Applications
Dust control with DUST/BLOKR®
Dust is not just a nuisance: on haul roads and in quarries it reduces visibility, wears out machinery prematurely, affects workers' health and strains relations with neighbouring communities. The conventional methods (continuous water spraying or chlorides) cost a lot, corrode equipment and wash away with the first rain.
DUST/BLOKR® is Cypher Environmental's alternative to traditional salts: non-toxic, non-corrosive, organic and biodegradable, with zero environmental impact, U.S. EPA Safer Choice certified and compliant with the Boeing BSS7432 standard. It is a suitable solution for quarries, gravel pits, haul roads, waste dumps and access roads, based on Cypher's international experience in mining operations.
The challenge
The challenges of dust-generating surfaces
Quarry, gravel pit and industrial site operators pay for dust several times over: in water, in maintenance, in safety and in their relationship with the authorities.
Water spraying: continuous cost, hours of effect
Water trucks permanently spraying haul roads consume large volumes of water and diesel, and the effect disappears within a few hours of wind and traffic.
Chlorides: corrosion and rain wash-off
Traditional salts attack chassis, installations and steel structures, become slippery when damp and are washed away by rain, meaning frequent reapplications and impact on soil and water.
Reduced visibility and accelerated wear
Dust clouds reduce visibility along heavy machinery routes and penetrate engines, filters and bearings, shortening the life of the fleet.
Health, environment and neighbours
Inhalable dust affects personnel, while deposits on surrounding villages and crops generate complaints and pressure from environmental authorities.
The solution
The solution: DUST/BLOKR®, durable dust control
A single treatment binds the fine particles at the surface; the product reactivates with humidity instead of being washed away by it.
DUST/BLOKR® delivers results that outlast typical chlorides, with performance maintained through both rain and drought. Unlike salts, it does not become slippery when damp but reactivates with humidity, and its semi-soluble nature significantly reduces the need for reapplication. It works on almost any type of material, from gravel layers to dusty quarry surfaces.
Application requires nothing specialized: the product is diluted in water and applied with a water truck fitted with a spray bar; on surfaces that are periodically regraded it can be incorporated into the top 5–7.5 cm of the layer. The application rate varies with material and traffic and is set for each site.
The surfaces Cypher Environmental targets internationally include mining haul roads, access roads, municipal roads, parking areas, runways, helipads, waste dumps, material stockpiles and erosion control works. In Romania we have used DUST/BLOKR® within stabilization works on communal and county roads; for quarries and mining operations we rely on Cypher's international experience.
The procedure
The application procedure, step by step
Two application methods, both with standard equipment; the choice depends on the surface and the operating regime.
- 1
Assessing the surface and the traffic
We analyse the surface material and traffic intensity to set the application rate, since it varies with material and traffic.
- 2
Preparing the surface
Where needed, regrading and correcting drainage slopes, for a uniform surface to treat.
- 3
Application by spraying
DUST/BLOKR® is diluted in water and applied with a water truck fitted with a spray bar: the same fleet used today for water spraying, with far fewer passes.
- 4
Alternative: incorporation during regrading
On roads periodically maintained with a grader, the product is incorporated into the top 5–7.5 cm of the surface, for an in-depth treatment.
- 5
Monitoring and rare reapplication
The product reactivates with humidity; reapplications happen at long intervals depending on material and traffic, not daily as with water spraying.
Benefits
Benefits for operators and HSE managers
Arguments for operations directors, maintenance engineers and environmental and safety managers.
Drastically reduced water consumption
It replaces continuous spraying: fewer water truck passes, less water and diesel, reducing CO₂ emissions compared with conventional methods.
Longer lasting than chlorides
Results that last, performance maintained through rain and drought, rare reapplications thanks to the product's semi-soluble nature.
Zero corrosion on the fleet
Non-corrosive, Boeing BSS7432 compliant: machinery, installations and steel structures are no longer attacked, as with salt treatments.
Safety in haul traffic
Improved visibility without dust and a surface that does not become slippery when damp.
A solid environmental file
Non-toxic, organic, biodegradable, zero environmental impact; U.S. EPA Safer Choice certified, concrete arguments for audits and permits.
No new equipment
Applied with the existing water truck or during routine grader maintenance, with no investment in dedicated machinery.
Useful resources
The products and tools behind the solution
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What equipment is DUST/BLOKR® applied with?
Standard equipment: the product is diluted in water and applied with a water truck fitted with a spray bar, or incorporated into the top 5–7.5 cm of the surface during grader regrading. Nothing specialized is required.
How long does the effect last compared with calcium or magnesium chloride?
DUST/BLOKR® delivers results that outlast typical chlorides: it is not washed away by rain but reactivates with humidity, and its semi-soluble nature reduces the need for frequent reapplication. The exact interval depends on the material and traffic intensity.
Is it safe near communities, crops and watercourses?
Yes. DUST/BLOKR® is non-toxic, non-corrosive, organic and biodegradable, with zero environmental impact, and is U.S. EPA Safer Choice certified. It can be used even in protected areas and Natura 2000 sites. MSDS sheets are available on request.
What surfaces can it be used on?
Mining haul roads, access roads, municipal roads, parking areas, runways, helipads, waste dumps and material stockpiles, plus erosion control works. The product works on almost any type of material; the application rate is set for each site.
Next step
Request an assessment for your project
An engineer specialized in road stabilization with Cypher products answers you directly, by phone or on WhatsApp.