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By C. Robinson

The Diavik Diamond Mine is located in one of the most remote and forbidding places in the world, 220 kilometres south of the Arctic Circle and on the bed of a vast northern lake, Lac de Gras. A single road, built out of ice and crossing frozen lakes, connects the mine with other operations and Yellowknife, the capital of the Canada's Northwest Territories. Diamonds were first discovered in the Lac de Gras region in the early 1990s, and construction of the Diavik Diamond Mine was completed in 2003. Diavik currently mines three kimberlite pipes. Open pit mining has now concluded and all three pipes are mined using underground mining methods. In early 2010, Diavik began mining and processing initial ore from its new underground mine; underground mining operations are expected to continue beyond 2020. The initial mine ventilation system was an exhausting (pull) system with fresh air supplied by a fresh air raise and a main ramp. Return air was exhausted via two raises and a secondary ramp. The system had a total flow capacity approximating 401-411 m3/s. With planned increased production and with changes in mining method, it has been proposed to change the mine ventilation system to a positive (forcing) ventilation system in order to meet projected increases in flow requirements of 566-708 m3/s. Extensive engineering work was developed in order to successfully achieve the changes in system configuration. In the proposed configuration, the main ramp is in an exhaust configuration and exhaust raises are converted to fresh air raise. A number of system implementation options were investigated and phased plans for system execution have been developed. The proposed changes to the ventilation system are substantial and involve extensive construction work. Work was commenced in 2011, each planned phase has been successfully completed to date, and system changes continue today in order to achieve complete system flow reversal and increased flow distribution. This paper details the design of the modified ventilation system and commissioning work which will allow the mine to meet its future production targets.

Aug 1, 2013

By Jean-Guy L. Gauthier

"With the Ontario Ministry of the Environment stipulating that the cumulative concentration of copper, lead, zinc and nickel in mine mill effluent must be no greater than 1.0 milligram per litre, it has become necessary for the mining industry of find some form of treatment for the removal of heavy metals from effluent waters.To comply with these guidelines, it became necessary for Mattabi Mines Ltd., which is situated 50 miles Northeast of Ignace in Northwestern Ontario, to develop a compact, cost effective and technically sound treatment process to remove heavy metals from their tailings overflow. A design committee consisting of mine metallurgists, environmental engineers, a Dutch research and development team and the equipment supplier engineering staff was set up to accomplish this.Using some new and innovative wastewater treatment equipment, the guidelines established by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment can now be met. The sludge produced from the precipitated heavy metals is sent directly to the concentrator, thus eliminating the danger of re-dissolution of the metals in a landfill site, while recovering some of the valuable metals that would otherwise be wasted in a sludge landfill."

Jan 1, 1980

By Ann Lamontagne

Le parc à résidus de l?ancienne mine Dunraine contient des résidus générateurs de drainage minier acide. Le concept proposé pour la restauration du site est d?utiliser le fort potentiel alcalin des boues rouges, résidus d?aluminerie, afin de neutraliser les résidus miniers. En appliquant une certaine quantité de boues rouges à la surface du parc, on provoquera une neutralisation de l?acidité. De plus, les alcalis contenus dans les boues rouges vont provoquer la précipitation de minéraux stables (sulfates tel la jarosite). La précipitation de ces minéraux provoquera la formation d?une couche indurée qui rendra difficile la circulation de l?oxygène et de l?eau. Bien que ce concept ait été vérifié en laboratoire, ce sont là des hypothèses qui restent à vérifier dans des conditions réelles d?exposition. Les principales questions soulevées par l?utilisation des boues rouges, mis à part le contexte géochimique, est le contexte technico-économique. En effet, le transport de quantité importante d?un matériel argileux humide présente un défi économique important. Outre le défi économique, la manipulation et l?épandage de ce produit sur des parcs à résidus constituent également un défi important. Cet article présente les conclusions d?une étude technique sur le transport, la manutention et l?épandage de boues rouges sur un parc à résidus situés en Abitibi : le site de Dunraine.

