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By Peter B. Knuckey

1, Introduction Location Kalengwa mine is located in the North Western Province of Zambia, 402 kilometre by unpaved road to the west of Kitwe, which is roughly in the centre of the Zambian Copperbelt, well known as one of the world's centres of copper mining. Its position is illustrated on the map of Africa in Figure 1 and on the map of Zambia in Figure 2. It is a mine of Roan Consolidated Mines Limited whose other properties, Mufulira, Luanshya, Chambishi and Chibuluma Mines, are all located on the Copperbelt. It is managed by the Chibuluma Division of the company. The rate of production from Kalengwa will vary from 12 000 to 17 000 tonnes of saleable copper a year over the next six years. Kalengwa did not exist as a place until the first prospecting parties and later the mine became established and the early working population was recruited entirely from small villages in the surrounding area as much as thirty miles away. The mining area consists of fourteen mining locations amounting to 3.35 square kilometres and the land may be used for any purpose connected with mining, including housing, wood cutting and other utilities. The whole area is, except for minor undulations, a fairly flat plateau with main rivers running from north to south and flood basins known as "dambos" located in a general east west direction. Vegetation is, with the exception of the grassy dambos, temperate forest with relatively light undergrowth. Game of great variety is prolific, as is the associated tsetse fly.

Jan 1, 1971

By Jupneek Singh, Zachary A. Kiehl, Leila Safazadeh, Gareth Kennedy, Eleonora Widzyk-Capehart, Jeremy W. Ward

Mine workers are continuously exposed to a host of nonfatal stressors and potentially fatal hazards: noise exposure, excessive vibration, poor air quality, toxicant exposure, ignition of combustible gases, equipment-related accidents, and thermal heat stress. Wearable or portable sensors and contextual analytics provide a platform to unobtrusively collect and fuse multimodal health and safety data in real time to compute both acute safety and longitudinal health insights. This paper presents preliminary trial results, conducted by Simtars, VigiLife, Inc., and Queensland Mines Rescue Service, of the application of wearable sensors to monitor heat stress and other vital biometrics for mines rescue personnel.

Feb 1, 2024

By Bo Forsman

METAFORA is a simulation model for determination and evaluation of strategies for operating loader/truck systems in mining. A specific version of METAFORA was used to evaluate the haulage system at Solider Mineral's Aitik mine in northern Sweden, one of the largest open pit mines in Europe with a production of about 11.5 Mtpy (about 34000 tpd) of copper are. A production level of 34065 tpd was estimated by simulation runs with METAFORA. Using METAFORA's dispatch rules (Fixed Dispatch, Maximize Trucks, and Maximize Loaders), the truck/shovel system in the Aitik mine was simulated for evaluating alternative dispatch control strategies. The Maximize Trucks rule gave about the same total production (ore + waste) as the Fixed Dispatch rule but a 9% higher ore production. The Maximize Loaders rule gave the lowest production. The marginal truck capacity decreases with increasing number of trucks serving the same loader due to increasing waiting times. In Aitik mine the low crusher capacity results in long dumping times. If the dumping time at the crusher could be halved, the ore production would increase by 14%. The paper indicates that the use of software like METAFORA can result in a substantial reduction of time, effort and cost in shovel/truck system design and evaluation.

Jan 1, 1992

By Wedam Nyaaba, Samuel Frimpong, Bruno Ayaga Kansake, Irene Akalanyaba Ateng

Haul truck capacities have increased due to their economies of scale in large-scale surface mines. These high-capacity trucks impose dynamic loads on haul roads. A previous study estimated the dynamic forces imposed by ultra-large trucks on haul roads to be more than three times the static load. These dynamic forces exacerbate haul road stresses and deformation. Current haul road response models are 2D and use static truckloads for low-capacity trucks. No models capture the ultra-large truck dynamic effects on haul road structural response. This study uses 3D finite element (FE) modeling to compute the haul road response to ultra-large truck dynamic loading. The dynamic forces were modeled using multibody dynamics (MBD) in MSC.ADAMS. These forces were used in an FE model developed, verified, and validated in ABAQUS, to simulate the response of the haul road to the dynamic truck forces. The road was modeled using an elastoplastic Mohr-Coulomb model. The results showed that road deformation decreases with increasing layer modulus and increases with increasing payload. Increasing the base modulus from 100 MPa to 450 MPa reduced the maximum deformation from 258 mm to 62 mm. When the subbase elastic modulus increased from 100 MPa to 500 MPa, the maximum deformation decreased from 160 mm to 84 mm. Increasing the payload from 0 to 120% of the rated load increased the maximum wearing surface deformation from 131 mm to 216 mm. This study forms a basis for designing structurally competent haul roads for improving haulage efficiency and truck and operator health.

