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By T. B. Crowe

MucH has been written upon the precipitation of metals from cyanide Solution by zinc. We often read of the many factors that influence precipitation, such as zinc surface, purity of zinc, percentage of lead, temperature of solutions, strength of solutions in cyanide or alkali, etc. -Little do, we hear, however, of the part that oxygen plays in precipitation. Caldecottl says: "As the dissolving of gold is essentially an oxidation process, so its precipitation is one of reduction." All who have studied or worked with cyanide solutions will agree that Caldecott's statement is true.' . In the cyanide work in the mills of the Portland Gold Mining Co., we have always found oxygen to be the greatest enemy to precipitation. Oxygen Antagonistic to Good Precipitation A few years ago, while making some experiments on the effect of pressure upon the dissolving rate of gold from our ores, to prove a point, I made some bottle tests under vacuum. The results were surprising, and showed that under vacuum practically no gold dissolved, which confirmed my belief that Elsner's equation was true and also led me to investigate the amount of dissolved air carried by solutions at atmospheric pressure. The experiment consisted in partly filling an acid-bottle with mill-solution and connecting it by a rubber hose to a vacuum pump. When the vacuum was suddenly applied, a cloud composed of thousands of small air bubbles rose out of the solution, showing qualitatvcily' the amount of dissolved air that was contained in the solution, and also proving that the relief of atmospheric pressure on the solution permitted this dissolved air to escape. In studying literature on the subject, we find Henry's law—"The amount of gas dissolved by a liquid is proportional to the pressure to which the gas is subjected."

Jan 1, 1919

By Richard W. Markley

The predominant methods for mining coal in the USA are room and pillar and longwall. Approximately 95 percent of the coal is mined by room and pillar and 5 percent by longwall. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has an ongoing program to improve the rate, quality, and cost effectiveness of stabilizing the roof for both of these mining systems. In room and pillar mining, the installation of permanent roof support is often the task which paces the system operation, and it thus controls the level of production achieved during any mining shift. Two automatic roof bolt insertion equipment developments are discussed, as well as a flexible drill for operation in thinner seams. Progress will be reported on under- ground trials of a particular flexible drill which has been combined with a bolt inserter to form a compact, reliable module for retrofitting to continuous mining machines. In longwall mining, the use of hydraulic supports on the working face provides roof stability. The DOE has several trials ongoing with shield- type supports in difficult strata conditions which are described, as well as a co-funded project with the Bureau of Mines on a resin injection remedial method for consolidating a shear zone at one site. A project to improve the match of strata conditions to shield design is also described, which involves the use of a 1360 tonne vertical load mine roof simulator.

Jan 1, 1983

By F. A. Jerabek, H. L. Hartman

This study presents results of investigations in a small model of segregation in discharged fill slurry, the quantity of solids escaping in the drain liquid, and the relationship of solids to slurry concentration and discharge rate. Compressibilities of fine fill material, in dry and wet states and individual size fractions, are compared. Two terms are frequently used in describing the hydraulic placement of fill material underground: hydraulic stowing is mostly associated with the underground flushing of coarse-sized fill material, such as coal washery refuse; while hydraulic backfilling refers to placement of small-sized fill material, e.g., sand or classified mill tailings, mainly in metal mines. Characteristically, in backfilling, only a few hours may elapse between the time the material is hoisted as ore and redeposited as fill underground. Hydraulic filling was first used about 100 years ago to control subsidence in coal mines. It was subsequently adopted in many mining operations all over the world, but its basic concepts have never been adequately studied and analyzed. This is not surprising, when one considers the number of variables involved in the hydraulic backfilling operation. Recently, much work has been done on the problems of transportation of slurries in pipes. Comparatively less research work has been done concerning the physical properties of fill material (compressibility, cementation, permeability, etc.). Very little work has been done on the problems of fill placing, distribution, and segregation of fill material discharged in the mine void. It is the purpose of this paper to explore two of the basic, lesser known aspects of filling: segregation and compressibility in discharged fill slurry. Difficulties in observing the behavior of hydraulic fill slurry during the pouring operation underground, and insufficient knowledge to conduct any kind of meaningful theoretical analysis, suggest experimental model studies. The tests described in the following sections were conducted in the Rock Mechanics Laboratory of the Department of Mining at Penn State.

