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By James A. Clem

Approximately 2,000 years ago, the Lord Admonished the Scribes (Lawyers) and Pharisees (Religious leaders of that time) that they had paid the tithe but had omitted the weightier matters of law, Judgement, Mercy, and Faith. (Matt. 23:23). I want to talk about "The Weightier Matters of Law." In a situation where big government is trying to have an effect on even small details of a work activity, otherwise simple situations become complex. Regulations are written to such detail that constant compliance with strict interpretations can be a nightmare--not to mention off the target of the intended purpose for the regulation. One soon re- cognizes the oneros characteristics of Federal statues

Jan 1, 1979

By Walter W. Kaufman

This User's Manual, extracted from information contained in the Final Report for the above referenced project, outlines test procedures to measure the braking capabilities of underground non-coal rubber-tired mining equipment. Methods to interpret test results, recommendations for safe braking capabilities, and basic techniques to improve braking systems and road surfaces are also discussed. Possible applications for runaway vehicle protective devices other than braking systems are reviewed. Also included is a listing of mining equipment and brake component manufacturers who supply the majority of equipment to the United States non-coal mining industry. In conjunction with this list of manufacturers, a general tabulation of brake related specifications appears for vehicles observed during stopping tests conducted underground.

Jan 1, 1977

Underground coal mine tracked vehicles have been studied to determine the state of the art and how brakes might be added to the coal haulage cars. Specific areas of interest are: brake sys terns, couplers, car trucks and car handling procedures. Problems related to adding brakes to the haulage cars appear to be: the limited amount of room to mount the brakes on the cars, brake line connection between rotary dump cars, achieving desirable braking characteristics without over complicating the system and keeping the installation cost to a reasonable figure. This document combines the information contained in the first issue of the "State-of -the-Art of Underground Coal Mine Tracked Vehicle Brake Systems," BRL Report No. 6080, with that contained in a subsequent monthly report.

Jan 1, 1973

By W. J. Kennedy, John D. Gardner

Introduction During the past 10 years, energy costs in mining have risen from about 4% to as much as 25% of total production cost. When combined with declining ore grades, these costs exert inordinate stress on mine productivity. Industrial engineering techniques have traditionally been aimed at improving manufacturing facilities productivity, but they have been applied to mining as pressure for productivity improvement has increased. These techniques can perform four useful functions for mining operations by improving methods, equipment selection procedures, energy use through scheduling, and managing energy costs rather than being managed by them. This article discusses some of the standard techniques for productivity improvement, and how they can be adapted to perform these four functions. Pre-Production The best time to seek high productivity is when a mine is being planned. During pre-production, when most options are still open, an optimum mine design is achievable. At this time, major equipment selections are made, the layout, material handling systems, and processes are designed, and critical energy source decisions are made. By including explicit energy cost projections, decisions can be made that will save significant amounts of money per ton of ore over the life of the mine. Attention can also be given to often overlooked details such as lighting. Some of the same tools used in new mine planning are applicable to productivity improvements at an existing plant. These tools are the charting and modeling methods that have been developed by industrial engineers over the past 75 years. Energy Consumption Before any analysis of energy consumption can be performed, preliminary work is necessary to find the kind of energy used, how much it costs the plant, and when electrical peaks occur. Past bills should be examined to determine the monthly consumption rate and the cost of each energy type. These data should be adjusted to remove effects caused by production fluctuations or weather. Knowing when electrical peak demands occur is necessary because these determine either the electrical capacity needed or the amount that must be bought. At $500-$800 per kW for construction or $5-$15 per kW per month for purchase, they represent a significant cost. By the time these data are collected, planners should be aware of the importance of energy in the total cost of mine operation, and should have the most crucial time data for electrical peak demand. Flow Process Chart Reducing costs can be accomplished by a thorough look at mine systems and how altering one system causes changes in others. By developing and exercising models of production processes outward to the transportation of the final product, otherwise obscured weaknesses may become apparent. There are tools available for analyzing the mine and its associated systems; one of the most useful is the flow process chart. The flow process chart gives a system analysis of a production procedure by classifying all actions into one of five types: operations, inspections, transportation, delays without paperwork, and delays with paperwork. Operation: In an operation, the nature of something is changed. Examples are blasting, washing coal, and processing matter. Denoted by 0. Inspection: Examining an object for identification or to measure some attribute. Examples are determining whether a drill hole is deep enough, deciding how far to cut under an unsupported roof when operating a continuous miner, or checking the lubricant level on a truck. Denoted bye. Transportation: Moving an object from one place to another. Examples are transporting overburden, moving coal on a conveyor belt, and pumping water. Denoted by =>. Delay without paperwork: A delay that is an inherent part of the system. Examples include idle time of a continuous miner while waiting for shuttle cars or for roof bolting, crushed ore in a storage area waiting for grinding and flotation, and people from one craft waiting for another craft to finish. Denoted by D. Delay with paperwork: A delay that can be terminated only by some written authorization. Examples are coal that cannot be removed until authorized by a bill of sale and transportation orders, personnel records, maintenance, or spare parts. Denoted by V. In practice, the flow process chart is completed after data collection and a detailed examination of the process. Data collection is needed to answer questions on distance, quantity, and time for each of the operations. As the analysis is being performed, each step of the process is subjected to these questions: • Why is the step necessary? • What is being moved? • When does the step take place, and why?

