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By John Brennan

OK, I’ll admit it: I’ve always been a big Monty Atwater fan. Not only is the man credited with being the father of modern avalanche forecasting and safety in the United States, but he is also responsible for developing the avalauncher. Through its more than 40-year history, the avalauncher has gone through many changes yet continues to prove its worth in avalanche mitigation work.

Jan 1, 2007

By J. Daavittila, P. Jokinen, M. Honkaniemi

In the latter part of the 1980?s Outokumpu Chrome in Tornio, Finland, was in a situation when its twenty-year-old ferrochrome plant was becoming inefficient to sustain economically sound production. The company made extensive studies on the then available processing methods to find out the best possible processing route. As a result the whole plant was practically rebuilt and expanded. When equipment was proven in practical operation an application for FeMn production was developed. Now when Tornio FeCr-plant is considering the expansion the same type of exercise is to be performed with today?s challenges, which will be discussed in the paper. These challenges include increasing costs or decreasing quality of raw materials, increasing energy costs, stricter environmental regulations and demand of better working conditions. The possibilities to respond to these challenges will be discussed in the paper. The future and continuing development with FeCr includes the better utilization of process dusts and a lower consumption of energy. By adapting the latest automation tools to better control of the process even higher efficiencies can be achieved with present technology. New processes are considered for development in the future and some possible technologies will be described.

Jan 1, 2004

By Paul Sainato

Recruiting and retaining students in the explosives industry is becoming increasingly important each year. With no undergraduate degree in explosives engineering currently available in the United States, it is from other industries and degree disciplines we must recruit. The 2014 annual ISEE conference saw the first anonymous online survey distributed to members of SEE student chapters of the International Society of Explosives Engineers. The survey contained questions about future job and career plans, ideal job placement, expectations of salary and current academic degrees. The purpose of the survey was to determine what these students expect or require from a career in the explosives industry, and their current path to pursue this. This information can help steer recruitment activities and job offers for graduating students. The success for both student response rates and interest from the industry has allowed space for a yearly update of this survey. A second survey was distributed in 2015 and included international students. This paper provides the data from a third online survey distributed to all student members of the International Society of Explosives Engineers, globally. Understanding the main incentives for a student to accept a graduate position as an explosives engineer can help us, as an industry; position ourselves to remain competitive in recruiting against other major degree disciplines.

Jan 1, 2016

By A G. Shellsh, R J. Henham, J R. Foley

The Porgera Gold Mine, west of Mt Hagen in PNG is a large open pit and underground operation currently producing gold at the rate of almost one million ounces per year. This deposit has produced some 8.8 million ounces to-date and has current reserves of 103.4 million tonnes @3.2 g/t Au. The Porgera Joint Venture has invested over $A1 billion in infrastructure in this project. Technical management of this operation involves the interrogation of some 700 000 metres of diamond drilling, some 50 000 blastholes per year, and very large volumes of laboratory, geotechnical, environmental and production reporting data. Over the past seven years this data has been consolidated into a single centralised, relational database which now acts as the single reference point for all the technical application systems used for surveying, grade control, production reporting, deposit evaluation and modelling. Data transfer to application programs and management systems is controlled by the centralised database, this process at times involving a two-way, real-time, binary data transfer. The benefits of a specialised database application include security and integrity of the data asset, ease of access, and performance in a multi-user environment. This replaced fragmented, inconsistent data sets stored inefficiently as individual, unindexed, variably formatted files associated with the different application programs. Most importantly, the database has allowed mine management at all levels to make timely, confident investment, cash flow and optimisation decisions as it provides the primary link between the deposit and operational data sets on one hand, and the application programs and management and performance measurement systems on the other. This paper discusses the economic value and importance of technical data in terms of the resource asset and the means by which this data is being managed and used at Porgera.

Jan 1, 2000

By E. I. Robinsky

"This paper describes a new, proven approach for tailing disposal. Not only is the disclosed system less damaging to the environment, it is also less costly to operate, to close down and maintain in perpetuity. The basic concept is to discharge thickened tailing from one permanent location.This creates a conical or hill-like deposit which:(1) requires lower perimeter dykes for equivalent storage capacity;(2) eliminates decant towers and decant lines;(3) requires no steep dams built of tailing;(4) is stable:(5) requires only a small pond outside the deposit;(6) decreases pollution of the surrounding environment by water seepage and deflation; and(7) simplifies abandonment and ""closing-down"" operations.The approach is made possible by the fact that, at a sufficiently high ratio of solids to water, tailing material can be made to accumulate at slopes of 5 or 6 per cent -- considerably steeper than possible by traditional methods using low solids-to-water ratios. To achieve the necessary solids-water ratio (35 to 60 per cent), it may be necessary to install a thickener. It is expected, however, that at many concentrators it may be possible to discharqe relatively clear plant water through a line separate from the tailing line, thus reducing the load on the thickener."