Jan 7, 2023

By Randall J. Weege

Nickel laterites throughout the world are similar in their gross aspects, but vary significantly in detail. The deposits occur in two separate and distinct geologic settings --those formed over ultramafic rocks which were mechanically emplaced, and those formed over ultramafic rocks that were intruded as melts. The source of the primary nickel in the parent rock may occur both as ionic replacement in silicate lattices and as nickel sulfides. Factors controlling the degree of laterization and nickel enrichment are dependent upon the parent rock characteristics as well as chemical and climatic conditions. Two chemically and physically distinct zones (oxide and saprolite) are commonly present in the laterized rock, but one or the other may be extremely thin or absent. Cobalt and copper may be present in recoverable amounts. Geologic, geophysical and geochemical methods are all utilized in exploring for these deposits. These methods are compared, evaluated and illustrated in the paper. Drilling patterns and ore reserve calculations are also discussed. In contrast to many ore deposits, processing costs are much higher than mining costs. The most efficient processing method is directly dependent upon the chemical composition of the ore. This variation in the chemical and physical characteristics of nickel laterites requires a detailed test program of the metallurgical response to representative samples and blends of ore. Detailed laboratory and bench-scale metallurgical tests are necessary prior to a full scale pilot plant test.

Jan 1, 1978

By M. Duane Lackey

Electric drives hire done outstanding job in many-fields that are related to the mining industry. The equipment that is offered for electric-trucks was developed from the traction equipment which is used on the diesel electric locomotive. Rotating equipment available for use on electric trucks is identical in principle to that which is used on these locomotives. In as far as it is practical, similar controls are used. Another descendent of the diesel electric locomotive can be found in the oil well drilling industry, Here, locomotive traction motors and. electric controls have been modified to fit the particular requirements of the drilling industry, One 2400 H.P. diesel electric drilling rig drilled a 24,000 Ft. well in West Texas with an electrical maintenance cost in the order of 7¢ per hour This was a new rig and the costs are less than the average maintenance costs will be for the life of the equipment, Even soy since it took one (1) year to drill this well, this 7¢ per hour has real significance. Electric shovels use a similar type of electrical equipment; they too have shown real savings over the equipment they replaced. Since electric drives have done so well, in other fields, they warrant consideration for use in high horsepower, large capacity trucks.

Jan 1, 1961

By J. L. Furtney, C. Fairhurst

"Although global mineral resources are considered to be adequate to meet the needs of a rapidly growing world population, the United States is becoming increasingly dependent on imports. This could have implications for both the economy and national security. The US is a country with a strong tradition of leadership in science and technology. Impressive advances in autonomous underground mining systems reduce the adverse effects of heat and humidity in deep mines and focus renewed attention on ground control. Developments in computing power open opportunities to develop improved understanding of the important role of discontinuities (faults and fracture systems) and more effective design of deep excavations. Establishment of mining R&D Centers at leading US research universities, jointly funded by industry and US federal agencies is recommended as an effective step for the nation to remain an influential partner in world mining. INTRODUCTION. “None of the arts is older than agriculture, but that of metals is no less ancient.. . for no mortal man ever tilled a field without implements. If we remove metals from the service of man, all methods of protecting and sustaining health and more carefully preserving the course of life are done away with.” Agricola (1558)i Homo sapiens, generally acknowledged as the species from which modern Man has evolved, is considered to have originated in Swaziland some 100,000-200,000 years ago. Evidence of use of minerals in that region has been dated to earlier than 40,000 BC.ii Today, a large fraction of the elements of the Periodic Table are derived from minerals, and finding new applications in development of innovative technologies. Agricola’s comments are as applicable today as ever.iii Metals such as copper, tin, lead, iron and aluminum were mined and smelted several thousands of years BC. It was not until the Industrial Revolution, started in the latter half of the 17th Century in Northern England, where coal was available as an energy source, and iron as the basis for fabricating machinery, that dramatic change to society began to occur. Human toil was replaced by far more powerful machines. Rural communities migrated to work in factories in urban areas. Rapid transportation over long distances became possible, leading eventually to the world of today. The change spread to other parts of the world, bringing wealth and power. Although now well established in some regions, the Revolution has still to arrive in many other parts of the world. This can be seen in Figure 1, which shows the relative wealth, or ‘Standard of Living’ as measured by the GDP/capita, of regions around the world. Regions such as North America, Europe, and Australasia iv are seen to have the highest standard. Thanks to today’s global communications systems, regions with relatively low GDP/capita are well aware of ‘how others live’ – and eager to emulate them."

