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By David Caiden, Petros Fortsakis, Alan Hodgkinson

"1. INTRODUCTIONDo contractual practices affect project outcome? Can better contractual practices improve the likelihood of project success? The consensus amongst experts is that better contractual practices really do improve project outcomes. With this in mind the members of the International Tunnelling Association (ITA) Working Group 3 on Contractual Practices (WG3) pooled their collective knowledge to publish in 2011 the document entitled The ITA Contractual Framework Checklist for Subsurface Construction Contracts (ITA Working Group 3, 2011). Written for projects involving significant subsurface works, e.g. tunnels and caverns, the ITA Framework Checklist explains the major contractual issues that must be considered to ensure a successful project. Its goal is not to specify how each issue should be resolved, but rather to highlight the issues and give recommendations on how they should be addressed. The Checklist is compatible with, and provides guidance for reviewing, standard contracts such as FIDIC and NEC. One of the authors is a co-author of the Checklist and has contributed to previous papers describing the Checklist and its applicability to hydropower projects (Hodgkinson & Wilson 2014, Hodgkinson & Wilson 2015). The Checklist identifies a series of issues that should be contractually defined, which can be summarized as follows: •,Methods for dealing with geotechnical uncertainties should be defined in the contract •,There should be an appropriate level of geotechnical/geological investigation •,Sufficient mobilization periods should be allowed •,Sufficient time should be allowed for testing and commissioning •,Procedures for timely dispute resolution should clearly defined •,Quality and performance requirements should be clearly defined and measurable •,Provision should exist for cost consequences of unforeseen circumstances •,Dispute resolution processes should be clearly defined •,Payment processes should be fair and clearly defined •,Risk should be clearly allocated and parties should be able to bear the risks they carry •,There should be a mechanism for adjusting payments according to conditions •,The risk management approach should be clearly defined •,Admeasurement or unit price approaches are recommended •,The responsibilities of each party must be clearly defined •,The consequences of non-performance should be clearly defined •,The construction programme (schedule) should be realistic."

Jan 1, 2016

By Charles U. Keranen

The Tilden Mine is an iron ore mining, processing and pelletizing facility located on the Marquette Iron Range in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It has a designed capacity to produce 8 million long tons of pellets annually from 21 million long tons of crude. It is a partnership owned by The Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company, Algoma Steel Corporation, LTV Steel Corporation, the Steel Company of Canada, Wheeling Pitts- burgh Steel Corporation and the Sharon Steel Corporation. Cleveland- Cliffs manages and operates the Tilden. The crude ore averages 35% iron and is primarily non-magnetic iron oxide and silica. The major ore mineral is martite. Hematite, earthy hematite, goethite and magnetite are also present. The principal gangue mineral is chert. The ore grains are mostly in the 10 to 25 micron size range which necessitates very fine grinding for liberation. The concentrating process is the most complex one used in the iron ore industry. The unique technology for Tilden was developed in the mid and late 60's. The design and construction occurred in the early 70's and operation of the first phase which was of 4 MLTPY capacity began in October. 1974. Expansion of the facility to the current 8 MLTPY capacity was completed in 1979. Chemicals are the key to the beneficiation process at the Tilden Mine. The flowsheet utilizes selective flocculation - desliming, cationic silica flotation and concentrate dewatering by thickening and filtering. Nine different process chemcals are used. The control of the reagent feed systems is highly auto- mated. The entire concentrator is operated from a central control room. The concentrator flow diagram is presented in figure 1. The plant consists of 12 primary autogenous grinding lines, a common crushing circuit to handle an intermediate product within the primary grinding section, 24 pebble mill lines with cyclones and deslime thickeners, 12 flotation lines, 4 concentrate thickeners and slurry tanks, 8 lines of filters with six machines per line, and 2 tailings thickeners. A pumping system was installed in 1980 to permit the direct return of tailings thickener overflow water back to the reuse water pumphouse.