Jan 11, 1983

By Unkown

To the Membership of the Institute Gentlemen: The Mineral Industry of Canada in 1948 The preliminary estimate issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics and tabulated in the Bulletin of January, 1949, indicated that the value of Canada's mineral production in 1948 reached an all-time high of $808,180,216, showing an increase of 25 per cent over the previous record of $644,696,007 established in the preceding year. The output value of metallics was increased by 22.4 per cent; of fuels, by 43.7 percent of other non-metallics, by 19 per 'cent; and of structural materials, by 16.8 per cent. The value of metals produced in 1948 at $483,770,759, was about $87,000,000 more than in the previous year. There were substantial increases in the tonnages of copper, lead zinc nickel, and other base metals produced, but the rises in market prices for such metals accounted for most of the gains in output values. Production of gold at 3,495,403 ounces valued at $122,339,105 indicated an increase in volume of approximately 500,000 ounces and an increase in value of 14 per cent. Despite the benefits provided under the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act 1948 the volume of gold produced in the year was still nearly 2,000,000 ounces less than the record of 5,300,000 ounces established in 1941. The value of mineral fuels produced in 1948, at $158,787,255, was 44 per cent above the 1947 total. Coal production at 18,431,250 tons valued at $107,298,757, while substantially higher than in the preceding year was still half a million tons below the record reached in 1942. Striking developments in the Leduc field in Alberta were responsible for bringing the output of crude petroleum in the year to a new high of 12,098,166 barrels, valued at $36,858,959.

Jan 1, 1949

By William J. Priestley

In the manufacture of gun forgings and other steel parts that, in service, are subject to sudden high stresses and shocks, it is most desirable to use steel possessing the greatest toughness and ductility possible without sacrifice of strength. In order to obtain this condition, it is necessary to procure steel that shows the highest possible elongation and reduction of area without lowering the tensile strength and clastic limit. Proper heat treatment of the steel can control this condition within certain limits. When heat treatment has failed to produce the desired results, metallurgists have used steels containing molybdenum, zirconium, vanadium, chromium, tungston, etc. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method by which these desired physical properties may be procured—by the elimination of certain impurities that inherently exist in steel made by the open-hearth process, and without the use of expensive alloys. Design of Gun Forgings In the manufacture of gun forgings, a certain elastic limit is fixed by the designer, and the walls of the gun arc made of the proper thickness, allowing a suitable factor of safety for the high stresses and sudden shocks that occur during gun firing. The clastic strength of the gun is about 1.4 times the stress set up at any point along the bore of the gun during firing with the maximum powder charge. As the stresses set up in the walls of the gun during firing are mostly "tangential," all physical tests are taken in this direction. Due to the length of the forgings, these tangential test bars are always taken at right angles and transverse to the direction of flow of the metal in forging. Furthermore, test bars taken across the grain of the metal will more frequently expose defects and foreign inclusions in the steel than will bars

