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By P. Ashayer, J. Curran

Introduction Rockfalls occur when rocks or boulders detach from mountains or hills and tumble down. They can pose significant hazards to infrastructure such as highways, buildings, and mine open pits, and they sometimes result in personal injury or death. Prediction of rockfalls is a difficult task. Slopes that are at risk of rockfall have highly variable geometries. The location, mass, and shape of the rocks that might dislodge and fall are uncertain. Moreover, the materials that make up a slope can vary considerably from one section to another. Furthermore, the relevant material properties are usually not well known. Performing probabilistic simulations of rockfalls, combined with proper statistical analyses, has proven to be an effective and acceptable method for dealing with these difficulties [1, 2, 3]. The movements of a falling rock can be classified as freefall, bouncing, sliding, toppling, or rolling. The falling trajectory is controlled mainly by the geometry of the slope, the block shape, and the energy dissipated at each contact of the block with the slope. A rockfall model is evaluated based on its ability to efficiently predict the velocity, frequency, height of bounce, and run-out distance of falling rocks. With this information, the engineer can design remedial measures such as restraining nets and ditches. Most of the existing rockfall simulators are based on particle models that consider the falling rock as an infinitesimal particle with a mass, called the lumped mass or stereomechanical models [1, 2, 3, 4]. Other models involve hybrid methods relying on simplified assumptions. The most common hybrid methods are based on contact searching for the movement of a dimensionless object and incorporate some aspects of rigid body impact for bouncing [5, 6, 7]. There are also some rigid body models in the literature that employ simplified versions of rigid body models [8, 9]. This study applies a more sophisticated rigid body theory based on rigid body impact mechanics (RBIM), which was developed by Stronge [10, 11, 12]. The new theory captures all modes of rigid body movement. Due to the importance of the rock geometry, single impacts of ellipsoidal and prismatic rocks with rectangular cross sections are investigated. The effect of rock slenderness on rebound velocities and energies is also investigated for ellipsoidal rocks. The correspondence between the model parameters and the data from the rockfall literature data will be discussed.

Jan 1, 2007

By George W. Leney

The iron ore industry might justifiably claim to have originated the science of geophysical prospecting. Their use of geophysical methods was probably the first application of these scientific techniques to the search for economic materials although the exact origin is undoubtedly lost in the unrecorded observations of. some prospector experimenting with compasses or bits of lodestone. Since 1879 when Thalen published "On the Examination of Iron Ore Deposits by Magnetic Measurements" these methods have been a standard supplement to other prospecting techniques. However, many of the great ore bodies of the Precambrian iron ranges were not particularly suitable for geophysical work. The ores were oxidized and enriched through leaching of silica so that they were nearly non-magnetic and other physical properties which distinguished them from the wall rocks were largely destroyed. With the gradual exhaustion of these high grade direct shipping ores, and ores that could be beneficiated by simple means, the iron ore industry turned initially toward the importation of similar high grade foreign ores. At the same time, new processes for concentrating lower grade materials were being developed and older ones improved upon. These concentrates' when pelletized produced such important savings in blast furnace hot metal costs that they now command a premium in the iron ore market and have weakened the competitive position of the remaining high grade ores. The ore bodies now being sought are usually unoxidized and frequently they are also metamorphosed.

