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By F. Freme

Coal production in the United States in 2008 reached a record level of 1.06 Gt (1,171.5 million st), according to preliminary data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) (Table 1). This is an increase of 2.2 percent, or 22.5 Mt (24.8 million st) above the 2007 level and 7.9 Mt (8.7 million st) above the prior record level set in 2006. Although coal production was higher in 2008, U.S. total coal consumption decreased in all sectors for the year. Coal consumption in the electric power sector in 2008 was lower by 0.3 percent, while coking coal consumption decreased by 2.8 percent and the other industrial sector declined by 3.7 percent. The commercial and institutional sector, that had been called the ?residential and commercial? sector prior to 2008, declined by 0.6 percent in 2008. It is the smallest of all the coal-consuming sectors. (Note: All percent-age change calculations are done at the short-tons level.) U.S. coal exports were significantly higher in 2008, while coal imports decreased during the year. Total coal stocks increased in 2008, as some consumers added to their stockpiles. The coal synfuel industry, which grew throughout most of this decade, disappeared from the scene due to the expiration of the available federal tax credits at the end of 2007. The decline in coal consumption during the year was the consequence of slowing domestic economic growth, particularly in the latter half of the year, combined with the weather conditions in 2008, resulting in lower demand for electricity. Preliminary data show that total generation in the electric power sector (electric utilities and independent power producers, including useful thermal output) in the U.S. decreased in 2008. Coal-based generation also decreased, resulting in a 3.2-Mt (3.5-mil-lion st) drop in coal consumed in the electric power sec-tor. Coal use in the non-electricity sector decreased by 3.3 percent to a level of 72.6 Mt (80.1 million st). The international coal markets in 2008 were the driv-

Jan 1, 2009

By CASSANDRA L. HOEBBEL, Emily J. Haas, MARGARET E. RYAN

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the role that individual factors play in health and safety (H&S) outcomes in the mining industry. Two surveys, one measuring self-reported routine safety performance and one measuring individual perceived competence in the non-routine knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) critical to emergency response, were administered to two samples of mineworkers in separate research studies over a 2-year period (N=2,020 and 696, respectively). Eight demographic items were common to both surveys and their associations with each performance outcome were tested in response to a series of exploratory research questions.

Jan 9, 2022

By E. Lammer

"Underground mining processes are dangerous. The design of mining equipment, which is able to cope with the hostile underground environment, is a challenge for all machine manufacturers. Presupposition for realizing the vision of SANDVIK for zero harm for working with SANDVIK equipment is the installation of the appropriate processes. Into the product engineering and product development processes of Sandvik Mining and Construction, a specific "Product Safety Process" has been integrated, where all safety related activities like identification of all life cycle hazards, risk management and safety verification / validation are planned, performed and documented. Product safety shall be „designed into" the products. Therefore, specific research activities have been started, to address the safety and health related topics for the development and for the engineering of SANDVIK mining machines."

Jan 1, 2011

By Michael J. Miller

In the design of a modem mill, a stockpile storage system for raw and/or semi-processed ore has become almost indispensable. This paper discusses the benefits of such stockpile storage as well as the various types of belt conveyor stockpiling units available. Particular attention is given to large radial stackers since they offer the greatest flexibility. Stacker control systems and accessory equipment are briefly discussed. Various alternative reclaiming arrangements for stockpiles are reviewed and a discussion of the advantages and drawbacks of each arrangement is included.