Jan 1, 1986

By Pierre Longtin

"Replacing the aging roadway access to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge, thereby ensuring traffic safety and robustness in case of seismic occurrences, provided an opportunity for major design improvements as well as the development of a parkway that would include the construction of four new tunnels. With an eye to the future, the Doyle Drive replacement project aimed to meet the highest standards for environmental stewardship beyond regulatory requirements. Understanding that lighting equipment is the tunnel‘s subsystem that uses the most energy, the operator was looking for a sustainable solution to light the tunnels. An Intelligent Lighting Control System (ILCS), designed specifically for road tunnels, was acquired to individually control the almost 2000 luminaires lighting the four tunnels. This paper will show the results in terms of energy and operational savings generated over the nine months of operation between the commissioning and the conference in April 2016. INTRODUCTION Electrical & mechanical (E&M) equipment represents an average of 10 % of a tunnel total construction cost. Once the civil infrastructure completed, E&M equipment drives the main part of the expense during a tunnel useful life. Table 1 below describes the impact of various types of energy consumption and their cost impact in tunnels of less than 500 m. It is clear that lighting is the sub-system that requires the most energy. A good lighting strategy is the key to reducing energy consumption due to lighting and a viable solution that will bring important savings in tunnel operations.With a price of $0.14/kWh in California and a planned increase between 3% and 6% per year during the period 2013-2040, the tunnel operators could not afford to overlit the tunnels—particularly when they have to operate it for the next 30 years. However, they also need to maintain the right lighting level to ensure driver safety all the time. The Presidio Parkway project includes the Battery tunnels, which are 240 m (790 feet) and 230 m (750 feet) in length, and the Main Post tunnels, which are 280 m (920 feet) and 315 m (1030 feet) in length."

Jan 1, 2016

By Donald C. Wotring, Douglas A. Gabriel, Michael G. Vitale

"The Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD) recently completed the 24-foot diameter Euclid Creek Tunnel using a steel-fiber reinforced concrete segmental lining. During construction HMM, the McNally/Kiewit JV, CSI/Hanson JV, and the NEORSD performed a test program to evaluate replacement of steel fiber with synthetic fiber. A section of synthetic-fiber-reinforced cast-in-situ lining was also placed as part of the permanent works for the starter and tail tunnels. Laboratory and field testing were performed on two complete segmental rings reinforced solely with synthetic fibers. This paper summarizes the testing program, construction, and results of the synthetic-fiber-reinforced CIP lining and concrete segments. INTRODUCTION The principal feature of the Euclid Creek Tunnel (ECT) project is a CSO storage tunnel that is one component of the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District’s (NEORSD) Easterly CSO storage and conveyance system. The tunnel, shafts, and appurtenant facilities will be used for the collection and storage of CSOs from the northeastern part of Cleveland, Ohio and subsequent conveyance to the NEORSD’s Easterly Wastewater Treatment Plant for treatment. The ECT project includes five drop shafts that extend as deep as 220 feet below the ground surface. The ECT alignment and shaft locations are shown in Figure 1. Traditionally in northeast Ohio, tunnel excavations were supported with a two-pass system using steel ribs and timber lagging, followed by cast-in-place concrete. Control of rock overbreak proved difficult with large-diameter two-pass operation, and invert degradation led to train derailments. To mitigate these risks, the ECT was supported using one-pass, precast, bolted, gasketed concrete segments reinforced with steel fiber alone. Tunneling operations were very successful and experienced no significant delays or claims. As a result of the positive ECT experience with steel fiber-reinforced segments, Hatch Mott MacDonald, LLC (HMM), McNally/Kiewit (MK) joint venture, CSI/Hanson (CSI/H) joint venture, and the NEORSD performed a test program to evaluate replacement of steel fibers with synthetic fibers in segmental rings. This paper presents the laboratory and field testing program, construction, and results of the synthetic-fiber-reinforced cast-in-place (CIP) lining and concrete segments."

Jan 1, 2016

By Omar A. Muhtadi, R. Bruce Thorndycraft, David A. Milligan

9.1 INTRODUCTION Precious metals in a leach solution are extracted, concentrated, and purified to complete the process begun in the heap and to produce an end product which will provide an economic payback to the mine developer/operator. Several different processes are required to convert the dissolved precious metals into pure metal bars. This chapter discusses the actual production of metal once it has been recovered from the pregnant leach solutions by the zinc cementation (Merrill -Crowe) or carbon adsorption processes. Metal production is generally taken to mean the production of a fairly pure "dore" bar. This chapter also reiterates some information from Chapter 8 in a slightly different context, since the focus of Chapter 8 was a fairly detailed description of the two actual recovery processes, whereas the focus of this chapter is metal production. The sale of an intermediate precious metal product is possible (as opposed to the production of dore bars at the mine site); however, the value of the precious metals is reduced by the various charges and risks associated with precious metal processing. For this reason, most operators choose to produce the most refined metal possible in order to maximize project economics. Precious metals may be extracted from the leach solution by both conventional and unconventional processes. The conventional processes are activated carbon/electrowinning (ACE) and zinc precipitation (ZIP). The unconventional processes are resin ion exchange, solvent extraction, and direct electrowinning. A typical ACE process has two circulating loops. The first loop adsorbs the cyanide-metal complexes from the dilute leach solution onto the activated carbon. A second, separate solution loop removes the cyanide-metal complexes from the activated carbon into a strong solution, the electrowinning electrolyte. Activated carbon is transferred from one fluid loop to the other. The operating cost of the ACE process is directly proportional to the quantity of carbon stripped and thus to the quantity of precious metal produced. A typical ZIP process contains a single circulating loop. The solution is filtered, deaerated, contacted with zinc, and filtered again. The barren leach solution is then returned to the heap. The zinc sludge recovered in the

