each product according to the road, the traffic it carries and the local climate. The range includes bitumen emulsion, lignosulphonate, polymer and surfactant, as well as bitumen emulsion and lignosulphonate blends and polymer and lignosulphonate blends. The company describes these solutions as non-hazardous and eco-friendly, an important point for operations that must meet environmental requirements near rivers, farmland or communities.
Since every site is different, Dust-A-Side avoids a one size fits all approach. Instead it builds a complete dust management and road management plan for each operation, taking into account how the roads are constructed, how they are used and what weather lies ahead. The same plan runs from the dry months, when dust suppression is the priority, through to the wet months, when trafficability and erosion become the bigger concerns.
Lower costs on roads that last
A road that stays intact through the rainy season costs less to operate. Dust-A-Side highlights several benefits of a properly treated road: lower rolling resistance, reduced diesel use, longer tyre life and a smaller repairs and maintenance budget for heavy mining equipment. Its solutions also do away with the need for recapping when road surfaces are established, saving both material and machine hours.
Water is part of the equation too. Traditional water cart programmes remain expensive even in summer. Dust-A-Side says its products can save up to 90 percent of water compared with conventional methods, cutting water cart running costs and downtime. When the rain lets up between storms and dust comes back, a treated road needs much less water to keep it in check.
Data behind the decisions
Wet season planning is most effective when it rests on evidence. Dust-A-Side provides road performance evaluation tools called DASMetrics, together with DAS Monitoring to track dust levels on site. With these tools, operators can see where a road is failing, which stretches should be prioritised and how a treatment holds up over time. For mines and industrial sites that must report on environmental performance, the same data supports ESG compliance and helps in developing a dust management plan.
Not only a mining challenge
Mines are not the only operations affected by roads in the rainy season. Dust-A-Side’s solutions also serve community and bypass roads, farm and agricultural roads, landfills, railways, dry bulk material terminals, transport yards and municipal and rural road networks. The company also assists with pothole repairs and with traffic management and signage, both of which matter more as wet weather wears roads down. In farming areas, a road that remains passable after rain can decide whether produce reaches the market on time or sits waiting for the ground to dry.
When the sun returns between storms
South African summers seldom bring rain every day. Hot, dry spells between storms can dry out road surfaces and stockpiles fast, and dust comes back once traffic increases. A properly designed dust suppression system continues to perform through those dry gaps. Dust-A-Side’s range covers dust suppression and dust prevention systems, fog cannons and solutions for conveyors, crushers, tipping points, stockpiles, tailings and blasting and drilling areas, so plants and processing zones are protected alongside the roads.
For sites dealing with surplus water during the rainy months, the company also offers solutions for excess water evaporation.
Planning for all twelve months
Dust-A-Side’s November message is that sound dust control and good road management belong to a single plan. Binding a road for the dry season also helps it hold up in the wet season, and choosing the right product now can cut maintenance, protect equipment and keep production on track into the new year.
Operations wanting to assess their roads before the rain season peaks can contact the Dust-A-Side team to discuss a plan built for their site. Further details on the company’s products, process and industries can be found at https://dustaside.com/.
About Dust-A-Side
Born in South Africa and now operating internationally, Dust-A-Side delivers dust management and road management services to opencast and underground mines, process plants, rural and community roads, and the construction and agricultural sectors. Its environmentally friendly binders and non-binders tackle dust challenges from pit to port, backed by dust monitoring and road performance evaluation tools. Industries served include mining, quarries, construction, railways, agriculture, municipal road networks, transport yards and dry bulk terminals.
Media Contact
Dust-A-Side
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 12 648 8900
Website: https://dustaside.com/
