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By L. J. Barnes

The process for bio-remediation of sulphidic slag (BROSS) operates at 45 degrees C in a neutral (pH 7), aerobic aqueous environment in which sulphide in the slag is converted to sulphate. A two-stage version has been developed that involves quantitative chemical pre-oxidation of total sulphide to thiosulphate, followed by complete biooxidation of thiosulphate to sulphate. Ferric hydroxide, also produced, acts as a flocculant in the bioreactor effluent, concentrating heavy metal precipitates in the thickener as a sludge which can be returned to the smelter. The process has a high sulphate production rate and low acid and nutrient consumptions. Microorganism growth is the rate-limiting stage, requiring a minimum liquid residence time in the bioreactor of about 7 h. Although large quantities of oxygen are needed, sufficient gas mass transfer can be attained in an air-lift reactor. Products are an aqueous stream containing sodium sulphate with only trace levels of toxic heavy metals and a benign, toxic metal-containing sludge

Jun 18, 1905

By Mary Cocklan-Vendl

Regulatory processes associated with development of a world class lead-zinc mine, Red Dog Mine, in northwestern Alaska were reviewed and evaluated. Informal interviews with key project personnel, consultants, and agency field and permitting specialists provided perspective on the regulatory successes and failures of the project. Due to potential impacts to air quality, water quality, wetlands, and National Park lands, an Environmental Impact Statement was required. By developing a comprehensive baseline of information on the existing environment to aid in minimizing impacts during project siting/design and through regular coordination of evolving project plans with regulatory agencies, the mine developers were able to acquire necessary permits in a timely and cost effective manner. The only major exceptions occurred when inadequate information was collected on dispersal of airborne particulates, rates of surface water run-off, and groundwater quality. These deficiencies resulted in the need for design changes, unscheduled construction, additional environmental monitoring costs, and delays in issuance of the NPDES permit.

Jan 1, 1992

By Lisa A. McDonald

The environmental compliance process affects all aspects of hardrock-mining operations, from exploration through post-closure. The primary components of the environmental compliance process are requirements under the National Environmental Protection Act of 1969 (NEPA) and the permitting requirements associated with various other federal, state and local laws. This study considers the Greens Creek Mine and the development of two other projects (Alaska-Juneau & Kensington). These mines were used as the foundation for a case study of the impacts of the environmental compliance process on hardrock-mining activity in Southeast Alaska. The case study presents the institutional and legal requirements, followed by a discussion of the impact of this process on the production and timing of the three mines. The results of this preliminary study reveal some interesting findings, some expected and others unexpected, regarding the impact of the permitting process on the exploration, development and (proposed) operation of the three mining projects in the Juneau area. Determining the cost of compliance with these requirements is an important step in evaluating the appropriate course of action to protecting the environment while providing the necessary raw materials needed for society. This preliminary study highlights the initial starting point for such an analysis.

Jan 1, 1992

By Harold P. Rue

The problem of removing hydrogen sulphide from natural gas has become within the last few years one of major importance to the natural gas and petroleum industry. Several gas fields in the United States produce natural gas containing hydrogen sulphide, and a number of oil fields produce gas which contains hydrogen sulphide. 3 The percentage of hydrogen sulphide in natural gas produced in these fields varies from a fraction of 1 per cent t6 as high as 20.5 per cent by volume. 4 Hydrogen sulphide is probably the most toxic gas associated with natural gas,5 and from the standpoint of health and safety it is important that the hydrogen sulphide be removed if the gas is to be used for domestic purposes. Hydrogen sulphide, besides being toxic and therefore a hazard to animal life, is under certain conditions an active corrosive agent and very destructive to equipment. 6 The annual loss caused by the corrosive action of hydrogen sulphide on equipment amounts to hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions, of dollars. 7 The largest percentage of natural gas produced in the United States comes from wells which also produce oil. This associated gas invariably carries with it light fractions of petroleum, which when separated from the gas, condense to the liquid form at ordinary temperatures and pressure. Commercial application is made of this natural condition, and "wet gas" is processed to obtain so-called natural gasoline by employing the principles of absorption, adsorption, or compression and subsequent expansion accompanied by cooling. In the manufacture of natural gasoline from wet gas which contains hydrogen sulphide, if this contaminating gas is not first removed, some of the hydrogen sulphide may oxidize to form free