Jan 1, 1988

By Hamid Maleki

Mine seismicity is influenced by the mechanical properties of both near-seam strata and overburden/underburden and the prudent selection of mining methods and mine layout designs, utilizing sitespecific structural setting of the mines. The importance of adequate data collection, monitoring, and prudent structural designs has long been recognized and utilized in many U.S. operations with adequate engineering resources. In this paper, two case studies of historic seismic events and contributing factors, in deep coal and trona mines with overburden thickness exceeding 1,500 ft, are reviewed using observations and analysis. By back analyzing the overburden response in a historic room-and-pillar coal mine, the overburden collapse mechanism associated with a 3.3 magnitude seismic event is reviewed as well as the need for improvements in designs including panel and barrier pillar widths. Similar high-order seismic events were also experienced in trona mines of the Green River Basin during 1990s, interrupting room-and-pillar mining and creating ground control concerns. Efforts to improve structural mine designs are described in this paper leading to stable and productive operations for decades following the high-order seismic events in both coal and trona case studies. These efforts included improving room-and-pillar extraction layouts and utilizing properly designed longwall mining techniques that were verified using long-term geotechnical instrumentation. The study mines are located on the Wasatch Plateau (WP), Utah and in the Green River Basin (GRB), Wyoming. More recently, in Utah’s East Mountain alone, Energy West Mining Company (EWMC) has extracted some 165 million tons of coal without any significant incidents. Overall, favorable geologic conditions and prudent mine layout designs are key elements to this successful experience in both single- and two-seam layouts. Utilization of conservatively designed longwall mining technique in the GRB has been geotechnically stable, using reported experience in 15 panels and monitoring results in the Northwest (NW) District with measurable longwallinduced seismicity being rare. These studies demonstrate a considerable amount of progress that has been made within the last four decades in the application of longwall mining technique, integrated monitoring, and analyses for the verification of structural designs in mines in the United States.

Jul 1, 2023

By Don Morris

The Building Products Company is Phoenix based and owned by Mission Clay products of California. Building Products is the only manufacturer of vitrified clay pipe in Arizona. The marketing area includes Arizona, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, and California. Building Products, promoted by Arizona Public Service, was formed in 1970. Raw-materials prospecting was undertaken for 2 years, after which a $5-million plant was built. Initially, a satisfactory vitrified product could not be made with the raw materials then in hand. Subsequent prospecting and testing led to an acceptable raw-materials mix. Testing to upgrade the final product is a continuing process. The basic raw-materials supply must be adequate, secure, and capable of sustaining close tolerances in the final product. These needs are met by mining four geologic materials at three different localities: (1) refractory aluminous shales (two horizons-one pit) Colorado Plateau Province (Mogollon Rim); (2) less refractory aluminous materials from late Cenozoic lacustrine materials near Dewey in the Transition Zone (TZ); and (3) Precam¬brian "slate" from near New River along the southern edge of the TZ. Other additives include grog (ground-up, broken pipe) and barium carbonate that ties up what gypsum there is. Calcium magnesium carbonates are deleterious components that are minimized by careful selection of the mined products. The raw materials are blended and mixed, ground to 12 mesh, mixed in a pug mill, depleted of air, extruded into pipe ranging from 6 inches to 42 inches in diameter, transported to a hot-air drying room, fork-lifted to an appropriate kiln, and fired at a 1900-2000° F range. The "Rim" kaolinitic shales, being the most refractory ingredient, stabilize the pipe during the firing process. They are very plastic, and therefore facilitate extrusion. The Dewey clay fuses at a low temperature and forms an impervious glasslike binder. It also is plastic. The "slate" forms platy particles that tend to orient themselves during laminar flow. This provides strength for both the green and dried product. It doesn't absorb water, which helps the drying process. Grog remains stable during firing, and therefore helps to control shrinkage. The development of appropriate raw materials and proper mixtures has been done empirically.