Nov 1, 2002

By R. Heikkilä

Fluent information exchange between different work phases, software and systems used in infra construction is a key for successful execution of infra construction projects. Open and publicly available information formats with the determined data models aim to facilitate the interoperability between different software and systems developed by competitive vendors. While building and construction industry has developed and used IFC format for years, infrastructure sector has just recently started to target clear efforts on the development of open information formats for infra construction processes. In the paper, a new Inframodel3 extension just developed in Finland and based on the LandXML1.2 international standard is to be introduced. The aim of the Inframodel3 was set to meet the requirements of information transfer needed especially between BIM based design software, measurement systems and 3-D machine control systems used in road, railway and watercourse construction projects. Some test results are reported and evaluated in the paper. In the field of bridge engineering, the IFC format and IFC Bridge extension have been tested and evaluated in Finland. The results from the experiments show and verify as well the applicability of these open formats to the information exchange requirements in bridge engineering. The current limits for open information transfer of these formats are shown. The active co-operation with the International Building SMART Organization has led to the achieved status and position for both the Inframodel3 and IFC Bridge formats and hence the continuing international support provided by Building SMART.

Aug 1, 2013

By Mousa Mohammadi

Due to operational advantage of dragline in simultaneous excavation and back-filling, the equipment has gained vast importance in open-pit mining. Besides, absence of auxiliary haulage units and a myriad of other benefits are also credited in favor of excavation of muck piles by the draglines. However, the aspects of production, productivity and economics are of utmost significance in dragline operation and planning. In this light, the present paper is an endeavor to analyze availability and utilization of dragline operations. The paper presents a good amount of data for 4-draglines operating in one of the major opencast projects in India. The study reveals the trends of availability and utilization of these draglines during last 11-years. Furthermore, the study also highlights the salient reasons for loss of available hours and for idling of the draglines. Some startling information and facts have been illustrated in form of graphs and pie charts.

Aug 1, 2013

By Karl Dufresne

Blasting in geothermally high temperature ground and/or extremely reactive ground is an increasing common challenge for surface and underground mines. Many current PETN based non-electric and electronic detonators have manufacturer published in-hole temperature limits ranging from 55°C to 65°C (131°F to 150°F). When confronting blasthole temperatures above the manufacturer published limits, operations may request site-specific guidance and qualification for use. The advised safe loading window for in-hole PETN based detonators is often too short to be practicable for production blasting. To overcome limitations of PETN based initiation systems, surface mines with high temperature ground and/or reactive ground are known to load blastholes with a qualified high temperature bulk emulsion that are top primed with a cartridge of temperature qualified detonator sensitive emulsion plus an RDX detonating cord downline. As there is no in-hole delay detonator in this system, blasthole timing is accomplished with surface delays. Although this system is safe, top priming and surface delaying does influence floor quality and top size fragmentation, and safe loading windows times reduce blast block size and increase blasting frequency. A mining company with a site characterized by geothermally high temperature ground plus highly reactive ground employed a blasting system like the one described above. The site desires to improve blasting performance by moving to an in-hole delay initiation system that can withstand the site ground conditions. At the request of the mining house, DynaEnergetics developed an electronic initiation system for application in geothermally high temperature ground and/or extremely reactive ground conditions. The DynaEnergetics IGNEO high temperature electronic initiation system is rated for in-hole use in ground up to 150C (302°F) for 48 hours. The detonator consists of a high strength detonator with an HMX base charge and thermally resistant downline. To make up a primer, the detonator is inserted into a booster charge assembly that is fitted with a small HMX shape charge. This high energy primer is designed to be compatible and reliable for firing bulk emulsions, including those with high percentages of urea inhibition to combat reactive ground. Up to 1000 detonators may be programmed in 1ms increments up to 1500ms. The system is controlled by a digital firing panel that can be used with either a wired or wireless trigger.  The system enables high temperature and/or reactive ground sites to utilize in-hole delay initiation and realize the associated performance benefits. Conclusions and Future Work 1] The HMX based electronic initiation system permits bottom in-hole delaying in ground temperatures above 80°C (175°F). As compared to top priming and surface delaying, in-hole bottom delaying is known to improve floor quality, muckpile fragmentation uniformity and reduce oversize. 2] Field evaluation of the HMX initiation system at the Lihir Mine is continuing. 3] Work on the next generation of the HMX initiation system is underway and will bring with it expanded application range and flexibility. 

Oct 1, 2024

By P. M. STILES

Acquired in 1957, the limestone quarry of Ideal Basic Industries on Texada Island north of Vancouver has become a major supplier of high purity limestone and construction stone. Crushed limestone products are shipped by barge to various destinations along the B.C. and northern U.S. coasts.