Jan 1, 1965

By V. Sobitsky

In open cast mining of coal, the cost per ton of output is four to five times less and labor productivity five to six times higher than in under- ground mining. This is why the coal industry of the USSR is oriented toward giving priority to the development of open cast coal mining. Deposits of coal which lend themselves to open cast mining in the USSR are enormous, with 90% of them located in the eastern part of the country. The technique is by no means limited to the eastern part, however-despite wide variations in climate, other parts of the Soviet Union also use open cast mining. The occurrence and type of coal deposits in the USSR vary greatly. Some of them are flat coal seams 2 to 40 m thick, and a few are even thicker. There are also deposits having a complex mode of occurrence, such as a series of seams of different thicknesses with angles of dip varying from slightly inclined to steep, often with dislocations. Overburden materials are quite diverse with regard to physical and mechanical properties. There are three kinds encountered-loose or unconsolidated overburden, medium-hard material, and hard rock. The stripping ratio, i.e., the amount of cover per ton of mined coal, varies from 1 to 12 cu m per ton. SYSTEMS OF MINING The great diversity of natural conditions has brought forth a variety of technologies and techniques in the open cast mining of coal. In open cast practice, the following systems of mining are used : (1) a transportation system in which the overburden is transported to spoil banks by rail or by truck; (2) a system with direct disposal of overburden, the rocks being dumped on spoil banks with a stripping excavator; and

Jan 1, 1969

By C. G. Southmayd

Anyone who has been confronted with the problem of predicting the performance of a sand-pump installation is vitally aware of the dearth of precise information that has been published on this important subject. Such data as have been collected are not readily available in a concise and readily usable form, so that many operators would find it a considerable chore to find the pertinent information required to undertake a detailed study. The purpose of this paper is to assemble such established data, correlate them with field experience and outline the factors that must be appraised in the determination of a satisfactory pump installation. The transportation of solids in solution is of vital interest to every mill superintendent and operator, and many of the factors that are involved in this hydraulic problem vary widely from installation to installation, and in some cases even from time to time on any one installation. These include: type of solids (including shape of particles), size of solids (grind), percentages of fines (slimes), dilution of pulp, contour of pipe line, type of pipe, age of pipe line, effect that diameter of pipe has on characteristic flow conditions, and other factors. Some of these have been fairly well determined by experimental work but many still must be established through interpolating or extrapolating between values that have been derived from known field conditions. Most problems primarily concern the transportation of a definite weight of dry solids from one specific location to another. The type of material, shape of particles, grind and percentages of fines are established and very often the dilution at which the solids must be handled as well. The problem then evolves into a determination of the size, type and contour of the pipe line and the net effective head against which the pump must operate. Before discussing the determination of the head, it might be well to review the interrelationship between the pump discharge (capacity), the head developed by the pump and the pump speed, which will apply to any centrifugal pump installation. Effect of Pump Speed Basically, the head developed by a centrifugal pump varies as the square of the pump speed and the discharge as the first power of the speed. However, even at constant speed a centrifugal pump will operate over a wide range of capacities, depending upon the head that must be developed to deliver the liquid or pulp to the end of the pipe line. This is shown graphically in Fig. I. If the pump in question is being driven at a constant speed of goo r.p.m. it will deliver 500 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 56 ft., 800 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 50 ft., and so on. In other words, at this speed the capacity of the pump will be determined and limited by