Jan 1, 1976

By G Senanayake, K Hazarika

The demand for iron-ore is ever increasing with the industry directly employing 60 500 people in a range of highly skilled roles in Australia. In the year 2019, the global iron-ore production was 2.85 billion tonnes. It is estimated that each tonne of beneficiated iron ore produces 400 kg of tailings. The IOTs are fine, dense and stable crystalline material mainly composed of iron oxides, alumina and silica. The current and most applied method of iron-ore tailings (IOTs) disposal is using subaqueous disposal of tailings in dams. The footprint generated by a tailings dam is massive and requires constant monitoring due to the possibility of a failure making the operation and maintenance of tailings dam extremely expensive. This review briefly discusses the known causes of tailings dam failures, their impact to the environment and day-to-day human life and potential applications of IOTs. The increase in water content enhances the pressure on dam walls. This in turn increases the liquefaction potential of the tailings and reduces the overall strength of the dam making it more vulnerable to failure. Potential applications of IOTs are in paints, aggregates in construction materials and bricks. The reuse of IOTs reduce waste and generates further revenue facilitating a path towards a sustainable future for the industry.

Nov 8, 2021

By A. N. Baldwin

This report documents the work performed under Bureau of Mines Contract J0265029 to study and develop two innovative mining systems: ? An underground auger capable of augering into the right and left ribs without repositioning the machine ? A conventional mining system employing recently developed innovative machinery. The report is separated into two volumes to document the two studies separately. Volume I describes work performed and the recommended concept for a bidirectional auger. Volume II describes the studies of mining equipment performance and mining plans developed to determine a conventional mining plan offering improved productivity.

Jan 1, 1977

By H. A. Thorne

This paper describing the mining practices at the Chino mines at Santa Rita, Grant County, N. Mex., is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining practices, methods, and costs in the various mining districts of the United States. The Nevada Consolidated Copper Co., Chino mine's, operates an open-cut copper mine at Santa Rita, Central mining district, Grant County, N. Mex. This mine is located about 16 miles east and slightly north of Silver City, the county seat. The ore is-transported in standard railroad cars by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., approximately 10 miles to Hurley where it is milled. The concentrated are shipped approximately l'70 miles over the same railroad to the smelter of the American Smelting and Refining Co., at El Paso, Tex. (fig. 1)

Jan 1, 1931

By Robert W. Thomas

This paper describing the mining practices at the Ray mines at Ray, Arizona, is one of a series being prepared by the Bureau of Mines on mining practices, method and costs in the various mining districts of the United States. At the present time (1929) all mineral Production of the Ray district comes from the Ray Mines of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Co. The ore body is being worked from two shafts, designated as No. 1 and No. 2. An undercut block-caving method of mining is used, variations of which are employed to fit different conditions. The present method has been developed by making improvements as experience was gained or when conditions changed. Refinements in practice are continually being made. The Ray mine was the first in the Southwest to use a caving system of mining on a large scale.

Jan 1, 1929

By Lucas Lopes da Costa

In this work, a natural foam extracted from the Amazon buriti palm tree is investigated as possible substitute for synthetic foams. The basic physical and mechanical properties of this biofoam were evaluated. Its sponge-like structure was characterized by the amount of pores and morphological aspects. It was found that the buriti biofoam displays a very low density of the order of 0.1 g/cm3 with a relatively good compressive strength. This would be suitable for several engineering applications and as a new material with the potential for replacing currently applied synthetic polymeric foams.

Jan 1, 2010

By Stanley Griff, William Herrera, William O. Seals

"The Navy initiated liquid propellant research in the early 1940's. The first promising Navy liquid propellant, Otto Fuel II, was developd in the early 1950 as a potential torpedo fuel. Later, the Navy developed a HAN based liquid propellant designated NOS-365, a hydroxylammonium nitrate, isopropylammonium nitrate and water formulation. A large gas volume generated by this propellant produced a large wake behind the torpedo. As one can readily understand, this negated the useof the propellant for this application. Recognizing the large gas volume as a desirable propulsion system for guns, the Navy embarked upon a gun propellant proqam. Utilizing a bulk loaded gun sysytem, the program failed when the gun was destroyed by the propellant detonating."