Jan 1, 1965

By S. L. Bessinger

Introduction In the design and specification of a ventilation system for an underground mine, it is necessary to make reasonably accurate estimates of the pressure losses in the various airways of the mine. These estimates can be made with little difficulty for open airways with simple geometric cross-sections, such as those cut by continuous miners or tunnel-boring machines. The situation is much different on a longwall face, where the airway's complex geometric cross section and the presence in the airway of obstructing equipment having a variety of shapes make it difficult, if not impossible, to estimate pressure loss using traditional methods of calculation. Head losses in mine entries are calculated using Atkinson's Equation. [22H= KPLQ (English) H= KP 3Q (SO (1) 5.2AA] where H = pressure loss, in. of H2O (Pa); K = friction factor, lbf•min2/ft4 (kg/m3); P = perimeter, ft (m); L = airway length, ft (m); Q = airflow quantity, ft3/min (m3/sec); and A = flow cross-sectional area, ft2 (m2) In this equation, the friction factor, K, is an empirical constant that describes the aerodynamic roughness of the airway. Typically, the K-factor for a given airway is determined by measuring the factors H, P, L, Q and A in Equation (1) and calculating K. Tables of friction factors calculated in this way are found in textbooks and handbooks that deal with mine ventilation analysis. Unfortunately, very few K-factors have been measured on longwall faces, and the accuracies of those that have been measured are entirely site specific, because of the wide variety of equipment found on longwalls. The development of a technique for prediction without mine-site measurements of the friction factor for any longwall face, regardless of its configuration, will thus be very useful in the design of ventilation systems for mines in which longwall mining is practiced. Calculation of pressure losses using Atkinson's Equation (1) and empirically determined K-factors provides accurate and useful approximations in cases where the airways have relatively simple cross sections. However, a careful analysis using the principles of fluid mechanics shows that such calculations are based on two assumptions that are not strictly correct when there are obstructions in the airway. The first assumption is that the air velocity distribution in the cross section, particularly around the perimeter, is uniform. This assumption results from the fact that the tabulated K-factor values found in the literature are based on field measurements with uniform conditions. Such uniformity does not exist in longwall airflows. The second common assumption is that the K-factor, and corresponding head loss, is independent of the Reynolds Number (NR) for a given flow. In fact, this assumption is not strictly correct, and is particularly erroneous in the case of irregular protuberances into the airflow, such as those found on a longwall face. The errors arising from the assumptions may be avoided by using K-factors calculated by a newly devised method, described below, which takes into account the fundamental principles of aerodynamic drag analysis. This new technique has two advantages: first, it is flexible enough to model any longwall, regardless of equipment configuration; second, it employs terminology and equations familiar to those who perform mine ventilation analysis, using K-factors, for which ventilation engineers have an intuitive understanding, rather than drag coefficients. To provide guidance for development of a longwall drag model, data were taken on two modern longwalls operating in substantially different conditions. Pressure measurements at Mine B were made with 200-foot (61-m) sections of 1/8-in. (3-mm) diameter plastic tubing, attached to a Dwyer Magnehelic gauge. Pressure drops were measured in 200-foot increments down the face, and summed to give the drop for the entire face length. This technique was found to produce small, repeated errors because of the number of segments required to span the longwall. At Mine A this problem was avoided by using a single, continuous, plastic tube for the entire face length. The psychrometric properties of the air were measured for both Mines A and B. A calibrated, standard vane-anemometer was used to measure the airflow on both faces. Finally, numerous dimensions were measured on both faces, and face profile drawings were obtained to allow detailed evaluation of the face equipment geometry. From this information, accurate evaluations of the average wetted perimeter and average area of the longwall face airways were made. Since the airflow is not confined to inside the powered supports at all points along the face, a quadratically weighted average of the airflows measured at various stations along the face was calculated: [n2Qavg =Qi Ii / It(2)i=1] where [Q, avg = average airflow for analytical purposes, ft3/min (m3/sec); Q= airflow at station i, ft3/min (m3/sec); 1= length of segment represented by Q, ft (m); h= length of longwall face, ft (m): and n= number of quantity measurement stations.] The quadratic weighting scheme was chosen because the

Jan 1, 1992

The SFR system utilizes a skimmer or extractor placed at or near the slurry-froth interface where there is a higher concentration of valuable mineral particles. With assistance of hydrocyclones, it is possible to classify the extracted particles into coarse and fine particle streams, that can be handled separately. It also allows the coarser solids to be separated from entrained low-value fines. The first test results with the SFR system significantly improved both coarse and fine particle recovery in a flotation cell. The SFR system was tested in the flotation circuit at a copper-moly concentrator, and the results show that the use of the skimmer has huge potential to increase the froth recovery (Rf) of both molybdenum and copper.

