Technologies of oxygen supply for life support during the development of mineral resources in high altitude areas

In order to fulfill the needs of life-support oxygen supply during the development of plateau mineral resources, four oxygen supply patterns suitable for the plateau mine in specific environment were developed： tunnel face diffusive oxygen supply, tunnel oxygen-bar car, carried oxygen cylinder and portable oxygen generator. Through the study of safety oxygen supply experiments in low-pressure plateau areas, the mathematical relationship between maximum integration of secure oxygen volume and altitude has been achieved. Oxygen supply safety control should follow this relationship in plateau mines during the time of executing tunnel face or in room air diffusive oxygen supply. The application results of life-support oxygen supplement technologies in the development of mineral resources in high altitude areas show that the oxygen supply for tunneling miners in plateau mines can not only effectively enhance the oxygen saturation, reduce the pulse rate and the breath rate per minute, but also improve various symptoms caused by altitude hypoxia and high-intensity physical labor.