Jan 1, 2018

By M. A. Bartkoski

Today?s surviving companies are being pushed to a heightened level of excellence due to market changes. Therefore, new business strategies must be explored. This paper offers a sequenced plan to retool, empower, and organize the entire team for a common goal. Integrity Process is an operating system that is very comprehensive and is integrated in every part of the business. It relies on a detailed prevention concept intertwined with accountability that produces individual efficiencies and team effectiveness. Integrity Process focuses on the importance between working from commitment motives versus compliance fears. The results are balanced in priority and truly yield a win-win for the owners, management, workforce, and the community. Integrity Process can and is being used in any industry that is challenged to optimize the relationship between people and process.

Feb 23, 2014

By Michael N. Greeley

The movement to reclaim abandoned mine sites has gained momentum as federal, state, and private organizations have increased their commitment and resources to tackle mutual, and often controversial, problems of health and safety. Numerous interorganizational agreements have been implemented to promote cooperation in the characterization of mine site hazards, development of mutually acceptable plans of remediation, and sharing of actual cleanup requirements. Working through these partnerships, the federal land management agencies have begun to focus on abandoned mine reclamation in selected, priority watersheds and other drainage basins. Although there are major difficulties to overcome, significant progress continues to be made.

Jan 1, 1999

By J. Hart, P. W. Conrad, S. Rosenthal, R. A. Hogan

The Mining Engineering Department at Montana Technological University (Montana Tech) has a new Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) approved program for Part 46 and Part 48 mine health and safety training. The training program will utilize the facilities and faculty from Montana Tech’s Mining Engineering and Safety, Health, and Industrial Hygiene departments to provide superior mine health and safety training to the mining industry. The faculty of each department includes professionals with experience in safety training and the mining industry. The training program incorporates adult learning techniques and extensive hands-on activities in all training modules. The instruction will exceed MSHA requirements. The resources available on Montana Tech’s campus will be utilized to strengthen the training program providing the mining industry with a world class mine health and safety training program.

Feb 1, 2023

In the grand scheme of things, the 9.5-t (21,000-lb) shipment of molybdenum concentrate that left Freeport-McMoRan?s Climax Mine site on May 10, 2012 was not unlike the thousands of others that have been hauled away from the site during the last century, except for the fact that this shipment marked the official rebirth of one of America?s greatest mines. For nearly two decades, 17 years to be exact, there was no production from the mine that was once the largest underground mine in the world and was so important to the Allies? effort during World War II that it was assigned the highest priority of any mine in the United States by the War Production Board. The economic recession in 1980 put an end to the mine?s success, and the Great Recession of 2008 nearly derailed the mine again. But, like the nearby town of Leadville, CO, the mine survived thanks to an investment of more than $700 million by Climax Molybdenum Co., a Freeport-McMoRan company, to bring the Climax Mine back into production.

Jan 1, 2012

By James J. Anthony

High-angle in-pit conveying is an idea that is being seriously studied by a number of important mining companies in North America. Its application in coal, iron ore, and copper mining is expected to reduce mine operating costs considerably compared with the conventional discontinuous methods, such as truck haulage, which are fuel, labor, and maintenance intensive. Therefore, a mine introducing high-angle in-pit conveyors will gain a competitive advantage over mines which continue to use conventional haulage. While the capital outlay for in-pit conveyor systems obviously varies depending on pit depth, the angle of incline, and the capacity required, it generally will not exceed that of truck haulage when all Factors are taken into consideration. These factors include the cost of excavation, as measured in relation to the volume of minerals mined, the cost of building truck ramps and roads, and the capital outlay for the trucks and maintenance facilities. In many cases, in Fact, the capital outlay will be less than for truck haulage. This cost advantage will best be realized by new mines, whereas in existing producing mines the switch from truck haulage may involve the abandonment of a substantial capital asset.