Jan 1, 2012

By T. R. Ellis

A number of important international events took place in 2001 in the development and evolution of mineral valuation standards internationally. In Canada, the CIMVal Committee released a draft discussion paper for public and industry comment on principles to guide the development of the planned Canadian mineral property valuation standard. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) received comments on its Extractive Industries Issues Paper. IASB will decide whether the financial statements of public mining and petroleum companies will be allowed to provide the value of mineral and petroleum assets on a current value basis instead of an historic cost basis. The author led the Extractive Industries Task Force of the International Valuation Standards Committee (IVSC) in developing its submission to IASB. IVSC intends to develop an extractive industries valuation section for its International Valuation Standards, which could support the planned IASB standard. In Australia, AusIMM has carried out an in-depth review of its highly regarded VALMIN Code. The AusIMM's MICA subdivision organized the VALMIN ‘01 Conference in Sydney, Australia, with a range of international and current issues papers published in the VALMIN ‘01 book. Considerable support for the IVSC initiative was evident at this conference. The results of the review of the extractive industries submissions to the IASB are expected to be released in early 2002. The CMMI Congress in Cairns, Australia in May 2002 is likely to prove to be an important forum for continued discussion of the development and implementation of international standards and qualifications for mineral valuation. The outcomes and implications of these events are discussed.

Jan 1, 2002

By Jack S. Watson, Rasika Nimkar, Robert M. Counce, Matthew Gordy, Patrick Zhang

Waste phosphatic clay presents a difficult disposal problem and a significant loss of P2O5. Recent developments make this study on the use of phosphatic clay as a feed material for H3PO4 production worthwhile. (a) New data from Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute (FIPR) suggest that the Bclay^ waste can be effectively treated by improved solid separation coupled with flotation to produce feed material for recovering additional phosphate. (b) The use of BOLI Flowsheet^ provides capability to predict performance of aqueous-based processes for a range of possible operating conditions. Using the new FIPR data and BOLI Flowsheet^ enabled the design of a new process that can potentially extend the usefulness of current P2O5 ore deposits. Predictions using OLI Flowsheet were able to identify process conditions that effectively overcome the difficulty of high Mg content of phosphatic clay. Estimated manufacturing cost in the current study lead to valuation of the P2O5 content of the phosphatic clay recovered/utilized at 60 to 70% of that of the phosphate rock feed material currently used. Phosphatic clay should be considered as a valuable material that is currently given zero value. The new FIPR data and BOLI Flowsheet^ enables the design of a new process that can potentially extend the usefulness of current phosphate ore deposits by extending the fraction P2O5 of recovered

By Peter E. Price

Salt dome hosted metallic sulfide deposits are the product of a complex evolutionary system involving halokinesis, cap rock development and diagenesis, and the generation, migration, and accumulation of basinal brines and hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons play an important role in: (1) the production of calcite cap rock which hosts some of the metallic sulfide and sulfur concentrations, and (2) the generation of the reduced sulfur available for metallic sulfide precipitation and sulfur formation. Hydrocarbons and related fluids also are involved in the transporta¬tion and remobilization of the metals. Hydrocarbon consumption, in the course of cap rock development and sulfide mineralization at Hockley dome, is estimated to have been 6.4 million barrels of oil or 114 million cubic feet of methane. Mineral textures, including cap-rock banding, sulfide bands in anhydrite, and fine sulfide mineral banding indicate both episodic fluid influx and fluid compositional differences through time. Features such as pyrite "shells" and sphalerite and marcasite hemispheres may have been localized by hydrocarbon droplets and /or bacterial colonies. Marcasite mineralization in shallow strata above and flanking Hockley dome is best developed over the western and southern parts of the dome. This pattern mimics the known distribution of sulfide mineralization, which is dominantly marcasite, in the underlying cap rock. The iron sulfide paragenetic sequence in the sediments is pyritohedral and cubic + pyrithohedral pyrite followed by marcasite which is encrusted by cubic pyrite. Sulfur isotopic averages for the three stages are +20.8, -20.2, and +6.4 per mil, respectively. These values generally coincide with cap rock sulfate (+20 per mil), cap rock hosted metallic sulfides (-20 to +4 per mil), and sulfur in hydrocarbons (+5.8 per mil). Hydrocarbon compositions indicate provincial variations in oil composition and generation history. Long Point and Boling domes, which have an intergrown sulfide-sulfate-sulfur mineral assemblage indicative of mixed reducing-oxidizing environment, contain oils that are less mature than Hockley dome which appears to be more mineralogically segregated. Sterane biomarker compositions of the oils at Hockley, Long Point and Boling domes indicate a local, dominantly terrestrial source. An oil sample from supracap sandstones on the northeast flank of Hockley dome contained over 750 ppm combined Fe, Zn, Pb, and Co, indicating that hydrocarbons are carrying or remobilizing metals. Cap rock calcite and anhydrite also exhibit provincial variations in strontium isotopic ratios. Calcite and anhydrite cap rocks from several sulfide mineralized domes in the Houston diapir province have strontium isotopic ratios that are more radiogenic than Jurassic sea water (>0.7078). A calcite sample within massive sulfides at Winnfield dome also has a high 87Sr/86Sr ratio (0.7085). Variations in strontium isotopic ratios with strontium content indicate the mixing of at least three Sr-bearing fluids in the cap rock environment, one of which may have been the metal carrier. Anhydrite residues from diapiric salt have strontium ratios up to 0.7100, considerably more radiogenic than Jurassic seawater. These high ratios indicate either that salt and anhydrite recrystallized sometime post-Jurassic in the presence of a fluid with a high 87Sr/86Sr ratio, or that they precipitated in the Jurassic from a fluid with a higher 87Sr/86Sr ratio than Jurassic seawater. Salt domes with cap rocks containing metallic sulfides have only been found in basins that have geopressured zones. Waters from geopressured zones in the vicinity of mineralized salt domes have salinities that are two or more times higher and iron and base metal concentrations that are three to one thousand times higher, than geopressured fluids from other parts of the basin.