Jan 1, 1979

By John Litz

The term "refractory gold ores" refers to a wide number of ore types which are not readily amenable to direct cyanidation. A number of processes have been used commercially, and a number of others have been proposed and in many cases pilot tested. The selection of the appropriate process for an ore should not be arbitrary. Ore grade may preclude some processes, but a good understanding of the ore mineralogy can guide the selection. Many present gold operations and many potential gold operations have faced or are facing problems with refractory gold mineralization. We at Hazen Research have had the opportunity to perform bench testwork and in some cases, pilot plant testing on a number of refractory ores. The data included in this paper are excerpted from the testing of fifteen ores which cover a wide range of mineralogical compositions. This paper is not intended to be a treatise on the processing of refractory gold ores. In many of these gold projects, not all of the standard process alternatives were evaluated, nor was adequate mineralogical work performed. Such is the dilemma of contract research. "If I believe that I don't need it, why should I pay to have it done." The intent of this presentation, therefore, is to show how different ores respond to the various processes, and to demonstrate that one must have an open mind when developing a process for a specific refractory gold ore.

Jan 1, 1998

By Zephaniah Varley, Satoshi Akai, Richard Sage, Steve Redmond, Mike Murray, Rohit Shetty, Gerald Skalla

One would be hard pressed to find another project as complex as this one given its configuration, the variety of issues to address and the required construction techniques. Contract C710 is currently under construction as part of Sound Transit’s Link Light Rail, connecting downtown Seattle with Sea-Tac Airport. The paper describes the construction-to-date of the deep mined station under Beacon Hill using the Sequential Excavation Method (SEM). This deep “binocular” station is being mined through some of the most challenging soft ground conditions in the USA. The excavated volume of the station is approximately 60,000 cy (46,000 m3) and the station comprises a variety of geometries and cross sections ranging from 235 sf (22 m2) up to 1,670 sf (155 m2). This underground complex includes platform, concourse, cross-passage and emergency ventilation tunnels together with station egress and ventilation shafts. Various excavation sequences are in use for the different tunnels including the twin-sidewall drifts for the impressive45 ft (13.7 m) wide by 42 ft ( 12.8 m) high concourse cross adits. This station has two train platforms approximately 165 feet (50m) below the surface. This station, constructed in highly variable glacial deposits including water bearing sands and silts approximately 50 ft below multiple perched water tables in an urban setting, creates a very unique and challenging situation. The ground is being managed with various types of ground improvements such as jet grouting and vacuum assisted deep dewatering wells from the surface, and from underground by use of “SEM Tool-box Items” such as barrel vault canopy, grouted pipe and rebar spiling, chemical grout,

Jan 1, 2007

By Robert C. Horton

The Getchell Mine is located on the east flank of the Osgood Mountain Range in the Potosi Mining District, Humboldt County, NV. Mining in the area first began in 1883 for copper, lead and silver in skarn-related deposits. Tungsten was discovered in the skarns in 1916 and was mined sporadically until 1957. The first major discovery was made in 1933 when two Winnemucca prospectors, Edward Knight and Emmett Chase, found gold at the present site of the Getchell gold mine. In 1934, after a small amount of preliminary prospecting, the claims were purchased by Noble H. Getchell of Midas, NV. The Getchell Mine Inc. was organized and exploration and development work began on a broad scale. Major funding was provided by George Wingfield and investors he assembled. Laxalt described Wingfield’s immediate history prior to his financing of Getchell as follows.

Jan 1, 1999

By H. Sato, B. Thornton, K. Nishi, A. Usui

"Northwestern Pacific submarine seamounts are believed to be future marine mining areas of ferromanganese crusts, which contain hi-tech industrial metals, such as Co, Ni, Te, Ti, Pt, and REEs. The Takuyo No. 5 seamount is a member of the Cretaceous super-plume seamounts in the north Pacific, located within a Japanese EEZ (100 nm from the Minami- Torishima Is. or Marcus Is.), and only 300 nm away from the Japan’s Licensed area for exploration of Co-rich ferromanganese crusts under the ISA. This is an on-going program supported by independent academic communities but not a state-run program or managed by private funding.We have observed, sampled, measured, and analyzed the occurrences, distribution, physical properties, and microbiological environments at a selected flat topped seamount named Takuyo No.5 as a model area for scientific study of ferromanganese crusts within the Japanese EEZ. We then characterized crust structures, composition, age, and growth history, resulting in an understanding of the overall nature and distribution of these deposits from wide range of areas, water depths and geological environments. The study started with a ROV (Hyper-Dolphin 3K of JAMSTEC) exploration jointly with universities and national institutions (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Japan Oil, Gas, and Metal Exploration Corporation, and Geological Survey of Japan) in 2009 using marine geology vessels, remotely-operated vehicle, an oceanbottom drill machine, deep-tow TV camera, as well as conventional dredges and corers. We have been studying the topography, geology, nature of the bottom material of the seamounts using delicate sampling devices and measurement tools, and characterized the distribution patterns of the metal-rich ferromanganese deposits from chemical, mineralogical, and microbiological points of view."

