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By T. Yameogo

Many ideas, tools, technologies, and methodologies are believed to have staked their claims on the future of mining. For example, automation is strongly positioned as the platform within which mining will be practiced. A subset of automation ? intelligent mining ? will add some smart interactions between machines, technologies, the rock, and the environment. The future also calls for an improved approach to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Mines of the future are dreamed of to be more ethical and more balanced. They will boast optimized designs, integrated value and supply chains, produce less waste, recycle and reuse, and will require less energy to operate. Then, what about the people that will operate this optimized ecosystem? How is the education system teaching the operators of the mines of the future? What kind of a future should mining education foresee to prepare the workers appropriately? In recent years, the shortage of skilled labor for mines around the world has created a tough competition to attract, retain, and train the very people without whom mining will cease to exist. In Australia, Canada, and the United States in particular, the war for talent has resulted in higher-than-usual labour costs. Such costs have dented the unit costs of many mining businesses. Concomitantly, mining contractors? and consultants? prices have increased to reflect the escalation of labour costs across the value chain. From labourers to engineers, from juniors to seasoned professionals, the increase in compensation is unprecedented. Yet, the shortage is still hurting the industry, and the high calibre candidates continue to be rare gems. The industry has been implementing aggressive solutions that include the increased hiring of skilled immigrants, the training and recruitment of minorities, and the retaining of near-retirement experienced employees. Public relation campaigns about the benefits of embracing careers in mining are also common. The CIM has also devoted a ?M4S? section to its pan-Canada meetings to educate the public, especially the youth, about the importance of the mining industry for Canada. Moreover, mining associations and universities are enticing students? enrolment through scholarships and financial support. Still, the balance between quantity and quality of workers can be discussed. This paper intends to discuss the present state of mining education as an essential part of the future of mining. The authors brush the picture of the education of miners, technicians, and engineers, against the backdrop of the technology-advanced mines of the future.

Aug 1, 2013

By B. Schulz, T. Leißner, R. G. Merker

"Ores enriched in critical rare earth elements (CREE) keep on being of particular interest. The CREE are Nd, Eu, Tb, Dy, including Y. In conjunction with beneficiation tests on Y-mineral bearing flotation tailings of complicated mineralogy, the Mineral Liberation Analyses (MLA) was used to work out processing characteristics fraction-wise in terms of modal mineralogy, mineral recovery, locking and liberation, and particle size.Size fractions from mechanical sieving (“real fractions”) as well as fractions created virtually by using filters on the MLA-data of the unsieved head material (“virtual fractions”) were investigated comparatively thereby. The ""virtual-sizing-approach"" features a much simpler sample preparation procedure and considerably lower cost if a fraction-wise investigation of a head sample is needed. It can be conveniently applied to intimately locked ores needing a fine grinding to a particle size distribution (PSD) range below 25 microns for instance. However, its practical use is sometimes disputed in terms of the reliability of the results. Results are shown for the main Y-bearing mineral xenotime and selected main gangue minerals of a low grade REE-ore.The influence of sample representativeness, sample preparation and particle counting statistics turned out to be of crucial importance. Given that all preconditions for reliable results are met, locking characteristics, modal mineralogy, and even PSD trends can be read from virtual fractions.The authors encourage processing engineers to use the virtual approach. They propose practical measures to improve the reliability of the MLA results, identify and tackle conflicting results, and mitigate evaluation problems that may arise."