Jan 1, 1932

By T Grenne, R. B. Larsen

Paper presented at the conference on Economic geology in Europe and beyond II, models for mineral deposits in sedimentary basins, held in Keyworth, UK, 13-14 April 1994. Paper originally entitled: Processes in a newly discovered sulphide-PGE mineralisation in Norway. The Stormyrplutten mineralisation is hosted by a minor tholeiitic metagabbro of low-Ti composition intruded at a high level in the volcanic lithology. It is thought to be the subvolcanic counterpart of submarine basalts generated during an extensional episode of ensimatic arc evolution. The sulphide-PGE mineralisation occurs as stratabound pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite disseminations with average grades of 376 ppb Pd, 313 ppb Pt, 40 ppb Au, 0.5% Cu and 0.08% Ni in a deposit 15-25 m thick. Locally the PGE content peaks at 2 ppm over 1 m. Microprobe analysis isolated 14 different platinum-group minerals, dominated by sperrylite, temagamite and borovskite and occurring as 1-20 micron compounds embedded in the main sulphide minerals or along the sulphide/silicate grain boundaries. Mantle-normalised plots reveal strong depletion in Os, Ir and Ru and enrichment in Pt, Pd, Cu and Au. The general decrease in Pd and Pt and increase in S up through the stratigraphy is similar to PGE distribution in the Darwendale subchamber of the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe, and may reflect strong fractionation of Pd and Pt in favour of the first droplets of sulphide melt; two reversals of the trend at the 4 and 12 metre levels represent replenishment with fresh magma and repetition of the cycle. In contrast to the Darwendale system, Cu and Ni also show peak concentrations in the first-formed liquids and Pt appears to have fractionated more strongly into the sulphide melt than Pd

Aug 1, 1995

By Thomas J. Peters

In 1985, at the request of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the U.S. Bureau of Mines studied a 17,320-acre portion of the 52,143-acre Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness Study Area (CA-020-913/NV-020-008) in order to evaluate its identified mineral resources. The study area is located in Humboldt and Washoe Counties, NV, about 42 miles north from Gerlach. Three areas of epithermal alteration, similar to alteration associated with disseminated gold deposits, were found in the study area. One of the areas occurs along a northeast-trending structural lineament. Southwest of the study area two gold prospects undergoing active exploration, as well JS a gold deposit being prepared for production, occur along the same lineament. The Bureau of Mines examination, however, did not find evidence for gold resources in the study area.

Jan 1, 1987

By G. L. Mowrey, S. D. Maksimovic

An important element of the U.S. Bureau of Mines (USBM) mining research program is the development and evaluation of reliable coal interface detection (CID) systems. Commercially available CID sensors based on natural gamma radiation (NGR) are only applicable if the immediate roof is composed of shaley material. The USBM has made numerous underground and laboratory measurements using several NGR systems approved for installation on mining machines by the Mine Safety and Health Administration. In addition, two small handheld NGR instruments were used to make comparative measurements. Underground NGR measurements in 10 different coal seams, potassium-uranium-thorium radiometric analyses on samples from 16 seams, and chemical analyses of coal and rock for correlation with NGR counts were made. Laboratory test results on the effect of air gap and sample thickness, size, and weight on the NGR measurements, as well as general results of the various NGR systems, are discussed.

Jan 1, 1995

By Alexander J. Verstraeten

Work started on the building of the Amsterdam Concert Hall in 1880 by driving over 2000 wooden piles of 13 m on which foundation-beams out of wood and brickwork were made. During construction the design was changed. This was due to the latest German developments, requiring double walls instead of single, so that the space in between could be used for ventilation and heating. Therefore the pile load, originally designed at approximately 100 kN, increased even to 170 kN for some piles, causing settlements and unacceptable cracks in the brickwork. Settlements of up to 18 cm were measured. In 1985/1986 around 400 vibration-free Tubex-displacement-piles were installed under the Concert Hall, with a shaft of 0355 mm, a pile shoe of 0560 mm and a pile length of approximately 18 m. After these Tubex piles had been installed they took over the complete weight of the whole building, thus eliminating further settlements and damage. 95% of all the construction activities took place while the concerts went on. The chosen solution also made it possible to create a new basement under the Concert Hall as an extension for dressing-rooms etc.

Jan 1, 1987

By E. D. Palmes

Phase I of these studies demonstrated the feasibility of measuring the efficiency and capacity of sorbents in tube-type samplers for contaminant gases. This was accomplished by measuring concentration at various points along the length of the diffusion path during sampling. Concentrations were measured by removing small aliquots with gas-tight syringes and gas chromatography. With hexane as the gas and activated charcoal as the sorbent the procedure was quite successful and we proceeded with Phase II of the study; this involved application of the principle to gases of importance in diesel exhaust using a variety of sorbents. When we worked with high concentrations of the test gas we clearly demonstrated the differences in both efficiency and capacity of the sorbents for each of several gases. The chief drawbacks of the system were that we were unsuccessful in determining more toxic gases at realistic occupational exposure levels or determining formaldehyde at any level using the flame ionization detector. It was concluded that, although the method is feasible, more sensitive methods of measuring concentrations of gas in the tube must be developed to make the procedure applicable to regions of chief industrial hygiene interest.