Jan 1, 1947

By C. G. Southmayd

Anyone who has been confronted with the problem of predicting the performance of a sand-pump installation is vitally aware of the dearth of precise information that has been published on this important subject. Such data as have been collected are not readily available in a concise and readily usable form, so that many operators would find it a considerable chore to find the pertinent information required to undertake a detailed study. The purpose of this paper is to assemble such established data, correlate them with field experience and outline the factors that must be appraised in the determination of a satisfactory pump installation. The transportation of solids in solution is of vital interest to every mill superintendent and operator, and many of the factors that are involved in this hydraulic problem vary widely from installation to installation, and in some cases even from time to time on any one installation. These include: type of solids (including shape of particles), size of solids (grind), percentages of fines (slimes), dilution of pulp, contour of pipe line, type of pipe, age of pipe line, effect that diameter of pipe has on characteristic flow conditions, and other factors. Some of these have been fairly well determined by experimental work but many still must be established through interpolating or extrapolating between values that have been derived from known field conditions. Most problems primarily concern the transportation of a definite weight of dry solids from one specific location to another. The type of material, shape of particles, grind and percentages of fines are established and very often the dilution at which the solids must be handled as well. The problem then evolves into a determination of the size, type and contour of the pipe line and the net effective head against which the pump must operate. Before discussing the determination of the head, it might be well to review the interrelationship between the pump discharge (capacity), the head developed by the pump and the pump speed, which will apply to any centrifugal pump installation. Effect of Pump Speed Basically, the head developed by a centrifugal pump varies as the square of the pump speed and the discharge as the first power of the speed. However, even at constant speed a centrifugal pump will operate over a wide range of capacities, depending upon the head that must be developed to deliver the liquid or pulp to the end of the pipe line. This is shown graphically in Fig. I. If the pump in question is being driven at a constant speed of goo r.p.m. it will deliver 500 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 56 ft., 800 U. S. gal. per min. against a head of 50 ft., and so on. In other words, at this speed the capacity of the pump will be determined and limited by

Jan 1, 1947

By C. C. Hatch, A. L. Mular

The methodology employed to develop a digital simulation of the Brenda Mines Ltd., Peachland, B. C., secondary crushing plant is described. Methodology includes data acquisition, data adjustment, model building, and the construction of a simulator structure. The simulator was utilized to study the effects of secondary and tertiary crusher close side settings, secondary screen opening, plant feed rate, and percent + 1 in. in the feed on the following responses: percent - 1/2 in. in the final product, plant reduction ratio, circulating load ratio, and screen efficiency. Results are presented in graphical form.

Jan 1, 1983

By P. B. Liebermann

THE resistance to motion offered by mine cars is caused principally by: Rolling friction, flange friction, bending rails, bearing friction and wind resistance. With proper construction and with a fair amount of attention and care, that is, under favorable conditions, the first three items cannot be greatly improved. The wind resistance ordinarily is negligible on account of the slow speeds commonly used. The bearing friction, however, is a variable item, depending upon the design, the bearing material, the lubrication, the location (whether in wheel-hub or on car-body) and the alignment. Under the most favorable conditions the bearing friction will reach a lowest possible value. By the development of a successful anti-friction mine-car bearing this lowest value has been improved to such an extent as to affect the whole system of mine haulage. After being satisfied of their durability and certainty of operation, any investigation into the advantages of anti-friction bearings for mine cars will have to be based upon reliable information as to the saving in power of such bearings. While numerous tests have been made in this direction, the results have not always been convincing, principally because of the rather crude methods that were employed. These crude methods are the main cause of the wide variations existing in regard to the exact amount of the frictional resistance. Frequently an ordinary spring balance is used and the pull necessary to move a certain car or train of cars is obtained by a number of readings. Such spring balances necessarily have a coarse graduation and the continuous vibration and fluctuations to which they are subjected make them highly dependent upon the individual observer. Further, they must be frequently calibrated. Sometimes these tests were made without regard to acceleration, speed or even grade.