Jan 1, 1987

By David B. McWhorter, John D. Nelson

INTRODUCTION The quantity of seepage that will be released from a tailings impoundment depends not only on the characteristics of the seepage control system, but also on the properties of the foundation soil or rock beneath the impoundment and the nature of the groundwater in the area. The interaction between various elements of the seepage control system and the influence the various characteristics of the site and impoundment have on seepage are the subject of this paper. The results of analyses are presented herein to indicate the nature and magnitude of the effect that the various factors will have on seep¬age losses. Analyses were conducted for a uranium mill tailings impoundment located in an area characteristic of many found in the western United States or Canada. A typical seepage control system consists of placement of either a clay or synthetic liner beneath the impoundment. In some cases an underdrain system may be placed on top of the liner to collect drainage from the tailings. The parameters that were varied in the analyses included those pertaining to the liner, underdrains and foundation strata. In general, it is shown that the seepage losses will vary in a complex manner depending on the interaction of the elements of the site and the seepage control system. As may be expected, the liner and underdrain systems have the most pronounced effect on controlling seepage. This paper deals with the quantity of seepage released from an impoundment However, the impact that seepage losses from an impoundment will have on the surrounding environment will depend on the rate at which contaminants will enter the groundwater and the nature of the groundwater flow itself. Consequently, when considering these results with regard to environmental impact they must be interpreted along with considerations of geochemical factors. MECHANICS OF SEEPAGE The mechanics of seepage and methods of analysis that were used will be discussed briefly herein. For a more detailed discussion the reader is referred elsewhere (McWhorter and Nelson, 1978, 1979, 1980). A general column through the impoundment was considered to be as shown in Fig. 1.

Jan 1, 1980

By Malcolm J. McPherson

The highest recorded loss of life due to the collapse of mine workings occurred at the Coalbrook North Colliery in South Africa on 21st January, 1960. A total of 437 persons died when bord and pillar workings collapsed over an area exceeding one square mile The whole mass of strata from the 470 ft (143 m) deep seam to the surface being affected. Although the Coalbrook disaster was unique in its scale the problem of pillar failure, particularly in old workings, is by no means uncommon nor confined to recent history. Indeed, the collapse of large pillared areas was a regular feature of mining in the north of England in the early part of the nineteenth century. When a section of underground workings collapses, the air under the descending roof is compressed very rapidly. The pressurised air is dissipated subsequently at a rate governed by the leakage paths available. If the collapsing area is small, such as the case of a local fall of roof, then there will be little danger of an air blast. If, however, an extensive area collapses suddenly then the rapid compression of air will give rise to a pressure shock wave that will be transmitted through the remaining workings as an air blast. If worked out areas are connected to current workings via unstopped airways an air blast caused by pillar failure in the old workings will be extremely hazardous to personne1 and may cause extensive damage to equipment, perhaps even reaching to surface plant. At Coalbrook, the air blast blew out a wall in the surface fan house. Areas that are considered liable to sudden collapse may be isolated from current workings by the construction of stoppings. However, such stoppings must be capable of withstanding the 'hammerblow' effect of peak air pressures developed during the collapse. The work described in this paper was undertaken in order to determine the maximum air pressures that stoppings must withstand during a major pillar failure. The result has been a method of establishing peak air pressures that is quick and simple to use. Readers who are concerned primarily with the practical application of the method are advised to turn directly to the last main section of the paper.

Jan 1, 1980

By H Sohn, R. R. Fernández

Microscopic gold inclusions in sulfide minerals cannot typically be extracted by conventional cyanidation. The gold ore must be pretreated to oxidize sulfide minerals associated with gold and to remove other minerals and chemical compounds that interfere in the cyanidation leaching process. The recovery of gold from refractory sulfidic-carbonaceous ores after roasting pretreatment was studied. With the addition of an oxygen-containing gas (e.g., air or oxygen-enriched air), sulfides of iron, zinc. copper and other metals are tramformed into solid oxides or sulfates and gaseous sulfur dioxide at elevated temperatures (e.g., 400° to 800°C). When the sulfides are oxidized, individual particles lose internal volume and become porous, allowing leaching solutions access to the gold. The structural characteristics of the calcine have a strong influence on the eventual recovery of gold by cyanidation. These characteristics are strongly dependent on the roasting conditions and roasting method. The optimum combination of particle size, roasting temperature, reaction time and oxygen concentration in the off-gas was determined for a typical refractory sulfidic-carbonaceous ore from the Carlin Trend in Nevada. The tests were run using a 150-mm laboratory rotating tube furnace and 160- and 200-mm.fluid-bed pilot roasters. Laboratory results indicated that the maximum gold extraction was 92%, with the head and the leach residue containing 5.7 and 0.4 g/t (0.166 and 0.013 oz/st) Au, respectively. The maximum extraction was achieved under the following roasting conditions: a top particle size of 150 yin, a residence time of 2 hrs, a roasting temperature of 475°C and with 40% oxygen (by volume) in the off-gas. Similar results were obtained from circulating fluid bed (CFB) pilot-plant testing. The maximum gold extraction was 90%, with the head and leach residue containing of 5.1 and 0.5 g/t (0. 149 and 0.015 oz/st) Au, respective) v. These results were achieved with the same particle size and oxygen concentration as in the laboratory testing but with the roasting temperature of 500 ° to 525°C and a residence time of 30 min.