Jan 1, 1984

By J. Bhattacharya, S. K. Mukhopadhyay, S. K. Pal

"While time and again many authors have categorically stressed the restoration of the environment, very little effort has been made in the mineral industry to develop the economy of environmental control. There are many abatement procedures that search a maze of variants. Among them pricing environmental damage seems to be more logical and easily implementable.IntroductionMining as an operation has a severe impact on the Earth's natural resources. While economical environment control is much sought after, solutions are often varied and complex, and can differ in the problems of single or multiple mine sites.Determination of Optimum use LevelsIn “mining environmental control"" it is required to strike a balance to find optimum use levels. The solution is to find where the welfare benefits equal the cost involved to curb the degree of environmental damage (Fig . I) . In the mining industries this can be done by modifying the production/extraction process itself. For most pollutants, the marginal costs of control will exceed the benefits from further reduction of damage long before the zero pollution damage point is reached (Fig. I). From an economic perspective the optimal alteration of environment by mining would occur at z; pollution continues to be caused by ""zy"" control units, but it would be inefficient to pursue the redemption efforts further because the marginal cost involved would exceed marginal welfare benefits."

Jan 1, 1992

By L. Mercier, A. El-Hsaeri, L. Amaratunga

Laboratory scale studies of the development and application of high capacity heavy metal ion adsorbents with uniform nanoscale porosity (denoted MP-HMS, mercaptopropyl - hexagonal mesoporous structure) to extract gold from solutions is described. The adsorbents are selective towards gold ions. The adsorption capacities of these materials are also among the highest reported. MP-HMS has shown the capability to adsorb 330-mg gold per gram adsorbent (up to 30% of their weight). Gold uptake by the adsorbent was found to increase dramatically with solution agitation. The adsorbent was found to be extremely effective in adsorbing gold ions from ultra- low concentrations, like those found in mine effluents. Experimental studies indicated that MP-HMS maximum adsorption of gold (99.9%) occurred under all solution concentrations. Another promising attribute of these materials is their favorable adsorption kinetics. The contact time required for 80% adsorption of gold was found to be less than 60 seconds. The efficiency of these nanoporous materials for the recovery of gold from mining effluent is evaluated and their prospect for application in the mining industry discussed. The process thus has the prospect of becoming an efficient and environmental friendly method to recover gold from aqueous solutions, such as gold mill effluents.

Jan 1, 2004

By Mel Torrie

1 Want access to low level vehicle data so 3rd party apps can be applied as desired 2 Hardware Agnostic (COTS plug and play) 3 Common/Open protocols that facilitate integration and the coexistence of a variety of applications on a variety of equipment 4 Minimum computer hardware footprint 5 Technology Independence (including comm. backbone)

May 1, 2013

By J. B. Hamilton

The advantages of generating and distributing electrical energy direct from the coal-fields so closely affects the mining industry that a few remarks on the unbalanced phases of coal distribution is worthy of attention. The value of coal imported into Canada from 1912 to 1921 exceeded the sum of $580,000,000. In 1922 Ontario imported 1,640,000 tons of anthracite and 9,440,000 tons of bituminous coal. I submit that the use of Saskatchewan lignite in an electrical super-power plant equipped for the carbonizing of coal, and disposal of excess gases would be the commencement of a solution of the fuel shortage in Ontario. As Saskatchewan becomes more and more populated and manufacturing increases, the amount of by-product carbonized fuel available for shipment to Ontario will increase, and its shipment to that province would decrease the trade deficit of the national balance sheet. If and when this is carried out it will mean a better and wider market for Alberta fuels in Saskatchewan and Manitoba.

Jan 1, 1924

By Frank Lemy

This paper presents an application of digital face mapping in an underground mine. Based on photographs it was possible to construct discontinuity maps, which were used to characterise the rock mass. The results were compared favourably with values obtained through scanline and area sampling mapping for the same site. The case is made for digital mapping as a safe, fast, and efficient way to characterise rock mass structure for engineering purposes.

May 1, 2001

By John F. Vynne

This paper will discuss several of the systems and processes that have been developed over the past few years, and are now being utilized by major mining companies on draglines in North America, Australia and South Africa. These technologies include production monitors and reporting systems, GPS navigation systems, structural integrity monitoring systems, structural analysis studies to increase the dragline RSLs, and inspection and response strategies. The use of these technologies provides significant increases in dragline production, and reduces maintenance costs and downtime. The question that needs to be asked is what value is there in monitoring? Increasing dragline productivity is dependent upon to two items with the overall goal being to maximize the number of bank cubic meters moved and to uncover more coal: 1) maximizing payload and 2) maximizing the number of cycles. If you do not measure and try to optimize the parameters that impact payload and number of cycles, there is very little chance that you can improve overall dragline productivity. These parameters are: Maximizing payload is dependent upon the following: ? Geology ? Blasting ? Monitor weighing accuracy ? Engage location ? Disengage Location ? Rigging ? Suspended load ? Bucket characteristics ? Operator skills ? Minimizing rehandle Maximizing the number of cycles depends upon maximizing digging time, and minimizing cycle and delay/down times by: ? Minimizing Operational Delays ? Minimizing Mechanical Delays ? Minimizing Idle time ? Minimizing Walking time ? Minimizing Fill Time ? Minimizing Swing Angle ? Maximizing Swing & Return Rates ? Minimizing Spot Time A third reason to monitor, conduct structural analysis studies, and have inspection strategies is to prevent catastrophic failures such as shown in the following photographs (figures 1 & 2).