Jan 6, 1916

By S. F. Shaw

The theory that maintaining a high back-pressure on the oil sand lowers the viscosity of the oil has been generally accepted. The theory has also been advanced that lower viscosity permits the oil to be moved through the sand to the well at an expenditure of less gas per barrel of oil than would otherwise be required. It seems reasonable to assume that production of oil at the minimum gas-oil ratio will result in a greater ultimate recovery of oil. During the past five years the writer has acquired data on thousands of tests made on wells to determine the best rate at which to produce them. In the majority of cases reduction in back-pressure did not definitely increase the gas-oil ratio. The information obtained from these tests has raised doubt in the mind of the writer as to the correctness of the theory that lowered viscosity results in lower gas-oil ratios and in higher ultimate recovery of oil. The reasons that explain the results obtained in these tests cannot yet be definitely stated, but the hypothesis is being tentatively assumed that there are other factors which outweigh the influence of viscosity. Energy in Gas Moves Oil to Well The general opinion is that in most cases it is the energy in the gas that moves the oil to the well. In wells flowing naturally it is also the energy in the gas that lifts the oil to the surface. In a flowing well, there are two very distinct operations: 1. Moving the oil through the sand to the well. 2. Lifting the oil to the surface. The more important function of the gas is that of moving the oil to the well. Means for lifting the oil can always be found once it has been delivered to the well. Principles Involved in Lifting Oil A well that flows naturally is the same as a gas-lift well except that all of the gas is supplied by the oil reservoir. This natural flow is subject

Jan 1, 1931

The purposes of composition are various; one purpose, for instance, is to make a record for the writer's own use, as in a diary. That does not involve responsibility to others. There is also the writing meant to influence opinion-to be persuasive and pleasing. With such writing we need not concern ourselves at this stage of our study. The prime purpose of technical writing is to be informative-to convey information; therefore it must be clear beyond the chance of misunderstanding. Such clearness is impossible if meaningless or ill chosen words are sprinkled through the text. Discard the trivial phrases that are constantly at your elbow. Brush aside a host of vapid superlatives. Metternich exclaimed: "The superlative is the mark of fools". It is a false emphasis, like the underlining in a school-girl's letter. For example, the little word 'very' can be deleted nine times out of ten; it is an impediment to terse and perspicuous writing, as the multitudinous hand-baggage of the British tourist is to his travel. 'Very' supposes comparison. A mine with a 1000-ft. shaft is very deep to the scribe who writes from the Joplin district, in Missouri, but it seems a shallow hole to a man living at Calumet, Michigan. A vein that is 10 feet across may be considered very wide at Cripple Creek, Colorado, but it is only a 'stringer' to the miner at the Homestake, in South Dakota. Ore assaying $20 in gold is very rich at Juneau, Alaska, where 10,000 tons of $1 ore is crushed daily, but it is relatively low-grade to the pocket-miner at Alleghany, in California. It is all a matter of comparison; unless the reader knows your standards of depth, width, or richness, your 'very' has no significance. "Where erosion was very rapid or oxidation very shallow"

Jan 1, 1931

By Sterling G. Valentine

Until within late years, the preparation of sulphurous ores for the blast-furnace has received comparatively little attention. After the first improvement made on the old style of heap-roasting and roasting between walls, there has followed an almost general adoption of the Gjers kiln or some modification thereof, and the majority of iron-masters have seemed perfectly satisfied with so much progress. However, the Westman kiln was developed in Sweden, and other gas-roasters for sulphurous ores have been since constructed. They are in use on the continent of Europe and in America to a limited extent. The following experiments were made in order to furnish additional information as to the proper conditions for the elimination of sulphur from ores where it is present as sulphide of iron, FeS2 I desire here to acknowledge the Kindness of Dr. Franklin Menges, of the laboratory of Pennsylvania College, at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for lending his valuable aid in carrying out a part of these experilnents and analyses. In the first series of these experiments, pure, roughly-pulverized pyrites crystals were used, containing 53.42 per cent. of' sulphur. They were made with a view to determine the effect on pyrites, of heat alone, in various degrees of intensity and duration, air being altogether excluded. The heats at a low temperature were made in glass combustion-tubes, sealed at the end, where the pyrites to be tested were placed, and with only a small opening at the opposite end. Although not allowing circulation, this arrangement still permitted a part of the evolved sulphur to escape. The heats at high temperatures were made in Hessian and graphite crucibles, tightly luted, every precaution being taken to exclude air. The temperatures attained are given approximately, and are as nearly correct as it was possible to estimate them, using Pouillet's scale as a guide.