Jan 1, 2016

By J. E. Carrasco, J. D. Stinnette, R. A. Alvarez

"Chuquicamata Underground Mine is one of the main projects for the Chilean government copper company (CODELCO). Underground mine project has been under construction since 2013 and presents a solution for the lower production levels of the open pit and prolongs the life of the mine for the next 40 years. Currently, around 2000 workers operate in the mine daily. Dozens of trucks and heavy machines drives through all main routes and access in the mine. As a mine under construction not all the infrastructure necessary to operate safely in the mine has been completed. Risk of a truck or fixed facility fire is always a challenge to keep under control. One important part of fire simulation relays on what we can do prevent a fire and what can be done with the existing infrastructure to control a declared fire and start evacuation plans. This study has been made as a feasible emergency plan to implement, in this case, of a mine under construction, were limited resources are available. Several fire scenarios have been made to support all the emergency plan strategy and a detailed step by step procedure indicates what the elements of a fire emergency plan and risk analysis are.INTRODUCTIONThe main objective of this study is to describe the importance of fire risk analyses (FRAs) and different methods to be used before commencing fire simulation and methodology steps utilized for a fire emergency plan strategy (EPS) at the Chuquicamata underground mine. It also describes how to classify zones which are going to be affected by fumes and gases propagation derived from the exact location of a fire event. Fire simulation study is helpful to determine the impact on a ventilation system with the main purpose of providing relevant information to complement emergency plans and stablished control techniques in ventilation design and its operation. Most fire simulation studies only concentrates in simulation techniques on itself. But what is the next following step in developing an emergency plan? How can we evaluate, classify and treat risky areas? This study is focused mainly in the phases before and after a fire simulation process. Phases corresponds to a good FRA and how output data can be used for an EPS."

Jan 1, 2019

By H. Staton, V. Suontaka, E. Sharifi

"Flotation circuits are typically controlled using on-line elemental assays obtained from the slurry lines. In base metal applications, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers are the most common instruments for elemental analysis of the slurries. Eagle Mine has been utilizing a Courier XRF Analyzer since 2014. Typically, in XRF analysis, the sampling rate is 10-25 minutes which is good enough for manual process control. In 2018, Eagle Mine upgraded the Courier XRF analyzer with the Rapid Measurement module that is based on reflectance spectroscopy. This option reduces the sampling rate to 10-15 seconds, while maintaining the superior accuracy of the XRF analyzer. This paper presents the results from implementation of Rapid Measurement at Eagle Mine.INTRODUCTION Eagle mine is an underground mine producing nickel and copper concentrates. Eagle Mine is owned by Lundin mining and located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. The Humboldt Mill, previously an iron ore processing facility, was refurbished in 2014 and is used to process the ore and produce separate nickel and copper concentrates. Approximately 2,000 metric tonnes of ore is milled per day. Ore is processed using a conventional crushing followed by single stage ball mill and flotation. Nickel and copper concentrate are transported to facilities in North America via rail car. A bulk copper-nickel concentrate is produced by separating the copper and nickel minerals from gangue material by flotation. The copper-nickel bulk concentrate is reground, followed by one stage of cleaning to reject further gangue minerals. The bulk cleaner concentrate is then subjected to a final flotation stage where the copper and nickel minerals are separated from one another through the addition of lime. Final concentrate grades are 14% Ni and 2% Cu in the nickel concentrate and 31% Cu and 0.8% Ni in copper concentrate."

Jan 1, 2019

By S. Esmaeili

The yield strength model developed by Esmaeili, Lloyd and Poole [1] has been adapted to model isothermal aging in Cu-containing AA6xxx alloys, with (a) a moderate and (b) a very low Cu content in the solution-treated, as-quenched, condition, Isothermal calorimetry has been used to analyze the kinetics of precipitation in these alloys, While the kinetic parameters for the low Cu alloy has been derived from the present experiments, the previously determined kinetic parameters for the high Cu alloy AA6111 has been used to model the precipitation kinetics in the moderate Cu alloy. The age hardening responses of both alloys have been well predicted by the model.

