Certify your design “underground mining proof”

Underground mines often present three big challenges: explosive atmospheres, physically harsh conditions, and constant water ingress in compressed air networks. Addressing these factors without inflating maintenance costs or sacrificing performance is key to building truly mining-proof machines.

Underground mines punish machinery with abrasive dust, constant shocks, extreme heat, and sudden temperature changes. These harsh conditions quickly wear down sensitive components. But accessing the machine or moving the machine back to the workshop can take a long time and every hour of downtime means lost productivity, delayed operations. Air motors are simple, robust, and designed to handle abuse. With fewer moving parts sensitive to dust, vibration, or temperature fluctuations, they’re naturally resistant to damage. That toughness means less downtime, fewer costly interventions, and reliable operation in places where electric motors struggle to survive. Michael summed it up perfectly: “In underground mining, reliability is everything. Air motors are tough and continue to perform in environments where electrical systems would quickly fail or require expensive maintenance. They just keep going.”

Of course not — because in underground mining, water is everywhere. Condensation in compressedair lines, seepage, and flooding are part of daily operations. For mine operators, this constantmoisture means damaged equipment, unexpected breakdowns, and high maintenance costs.Water in compressed air line causes oxidation of the lines which has highly detrimental effects on thelife of the air motor. The exterior of a air motor is not what causes it to fail. It is the internals whichare problematic.For a design engineer, choosing air motors means solving your customer’s real-world problemswithout forcing them into expensive, impractical infrastructure changes. It’s a smarter, simpler, andfield-proven choice for tough underground applications

Atlas Copco air motors are ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 21 certified as standard, meeting rigorous safetyrequirements for use in potentially explosive environments. This certification offers key advantagesmaking them an excellent fit for a wide range of hazardous areas. However, the final selection of anycomponent must always consider the specific ATEX classification and design constraints of the intendedapplication.Their stainless steel bodies offer excellent durability against corrosion, abrasive dust, and physicalimpacts — essential in the harsh, unpredictable conditions of a mine. On top of this, Atlas Copco air motors can be further reinforced with stainless steel motor cells, improving the resistance of internal parts against moisture, condensation, and contaminants present in compressed air systems.

If you wouldn’t strike a match in a dynamite depot, you shouldn’t risk electrical sparks undergroundeither. Air motors offer a proven, reliable, and inherently safe alternative. Their rugged construction,spark-free operation, and resilience to water make them the obvious choice for deep, demanding miningoperations.

As Michael concluded in his interview: “In places where you can’t afford to take risks with safety ordowntime, air motors are a smart, proven choice.”In short — leave the risky stunts to the cartoons. Underground, stick with what’s safe, reliable, and builtfor the job: air motors.