Jan 1, 1922

By William J. Priestley

In the manufacture of gun forgings and other steel parts that, in service, are subject to sudden high stresses and shocks, it is most desirable to use steel possessing the greatest toughness and ductility possible without sacrifice of strength. In order to obtain this condition, it is necessary to procure steel that shows the highest possible elongation and reduction of area without lowering the tensile strength and clastic limit. Proper heat treatment of the steel can control this condition within certain limits. When heat treatment has failed to produce the desired results, metallurgists have used steels containing molybdenum, zirconium, vanadium, chromium, tungston, etc. The purpose of this paper is to describe a method by which these desired physical properties may be procured—by the elimination of certain impurities that inherently exist in steel made by the open-hearth process, and without the use of expensive alloys. Design of Gun Forgings In the manufacture of gun forgings, a certain elastic limit is fixed by the designer, and the walls of the gun arc made of the proper thickness, allowing a suitable factor of safety for the high stresses and sudden shocks that occur during gun firing. The clastic strength of the gun is about 1.4 times the stress set up at any point along the bore of the gun during firing with the maximum powder charge. As the stresses set up in the walls of the gun during firing are mostly "tangential," all physical tests are taken in this direction. Due to the length of the forgings, these tangential test bars are always taken at right angles and transverse to the direction of flow of the metal in forging. Furthermore, test bars taken across the grain of the metal will more frequently expose defects and foreign inclusions in the steel than will bars

Jan 1, 1922

By K. P. Wang

Mining and metallurgy have had a long history in China, and resources there have always been considered promising. Under the People's Republic of China (PRC), a remarkable industrial renaissance is underway that should further gain momentum in the years ahead. Rapid development of minerals have not only brought the PRC prominence in industrialization, but also in world affairs. Chinese mineral developments, especially petroleum, have been increasingly in the news. Oil and gas may have great potential, but a very large coal industry is already in existence. The steel industry ranks fifth or sixth in the world. The PRC is also prominent in fertilizer, cement, and salt production. The export metals are well known. Also, the country is buying heavily in nonferrous base metals. The need to know and the intense interest in the subject have prompted this study. The world significance of Chinese minerals is pointed out. The history of growth and PRC's mineral supply position are reviewed. Evaluations are made of policy considerations and regional and technical factors affecting mineral development. PRC's mineral trade and efforts to obtain equipment, supplies, and know-how are assessed. Specific reviews are made of major mineral sectors, including coal and power, oil and gas, iron and steel, nonferrous metals, industrial minerals, and fertilizers and chemicals. The overall outlook is summarized.

Jan 1, 1975

By H. C. George

This bulletin deals with prime movers, power-transmitting machinery, and the surface equipment and methods used to pump oil wells. It does not discuss geological problems nor the methods and equipment used in drilling or at flowing oil wells. Much of the presentation is by photographs and drawings which are described in the text. Underground equipment and methods for pumping oil wells will be discussed in a later publication of the Bureau of Mines.

Jan 1, 1925

By CHRISTOPHER D. HEBERT, SCOTT W. HOFFMAN

All Rights Reserved. Printed in the United States of America. Information contained in this work has been obtained by SME, Inc. from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither SME nor its authors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein, and neither SME nor its authors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information. This work is published with the understanding that SME and its authors are supplying information but are not attempting to render engineering or other professional services. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any statement or views presented here are those of individual authors and are not necessarily those of the SME. The mention of trade names for commercial products does not imply the approval or endorsement of SME.