Jan 1, 1983

By D. A. Buckingham

Engineering and economic evaluations were performed by the Bureau of Mines on 14 Frasch sulfur, 1 native sulfur, and 21 metal sulfide operations in 11 market economy countries. The evaluation included discounted-cash-flow rate-of-return economic analyses at 15 pct to determine the average total cost of production of these two commodities and the potential availability of elemental sulfur (8) and pyrite concentrate. The Bureau evaluated the potential availability of elemental sulfur and pyrite concentrate. Approximately 279 million metric tons (Mmt) of pyrite concentrate at 46 pct 8 is potentially recoverable from 422 Mmt of in situ metal sulfide ore. Nearly 89 pct of the total pyrite concentrate is available at an average total cost of production below the January 1984 pyrite concentrate market price ($43/mt). About 185 Mmt 8 is potentially recoverable from 253 Mmt of in situ elemental sulfur. About 99 pct of this sulfur is available at an average total cost of production below its January 1984 market price ($131/mt).

Jan 1, 1986

By D. W. Smith, Robert F. Mehl

It has been shown by numerous studies that the orientations of new metal crystals are determined by the orientations of the crystals in the original matrix, whether these new crystals are formed by recrystalliza-tion, by precipitation from solid solutions, or by transitions in the solid state. The orientations of crystals formed by recrystallization of cold-worked metals that bear preferred orientations are occasionally simply related to the initial preferred orientation; often, however, the relationship is not simple, but complicated and obscure in origin.1 The orientations of crystals formed by precipitation from solid solutions have been shown by many studies in this and other countries to be determined by the orientation of the crystals of the solid solution stable at the higher temperatures, though here again complicated cases have been found and no general theory is available.2 Related to this latter class are the relationships found in crystals formed by suppressed transforma-

Jan 1, 1935

By A. D. Pelton

The evolution of thermodynamic models of molten salts and slags, starting with Temkin in 1948, has culminated in today?s sublattice models. These modern models have permitted the development of large thermodynamic databases of model parameters, which can be used to calculate and predict accurately the properties of multicomponent solutions. The model parameters are mainly obtained by the critical evaluation and optimization of available thermodynamic and phase equilibrium data for binary and ternary subsystems. The models are then used to estimate the properties of multi component slags and salts from these assessed binary and ternary parameters. When used in conjunction with thermodynamic databases for solids and solid solutions (salts, oxides, sulphides, metals, etc.), other liquid solutions (such as liquid metals),and gases, these databases permit the calculation of complex multiphase equilibria in multicomponent systems, with applications in a wide variety of industries. These calculations can be performed with general commercial software for Gibbs energy minimization, which can also be incorporated into process simulation software packages. Keywords: slags, salts, solution models, thermodynamics, phase diagrams, oxide systems, molten salts

Jan 1, 2004

By Dan Brown

This paper presents a case study of a cyclic lateral pile load testing program performed on two 18-in square prestressed concrete piles (PSC) in Savannah, Georgia. The load test program was developed to simulate the lateral behavior of a single pile under seismic loading conditions for the design and construction of a large LNG storage tank. The lateral load tests included cyclic loading to measure possible degradation in soil response followed by static loading to large displacements (around 6 inches at the loading point). The lateral load was applied through a reciprocating jack positioned to push and pull the piles against each other. The test piles were instrumented with multiple displacement transducers, downhole inclinometer, and strain gauges. This paper provides an interpretation of the test results regarding the pile performance and soil response to monotonic and cyclic lateral loading. A backfitted computational model of the soil resistance was developed to match the test results using the LPILE computer program. The load-deflection and deflection/moment versus depth comparisons suggest that this model appears to capture the behavior relatively well within the general range of suitability for design purposes. New design curves were developed based on the soil parameters derived from the lateral load test results.