Jan 1, 2000

By Robert L. Virta

An asbestos substitute is any material that replaces asbestos in a commercial product. There are many asbestos substitutes, each with its own unique physical and chemical properties. Substitutes can be inorganic or organic, fibrous or nonfibrous, and natural or synthetic. They also can be used as a direct substitute for asbestos or as a replacement product. Probably in no other field is the diversity of substitute materials so great. The concept of asbestos substitutes is not new. The first major effort to develop asbestos substitutes was undertaken by the federal government. The United States has always been dependent on foreign sources for strategic-grade asbestos, and during World War II, the government was concerned that these supplies would be cut off. Strategic-grade asbestos was critical in many electrical and thermal insulation applications (electrical insulation, battery plate separators, flame-proof boards, insulation for rocket components, etc.). A reliable supply of nonstrategic-grade asbestos also was required for general civilian and military applications, such as in brakes, clutches, and construction materials. The government not only initiated a major search for deposits containing strategic-grade asbestos, it also funded research on synthesizing asbestos in the laboratory and developing products that did not contain strategic- grade asbestos. These efforts, as well as those conducted by the private sector, generally were unsuccessful. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a second major effort to develop asbestos substitutes began because the general public was concerned about the health threat posed by the release of asbestos fibers during the manufacture, use, repair, and disposal of asbestos-containing products. Strict regulations covering the mining and manufacturing sector already had been enacted because of the issue of occupational exposure. The issue then became environmental exposures. Environmental regulations were enacted, and through time they became more strict. The combination of increasingly strict environmental regulation, maturing of some asbestos markets, and liability issues prompted many manufacturers to discontinue asbestos product lines or search for asbestos substitutes. As a result, asbestos usage dramatically declined from the 1970s to the present (Table 1).

Jan 1, 1994

By W. Holding

Since the 1975 International Mine Ventilation Congress in Johannesburg there has been a trend in South Africa towards making the mine ventilation departments responsible for monitoring the total environment. This includes the taking of noise and illumination measurements and there is in fact a debate taking place as to whether the departmental title should be changed to 'Environmental Control Department'. The organisers of the 2nd international Mine Ventilation Congress have decided that noise and illumination will not be included as Congress subjects and 'Total Environment' includes only those facets which are open to debate at the Congress. The choice of mine is significant in that while most Congress papers from South Africa will be devoted either to coal mining or to the somewhat unique deep level gold mines, Prieska Copper Mine is a mine which can easily be identified with similar mines in many other parts of the world. The mine is situated some 750 km south west of Johannesburg and about 600 km north east of Cape Town. Current production (ore and waste) is about 340 000 tons per month and the total underground labour force is just over 2 000. The ore body is a massive sulphide, the main minerals being copper and zinc and the method of mining is sub-level open stoping. Daily average surface temperature conditions range from 85°F (29.5°C) dry bulb and 69.8°F (21°C) wet bulb in mid-summer to 42°F (5.5°C) dry bulb and 36.5°F (2.5°C) wet bulb in mid winter. The information presented in-this paper is limited to what can be gathered by mine ventilation staff as part of an on-going exercise and is obviously not as comprehensive as would be the case if a fully equipped research establishment were to become involved. The paper will be divided into three sections 1) Gases 2) Dust 3) Heat In each section statutory and/or other standards will be set down followed by a discussion of assessment and in some cases control methods.

Jan 1, 1980

By K. Feledi

"A booster fan is an underground mechanical ventilation equipment installed in series with a main surface fan that is used to boost the air pressure provided by the surface main fan passing through it. As mining continues to expand and go deeper, the need for improved and efficient ventilation increases. This has led to the use of booster fans and other auxiliary ventilation devices in underground mines. This paper details experiments and results carried out at Missouri S&T Experimental Mine that investigated air leakage and recirculation caused by the use of booster fans. The results were compared with the situations where booster fans are used and not used.The variables considered were the booster fan blade angle and the fan combinations. Air quantity measurements were taken at each individual stopping under a number of scenarios and across four blade angle settings. The first set of situations examined were; the main surface Joy fan only running, the main Joy, and the west booster fan running, and the main Joy fan and east booster fan running. Observations were made which lead to the conclusion from the experimental analysis that booster fans affect the behavior of leakage and recirculation. The locations of the booster fan and the blade angle setting have the most effect on leakage and recirculation. To limit the potential for system leakage and recirculation, the location and size of a booster fan in a ventilation system should be thoroughly evaluated.INTRODUCTION Missouri S&T Experimental Mine ventilation system The Missouri S&T Experimental Mine has two shafts. One currently serves as the main intake shaft. Air is forced through the main shaft by a Joy Manufacturing Vane Axial fan and follows the direction shown on the map on Figure 1. The air is currently naturally exhausted through the Wheeler portal. As indicated on the map there are eight stoppings in the mine, with stoppings number 2 and 8 fitted with man doors. The mine also consists of three raises which are either fully or partially blocked, two portals with one acting as an exhaust and the other generally closed by a hydraulic Kennedy door."