Dec 1, 2019

By Kirsten Corin, Belinda McFadzean, Cyril O’Connor, Jenny Wiese

The Bushveld Complex of South Africa contains almost 90% of the world’s reserves of platinum group minerals (PGMs). In the flotation of PGMs, there are significant challenges arising from the need to treat ever-decreasing grades of the relevant ore deposits. The major challenge in the flotation of these ore bodies is the control and management of the gangue minerals, particularly silicates such as orthopyroxene, plagioclase feldspar, and pyroxene which are often rimmed with talc which makes them naturally floatable. It has been shown that various polysaccharide depressants such as CMC and guar have different properties in terms of depressing the gangue minerals. Since the PGMs are often associated with sulphides, copper sulphate is widely used as an activator in PGM flotation but can inadvertently activate the gangue minerals as well as reduce the recovery of PtTe2 which accounts for up to 40% of the Pt in the Platreef ore body. Depressants also reduce the mass of solids reporting to the froth and can thus destabilise the froth. This effect on the froth can be mitigated by using higher frother dosages or water of higher ionic strength. Reducing chromite recovery is of critical importance since high levels may negatively affect the downstream smelting process. Chromite recoveries can however be reduced through the application of gravity separation or reducing entrainment through reduced water recovery. In summary, due care needs to be taken to carry out site test work to develop an optimum ratio of collector, frother, activator, and depressant to ensure that the highest grades and recoveries of the PGEs are obtained while reducing depressant dosage as much as possible.

Ground and air vibrations induced by large surface blasts have been monitored. These field results, as well as a large number of published results, have been used to assess the performance of existing predictors and for the development of improved prediction methods. Field monitoring has been performed, with four seismographs giving complete wave records, at limestone quarries, coal strip mines and an open pit copper mine. Conventional analysis includes least square fitting of peak particle velocities and peak air overpressures with scaled distance formulations. Frequency content has been analyzed, and correlated with blast design (detonation sequence). Two new methods have been developed for predicting ground vibrations induced by blasting. The proposed analytical predictor accounts explicitly for inelastic attenuation and geometrical spreading, and calculates the peak particle velocity as a function of charge weight and distance. Statistical analysis of case studies confirms the consistent improvement over conventional scaled distance predictors. The second new predictor is a computer program simulating blasts, including blast geometry, charge distribution and detonation sequence, and simulating propagation of individual pulses to any point of interest, where effects are summed. A complete blast vibration results, allowing prediction of frequency content and duration as well as peak velocities.

Jan 1, 1983

By VAN. H. MANNING

Probably no year in the history of the United States showed greater progress in the mineral industries than 1916. Although this progress was undoubtedly stimulated by the war in Europe, which caused extremely high prices for some of the metals, yet the fact remains that mining is being regarded more as a business and less as a speculation, and the benefits of business methods are becoming evident. Practices that were almost universal a few years ago have been largely abolished, the mining public has been brought to recognize the folly of wasteful and dangerous methods, and there is a gratifying unanimity of opinion in regard to the conservation of life and health, as well as of our mineral resources. The people of the United States realize more fully than ever before the extent and value of the country's mineral resources and the possibilities that await intelligent and well-directed efforts at utilization. In the past, economic reasons caused deposits of valuable metals and industrial materials to lie idle; commercial reasons, many of them not truly economic, led to the waste of valuable constituents in many ores; the recovery of minerals from the ground was too often incomplete and accompanied by uncalculated loss; and the treatment of ores in mills and smelters saved altogether too Iowa proportion of the metals sought. Now better methods are being tried on every hand, and the unparalleled record of the year is largely due to the success of these efforts. According to the preliminary estimates of the United States Geological Survey the output of metals and minerals in this country in the calendar year 1916 had a total gross value of slightly more than $3,000,000,000. For many metals and minerals the figures broke all previous records, the new records of some products, as compared with 1915 figures, being as follows:

Jan 1, 1917

By Frank Pepe, Nestor Garavelli

The 2023 Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conference (RETC) will be held in Boston, MA and will include the presentation of 133 papers divided into 20 technical sessions during the 3 day conference that were selected from over 200+ papers that were submitted to the committee. The selected papers are included within this book to provide a comprehensive recap of the conference while also providing a source of reference for contractors and engineers in the future. The selected papers will include contributions from all divisions of the tunneling industry plus risk management and best contract practices. Boston is known to the tunneling industry for its complex and difficult tunneling history, specifically of recent memory the Central Artery/Tunnel Project also know as the “Big Dig” of the 1980s and early 1990s. The selection of Boston as a host city was fitting from a historical perspective and as avenue for the city to present its upcoming tunnel projects. RETC began in 1972 with the idea of sharing ideas, design and project construction experience, and new technology, between contractors, designers, owners and suppliers. The ability to provide a single location every other year for all facets of the tunneling industry to gather and discuss the aforementioned was and still is viewed as a way to help the tunnel industry grow. The lessons learned from completed projects, the advancement of technology which could be implemented into design and the presentation of new projects by owners/designers and contractors allows for the limits and complexity of upcoming projects to be expanded beyond our current capabilities. Our industry has never been as busy as it currently is, and we are seeing more future projects coming out for solicitation across all business sectors. With the good fortune that all of us have been blessed with one of the biggest challenges that we have been faced with is the shortage of future management on all levels for our projects including the labor force. We all want our industry to continue to grow and succeed, our most important assets are the people that we employ. Investing in the education and continued training of our work forces to be up to date with the latest technology and methods is the key to our success. This also includes develop, recruiting and mentoring of young students graduating college to join our industry so that we can all continue to grow. We hope that all those attending the conference will have the ability to attend as many sessions as possible and to expand their network within our industry. As in past years, scholarship students will be in attendance and we encourage all to offer these students an opportunity to visit jobs, attend learning sessions or future internships to expand their interest in our industry that needs an injection of young engineers to contribute and lead our future Rapid Excavation and Tunneling Conferences. The program chairs wish to thank the session chairs, co-chairs, authors, and other members of the RETC Executive Committee for their dedication to this conference. Last but certainly not least, we give special thanks to the SME staff for their hard work and enthusiastic support in making this conference possible.

Dec 1, 2023

By Clarence A. Wright

The Missouri-Kansas-Oklahoma lead and zinc district, better known as the Joplin district, includes the mines in southwest Missouri and in those parts of Kansas and Oklahoma that are directly adjacent. (See PI. I.) This report of investigations carried on by the Bureau of Mines gives the methods used in mining and milling and indicates in some detail the conditions that affect the efficiency of those methods; it does not attempt to discuss the geology of the district, except incidentally, as this has been described in numerous reports by several geologists. Some of the more important recent publications are those of the United States Geological Survey by Smith and Siebenthal, a Bain, b and also those of the Missouri State geological survey by Buckley and Buehler." Other reports are those by Schmidt and Leonard," and Winslow,e of the Missouri geological survey, by Haworth and Crane,! of the Kansas geological survey, and by Jenney.g Although the lead and zinc ores are closely associated, the proportion of zinc ore mined at present is far greater than in former years. For this reason and because the losses in milling zinc ores are proportionately greater than in milling those of lead, the zinc ores are here given most consideration. Only the mines and mills actually examined and tested are discussed in detail, statements of results being restricted to the mines in general, with no special reference to anyone mine. Several mill tests were made to determine in a general way the efficiency of the milling practice in this district and to discover at what stage of the process the losses were greatest. Making these mill tests proved difficult,for, because of the arrangement of the mills and the necessity of estimating the tonnage treated, systematic mill testing and sampling can be done at only a few plants. Many tables giving results of mill tests and screen tests have been omitted because they would serve only to emphasize the important points shown by other data given. The writer has tried to bring out the possibilities of making certain improvements that would effect a greater saving, and has endeavored to avoid the use of technical terms and phrases in order that all statements may be clear and easily understood.

Jan 1, 1918

By PALMER LARSEN

INDEX TO GEOPHYSICAL ABSTRACTS

May 1, 1931

By T Trott, M Lewis, G Lumley

The analysis of equipment trends in The AusIMMÆs revision of Monograph 19 - Australasian Mining and Metallurgical Operating Practices (AMMOP) (in prep) in the paper by Graham Lumley raised some interesting, and in parts disturbing, trends in the Australian open cut mining industry. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2011) the productivity of the whole mining industry is down by 34 per cent since 2001. In terms of open cut equipment, median output for draglines is down by 15 per cent since 2003, electric rope shovels are down by 41 per cent since 2003, hydraulic excavators are down by 39 per cent since 2008, front-end loaders are down by 39 per cent since 2007 and trucks are down by 41 per cent since 2006. Clearly e boom has not been good for the efficiency of the mines. During this same time, best practice (defined as the average of the top ten per cent by annual output per unit of input) has declined, but not by as much as the median (eg shovels down by eight per cent, excavators down by 19 per cent and FELs down by five per cent). This paper will build on the analysis of AMMOP to understand the differences occurring between median and best practice and identify the factors contributing to the decline in performance. As the industry enters a period of potentially lower prices for commodities and reduced margins, pressure will be brought to bear on mine sites to start moving more with the equipment they have. An understanding of where efficiency has been lost will be a key component in that. The information contained in AMMOP, and the subsequent analysis of that information in papers such as this one, will be crucial to reversing the decline in open cut equipment performance.CITATION:Lumley, G, Trott, T and Lewis, M, 2012. Reversing the trend in open pit mining equipment output, in Proceedings Eighth Open Pit OperatorsÆ Conference , pp 75-82 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Sep 18, 2012