Jan 1, 2003

By M Blanch

Gas management practices across the Australian underground coal industry have evolved significantly since the early nineties with the introduction of hazard management plans, directional drilling techniques, surface gas predrainage methods, and the widespread use of ventilation and gas reservoir simulation software.The improvements are evidenced by a substantial reduction in the occurrence of outbursts and gas related delays during a period where coal production rates have increased three to four fold. The development of effective gas predrainage strategies have been afforded by the use of reservoir simulators and a significant increase in the availability of measured gas reservoir data, in particular gas content and composition, adsorption isotherms and permeability. That said significant opportunities remain to optimise gas drainage designs and increase certainty in the gas predrainage design process through an enhanced understanding of coal seam permeability and how it is applied in the gas drainage design process.This paper describes the discrepancies between measured and actual seam permeability found during the recent assessment of two pilot predrainage programs executed in the coal measures of Queensland’s Bowen Basin. The results of those programs illustrate the need to better understand the validity of measured permeability data. The history match method employed in the pilot well assessments is proposed as an integral step in the routine gas drainage design processes that will ultimately lead to increased certainty and flexibility in gas predrainage practices.CITATION:Blanch, M, 2017. Coal seam gas predrainage optimisation through an enhanced knowledge of coal seam permeability, in Proceedings Australian Mine Vent Conference 2017, pp 73–78 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Aug 28, 2017

By J. A. Hayes

For over a decade the Osterberg Load Cell has been successfully used to determine the shear capacities of drilled shafts. Since the test method measures side shear directly, analytical complications due to the influence of end bearing resistance are removed. The data suggest that the side shear component of a drilled shaft's capacity is often more significant than end bearing. Given the interest in the use of side shear in drilled shaft design in compressible materials, it is important to examine factors that can influence capacity. We have found that some factors widely believed to influence capacity, such as slurry type, are not as important as commonly thought in most materials. Factors that are not usually considered as important, such as casing use, hoop spacing, concrete slump, concrete additives, spacers and rebar clear cover, seem to be more influential with respect to side shear capacity. For example, substantially lower than predicted shear resistance can occur when the rebar clear cover is small with respect to the cage diameter. We observe this most often in fine-grained cohesive soils. This effect can be exaggerated if the rebar cage has tight hoop spacing, if the concrete has low slump and if the hole is not straight. We have also noted that improper use of temporary casing can have a dramatic effect on side shear resistance. In some cases we have observed tested shear capacities reduced to less than 5% of either predicted or available shear values.

Jan 1, 2003

By A. C. du Preez

Mintek has been involved in extensive test work since the early 1990s on the recovery of nickel and cobalt from leach liquors saturated in calcium, using synergistic solvent extraction systems. During this period the Nicksyn? reagent was developed, optimized, commercially manufactured, and tested by Tati Nickel on a demonstration plant for more than 2800 operating hours. Efficient recovery of nickel without the co-extraction of calcium, thus avoiding gypsum formation in the extraction and stripping circuits, was illustrated. This synergistic system was recently evaluated on a laboratory scale for the recovery of nickel and cobalt from synthetic lateritic sulphate leach liquor containing about 3 g/L nickel, 0.5 g/L cobalt, 0.7 g/L manganese, 20 g/L magnesium, and with calcium at saturation. Extraction and stripping parameters were determined for this feed liquor and are discussed in this paper.

Jan 1, 2014

By A. Butler

This paper explains the politics of mine nationalization in contemporary South Africa. Nationalization and privatization typically occur in the oil, mineral resources, and state utilities sectors, and they tend to follow one another in a long-term cyclical pattern. The paper explains why the current international environment has encouraged demands for nationalization and other forms of ?resource nationalism? in the South African minerals sector. It goes on to describe how the resurgence of resource nationalism has been influenced by internal factional politics in the African National Congress. It concludes that nationalization is unlikely to be the outcome of current policy deliberations within the ANC.

Jan 1, 2013

A vital ingredient in ensuring that metals exploration companies, working in the developing countries of thePacific Rim, support the development of national geologists is making such a learning program cost-effective. There is a wide spectrum of learning needed in the development of these explorationists: the technical and conceptual skills to carry out exploration efficiently, the professional and managerial skills to apply the exploration in the work situation, the personal attributes required to manage their exploration effectively, and a company organisation that allows them to learn and use these skills and attributes.

Jan 1, 1995

By B Brown, P J. Hommert, B J. Thorne

"Early attempts at estimation of stress wave damage in blasting by use of finite element analysis met with limited success due to numerical instabilities that prevented calculations from being carried to late times. A"" improved damage model based on microcrack growth in tension allows finite elementcalculations which remain stable at late times. Estimation of crater profiles for blasting experiments in granite demonstrate successful simulations with this model."

Jan 1, 1990

By Nicol S. K, Swanson A. R

The poor flotation response of many coals has in the past been attributed to such factors as differences in rank, differences in degree of oxidation, differences in petrographic composition, or slime coatings. The present work shows that while all these factors undoubtedly influence flotation, the size distribution of the feed may override these. Evidence is presented which shows how this factor can lead to substantial losses of coarse coal (>250 µm)from a coal which would normally be considered amenable to flotation. Reasons for this loss of flotation response are suggested together with means of overcoming the problem.

Jan 1, 1978