Jan 1, 2015

By G. Hwang, S. Park, H. Kim, J. Choi, P. Seo

"In the mineral processing, clay minerals have negative effects on the flotation of valuable minerals. In this study, we investigated how the floatability of malachite (CuCO3·Cu(OH)2) is affected by presence of the clay minerals in the fundamental aspects. Flotation experiments were conducted by using Na2S and PAX (potassium amyl xanthate), and the floatability of malachite was compared between the cases in the presence and absence of clay minerals. The results showed that floatability was greater in the absence of clay minerals than in the presence of clay minerals and decreased with increasing weight percent of kaolinite under same conditions applied. In addition to examine how clay minerals affect malachite floatability, we conducted flotation experiment with changing clay adding order. The results indeed showed that malachite floatability was affected by clay adding sequence. INTRODUCTION The demand of copper is growing as industrial development increases, but mineral resources are limited. Therefore, studies for Cu oxide flotation are being conducted to improve their recovery(1-3). However the mining industry is well aware of the difficulty in treating copper ores in the presence of clay minerals(4). Clay minerals have unique properties and these properties may affect flotation. In the previous studies, the effect of slime coating of clay minerals on flotation was investigated(4-6). For example, Zhao and Peng (2014), Peng and Zhao (2015), and Arnold and Aplan (1986) found that clay slime coating on chalcopyrite, chalcocite and coal surfaces through the electrostatic attraction reduced surface hydrophobicity and then depressed the flotation. Other researchers have also reported clay minerals have impact on pulp rheology. Especially in the case of bentonite, pulp viscosity increased with increasing amount of bentonite and the higher pulp viscosity have deleterious effect on copper recovery(7, 8). However, these studies only focus on slime coatings and pulp rheological behavior. Forbes et al. attempted to decoupling rheology and slime coatings effect on flotation but this study has limitation that individual role of two clay species either attached to mineral or suspended in bulk solution was excluded(9). Hence, in this study, we aimed to investigating the effects of individual clay (suspended and attached) on malachite flotation."

Jan 1, 2016

By Georgios Kalamaras, Sebastiano Pelizza, Carlo Alessio

"This article describes, through the presentation of five cases-history, technological advances that the Authors together with Tunneling Contractors devised for coping with adverse geotechnical conditions. It is believed that by introducing these new elements in a method that has proven its value in Italy and abroad for the last 40 years, the umbrella arch method, due to its versatility and simplicity, can become a universal method for conventional tunneling in very poor ground conditions. After a description of common faults and mistakes in applying the method, 5 projects are presented which demonstrate that self-drilling pipes give excellent results in terms of performance a zero volume loss, while, function of the ground conditions the various grouting mixtures used, such as expansive jet-injected cement-base grouts and bi-component resins, extend the use of the umbrella-arch in variety of grounds even in presence of water-bearing lenses. The case-histories provide successful applications in different conditions.BASIC FEATURES OF UMBRELLA ARCH METHODThe umbrella arch method provides a short support of the tunnel vault just ahead of the excavation face. The method foresees the drilling and installation of peripheral, sub-horizontal steel pipes in the ground, followed by their grouting. The umbrella arch method is also known as forepoling, steel pipe umbrella, reinforced protective umbrella or simply “umbrella”. The umbrella arch method does not have a static function because the immediate stabilization of tunnel section is entrusted to the internal shell of steel ribs and shotcrete. The “umbrella” provides a pre-support of the excavation which has to be stable for an adequate length and duration permitting the installation of the next steel rib and shotcrete under conditions of safety (Figure 1).The umbrella-arch provides pre-reinforcement of poor ground around the tunnel perimeter in a simple and flexible manner that is adaptable to different ground conditions. In fact, it is possible to vary the number and length of pipes, the distance between them, their diameter and thickness as well as the overlapping length of two succeeding umbrella arches. The versatility of the umbrella arch technique allows its application to: clay deposits, granular alluvial deposits, moraine and debris materials even when containing large blocks, heavily jointed, foliated and tectonically disturbed rock masses."