May 1, 2008

By D. Hamilton

The electrode of a PEM fuel cell consists of two distinct sections - the catalyst layer and the porous transport layer (PTL). There are several kinds of PTL material, although all use carbon fibres as the solid fraction. The fibres can be matted to form a paper, woven into a cloth, or chopped to form a felt. Despite the different morphologies of the media, they are all anisotropic in structure, that is the majority of continuous fibres lie perpendicular to the direction of bulk transport. Currently, no models account for anisotropy and all transport coefficients are calculated as volume weighted averages or from empirical correlations (not developed for fibrous porous media). The present work presents a new methodology for determining anisotropic transport coefficients in fibrous porous media. A numerical experimentation process is employed wherein random samples of the PTL are generated and used to solve a diffusion transport equation. Effective transport coefficients are determined by integration of flux across the domain boundaries once a steady state solution has been reached. Multiple random samples at each porosity are generated in order to predict statistical variance. The results are correlated for ease of implementation in full PEM models.

Jan 1, 2005

By Rebecca L. Jones

The paper addresses the application of XPAC AutoScheduler at the Fort Hills Energy Oil Sands Project to complete fast turn around ?what if? scenario testing of different mine schedules. Traditional scheduling approaches involve engineers making a ?best guess? at the required mining sequence, loading this sequence into a scheduling package and testing the results to determine if the schedule meets corporate objectives. This process is iterative and can be very time consuming. Autoscheduling techniques, on the other hand, are based on the engineer pre defining the mining rules and constraints of the deposit. The software then automatically selects a sequence of mining which the schedule should try and achieve, based off specified corporate objectives. Under this system the engineer is able to adjust the objectives and rules to evaluate numerous scheduling scenarios quickly and easily. An XPAC AutoScheduler model was built, documented, and implemented by Runge and Petro-Canada Oil Sands Inc. personnel in a month. It is currently being used by Petro-Canada Oil Sands Inc. to run multiple schedule scenarios, most taking less than ten minutes configure and ten minutes to schedule. The results of each schedule are tabulated with supporting graphs on; the bitumen grade profile, strip ratio, ore inventories and mined tonnage. In addition to this, the block model may be animated to show the progression of the resources mining the schedules.

May 1, 2008

The Bluebell mine of The Consolidated Mining and Smelting Company of Canada Limited extends under Kootenay lake, in southern British Columbia, and water control underground has always been a major problem. This paper gives a brief history of the operation, and then de-scribes the methods used by Cominco to keep the combination of lake seepage, ground water and thermal spring water under control. The pumping arrangements are de-scribed in considerable detail, with illustrations to show the various stages of development, and the power supply sys-tem is outlined.

Jan 1, 1966

By L. J. Surges, C. Bazin, D. Hodouin

"A kinetic model was developed for the conditioning and flotation processes of an industrial lead concentrate dezincing circuit. The models were incorporated into a flowsheet simulator. Simulation results demonstrate the advantages of split conditioning of coarse and fine particles and the potential of this approach for the production of the heuristics required for the development of intelligent control strategies.The conditioning model relates the proportions of activated and hydrophobic surfaces and residual reagent concentrations to activator and collector reagent flowrates. The model accounts for the solids and water flowrates, and for the solids grade and size distribution. The flotation model uses the predicted proportion of hydrophobic mineral surface, the aeration rate and the froth depth to estimate cell, bank and circuit performances. IntroductionFlotation has been the object of modelling and simulation studies for more than two decades. The process is usually modelled as a kinetic one in which the particle flotation rate constants are key parameters. Rate constants are related to the operating variables (pH, reagent flowrates, aeration rate, etc), however these relationships are seldom established in the literature.In spite of the large amount of literature on flotation modelling and simulation, few papers deal with the interaction between flotation rate constants and operating variables. This important gap, which was identified in the early seventies by Woodburn (l970), still exists. One of the first attempts to include operating conditions in a flotation simulator was made by King (l973), who explicitly introduced the aeration rate into an air bubble loading model. Lynch et al. (1981) used an empirical model to relate the proportion of slow floating particles to the ratio of collector per ton of ore. Such empirical relationships are difficult to calibrate and cumbersome to use when an activator and a collector are added to slurries in which particle size distribution and surface characteristics are changing. Eascur and Herbst (l982) relate in a fundamental way the mineral flotation rate constants to the aeration rate, froth depth, agitation and frother concentration, however the model does not account for reagent flowrates. Niemi et al. (1982) have proposed a model for the conditioning of minerals and included it into a conventional flotation simulator."