Jan 1, 2005

By A. Henk, C. M. Aruffo, K. Fischer

"Geomechanical reservoir modeling offers a valuable tool to predict tectonic stresses, in particular the local perturbations in orientation and/or magnitude which occur at lithological boundaries and faults. The paper presents a workflow for building and calibrating such geomechanical models. The numerical simulations are based on the Finite Element method and can range from field-scale models to smaller, highly detailed submodels of specific fault blocks. The approach considers the reservoir-specific characteristics with respect to subsurface geometry (lithostratigraphic boundaries, faults), mechanical properties and ambient stress field. During the subsequent calibration stage calculated stresses are compared to stress data actually observed in borehole data. Poorly constrained input parameters are iteratively modified within reasonable limits until a satisfactory fit between calculated and measured stresses is achieved. This validated model can then be used for stress predictions between wells and in undrilled parts of the reservoir, respectively. The workflow is applied to two case studies - a large gas field in Northern Germany and a CO2 sequestration project in Australia – to test and illustrate its practical value. INTRODUCTIONDetailed knowledge of the tectonic stress field is crucial for the optimal exploration and use not only of conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, but also for deep geothermal reservoirs, carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects as well as underground mining and nuclear waste repositories. Any reliable stress prediction is hindered by the observation that the magnitude and orientation of the stress field can vary significantly – not only in time, but also in space. Such spatial stress variations comprise all scales, i.e., from the scale of lithospheric plates down to the grain-scale. On the reservoir- and fault blockscale, the local stress field can be influenced by faults and different mechanical properties of lithologies (Sassi & Faure, 1997). The resulting variations in stress magnitude and/or stress orientation are commonly referred to as stress perturbations and give rise to a unique, reservoir-specific stress pattern (Yale, 2003). Thereby, local stress fields can deviate by up to 90° in orientation and several tenth of Megapascal (MPa) in magnitude from regional trends."

Jan 1, 2015

By A. C. Hatton

Doped SrCoO3.8 was found to be a promising material for use as a cathode component in intermediate temperature SOFCs. In this work, strontium cobaltite ceramics doped with 10 mol% to 90 mol% samarium were synthesized using the glycine nitrate process in order to study the electrical conductivity and thermal expansion at temperatures of up to 800°C. As-synthesized powders were deagglomerated, pressed and sintered at temperatures ranging from 1100-1250°C. The effect of temperature and composition on electrical conductivity and thermal expansion are presented and discussed.

Jan 1, 2005

The mining industry has generally been slow to apply ion exchange processes to hydrometallurgical applications even if ion exchange offers an ideal solution for a particular problem. Two notable exceptions are in gold and uranium recovery. The largest application of ion exchange in the metals processing industry has been the use of resin-in-pulp (RIP) for gold recovery as an alternative to activated carbon. Iron is a ubiquitous impurity in hydrometallurgical solutions. In many cases, bulk removal of iron from the process solutions is accomplished by precipitation. However, precipitation for iron control is often accompanied by losses of base metals by co-precipitation. Increasingly, the option of ion exchange for removal of smaller amounts of iron from process solutions has been favoured. A number of applications have been developed and proven at the commercial scale for the removal/control of iron from a range of metal processing solutions. This paper provides an overview of the application of ion exchange for iron removal from a range of metal processing operations, including Cu, Ni and Co solutions. A number of case studies are provided which review operational and resin regeneration strategies and the impact upon the commercial operation of metal processing with improved iron control.

Jan 1, 2006

By D. J. Lucifora

Monitoring-While-Drilling (MWD) is a proven technique that records instantaneous on-drill parameters which can be used to supply contextual information for in-situ, down hole conditions, such as: changes in geology, the presence of pre-existing fractures and dynamic alterations, down hole conditions including bit bailing, bit blockages and bit wear, and improper drill operation. This technique has been widely used in the oil and gas industry and, eventually, it was transferred to the mining industry. A challenge when analyzing and interpreting MWD data is in utilizing proper filtering which enables one to properly eliminate any ?noise? from the signals of interest. Overall the importance of MWD data is that, through the collection of operational field-based data, a dataset can be acquired which allows experimentation and analysis to be carried out. Such a dataset is often impossible to replicate in a laboratory setting. If successful, and through iterative refinement, any promising method can eventually be implemented on-machine and using real-time monitoring techniques. This paper will provide a state of the art review of presently used MWD techniques and applications in industry. The paper?s primary focus will be on shallow, mining-style, blast hole drilling but will also take into account techniques and applications utilized in oil and gas drilling which have not been adopted in the mining industry. In the cases where MWD techniques and applications exist solely in oil and gas drilling the paper will examine and comment on the potential utility of technology transfer to mining applications.