By Diana Drinkwater, Tim Napier-Munn

"This paper argues that, although specialist mineral engineering expertise is essential for the efficient design and operation of mineral processing plants, the environment in which these skills are supplied to the industry has changed forever, and not for the better. Most of the mineral engineering programmes in western universities have died or are dying. The long-service mine site mentors have gone, operations are run on a staffing shoestring so that there is no longer the time (or inclination) for considered decision-making, and the FIFO model has discouraged continuity of optimisation projects and communication between professionals. At the same time the technical challenges of designing and operating effective process plants are increasing. These trends are not going to be reversed any time soon, if ever. The ability to run efficient mineral processing operations has been materially compromised as a consequence. We propose that well-designed professional development can help to recover this situation, and it can be done easily and cheaply. The workplace is the best environment for such skills development. Professional development training should be integrated with normal duties throughout the early years of a graduate’s service (and probably beyond), and the cost should be regarded as non-discretionary expenditure for the business. If such programmes are properly resourced and managed and extended over longer time periods, there will be a measureable rise in the level of technical understanding and competence within companies and a resulting beneficial impact on resource utilisation and thus shareholder value. The paper outlines some of the approaches that we believe will work, and the benefits that we expect will accrue."

Jan 1, 2014

By B McCarthy

Mining has been typified of late as a boom and bust, cyclical industry operating against a steady decline in the size and quality of mineral deposits. Decreasing deposit grades and increasing costs of traditional mining techniques, all in the face of another commodity downturn, are forcing mining companies more than ever before to seek out new and innovative ways to operate. New technologies are emerging to model, control and track resources through the mining value chain, to move material about mines more efficiently, and to identify and separate ore from gangue early in the extraction process.Discovering such technologies however is only the first challenge for mining companies. Actually implementing technological change successfully has proved to be an even bigger challenge. Like for many industries, fulfilling the promised benefits for the expense and timing envisioned, has not been easy when innovative technologies are introduced.Citing the author’s insights and experiences in a number of emerging technologies, this paper explores barriers to implementing technological change in the mining context. Key elements of a change management framework, first developed for implementing mine management systems, are described to give mining executives insight into how they and their organisations can succeed through technology-driven change.CITATION:McCarthy, B, 2016. Successfully implementing technology-driven change in the mining environment, in Proceedings International Mine Management Conference, pp 89-104 (The Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy: Melbourne).

Jun 22, 2016

By Alfred Petrick

This study gives an analysis of the copper system byproducts and discusses the identification and classification of byproduct metals and their supply systems. Arsenic, platinum-group metals, silver, gold, selenium, tellurium, molybdenum, rhenium, uranium, aluminum, magnesium, and byproduct copper, lead, and zinc from complex ores are covered. The report describes several metallurgical systems, the marginal and incremental products costs of byproduct subsystems, industry structure and organization, and the historical data on price, consumption, and supply. Supply curves are presented for about one-half of the byproduct metals studied. The study develops a conceptual framework for analysis by reviewing the present concepts of byproduct supply and the related price theory. It gives the sources of supply of the individual byproduct metals to indicate the importance of the byproduct supply to the total supply. Mills, smelters, and refineries processing byproduct materials for their metal content are identified by geographic location and company ownership, The study also includes information on the reserves-resource base supporting byproduct output, reserve estimates, and the demand aspects of each byproduct metal.

Jan 1, 1973