Jan 1, 2013

By Kyeong Woo Chung, Rina Kim, Ho‑Seok Jeon, Yeongjin Ahn, Byunghun Go, Min‑seuk Kim, Hong‑In Kim, Sujeong Lee, Yuik Eom

The study focused on the recovery of vanadium from a Korean vanadium-bearing titaniferous magnetite (VTM) ore, examining the behaviors of magnetic separation and Na2CO3 roasting-water leaching. Two concentrates were prepared using single-stage dry magnetic separation and three-step wet magnetic separation, resulting in V2O5 grades of 0.8% and 1.0% and major gangue mineral SiO2 contents of 6.5% and 1.7%, respectively. These concentrates were subsequently roasted at 1050 °C with the addition of Na2CO3 and then water-leached at 25 °C. Various stoichiometric ratios of V2O5 to Na2CO3 were tested, ranging from 1:1 to 1:40 of the theoretically required amount. As the amount of Na2CO3 increased, the vanadium leaching efficiency showed fluctuations between 4 and 35% for ratios of 1:1 to 1:10, while it linearly increased from 4 to 82% for ratios of 1:10 to 1:40 in the leaching of the low-grade concentrate. In contrast, the leaching efficiency increased from 47 to 74% for ratios of 1:1 to 1:8 and then sharply rose to 84% at a ratio of 1:10 in the leaching of the high-grade concentrate. Subsequently, it reached a plateau of 92 to 94% for ratios of 1:20 to 1:40. The difference in leaching efficiency was primarily due to the reaction of gangue minerals with Na2CO3, which hindered vanadium leaching from the VTM concentrates. This hindrance was notably more pronounced in the low-grade concentrate with the lower salt ratio, as the gangue minerals exhibited a preference for consuming Na2CO3 over vanadium. The mineral formation was analyzed in detail using XRD and MLA to shed light on the mechanism of different vanadium leaching behavior depending on the concentrate grade and vanadium to salt ratio. Based on the results of this study, it is evident that applying a proper magnetic separation procedure is significant to achieving satisfactory vanadium recovery with less salt amount by removing gangue minerals ahead.

Mar 15, 2024

By Karl J. Benecke

Though the first patent on a bucket wheel excavator was granted in 1881 in the U.S. this technology was developed in Germany to the high standards of today. However, this development was only possible in parallel with the development of shiftable belt conveyors and boom stackers. The combination of these three types of equipment in the open pits of the Federal Republic of Germany has made lignite the cheapest energy source for power generating, despite the low heating value of German lignite in the order of 8500 kJ/kg (3600 BTU/lb) only. Comparing the costs for fuels used in power generating on the basis of their heating value, the relation between lignite, high quality black coal, and imported crude oil is in the order of 1 to 1.5 to 2.5, hence highly in favour of lignite. These cost advantages for lignite in Germany are due mainly to the concentration of lignite mining in a few high-output open pit mines. The largest one, Fortuna Mine in the Cologne district, produced a, total of 45 000 000 t lignite in 1976. That equals the annual fuel need of a 5750 MW power plant running 7000 hours per year at full capacity. Altogether 95 200 000 bank m3 equal to 200 000 000 t overburden had to be removed to accomplish this lignite output. The largest BWE (Fig. 1) ever built is working in the Fortuna Mine, too. At a digging height of 51 m above crawler level, the total vertical reach in relation to the face conveyor level is 98 m by means of its conveying bridge and loading unit. The hourly output is 10 400 bank m3. Its weight in operation is 13 000 t, its wheel diameter 21.6 m, as high as a 7-storey building.