Jan 1, 1990

By C Simpson

The Pilbara region of Western Australia is well known for its abundant exports of hematite-goethite deposits, which have been mined and exported since the 1960s. Magnetite has also been mined in Australia throughout this period, although historically of much lower production volumes (WA Iron Ore profile, 2016). Magnetite offers a source supply of material >66 per cent iron grade product, which is used as premium feed (predominantly pellets) to blast furnaces or specialised steel mills.The Iron Bridge project area contains outcropping magnetite and hematite banded iron formation (BIF), which within the region was recognised as having potential to host economic mineralisation during the 1960s. Development within the project area, however, did not commence until Fortescue Metals Group acquired the tenements based on a 2004 agreement, formed a joint venture with interested groups and then initiated an assessment for magnetite (rather than hematite) mining potential. The combined deposits now have an identified large mineral resource inventory, with test work demonstrating they are able to produce a magnetite concentrate of greater than 66 per cent Fe over an extended mine life. This concentrate would be suitable for forming pellets or feed for direct reduced iron products.The deposits form a singular orebody, approximately 12 km in length by 1 km in width and extending to depths beyond 600 m. The four main deposits are geographically separate and have subtle mineralogical differences, thought driven by the degree of deformation and alteration within each area.Definition of the stratigraphy, structure and key mineralogy of the deposits has been carried out through several stages of exploration and project development. This has also included recent mining and processing of more than 1 Mt of feed material to an on-site processing facility. This demonstrated at a production scale that dry plus wet processing techniques can efficiently separate the magnetite from the gangue minerals to form a suitable (marketable) product.Geometallurgical classification of the host stratigraphy has been carried out from analysing the high volume of quantitative data available for this deposit. This has allowed definition of mappable units within the fresh BIF to be used as a driver in mine scheduling, delivering optimal feed to the processing plant.Construction of mine and processing facilities is expected to commence once all technical risks have been addressed, market conditions are deemed appropriate and approval is given by the joint venture partners.CITATION:Simpson, C, 2017. The Iron Bridge magnetite deposits, in Proceedings Iron Ore 2017, pp 287–294 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jul 24, 2017

By K. L. Paciorek

The aim of this program was to develop a reliable and meaning-ful basis for assessing certain safety aspects, namely fire and, in particular, toxicity hazards of articles employed in underground coal mining operations. The present investigation was concentrated on the thermal oxidative degradation of representative hydraulic fluids. To achieve this goal all products formed on thermal oxidative degradation of the fluids studied were analyzed, identified I and the amount of each individual species present was determined quantitatively on a weight of product per weight of material basis. The weight/weight data thus obtained can then be factorized to reflect the relative toxicity of each individual species present, using for example the Threshold Limit Values adopted by the American Conference of Governmental and Industrial Hygienists, whereby an overall "toxicity index" can be arrived at which makes it possible to compare the different fluids and/or classes of fluids in a quantitative manner insofar as their toxicity is concerned.

Jan 1, 1976

By Lars A. Stålberg

"This paper will touch several of the topics covered by SDIMI 2005, including,• Sustainability indicators for the minerals industry, • Best practice of sustainable development in the minerals industry, • Social contributions,The complex issues of a company’s "sphere of influence" and "complicity" are important to every discussion of business and Human Rights. The paper will argue that to protect and promote Human Rights needs to be regarded as an integral part of sustainable development policies for the minerals industry. This implies a need for explicit inclusion of Human Rights indicators among the indicators to be applied by the minerals industry."

Jan 1, 2005

What is a conflict, as it is understood by men of the extractive industries? And what are the circumstances out of which these conflicts arise? A start can be made with the notion of economic conflict, which can be defined as rivalry over the use of economic resources. Such rivalry is a central part of all economizing activity. It is present within the individual, within the family, and within the business firm. In each of these units there are multiple goals competing for use of a limited income. And economic rivalry is present among individuals and firms who are competing with one another for use of the limited quantity of economic resources available to us as a society.