Sep 1, 2014

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) are developing a coal pillar rib rating (CPRR) technique to measure the integrity of coal ribs. The CPRR characterizes the rib composition and evaluates its impact on the inherent stability of the coal ribs. The CPRR utilizes four parameters: rib homogeneity, bedding condition, face cleat orientation with respect to entry direction, and rib height. All these parameters are measurable in the field. A rib data collecting procedure and a simple sheet to calculate the CPRR were developed.

Jan 7, 2020

By M. S. Klima, P. T. Luckie

Proper analysis of washabiity data can lead to the development of a maximum yield coal preparation plant flow sheet. Simulations, as simple as spreadsheet mass and water balancing, are important in examining yield maximization and middlings liberation. Key to such attribute tracking flow sheet simulations is the distribution model, expressing the probability of a species reporting to the product stream. There are many such models in the literature. This paper examines a functional form that can represent or fit most of the proposed distribution functions.

Feb 24, 1997

By R. E. Hucko

The goal of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) coal preparation R&D program is to develop technology to reduce the ash and sulfur contents of United States coals to levels such that the resultant product can be formulated into a high- quality solid or slurry fuel that could replace oil or natural gas in both new and retrofit applications. The Coal Preparation program is implemented by the Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (PETC) and is conducted both in-house and by a cross section of industrial organizations, universities, and national laboratories.

Jan 1, 1986

By D. K. Denton, M. J. Friedel, D. F. Scott, T. J. Williams

Spokane Research Center personnel have been investigating the use of seismic tomography to monitor the behavior of a rock mass, detect hazardous ground conditions, and assess the mechanical integrity of a rock mass affected by mining. Seismic tomography can be a valuable tool for determining relative stress in deep ( > 1220 m) underground pillars. If high-stress areas are detected, they can be destressed prior to development or avoided. High-stress areas can be monitored with successive seismic surveys to determine if stress decreases to a level where development can be initiated safely. There are several benefits to using seismic tomography to identify high stress in deep underground pillars. The technique is reliable, cost-effective, efficient, and non-invasive. Also, investigators can monitor large rock masses, as well as monitor pillars during the mining cycle. By identifying areas of high stress, engineers will be able to assure that miners are working in a safer environment.

Feb 24, 1997

By John Gamble

This paper summarizes the weight of epidemiological evidence to evaluate the hypothesis that asbestos exposure is causally associated with increased risk of gastrointestinal (GI) cancers as suggested by Selikoff in an early study of insulation workers. This review looks at populations that develop GI cancers, namely stomach, colorectal, colon and rectal. Guidelines for assessing causality are strength of association, biological gradient and consistency of the associations. Exposure?response (E?R) was evaluated using three methods to estimate exposure. Rate Ratios (RRs) for lung cancer and percent of mesothelioma are used as surrogate measures of asbestos exposure for all the cohorts of exposed workers. Quantitative or semi-quantitative estimates of cumulative exposure to asbestos were also used to assess E?R trends and were compared to E?R trends for lung cancer and mesothelioma in individual studies. Surrogate measures are important since there are few individual studies that have assessed E?R. None of the various methods to estimate asbestos exposure yielded consistent E?R trends and the strength of the associations were consistently weak or non-existent for the four types of GI cancers. The epidemiological evidence detracts from the hypothesis that occupational asbestos exposure increases the risk of stomach, colorectal, colon, and rectal cancer. Findings are briefly summarized below. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Asbestos; Colon cancer; Colorectal cancer; Gastrointestinal cancers; Ingestion; Lung cancer; Mesothelioma; Rectal cancer; Review; Stomach cancer