Aug 1, 2013

By J. A. Hurd

Towards the goal of a better understanding of the structure-proton conductivity relationship in PEM materials, this project concerns the design of ordered polymeric solids containing well-defined sulfonate aggregates. The approach employed involves the templation of sulfonated monomers using core principles of crystal engineering. In addition to sulfonate groups, the monomeric units contain crosslinkable functionalities to enable formation of a covalently linked network. The templation strongly directs the construction of well-defined sulfonate clusters and aggregates. Structural, sorption and conductivity data for the networks will be shown.

Jan 1, 2005

By Yasser Mohamed

Daily field management of earthmoving operations requires quick and regular decisions for allocating available equipment to different jobs on a project. A general foreman?s day starts with matching several activities with a suitable set of available equipment to achieve the highest productivity and lowest unit cost. Usually, this decision-making process needs to be quick, and depends to a great extent on the foreman?s experience, which varies from one individual to another. Many analytical solutions with various degrees of sophistication and optimization exist to address such decisions. However, adopting any of these solutions is contingent on how accessible and easy-to-use the solution is. This paper discusses the development process of a webaccessible solution for evaluating earthmoving fleet composition and allocation scenarios. The solution relies on discrete event simulation and an optimization backend engine, but introduces the user with a simplified and easy-to-use interface that is accessible from any mobile device, and is customized to specific user?s needs. The developed system gathers most equipment and site-related input data from a company?s information systems to minimize user input. The user mainly needs to formulate equipment and job combinations and allocation scenarios (e.g. soil type, quantity, and hauling distance), according to equipment availability each day. Then the system will evaluate the productivity and unit cost estimates for each scenario, allowing the user to choose the most suitable one. It may also be used to automatically recommend the optimum solution given an available list of equipment. The paper presents the process followed in prototyping the proposed system in collaboration with a major Canadian earthmoving contractor, and customizing it to the user needs within the company. It also describes the overall structure of the developed system and its core simulation model.

Aug 1, 2013

By Mohammad. M. Khajeh

Rock mechanical properties are important parameters in geomechanical simulation. Considering stochastic heterogeneous models rather than conventional homogeneous layer cake models leads to more realistic simulation results and uncertainty assessment. These heterogeneous models are usually fine scale models generated by geostatistical techniques. Although considering high resolution property models is desirable, geomechanical simulation with a fine scale model is not computationally feasible for full?field, coupled geomechanical-flow simulation. Upscaling of property models is necessary to move from fine scale/high resolution property models to coarser scale/low resolution models appropriate for simulation. Local numerical upscaling was proposed by Khajeh et al. (2012) to describe the macroscopic elastic behavior of complex heterogeneous media and is expanded upon in this work. This numerical technique is not restricted to specific geologies as typical analytical techniques are. Moreover, transversely isotropic deformation is considered rather than the usual assumption of isotropic deformation. To compare the accuracy of the upscaling methodology, in this study shear strain is considered as the geomechanical response of a synthetic facies model and the response of the coarse scale model is compared to other conventional analytical averaging techniques. It is found that the numerical upscaling technique better approximates the geomechanical response of the fine scale model.

