C oal dust is one of the primary air contaminants in underground coal mines; it is also the principal cause of coal mine accidents.(1,2) Miners suffer from chronic exposure to coal dust, particularly respirable dust, which causes serious health problems, such as pneumoconiosis. Given that mechanized coal mining has become increasingly popular in recent years, coal dust has become a significant problem in underground mines, causing safety hazards in coal production. According to the statistics released by the Ministry of Health of China, more than 300,000 coal miners suffered from pneumoconiosis by the end of 2007, accounting for 50% of the total number of pneumoconiosis patients in China. Every year, more than 10,000 pneumoconiosis patients who work in key state-owned coal mines are registered. On average, 2500 Chinese miners die from pneumoconiosis every year. The direct economic loss incurred from pneumoconiosis in the coal industry reaches 1 billion yuan each year.(3–7) In addition, coal dust is the leading cause of explosive incidents in China’s mining industry. Statistical data show that 106 coal dust explosions occurred in China between 1949 and 2007, resulting in 4613 casualties.(8) A number of methods have been widely adopted in controlling coal dust concentrations. The most popular technologies are ventilation, water spraying, water infusion, water/wetting agent spraying, and dust collection using fans.(9–12) Although these technologies play an important role in dust control, they have certain limitations. For instance, water infusion requires complicated equipment and a considerable amount of water. Water spray nozzles are easily blocked, thereby reducing the dust precipitation ratio. Dust collecting fans have an equipment structure that is complicated. These devices also require substantial wind power, but the environment in underground coal mines constrains the use of such equipment. To overcome the limitations of traditional methods, the authors developed a foam technology to effectively control coal dust levels. Practical application showed that airborne coal dust was efficiently controlled by foam technology; therefore, the proposed technology presents promising application prospects in the coal mining industry.