Jan 1, 1983

By C. J. Slaughter, S. P. Harteis, L. L. Chasko, D. W. Alexander

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Office of Mine Safety and Health Research (OMSHR), with the assistance of cooperating underground mining operations and state agencies, has conducted research exploring devices and technologies that could be used to assist miners navigating through smoke and dust resulting from a fire or explosion. Recent events in mines confirm that smoke and dust can enter and contaminate mine escapeways, creating an atmosphere with severely reduced visibility. This reduced visibility results in substantially increased escape times, possible disorientation or confusion, and increased stress levels, and may prevent evacuation altogether. Tools or devices that assist miners in navigating through smoke-filled areas void of lifelines could make the difference in successful escape from the mine. This paper presents the results of OMSHR research to identify and evaluate tools and devices that could provide meaningful information to evacuating miners in areas with limited visibility and without the benefit of a lifeline.

Jan 1, 2011

By R. E. MacDougall

Very few mineral properties spend their entire lifespans from discovery to depletion in the hands of one owner. More likely, properties will have several owners, and partial interests may change quite often. Similarly, mineral companies are bought and sold with frequency, in recent years at what appears to be an accelerating rate. The reasons for selling a property can be manifold -need for additional capital in other parts of the business, need for development capital, realization of a large gain at a perceived high point in the market, pessimistic commodity outlook, retirement of principals, or resolution of estate problems. Regardless of the reasons for a sale, there are specific steps that logically follow. Spruce up the business, package the information, market the property, negotiate the terms, close the sale, and make sure it stays sold. Adherence to certain very basic ground rules in property sales can maximize the profits and minimize the effort.

Jan 1, 1990

"What is your assessment of the minerals business?My experience with mining has been primarily in the coal sector until about 10 years ago, when I also became heavily involved in the aggregates and industrial minerals sectors. I have also had peripheral involvement through family and partners in the gold sector, with just enough exposure to gold to become fascinated. In 1994, I visited Ghana and considered the possibility of taking an expat assignment at a surface gold mine that had just been started.It is not news that the coal sector in this country has suffered tremendously in recent years. Especially hard hit is the central Appalachian region, where a number of factors combined have had a devastating effect on production, jobs and the economy. These factors include federal regulations affecting coal production and use, higher production costs and decreasing market share of Appalachian coal by the switch from lower sulfur coal in favor of lowercost, higher sulfur coal from the Illinois Basin, as utilities have installed scrubbers to comply with Phase II of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. Nationally, the lower cost of natural gas has been a huge factor affecting coal use. In Kentucky, for example, which exports to other states around 70 percent of its coal, those markets are disappearing, as utilities close coal units in favor of natural gas. This is a structural change in the electricity market, and one that will become more pronounced as federal greenhouse gas regulations are implemented.We often hear the phrase, "the war on coal." While there are certainly a number of market factors affecting coal production and use, this phrase captures a different element that is all too real. The attacks have come from environmental activist groups for many years; from some in the media and, in the last few years, from a White House administration that believes strongly in alternatives to coal. Then, there really is an alternative to coal in the form of the previously untapped unconventional gas reserves that allowed utilities to move away from coal.Coal mining will continue in this country. In fact, it appears that our production is holding fairly steady at about a billion tons a year. And predictions that I have seen indicate this will continue for the next few years. What impact the Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Power Plan will have beyond 2020 is another question.What do you feel is the future of the minerals industry - near term and longer term?Our society depends on the future of minerals in this country being strong. Near term, we are going through some of the typical cycles. Having also been involved in aggregates during the last few years, the business follows government infrastructure projects, such as highway construction and public and private sector development. Those sectors are heavily dependent upon government spending and a strong economy. Increased spending in those sectors, which appears to be on the horizon, should provide additional market shares for aggregates."