Jan 1, 1988

By D. C. McKechnie

To the examining engineer, the ever-recurring problem involving the valuation of ore in a prospect presents at different times highly divergent aspects- some entirely physical or mathematical, others essentially personal. The majority of the problems discussed in this paper are obvious to the engineer, and need little elaboration. By the prospector and the general public, however, a number of these questions are often and completely over-looked, or else approached in such a way as to produce final results which are, to say the least, misleading and at times decidedly erroneous. While the purpose of this paper is to deal with prospects or potential mines, many of the problems considered apply equally well to mines with developed ore reserves. As the usual showings on a prospect consist chiefly of a few open-cuts and a limited amount of underground development work, an estimation of the actual ore reserves is a question of minor import, and seldom enters appreciably into an estimation of the probable value of the particular property. The physical valuation of a prospect mainly involves the consideration of such subjects as the general geological features exposed, the strength and type of mineralization, the width and persistence of any associated veins, shear zones, fractures or contact zones, together with the possible grade, size, and continuity of any ore-bodies that may there occur.

Jan 1, 1930

By Pierre Gy

"Abstract - This paper deals with industrial complexes such as: (1) a mine producing metal-bearing ore and a furnace(s)/converter(s) where the ore is melted into metal, either directly, or after a mineralurgical concentration; and (2) quarries producing the raw materials required for the manufacturing of cement and the kilns to which they are fed.Each mine or quarry operation results from the exploitation of a mineral deposit. This deposit is never homogeneous. The raw materials which are extracted from the mine/quarry can never be safely fed to a "process" such as a cement kiln or a metal smelter, because the devices involved lack the flexibility required to absorb a very inhomogeneous feed. Furnaces and kilns are known to be very sensitive, sometimes dangerously so, with regard to deviations from a certain ideal feed composition.The purpose of this paper is to present the conditions required to optimize the operation of such a complex, so as to maximize the production, the quality of the product, as well as the profit generated. Two key operations are involved: sampling (to know accurately the materials being dealt with) and bed-blending (to achieve the desired degree of homogeneity). The theories of sampling and bedblending have been developed by the author and presented in various books (Gy, 1992, 1998)."

Jan 1, 1998

By J. B. Evans

"THE OPPORTUNITY to participate in a CIM seminarconcerning the direction of mining engineer trainingis perhaps fortuitous as it comes at a time when theengineering schools which have invited inspection byCanadian Accreditation Board of the Canadian Councilof Professional Engineers are examining theirrespective curricula.Currently there exists considerable soul-searching in various engineering schools across Canada where questions such as the following are being posed.- Have we achieved the correct balance between subjects related to technical methodology and subjects devoted to conceptual planning and design?- Should we include ""applied humanities"" in our program? (Whatever ""applied humanities"" might mean!)- Should courses covering pollution control, ecology, economics, technical writing, professional conduct and ethics be offered as compulsory subjects, as electives, or not at all?- Is it a better scheme to have students complete an Arts or Science degree before entering engineering?- Do we place too much emphasis on pure mathematics and sciences with the result that insufficient time is available for instruction in the engineering applications of these subjects?- Should English expression and/ or literature be included in the engineering programs and, if so, should these subjects be presented by the English department or by English lecturers captive to the engineering school? - Is the present program directed primarily at research activities rather than preparing engineers for their future roles in industry? - Should we teach our own versions of mathematics and physics? - Do we have sufficient engineers on the faculty strength or are we overloaded with Ph.D.'s from the pure sciences? - How flexible should the program be, what should the compulsory vs elective course content be, and what freedom of choice, if any, should be given with respect to elective courses? - To what extent should students contribute to faculty decisions?- How far should we pursue computer science subjects and do we need to make our students proficient in computer programming? - How far should operations research and mathematical models be carried in the undergraduate program when the students have limited experience in the real engineering world? - Realizing that an engineer never completes his education, should the undergraduate program cover ""bare bones"" engineering and should instruction in particular disciplines be left to graduate schools and / or industry?"

Jan 1, 1972