Jan 1, 1890

By D. R. Walker, M. C. Shaw

The laws of Kick and Rittinger are explained as functions of particle size with metal cutting theory. Comminution is shown to be basically the same process as metal grinding. The machine shop type of grinding operation is used to study mineral crushing. Evidence indicates that plastic flow occurs in comminution. THE laws of comminution of Kick and Rittinger have been debated for many years. Certain data obtained from ball mill and drop tests are found to be in approximate agreement with Rittinger's law while other data would seem to support Kick's law. In all these tests the energy required to produce a wide variety of particle sizes has been studied. Surface area has also been measured with considerable difficulty, at first because it was thought that the energy associated with crushing was that required to create new surface, later because of precedent and because a more fundamental variable was unknown. Tests made with the machine shop type of grinding process show that normally brittle materials that are usually crushed can behave like the more ductile metals. Brittleness is then a relative prop- erty largely dependent on specimen size and stress state. The machine grinding operation offers a convenient means for studying the comminution of materials in which the important size variable retains its identity. The energy required to grind a certain volume of material is shown to be strongly dependent on size. Kick's law is found to hold very well for particles below 1 micron in size, while Rittinger's law holds approximately in the comminution of larger particles. While a physical origin of Kick's law is established in terms of the theoretical strength of materials having a perfect lattice structure, there is found to be no physical basis for Rittinger's law. Because of its industrial importance, comminution has commanded considerable technical attention and has been the subject of continuous study for nearly a century. A number of empirical rules have been proposed to make it possible for grinding energies to be predicted. Of these so-called laws of comminution those bearing the names of Kick and Rittinger have been most widely applied and debated.

Jan 1, 1955

By E. P. Humphrey

The Lehigh Valley Coal Co. finished the rebuilding of its Drifton No. 2 breaker at Drifton, Pa., in the summer of 1917. The new construction comprises an addition and the complete remodeling of the old breaker. It is of interest to note that the old structure was the first iron breaker erected in the anthracite region. The Old Breaker This old breaker was built by the Cross Creek Coal Co., under the direction of the late Eckley B. Coxe, in 1888-89, and was fully described by him in the Transactions1. The columns were cast iron, 8, 10 and 12 in. square. The floors and partitions in pockets were cast-iron ribbed plates. The struts were cast iron of "H" section; the other members were of structural iron either rolled I-beams or built-up sections. The sizes of the rolled beams varied from 6 to 20 in. deep, while the built-up sections, made of plates and angles, varied from 6 to 63 in. in depth, so that there apparently was no rule to determine the type of section used. In the remodeling of the old structure, practically everything was taken down excepting the columns and roof, and such beams as were necessary for temporary construction purposes, and, therefore, a close inspection of the old structural members could be made and the effect of the acid water on them could be noted. The cast-iron members were but slightly attacked by the water, while the wrought-iron beams, in the wet places, were corroded almost to failure. The following are analyses of cast-iron, wrought-iron, and structural-steel samples taken from the old and the new structure.

Jan 1, 1918

By William Ward

ONE often reads of the rich placer gravels in many of the canoe-traveled rivers of South America. The apparent richness of these gold-bearing gravels impresses the traveler, and in fact he may see batea after batea showing enough colors to figure over a dollar per cubic yard. These workings are called "playas" from the Spanish word playa, meaning shore or beach. Many workings have been reported in tropical rivers, but to my knowledge no dredge has made a success in such deposits. Investigation generally shows that the area of richness is limited and especially that the depth of the rich concentration is hardly ever more than a few inches. The Cauca river in Colombia, South America, is noted for its many rich playas.. This river rises near Popayan in the southern part of Colombia, flows north through a narrow valley between parallel mountain ranges and empties into the Magdalena river near Maganque. The airline distance between source and mouth of this river is only about 500 miles. The rainfall is large and the lower Cauca appears to be about the size of the Missouri river in the United States. From its mouth up to Valdivia, in the State of Antioqua, it is navigable. Above Valdivia is a. narrow gorge, above which the river is again navigable for some distance. The part of the Cauca where the playa panning is most noticeable is from Valdivia down to Where the Nechi river enters the Cauca, a distance along the river of about 100 miles. The current in this part is swift, so that the stern-wheel river steamers make the trip with some difficulty. In the course of my work in this section of Colombia I have had the opportunity to make a study of several of these playa workings and will give in detail the conditions observed.