Jan 1, 2014

By Francis J. Quinn

The Natural Gas Act, of 1938, which put interstate pipelines under the jurisdiction of the Federal Power Commission, did not place a protective competitive shield around such companies - nor does any provision of the act guarantee them a profit. Natural-gas pipelines are competitive with each other and also with the coal and oil industries. Gas distributing companies must compete not only with the coal and oil industries, but also with the electric industry. Natural gas has captured markets from oil, which had taken them from coal. Oil men contend that gas prices have: been, held to an artifically low level by regulation. The electric industry is moving into the space-heating market, which pleases the coal people because the coal industry's largest customer since losing the railroads to dieselization has been the electric companies. The coal industry is attempting to monopolize the industrial and electric generating market through government intervention, and this is being done under the guise of concern for the national welfare through advocation of a "National Fuels Policy purporting to, further the cause of fuel conservation. Such a policy is contrary to American principles and would result in the individual's loss of freedom of choice and ultimately, in less reserves of preferred fuels because of diminished exploration efforts.

Jan 1, 1961

By P. M. Hawley

In April 1975 Kaiser Steel Corporation and the United States' Department of Energy entered into a cost-sharing agreement for the demonstration of shield-type longwall supports on three consecutive longwall panels at Kaiser's York Canyon' Mine in New Mexico. Under this agreement the Department of Energy supplied 117 Hemscheidt 320 HSL caliper-type shield supports and hydraulic pumps for the duration of the demonstration. The purpose of the demonstration was to educate the U.S. coal mining industry as to the benefits in production, productivity, health and safety, and increased coal extraction afforded by shield-type longwall mining systems and to provide the industry with a working model. A detailed description of this demonstration is given in U.S. Department of Energy Publication No. DOE/ET/12530-T1, entitled "Demonstration of Shield-Type Longwall Supports at York Canyon Mine of Kaiser Steel Corporation," hereafter referred to as the York Canyon Report.

Jan 1, 1984

By K. J. Reid

With the current trends of increasing costs and decreasing head grades the mineral industry is no longer operating in very high profit areas and has been forced to pay greater attention to the application of modern technology. Although here are many technological advances to the credit of the industry in recent years there are still many processes being operated in the traditional manner and still many areas awaiting the application of methods which have been proven in other industries. Compared with the chemical industry the mineral industry is seriously ageing in the general areas of process analysis and process control, more so than can be justified by the complications arising from having to deal with particulate systems with properties far different from ideal, or even non-ideal, liquid systems. One area in which there has been a remarkable lack of application in the Mineral industry is that of analog computation and the authors feel that there is considerable scope for the use of the analog computer in studying mineral industry processes. The paper outlines the basic principles and features of the analog computer and describes its role as a simulation tool in some engineering and mineral processing systems.

Jan 1, 1972

Sandvik built its first stone crusher in 1896 and has since grown to become a world leader in mining equipment. ?We are the best in the world, and we can now be even better at making our cone and jaw crushers in different models,? Olle Lundberg, production engineer at the Sandvik Mining factory in Svedala, Sweden told freelance journalist U. Samuelsson, of mekpoint.com. As a specialty manufacturing business under the umbrella of the Sandvik Group, Sandvik Mining is a leading global supplier of equipment, tools, services and technical solutions for the mining industry. Its expertise covers the areas of rock drilling, cutting and crushing, as well as loading, hauling and the handling of materials. Lundberg, along with five colleagues, will write CNC programs for the lathes and machining centers that manufacture Sandvik?s specially constructed casting. In 1999, Sandvik chose ESPRIT computer-aided-manufacturing (CAM) software by DP Technology to program its array of machine tools, and has worked with ESPRIT reseller Holotech, based in Örebro, since 2003.

Jan 1, 2014

By T. C. Bibb

Longwalls using shearers in seam heights of less than 1.2 m (48 inches) are relatively rare in the U.S. Westmoreland Coal Company is currently operating a shearer-equipped longwall at a cutting height of 1.17 m (46 inches) in its Bullitt Mine. This face has averaged 2795 metric tons/day of operation since its startup on April 3, 1984. Longwall productivity in thin seams is substantially impacted by equipment reliability and availability of useable working room for travel and access. This paper addresses the design criteria used in selecting this face equipment, with the goal of maximizing these two parameters. Equipment discussed includes shearers. face conveyor, shields, stageloader, and emulsion system.

Jan 1, 1985