Kansas Salt Mine First to Use B100; Employees Benefit from Purified Air

Air quality is a critical issue for workers who use diesel engines in confined spaces, and using biodiesel fuel in mining equipment is one way to help protect their health. The Hutchinson Salt Company, Hutchinson, Kansas, is the first mine of any kind to use B100 (100 percent biodiesel).

“We use B100 biodiesel in everything underground that runs on diesel,” said Max Liby, VP of Manufacturing for the mine. “The main benefit is we’ve cleaned up soot in the air and have cut particulates. Workers, particularly the operator of the loaders, like the soy biodiesel much better because they say particulates do not get in their nostrils and the air is noticeably cleaner. Also, lubricity is much greater than if we used regular diesel fuel, so the injector pumps and injectors work more efficiently. The soy biodiesel actually cleans the injectors,” he said.

The Hutchinson Salt Company’s main product is highway salt for inclement weather. Clients include the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Iowa and Illinois, and the city of Chicago.

 

Kansas soybean farmer, Jerry Wyse addresses the mine tour group in underground room.	Kenlon Johannes, Executive Direcotr of the Kansas Soybean Board.