Jan 1, 2007

By Omid Asghari, Seyed Reza Ghavami-Riabi, Sajjad Talesh Hosseini

Separation of geochemical anomalies from the background using various methods for identifying areas of higher mineral potential is a critical first step in Greenfield and Brownfield programs. There are several methods for differentiating anomalous regions from the background. The U-spatial statistics is an effective technique that provides the opportunity of reaching this goal by considering the geochemical sample locations in the separation of geochemical anomalies. In this study, a developed form of the U-spatial statistics method is introduced, which not only considers the existence of anisotropic spatial variations in input data but also reduces the computational (CPU) time. While the previous method is based on the isotropic assumption in the study area and a set of search windows at different times, here, the geochemical anomaly is determined by pasting only one ellipsoid window, effectively combining the flexibility of the U-spatial statistics method with the advantages of geostatistical approaches. This paper compares various approaches (the previous and developed version of the U-spatial statistics method, concentrationarea (C–A) fractal model, and probability diagram modeling) for the separation of anomalous areas in the presence of heterogeneous spatial variations. This is done with an application to a Baghqloom porphyry copper deposit located in southeastern Iran. The high potential areas identified via different approaches show an anomalous region in central parts of the Baghqloom area, which partially coincides with an intense potassic alteration area. Compared to other methods, our algorithm separated the high potential areas at a greater spatial resolution.

May 3, 2021

By A. Bieg, M. Samson, Z. Bell, A. Zinsser, J. Schuyler

As the world progresses toward the renewable energy transition, the demand for minerals increases exponentially. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) 2021 Net Zero by 2050 Report, critical mineral production needs to grow six times to combat climate change. It’s estimated that four to seven percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions come from the mining sector’s Scope 1 and 2 (direct and indirect) emissions. Including Scope 3 (upstream, downstream, and embedded) emissions, the sector accounts for 28% of global GHG emissions. In a typical mining operation, diesel fuel is the biggest source of direct GHG emissions, and haulage is often the main source of diesel emissions. Large haul trucks have been the industry standard for over 50 years and offer flexibility, relatively low capital cost (especially with equipment lease options), and guaranteed technology with known maintenance. The challenge will be to justify their continued use when there are more economical options that lead to significant reductions in GHG emissions. The purpose of this study is to compare five haulage options in terms of GHG emissions, using the methodology defined by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scopes 1, 2, and 3 (Category 2). Additionally, this analysis compares operating and capital costs associated with the five haulage options (emerging and proven technologies): 1) Diesel-Electric Haul Trucks, 2) Battery-Electric Haul Trucks, 3) Fuel Cell Haul Trucks, 4) Railveyor, and 5) Conveyor. This analysis looks at the emissions and costs associated with operating the equipment (fuel and electricity), the embedded emissions and costs associated with the construction and installation of the equipment itself, and the associated infrastructure (roads, powerlines, and rail).