Jun 1, 2012

By Richard R. Klimpel, Simon Isherwood

"The industrial processing of ores containing gold and/or platinum minerals is generally mining site specific, e.g. McQuiston and Shoemaker (1985). The variety of various mineral processing techniques employed is extensive and includes size classification, gravity concentration, amalgamation, roasting, cyanidation, chemical leaching, ion ex-change/solvent extraction and froth flotation. Because of the relatively small quantities of Au and Pt that exist in the earth’ s crust, the economical recovery of Pt and Au often requires that the Au and Pt be associated with other industrially important minerals. This association of Au and Pt with other minerals can occur in very complicated mineralogical forms. It is probably safe to say that Au and Pt mineral concentration from natural ores represents some of the most complex metallurgical challenges facing the mining industry.Froth flotation is a technique that is receiving increasing industrial attention for the treatment of finely disseminated and/or associated Au and Pt minerals. The high throughput at relatively low capital cost, the potentially high selectivity, and the existence of a well-established technology for treating more abundant associated minerals such as base metal sulfides makes froth flotation an attractive processing alternative. Broadly speaking, the industrial oriented froth flotation experience with Au and Pt minerals exists in two major categories: 1) the flotation of Au and Pt associated with pyrite (or pyrrhotite) and 2) the flotation of Au and Pt associated with primarily Cu, Zn, or Cu/Pb/Zn containing sulfide ores.In the case of the precious metal association with pyrite (or pyrrhotite), much of the published froth flotation experience comes from South Africa. Typically, such processes are done using an acid side flotation with a collector such as mercaptobenzothiazole. The approach obviously is to float pyrite and hence recover associated gold. Generally the higher the total sulfur recovery the higher the gold recovery. Similar experiences of Pt associated with pyrite are a lot less common mineralogically and hence less well documented industrially. For example, in Canada, Pt is often associated with pyrrhotite but is not really processed as a straight pyrrhotite recovery.For the situation of Au and/or Pt associated with other base metal sulfide minerals, the industrial experience base is quite varied and is well documented from both North and South American operations. The nature of most of these flotation processes is to design, operate, and optimize the installed concentrator to get the Cu, Pb, Zn, Ni, etc. that is the bulk of the valuable sulfide ore and then take whatever precious metal recovery comes. Typically, such flotations are on the basic side using standard thiol collectors such as xanthates, dithiophosphates, thionocarbamates, etc. It is very common with such ores to use mixtures of collectors in order to get ""everything"". Often in such plants, there is an inherent balancing act occuring so as to operate in such a manner to reject pyrite (and pyrrhotite) in order to maintain high base metal mineral concentrate grades and yet recover sufficient precious metals such as Au and Pt minerals which often are associated with the iron sulfides being rejected. Obviously in such an environment, the smelter operation often ends up telling the concentrator what the precious metal recovery actually was in a given production period."

Jan 1, 1994

By C. J. Clayton, A. J. Haynes, D. A. Hickson, B. Thiele

The Meadowbank Gold Project, formerly owned by Cumberland Resources Ltd. and currently owned by Agnico Mines Ltd., is currently being developed approximately 70 km north of Baker Lake, Nunavut, in the eastern Canadian Arctic region. The Meadowbank Gold Project currently consists of a series of gold-bearing deposits within relatively close proximity to one another, which are planned to be mined primarily as a truck-and-shovel open pit operation using conventional gold milling and extraction. The mining plan indicates that approximately 20 million tonnes of ore will be mined over a mine life of eight to ten years. The operation will generate approximately 160 million tonnes of mine waste rock and about 20 million tonnes of tailings. The site is located in an area of continuous permafrost with mean annual average air temperature of -11°C and average annual precipitation in the range of 100 to 200 mm. Lakes cover a large portion of the site, including some of the ore deposits. The location of the site and the physical environment pose challenges to development. This paper presents some of the designs considered to effectively manage and utilize the waste products of mining at the project. Note that volumes, tonnages, construction concepts, and data presented in this paper are accurate for the time of writing and are subject to change and modification as the project progresses, additional modelling is carried out, and additional data are obtained.

Jan 1, 2007

By D. Asefi

A new method to detect microstructural features such as recovery and recrystallization as well as cold rolling reduction in low carbon steels was developed based on magnetic hysteresis loop measurement. To this aim, a hysteresis loop measuring apparatus, specifically designed and assembled for plate samples was employed. It is shown that maximum field (Hmax) of hysteresis loop, measured at constant maximum flux density (Bmax) of 0.5T, is an adequatemagnetic property to monitor different stages of changing microstructures during annealing.