Jan 1, 1977

By Vladimir Admek, Paul W. Jeran, Michael A. Trevits

It has' been found that lithological conditions over the Pittsburgh Coal bed cause the subsidence coefficient to vary within the area of the subsidence trough. This precludes the use of European developed predictive models, which are based upon a constant subsidence coefficient. Regression analysis of the distribution of subsidence coefficients from 11 Bureau of Mines, U.S. Department of the Interior, longwall panel studies on the location relative to the edge of the panel has yielded a third degree polynomial equation. This equation has been incorporated into a BASIC computer program for use on a personal computer that allows users with no previous knowledge of the theory of subsidence to predict vertical movements over typical longwall panels in the Northern Appa1achian Coal Basin.

Jan 1, 1986

By Thomas D. Kaufmann

Introduction What drives the price of gold? Supply and demand, of course. But in ways far different from the forces that drive the prices of other major metals, such as steel, aluminum, and copper. Gold, in fact, is one of the few commodities where both buyers and sellers are happy when the price goes up. Current production, production costs, and variations in production have little influence on its price. Gold inventories are so tremendous that current production has small impact on the amounts available to the market at any time. Worldwide gold inventory and production The world's inventories seem to be between 78 and 98 kt (2.5 and 3 billion oz). Since biblical times, the gold miners of the world have produced about 98 kt (3 billion oz), mostly in this century. Only small amounts have been thrown away and most of it - more than 78 kt (2.5 billion oz) - remain in bullion, coins, or jewelry. About 40% is held by central banks and other governmental authorities, 30% by private individuals as bullion or coins, and about 30% as jewelry. Except for some of the jewelry and the few industrial applications, this inventory is constantly available in marketable form at a price. By comparison, gold production is indeed small. The US Bureau of Mines estimates that the world produced 1.5 kt (50 million oz) of gold in 1986. Consequently, production increased world inventories by only 2%. Variations in production have a negligible or very short-term effect on the supply and, consequently, on the markets for gold. Although South Africa mines about 40% to 50% of the world's annual production, continuing labor strife there does not seem to have ruffled gold prices. Determining gold's price Gold prices, however, do determine cutoff grades in the mines and, thus, do influence production. Nonetheless, changes in production have little impact on the inventory supply. Consequently, it has small influence on the price of gold on the market. With a fairly stable supply, price changes are driven by changes in its demand. Unlike other metals, very little of the demand for gold comes from industry. Dental, electronic, and other industrial uses for gold consume less than 46.6 t/a (1.5 million oz per year). It would be safe to assume that such uses are less than 124 t/a (4 million oz per year) for the entire world. Variations in the 124 t (4 million oz), compared to a supply of 78 kt (2.5 billion oz) of supply can have only a negligible effect. Production net of industrial uses adds perhaps 1% annually to world inventories. This could, in time, affect markets. The increase, however, is mostly absorbed by population growth - more people wanting to own gold - and by gold being put in more attractive forms, such as coins. As an ancient Lydian king discovered, minting bullion permits

Jan 9, 1987

By C. D. Anderson

A variety of processing technologies exist for recovery from both primary and secondary sources of rhenium. Currently, there are no known primary rhenium deposits, thus, the method in which primary rhenium is produced is dependent on the commodity of which it is a byproduct, e.g., copper, molybdenum, uranium, etc. In addition, focus on the recovery of rhenium from secondary sources, such as alloy scraps and catalysts, is continually growing. This paper presents a review of both primary and secondary processing technologies for the recovery of rhenium. Key Words: Rhenium, Ammonium Perrhenate, Extractive Metallurgy