Jan 7, 1914

By G. A. Collins

Being much interested in efficiency-work in general, and an ardent reader of writings on this subject by Frederick W. Taylor and others, as applied to manufacturing-plants, and having served my apprenticeship from mucking to the engineering design of ore-dressing and underground plants, I hope that this paper will lead others to investigate the field more fully, to the improvement of general mine- and mill-operations, as well as the advancement, intellectually, physically, and financially, of the employee and his relations with the employer. If a man who is prepared to look closely and observe broadly starts in Canada and zig-zags from camp to camp to southern Mexico, taking time casually to inspect mines, mills, and smelters, he will be pitifully impressed by the great difference in customs, and the general waste of labor, time, and money throughout the country. He will so seldom observe a dollar's worth of results given in exchange for a dollar spent that he will form a poor opinion of operating-efficiency and management. This highly-scientific department, requiring an amount of skill and executive ability equaled in few, if any, of the professions, certainly falls short of the standard established in our greater manufacturing industries. It is easily said that this is due to the diversity of conditions in mining, milling, and smelting. But on second view it must be admitted that there is room for tremendous improvements in nearly every mining-organization. The proposal of such improvements is often met by the argument that any mine is but a temporary affair, yielding such profits as to make efficiency-work of no consequence; but any business which is profitable and worth doing at all is worth doing on a basis which gives the greatest return on the investment.

Jan 1, 1913

By F. L. Ransome

The dike here described is exposed in the workings of the Wedge and Bachelor mines, on the southern side of Red Canon, north of the town of Ouray, Colorado. Its course is north 80° east, or nearly east and west, and it hades to the north about 10°. It rarely outcrops, and was nowhere seen at the surface near the mines. A specimen collected by Dr. A. C. Spencer about two miles to the westward, near the mouth of Red Creek, indicates, however, a probable exposure of the dike near this point. The Wedge and Bachelor mines lie in a nearly horizontal series of fine-grained, light-grey sandstones, alternating with beds of very fine-grained shale of the same color. The shale as encountered underground is unusually compact and massive, but weathers readily on exposure, and splits much after the manner of ordinary shale. When fresh it closely resembles some finely arenaceous limestones, but it does not effervesce with acids, and is eseentially a fine, indurated, siliceous silt. Near the surface, and near the top of the sedimentary series as

Jan 1, 1901

By George I. Adams

A party, consisting of George I. Adams, of the United States Geological Survey, A. H. Purdue, of the University of Arkansas, and Ernest F. Burchard, was engaged, during the summer of 1902, in the study of the zinc- and lead-deposits of Northern Arkansas. An extensive report on this field is now in preparation. The following preliminary statement of results and conclusions is made in advance of the final publication, which will be accompanied by detailed geologic maps and other illustrations and a fuller treatment of the subject. Location.—The Northern Arkansas field embraces Marion county and adjacent portions of Boone, Baxter, Newton and Searcy counties. Outside of this area there are a few scat tered mines, notably in Sharp and Lawrence counties. The mining development lies north of the Boston mountains, in what is known as the Ozark Plateau. The country has a broken surface, as a result of dissection by streams, and there are numerous exposures of the mineral-bearing horizons in the valley slopes. This has greatly facilitated prospecting. History.—Lead-ore was discovered in Northern Arkansas by the early explorers and pioneers, and at first was utilized for rifle-ballets. Later, it attracted considerable attention, and in the '50's was smelted in the vicinity of Lead Hill. There was a revival of the industry during the "70's, but the cost of transportation was so great that it was practically abandoned. Zinc-ores at first attracted little attention, probably because they were not so well understood. Before the Civil War, however, some zinc was smelted. In the '80's, prospecting was carried on generally throughout the field, and resulted in finding zinc at so many places and so readily accessible that

