Challenge

Methane released in the ventilation air of underground coal mines, known as ventilation air methane (VAM), is one of the mining industry’s most difficult emissions challenges. Although methane is present at low concentrations in mine ventilation air, it represents a large volume and a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Existing abatement technologies are either inefficient, costly or unsuitable at the low methane concentrations now targeted by modern mine safety and drainage practices. This gap has left much of VAM effectively untreated across the industry.  

The CATCH4 (Catalytic Oxidation of Methane) project, funded by Low Emission Technology Australia (LETA), was established to address this problem by developing a new generation of catalytic methane abatement technology that can operate efficiently, safely and economically at low methane concentrations typical of Australian underground coal mines.

Phase 1: Identification and Testing of Promising Catalysts and Development of Pilot Design 

The problem addressed in Phase 1 was whether methane in ventilation air, typically around 0.2–0.3% by volume, could be reliably oxidised using commercially available catalysts at much lower temperatures than existing thermal technologies. Conventional systems, such as regenerative thermal oxidisers, become increasingly inefficient and costly at these low methane levels and require very high operating temperatures.  

The Phase 1 solution was an extensive laboratory‑based testing program to identify and validate catalytic materials capable of oxidising low‑concentration methane under realistic ventilation air conditions. This phase involved controlled experiments assessing catalyst performance, durability, resistance to contaminants and long‑term stability.  

Phase 1 successfully demonstrated that suitable commercial catalysts could achieve high methane destruction efficiency at significantly lower temperatures than traditional approaches. These results provided confidence that a catalytic pathway could overcome the technical and economic barriers that have limited widespread VAM abatement to date.  

Phase 2: Scaling and Proving the Technology in Real Conditions 

The problem addressed in Phase 2 is the need to move from laboratory validation to practical, mine‑ready deployment. While Phase 1 confirmed that catalytic methane oxidation is technically feasible, the industry requires proof that the technology can operate safely, reliably and continuously at much larger airflows and under real mine ventilation conditions.  

The Phase 2 solution is the fabrication and operation of pilot‑scale catalytic systems capable of processing ventilation air at approximately 1 m³/s. These pilots are being deployed both in controlled facilities and at active mine sites to test system performance, heat integration, emissions behaviour and operational reliability.  

Phase 2 focuses on demonstrating that catalytic VAM abatement can be practically integrated into mine operations, delivering substantial methane reductions while producing only carbon dioxide and water as by‑products and no particulate emissions. Data from this phase will underpin techno‑economic assessments and inform the pathway toward commercial‑scale deployment.  

Looking Ahead 

Together, Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the CATCH4 project represent a structured pathway from scientific proof to industrial application. By addressing both the fundamental chemistry and the real‑world engineering challenges of methane abatement, CATCH4 is laying the groundwork for a scalable, lower‑cost solution to one of mining’s most persistent emissions problems.