Feb 27, 2013

By Jr. Koch

Since 1882, world zinc production has increased. In contrast, United States zinc production rose until about 1915, but since then has remained nearly constant, with a slight tendency to decrease. Production from the Tri-State district, the largest early source of zinc in the United States, has gone down steadily; this decline has been balanced by a growth in the rate of other districts. These changes in United States production are due to economic, not geological, factors. Recent exploration has located large mineable ore bodies; additional deposits will undoubtedly be found in the strata-bound carbonate rock and volcanogenic environments. A statistical analysis of the exploration effort in the Middle Tennessee district indicates that new discoveries can be expected there. Thus, the United States is in an early stage of the production cycle for zinc. Of major mining districts in the United States, only the Tri-State is exhausted under current economic conditions; large zinc resources of low-grade material, which would repay mining at higher prices or improved technology, are known to exist in that district.

Jan 1, 1980

Introduction The science of geometallurgy requires that ore characterization be performed holistically, that is, with consideration of ore quality on plant performance and product quality. Geometallurgy, by definition, requires knowledge of geology, mineralogy, extractive metallurgy and pyrometallurgy. Examples of the ore characterization challenges for the geometallurgist in the production of iron ore pellets from low-grade Proterozoic iron formation are presented here. Ore Characterization Ore characterization, the quantifying of mineralogy, grain size and the texture of ores, is an often overlooked tool in improving process efficiency. Some mineral related problems are not unique to the production of iron ore pellets; e.g. the problems caused by expanding clays in flotation. The negative impact of carbonate minerals in the ore on pellet productivity and pellet quality are unique. The long and complex geologic history of Precambrian iron formations contribute to modifications of grain size and the introduction of complex textures.

Jan 1, 2007

By P. Sangurmath, C. Gundewar, M. Riyazulla, V. Vasudev, N. Shadaksharswami

Dharwar craton in the southern Indian shield, comprises the Neoarchaean foreland in the west and a relatively younger accretionary complex composed of granitoids and intervening gold-bearing volcano-sedimentary belts. The Hutti schist belt hosting a major gold producing mine is situated in the northern part of the eastern Dharwar craton. It is a horse-shoe shaped structure comprising predominantly of pillowed metabasalt of tholeiitic composition with minor amounts of clastic sediments and felsic volcanic rocks. The belt is intruded on all sides by circular to tabular bodies of granites and granodiorite. Important gold deposits are located at Hutti, Hira-Buddini and Uti villages. Felsic volcanics in the Hutti belt occur as tabular bodies of quartz porphyry and breccia. Two of the gold-bearing reefs in the Hutti mine, Viz., Middle and Strike reefs are intimately associated with tabular sub-vertical sheets of mylonitic quartz-feldspar porphyry intruding pillowed metrabasalt. In Uti mine area, the felsic volcanics occurs as a tabular body. At Hira-Buddini, the felsic volcanic occur as a irregularly shaped sheet in pillowed metabasalt. Mineralogical and geochemical studies suggest that the felsic volcanic rock in Hutti mine area is a rhyolite and at Uti and Hira-Buddhini it is of dacite composition. Scheelite occurs as veins, veinlets, stringers and blebs along fracture planes of felsic volcanics in the Hutti mine area, whereas at Uti and Hira-Buddini it is insignificant. On the basis of spatial association of metabasalt and felsic volcanics and on geochemical grounds, we interpret that the felsic volcanics might have originated by the partial melting of basalt. REE patterns of the granite, granodiorite and metabasalt of Hutti are similar to each other indicating that they could be co-magmatic. However, REE in the Hutti felsic rocks is significantly higher than in Uti and particularly Hira-Buddini mine areas. The two felsic volcanic samples drawn away from the mineralized zone from all the three mine areas were analyzed for tungsten. In Hutti one sample assayed 0.15% and another 0.062%. At Uti, in one sample it assayed 0.056% and another less than 1 ppm, whereas at Hira-Buddini, it is less than 1 ppm in both the samples. The spatially associated basalt analyzed 23 to 235 ppm tungsten, whereas granites and granodiorites have very low (<1 ppm) tungsten. Therefore, the source of tungsten in the felsic volcanics of Hutti area could be traced to metabasalt. The absence of significant amount of tungsten in the felsic volcanic of Hira-Buddini could be attributed to the lack of REE enrichment compared to REE in Hutti and Uti felsic volcanics.