Jan 7, 1961

By A. Singh

"Considering the dominant role of fertilizers in global phosphate production, it is evident that with the ever increasing development in agriculture there will be a growing demand for phosphate beneficiation. With the rapid depletion of high quality reserves, investigations into more complex and lower grade ore bodies are required. The Minerals Processing Division at Mintek has been involved in process development and flowsheet design projects on phosphate resources since 2003. This paper will discuss the processes that Mintek has explored and employed to upgrade various phosphate ore bodies (>30% Phosphorous Pentoxide (P2O5)) in preparation for end user application. These are aimed at an improved understanding of ores in terms of their varying mineralogy and the development of appropriate process routes to meet product specification. OVERVIEW OF MINTEK Mintek is a state owned science council that undertakes R&D, consulting and sells products and services into the minerals beneficiation industry. Mintek has been in existence for 83 years with a current permanent staff complement of 750 of which 300 are professionals with a tertiary education. Being a non-profit organisation, the majority of funding comes from state grant and earmarked funding. All research is needs-driven exploring innovation through technology and process optimisation trends. Owing to a solid base of expertise, extensive laboratory and pilot facilities, and a historical database of knowledge, Mintek is well positioned and equipped to execute projects on a scoping, feasibility, prefeasibility and bankable level. USES OF PHOSPHATE Phosphate is the component in fertilizer essential for root and stem development in plants as well as rejuvenation of harshly depleted soil for which there is no agricultural substitute. Phosphate rock is essential for global food security with 87% used in the production of fertilizers. In agriculture as fertilizer, phosphate is one of the three primary plant nutrients in addition to nitrogen and potassium. In former times, it was simply crushed and used as is, but the crude form is now only used in organic farming. Normally it is chemically treated to make Single superphosphate (SSP), Triple superphosphate (TSP), or Mono-ammonium phosphates (MAP) and Di-ammonium phosphates (DAP), which has a higher concentration of phosphate and is more soluble, thus more suitable for plant absorption."

Jan 1, 2018

By Chris Uys, Johan Labuschagne

Sishen Iron Ore Mine, located in the Northern Cape, is an open cast mine excavating approximately 100 million tons rock to produce 25 million tons of high grade haematite ore per annum. The size of the pit is approximately 12 km ‘1.5 km ‘150 metres. The final depth is planned to be around 350 metres. It is hard rock mining operation employing the conventional truck and shovel method. Mining benches are twelve and a half metres in height and are divided into blasting blocks, each consisting of approximately 300 000 tons of material.

Jan 1, 1997

By C A. Locke

Geophysical signatures of the Taranaki and Tongariro volcanoes reflect similarities in their age, composition and hydrothermal histories, but also reflect differences in host rock settings and edifice evolution. The Taranaki volcanoes have strong positive gravity anomalies showing that their edifices largely consist of dense andesite which reflects substantial lava production or dyke injection during construction and that large sub-edifice dyke/stock complexes occur. In contrast, the Tongariro volcanoes have strong negative gravity anomalies indicating low density edifices of volcaniclastic material; no sub-edifice intrusions can be identified, probably because of the lack of density contrast with host basement rocks. Strong positive magnetic anomalies over the younger cones can mainly be attributed to near-surface andesite lavas or dykes whereas subdued magnetic effects are associated with hydrothermally altered zones within both edifices and sub-edifice intrusions.  

Jan 1, 1995

By Antonio Karzulovic, Sergio Olavarría, Patricio Adriasola

The economical analyses of different Chuquicamata open pit mine planning scenarios, indicate that the pit closure should occur at latest in the year of 2017. However, about 60,000 m of drill holes have demonstrated that below the pit bottom there is a potential of 2.3 billion tons of ore. Hence, Division Codelco Norte developed the scoping engineering for a large underground panel caving operation, similar to El Teniente mine. This project considers the exploitation of a 2500 m 300 m footprint, with three 250 m lifts. The plan considers to initiate the construction in the year 2009, to begin the production in the year 2015 and achieve a production rate of 45 million tons per year in the year 2021. A large-scale transition from open pit to underground mining like this one presents three main challenges: (1) to include the geotechnical aspects relevant for mine design and mine planning, (2) to define the proper surface and underground infrastructure, and (3) to fulfil the project deadlines and to achieve the production targets. This paper summarizes this transition project and discusses these three main challenges.

Jan 1, 2006

By Randal J. Barnes

A system, such as a mine production system or a mine ventilation system which includes the movement of commodities or some material between decision points may, in many instances, be effectively modelled as a network. Mining has often been characterized as primarily a materials handling function. To a great extent this is true, even though it is an over simplification of all the activities involved in a mining operation. Accepting the materials handling characterization of a mining operation permits the extension of the characterization to a flow process. That is, the ore flows from the mining face through the mining phase (excavation & loading, hauling, dumping) through the milling phase (crushing, grinding, recovery) through the smelter phase and finally to marketing. With this concept it is possible to depict a mining operation as a simple network. For example consider an operation consisting of two mines (A and B) with mills at each mine (MA and MB) with the possibility open to treat ore from mine b at mill NB, but it is not feasible to treat mine B ore at MA. The product of both mills is sold.

Jan 1, 1983