Jan 1, 2016

By Pengfei Pan, Lianjun Guo, Houguang Sun, Donglin Xu, Chi Yang, Lihua Luan, Daning Zhang

"Based on the introduction of production technology of Anqian mining company, the stope ore mass distribution was analyzed in detail. The processability indexes of different grade ores were obtained with magnetic tube whereas the grinding time, concentrate grade and concentrate yield were measured. On the basis of digital ore deposit model which integrates ore natural attributes and processing attributes, two stages of ore blending optimization models were established. The first stage model sought the minimum of stope ore transportation cost under the restraints of output ore grade and stope production. The second stage was a system optional model that aimed at the furthest use of resources meeting not only the production constraints of mining field and process field but also ore beneficiability and the system output requirements of the concentrate grade. Lastly, the solving method of big M simplex algorithm was discussed and used in production. 1. Foreword China is the biggest iron ore consumption market. But most of iron ore deposits in china possess such features as low grade, complex compositions, weak magneticity and refractoriness. Under the current economic and technical conditions, rational utilization of low-grade and refractory iron ore is strongly needed to improve the utilization ratio of mineral resources and keep mine development sustainable (Lei 2011). In recent years, the domestic research institutions and mines made a lot of achievements of rational development and utilization of low grade iron ore resources in the beneficiation technology and equipment, high and low grade balance, cost and tax analysis (Wang and Zhao 2013, Zhang 2014, Zhu and Li 2014), laying the foundation for reasonable utilization of low grade iron ore. In this paper, Anqian mining company is taken as an example in which the production conditions, raw ore quality control, different grade of ore processability, and ore blending optimization mode in mining pit and processing plant were discussed to achieve the maximum utilization of low-grade refractory ores under the economical and reasonable conditions. This will ensure the stable operation of mining joint ventures and maximize the enterprise's production life and therefore, maximize the economic and social benefits in the enterprise life cycle."

Jan 1, 2017

By Z. Sample, S. Kaushik

"INTRODUCTION Industries around the globe have been making significant advancements in recent years due to innovations in automation technology. With the implementation of modern automation technology, professionals in process automation or plant operations can expect significant and exciting change, and the mining and mineral processing industries are no exception. From 2000 to 2010, the International Council on Mining & Metals (ICMM) reported that an increased output and increased value of most metals has resulted in a rise in global metal and mineral process industries from $214 billion to $644 billion. [1] Since most productivity increases in mining and mineral process industries have been achieved through the ability to process lower grade ores with improved efficiency and larger equipment, these industries have begun to adopt advanced automation and control technologies. Despite a growth slow-down, the mining and mineral processing industries are poised for continued and sustainable growth and development due to an increasing demand for energy minerals and emerging technologies requiring minerals and metals previously not demand. However, as these industries becomes more automated, new challenges are arising on the horizon. DEMOGRAPHIC TIME BOMB John Payne from BP is credited with first using the term Demographic Time Bomb to describe the upcoming crisis in the process industry in finding experienced operations personnel. From a survey of 912 mining professionals, Stratum International found that a mere 0.4% of senior level candidates were between the ages of 25 and 34 and a similar proportion aged over 75 years. This indicates that there is both a deficiency of young skilled workers and a skilled workforce that is retiring earlier than the previous generation. Combined with data published by the US Department of Labor stating that the median age of the mining workforce is approaching 50 years old, this implies that these skilled mining and mineral process professionals are an aging population with irreplaceable knowledge and experience that are expected to retire in the next 5-10 years. While it is projected that the labor pool will be sufficient to fill open positions, the real question is if this young workforce will have necessary skill sets and experiences."

Jan 1, 2015

By P. Knudsen, S. Rosenthal

INTRODUCTION In 2010, Montana Tech was gifted 65 acres of land immediately west of the campus. The parcel of land included an old silver mine called the Orphan Boy Mine. The Orphan Boy and its sister, Orphan Girl, were developed about1895 and operated until 1956. In addition to the gift of land, a significant industry gift was obtained to develop a first class training facility, which we call the Underground Mine Education Center (UMEC). The UMEC has been funded primarily by industry through donations of dollars, equipment, and supplies. The UMEC is a unique hands-on, educational environment for today’s students who are being trained to find, develop and process the worlds' natural resources. The center complements courses in mining engineering, geological engineering, environmental engineering, metallurgical engineering and occupational safety and health. It also serves as a as research facility utilized by students and faculty, and other organizations interested in doing research a hard rock underground mine. LOCATION The Orphan Boy and Orphan Girl Mine are located approximately 700 feet (ft.) apart and the Orphan Girl Mine is part of the World Museum of Mining. Underground they are connected on various levels and all levels below the 100 ft. level are currently flooded. The Orphan Boy mine was 804 ft. deep and Orphan Girl was 3200 ft. deep. The surface locations of the two mines and some of the underground workings on the 100 ft. level are shown on Figure 1 (2015). CONSTRUCTION Land ownership was gifted from BP/ARCO in 2010 and planning started immediately. In June of 2011, site development for the decline to the 100 ft. Level of the Orphan Boy began with a satisfactory portal site developed (Figure 2). We hoped to be able to start driving the decline in July. However, the portal was sited approximately 125 ft. away from a natural gas line that bisected the Montana Tech campus. While outside the right of way for the line, Northwestern Energy requested that no blasting be performed near the gas line until such time as the gas line was abandoned in the fall so decline development was put on hold. The gas line was officially abandoned in January of 2012.