Feb 1, 2023

By Wade Edward Speer

The Hiddenite District of Alexander County, NC has produced some of the world?s finest large emeralds since the first one was discovered 134 years ago. In fact, North America?s largest emeralds come from the district, making this one of the continent?s most unique gem deposits. In addition to emeralds, the Hiddenite District is also famous as the discovery site for the rare spodumene mineral hiddenite, first identified in 1881. Nowhere else in the world do these two minerals naturally occur together. The emeralds are a unique color variety of beryl (Al2Be3Si6O18) with trace amounts of Cr+3 and V+3 substituting for Al+3. The hiddenite (LiAlSi2O6) crystals also exhibit emerald green color due to traces of chromium. Consisting of three large deposits and numerous prospects, the district encompasses an area of 10 km2 (4 sq miles) centered on the small town of Hiddenite. Operations at the Adams, Ellis and North American Emerald Mines properties have been productive at irregular intervals since the 1880s. Currently, only the North American Emerald Mines property is being mined on a regular basis. Recent activity there has exposed a 3-hm2 (7.4-acre) pit with depths of 25 m (82 ft) that provides the best exposures of unweathered bedrock seen in the district in more than 120 years. Although no official records exist, public and private data indicate that the production of the entire Hiddenite District from 1880 to 2007 is about 70,000 carats of emerald and 20,000 carats of hiddenite. The bulk of the emeralds came from the North American Emerald Mine property (NAEM, formerly known as the Rist Mine) where sustained mining replaced the previous sporadic prospecting in 2000.

Jan 1, 2009

By W. Lin, M. J. McPherson

When a large area of open gob collapses suddenly, a windblast is produced that can cause considerable damage throughout the infrastructure of a mine. In a few cases, the windblast has been accompanied by ignitions of methane and/or coal dust. This paper describes the conduct and results of laboratory tests involving the compression of mixtures of air, methane and coal dust under a falling weight and while allowing controlled escape of the mixture. The transient responses on pressure and temperature sensors were recorded. In addition to an analysis of those records, the paper highlights those conditions in which ignitions occurred.

Feb 24, 1997

By Descour Jozef, Suguru Shirasagi, Takuji Yamamoto, Koji Murakami

For TBM tunneling no visual inspection of excavated ground is possible. This may hinder the high-speed excavation, particularly in complex ground conditions. The TBM Excavation Control System was developed for better prediction of geological conditions ahead of the tunnel face during excavation. The seismic reflector tracing produces volumetric images of anomalies in the ground in “near-real time.” These images are verified using logging data from pilot boring and TBM driving data, to improve reliability and precision of ground mapping. Also good correlation was obtained between the rock strength index computed from TBM data, and one derived from volumetric seismic images.

Jan 1, 2007

By A. B. Cecala

The US Bureau of Mines has designed and evaluated total mill ventilation systems (TMVS) at two mineral-processing operations. Both systems have proven proficient at cost-effectively reducing respirable dust levels throughout the mills. An 11.8-m3/sec (25,000-cfm) system installed at a clay-processing mill provided about 10 air changes per hour(acph). This system reduced respirable dust concentrations by about 40% throughout the mill building. The second evaluation was performed at a silica sand operation. Tests were performed with 23.6 and 47.2 m3/sec(50,000 and 100,000 cfm) of ventilation to the mill building, corresponding to 17 and 34 acph. Average mill-wide respirable dust reductions were 36% and 64%, respectively. This work was done to determine general guidelines and design criteria for operations that may be interested in implementing TMVS. TMVS should be designed to draw clean make-up air in near the base of the mill. This air provides general purging and may clear some dust-laden areas throughout the mill structure. It is discharged at or near the top of the structure. Without the TMVS, dust can exit the building through open doors, windows, etc. and contaminate outside plant workers. This dust can also be recirculated back into the mill building causing additional contamination problems. TMVS is not a stand-alone system. It is a supplemental technique to assist other localized dust control systems (Mody et al.,1987).

Jan 1, 1995

By T. Hayashi

A sophisticated process of extracting ultrafine sulfide mineral particles of under 1µm size suspended in clay slurry has been developed through studies of electrochemical properties of particle surface. Experimental procedure and data of the process applied to some clay ores containing sphalerite and pyrite, and molybdenite and other sulfide minerals are reported. Discussions concentrated on the function of process reagents, particularly on various modifying reagents, and on the effect of dispersed or flocculated state of ultrafine particles in slurry which affect significantly the performance of the process.

Jan 1, 1982