Jan 1, 1904

By H. I. Young

Inasmuch as there has been a great deal of activity in this district recently, a paper of this kind should treat of all the various phases of mining, namely, prospecting, developing, and operating. Prospecting .. Where ore is found at a depth of 100 ft. (30 m.) or more, the prospect work is done by churn drilling. Several makes of churn drills are used in this work, both steam- and gasoline-driven machines being used. The drilling is usually started with a 6-in. bit, and the size of the bit is reduced, if necessary, as the hole is advanced. It is general practice to drill from 100- to 400-ft. holes, but this is governed entirely by the location and formation of the ground. In drilling sheet ground, close spacing of drill holes is unnecessary, but in narrow orebodies, the holes are spaced from 15 to 50 ft. (4.6 to 15 m.) apart. Ten years ago, very few assays were kept of the drilling, but during recent years records have been kept very accurately, showing the location, elevation, assays, and also the vertical section of the hole. After the orebody is reached, cuttings are taken every 2 or 3 ft. (0.6 to 0.9 m.) samples being sometimes taken by pouring the water off the cuttings and taking a portion of the coarse material for assay. It has been found, however, that very often the sludge material poured off with the water contains high mineral values. To overcome this, cuttings from each 2 or 3 ft. are put in a container, and, after the water is evaporated, sample for assay is taken by means of Jones samplers. Permanent records of cuttings showing various formations are kept in glass jars or glued on large cards. Drilling at present is costing from $1.25 to $1.50 per foot. In pre-war times, the drilling costs ran from 75c. to $1 per foot. Development After proving property by drilling, shafts are put down to the ore-body. These are usually vertical shafts, either single or double compart-

Jan 1, 1918

By Julianne H. Glarmaty, Peter J. Conroy

INTRODUCTION In 1970 the percentage of underground coal extraction by longwall mining methods in the U.S. was 2.1 percent. This figure rose to 4.4 percent in 1976 and is expected to rise to 12 percent by the year 1985. This figure represents 46.0 million tons (51.0 million st) of annual production (Kuti, 1978). In addition, OSM regulations are placing emphasis on subsidence prediction. Section 784.20 of the Office of Surface Mining regulations for underground mining permit applications requires the sutauission of a subsidence control plan which may include monitoring. Because of its nature, longwall mining does not have flexibility in leaving pillars under structures as does room and pillar. Mining in some areas, particularly in the Eastern Coal Field, is approaching more developed areas; therefore, a greater number of structures are expected to be undermined in the near future. Subsidence engineering is becoming an important aspect of mine planning, and should be directed at predicting potential structural damage. The question operators are increasingly faced with is "what will be the subsidence effects for a specific structure at a specific location in respect to a longwall panel?" The most significant variable in assessing the subsidence effect on structures is not vertical subsidence. The variables of strain and tilt are responsible for more structural damage than is the vertical movement. Table I presents threshold values of strain for various structures (Geddes 6 Cooper, 1962). Based on National Coal Board experience, horizontal strain is approximately inversely proportional to the radius of curvature of a circular portion of a subsidence profile; therefore, the radius may be useful in estimating the magnitude of strain caused by subsidence (Hoebs, 1982). The radius of curvature can be determined by the following equation:

Jan 1, 1982

By B. Mueller

Altered concepts regarding the raw material used in conventional blast furnace plants as well as new technologies for the reduction of iron ores make it necessary to reconsider the design of pelletizing plants. The incorporation of a pelletizing plant within a conventional integrated steel mill involves considerations of the problems of using in-plant fines. A modern pelletizing plant in Mexico serves as an example of the technical solution. In recent times, pelletizing plants are also being integrated within steel mills based upon direct reduction processes. The design of such pelletizing plants must take into account special product quality requirements.

Jan 1, 1977