Jan 1, 2019

By James A. Brierley

The author has known Professor Wadsworth since the 1960s, when interest in the application of microbial technology for metallurgical processes was beginning its rapid rise. The development of bioleaching and mineral biooxidation was advanced, in part, by Wadsworth's belief in the potential for its application, as well as by his numerous contributions to the understanding of the fundamentals of hydro-metallurgy. Wadsworth is recognized for fostering research and development of the field and adding credibility to microbiological-based metallurgical processes, now often referred to as biohydrometallurgy. This Wadsworth Award is recognition of the field of biohy-drometallurgy. It is an honor to serve as a representative for all those individuals involved in research and commercial development of this technology. Modern commercial application of biohydromctallurgy began with the bioleaching of copper from submarginal-grade. run-of-mine material. Kennecott Copper successfully developed this process in the 1950s at the Bingham Canyon Mine in Utah. Other mining operations around the world followed Kennecott's lead. Today, dump bioleaching remains a very low-cost process for scavenging copper from rock that cannot be economically processed by any other method. Despite the commercial success of dump bioleaching, little effort has been made to enhance the micro Biological component of this leach process. Expansion of biohydro metallurgy into recovery of other metals did not occur until the mid-1980s, when the first commercial plant for the pretreatment of refractory gold-bearing concentrate was commissioned at the Fairview operation in south Africa. Now, processes for copper bioleaching and refractory gold pretreatment are engineered specifically to promote the activity of the microorganisms. This paper reviews the current state of commercial applications of biohydrometallurgy. It examines potential future developments and portrays the role of the microbiologist in facilitating continued growth and commercial acceptance of the technology. The commercia1 examples in this paper illustrate the expansion of microbial processing in the mining industry during the last 20 years. Copper bioleaching Early commercial applications of bioleach technology involved processing submarginal-grade, copper- bearing, run-of- mine rock in dumps. Recent applications of the technology use engineered bioleach heaps. Currently. all of these operations are in the Southern Hemi-

Jan 1, 2000

By Peter Kolitsch, Galyn Rippentrop

INTRODUCTION On April 14, 1994, the joint venture of Kiewit Construction Company and Kenny Construction Company was awarded a 76 million dollar contract for the construction of the New Hampshire Avenue Tunnels in Washington D.C. The Notice to Proceed was given on May16, 1994 and scheduled completion is September 1997. This project is one of five contracts for the Mid-City E Line as part of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA)Greenbelt Route. Once completed, the Mid-City E Line subway tunnels will connect service between the U Street-Cardozo and Fort Totten stations (See Figure 1). The New Hampshire Avenue Tunnels project consists of approximately 6800 feet of twin single track subway tunnels, three vertical shafts, associated utility work and comprehensive restoration work. Section E4b involved two methods of tunneling along the project alignment. The first method consisted of the well known soft ground open face shield driven tunnel and the second method consisted of tunnels driven using the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) . The NATM section of twin tunnels begins at the Buchanan Vent Shaft and proceeds approximately 2630 feet under Rock Creek Cemetery, including the Farragut Emergency Access Shaft and connects approximately 390 feet beyond to the existing Fort Totten running tunnels (See Figure 2). Special considerations had to be given to the portion of the tunnel alignment which passed beneath Rock Creek Cemetery. The analyses and subsequent selection of the tunnel support system were based on anticipated geological conditions and the sensitive tunnel alignment. The New Hampshire Avenue Tunnels project was the second soft ground NATM project in Washington D.C. The first, by no coincidence, was completed at the adjacent Fort Totten Station and Running Tunnels Project by Mergentime/Hochtief, AJV. Currently, on a nearby WMATA jobsite, the J.F. Shea Construction Company has started a third NATM soft ground tunnel. Tunnel support systems were studied with respect to three tunneling methods: •A one-pass system consisting of a bolted precast concrete segmental lining •A two-pass system consisting of an unbolted precast concrete segmen

Jan 1, 1997