Jan 1, 2007

By D. Duvris

Health and safety issues are a very important aspect of mining activities. Although the application of scientific research and current technology shields workers from many dangerous aspects of mining, accidents do happen. Many companies and institutions worldwide have committed to a continuous effort to minimize such occurrences. In this study, the health and safety data pertaining to the Greek mining and quarrying industry for the last 3 decades are presented and critically evaluated with respect to number of workers, annual production, etc. Appropriate indices are also calculated regarding the incidence and frequency of accidents. Health and safety issues specific to mining in Greek are also discussed.

Jan 1, 2000

By A. B. Cecala

Enclosed cabs have been used for many years to isolate workers on mobile equipment in the mining industry for health and safety reasons. These enclosed cabs create a microenvironment for workers where they can be either more protected or more vulnerable to contaminants. Over the past decade, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has performed substantial research efforts to improve the air quality inside enclosed cabs of both underground and surface mobile mining equipment. In these efforts, NIOSH has partnered with mining companies, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and manufacturers of filtrations and pressurizations systems in a synergistic effort to reduce respirable dust and improve the air quality inside these enclosed cabs. Various field studies over this time have shown an array of results ranging from very minor to very significant reductions (protection factor: 3 ? 89) in respirable dust levels inside these enclosed cabs. In addition to and concurrent to the field work, NIOSH also performed a comprehensive laboratory study to evaluate all the factors involved in cab filtration and pressurization systems and identified those factors that were most significant for an effective system. From this comprehensive research effort, the key components for an effective filtration and pressurization system have been identified in an effort to provide the best air quality, thus minimizing the respirable dust exposure, to equipment operators inside of enclosed cabs of mobile mining equipment.

Feb 27, 2013

By D. Küster, G. Franken, P. Schütte, J. Vasters

The CTC (Certified Trading Chains) mineral certification system has been piloted in Rwanda since late 2008. CTC project implementation is jointly driven by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) and the Rwanda Geology and Mines Authority (OGMR), in cooperation with other national stakeholders. Five Rwandan mineral producers participate in the CTC project with their flagship mining concessions. Based on independent third-party audits, CTC certifies supply chain due diligence measures of these companies engaged in the artisanal mining sector through on-the-ground assessments of mining conditions, transparency, as well as mineral origin and traceability. The CTC system thus allows responsible mineral producers and their clients to verifiably demonstrate supply chain due diligence and good governance in conflict-affected and high-risk areas.

Jan 1, 2011

By Ali Yalçin

The study area is located in the NW of Uluborlu (Isparta). Massive limestones and alluvial deposits form the lithological units of the study area. The average thickness of the alluvium deposit consisting mainly of light brown - red colored and fine grained clastic sediments which derived from the limestone is about 10 meters. The aim of this study to investigate the uses of this alluvial sediments as tile - brick material. For this aim, disturbed and undisturbed samples have been taken from different depths in the alluvial deposits. Mineralogical compositions have been determined by XRD and major oxide contents by XRF. Laboratory experiments have been carried out to determine the technological properties of the samples. The selected major oxide contents of samples vary between A12O3 (24.6 - 24.12 wt %), CaO (0.76 - 4.27 wt %), Fe2O3 (10.21 - 10.29 wt %), MgO2 (1.25 - 1.51 wt %). CaCO3 and MgCO3 values calculated from the geochemical analyses, are between 1.55 - 1.62 and 2.62 - 3.17 respectively. The ratios of grain size of the samples are 82 % for < 0.2 mm and 5 % for > 3 mm. Geochemical analyses and technological features of the samples indicate that these fine grained sediments of alluvial deposit are suitable in terms of uses as tile - brick material. The potential reserve of this tile - brick material has been determined as 40 million tones.

Jan 1, 2005

By Paul J. Ehret

With the passage of the Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act (SMCRA), and the implementation of state permanent programs, underground coal mining operations are for the first time subject to government regulations regarding subsidence. These regulations now and in the future will directly affect the manner in which mining companies mine their coal. Since the promulgation of the original final regulations by OSM, numerous changes in those regulations have been made and many additional changes are pending in the near future. This paper will discuss state and federal approaches to regulating underground coal mines and examine issues surrounding future subsidence regulations.

Jan 1, 1986