Oct 1, 2011

By O. Kodym

The paper has focused on possibilities of interconnecting information sources concerning monitoring & control of mining industry technical processes (TP), and the related safety hazards. The key issue is the comprehensiveness of the information presented to users. Information can be presented by virtual reality means, when the seemingly true presentation of the production process scene along with user friendly presentation of related information is available. The user in its role of a process supervisor is not only a mere scene observer but, thanks to the interactive functions of virtual environment, he participates in the scene of his control. As such his control and management abilities increase because he can absorb, more easily understand and asses the information provided.

Aug 1, 2013

By Marc C. Bétoumay

Workplace safety, health, climatic conditions and rising oil prices are aspects that are important to the mining industry. The need for cleaner energy for underground mine vehicles is requiring serious consideration. A number of alternate energy systems offer clean solutions to diesel emissions while maintaining the current liberty of vehicle movement. This watershed article provides a broad comparison of cleaner diesel and alternative energies for underground production vehicles. Most alternate energies and clean diesel have already been tested in underground production vehicles. There are no technology gaps that would prevent the development of commercial alternative energy power plants, but in the case of alternate energies, second and third generation versions will be required to fully test for safety and operation viability. Full regulatory development is also required and could be done in parallel to power plant testing. Vehicle operation and maintenance manpower would be the same for alternate energy application as for clean diesel. Capital cost for alternate energy power plants will remain higher until the medium term. Owing to significant ventilation savings possible with alternate technologies, operating costs would be reduced.

May 1, 2011

"This document establishes standards and guidelines for scientific and technical disclosure by Issuers listed on the TSX Venture Exchange on their mineral properties. It incorporates and expands upon the minimum standards prescribed by Securities Laws and applies to all oral statements and written disclosure made by an Issuer or on behalf of an Issuer involving mineral properties.1. Introduction1.1 General(a) This Appendix establishes standards and guidelines for scientific and technical disclosure by Issuers on mineral properties. These standards and guidelines should be applied prudently and with common sense by those Issuers in conjmction with the applicable requirements of section 1.2.(b) This Appendix incorporates and expands upon the minimum standards prescribed by Securities Laws and applies to all oral statements and -written disclosure made by an Issuer or on behalf of an Issuer involving mineral properties.(c) This Appendix is not intended to be exhaustive or all-encompassing and greater detail may be appropriate and required in certain situations. Issuers are encouraged to contact Exchange technical staff where they are not certain about the requirement for disclosure on mineral properties."

Jan 1, 2003

By A. Ismail

"The paper takes its material from three peat mining and power project feasibility studies sponsored by CANMET and conducted by Montreal Engineering Company Ltd. in the years 1976 to 1980. The role which peat may play in the Canadian energy prospectus is outlined, estimated and measured fuel peat resources are tabulated, and the economic and technical feasibility of mining peat for power generation is reviewed Recommendations are made for future work, and construction and disbursement schedules are developed for a combined peat mining and power generation project. The relationship between the mining of moss and fuel peat is discussed.IntroductionWhereas moss peat has long been produced in Canada, and exported for horticultural use , the underlying fuel peat has received little attention until fairly recently.In the seventies, however, the deepening oil crisis spurred Canadian interest in Irish, Finnish and Russian experiences in the utilization of fuel peat. Among others, Energy, Mines and Resources Canada had long been alive to the possibilities which indigenous peat offers, and in 1976 the Canada Centre for Mineral and Energy Technology (CANMET encouraged a proposal from Monenco to carry out a preliminary study and submit a report on the "" Assessment of Canadian Peat as an Alternative Fuel for Power Generation"". The report was submitted in April 1977. This was the first of a series of studies, and the authors of this paper were involved in its preparation.The escalating price of oil and the increasing problem of relying on its availability have combined to make alternative fuels more attractive. Peat, like other fuels previously uneconomic because oil was cheap, is now progressively gaining in viability. In addition to these factors, the utilization of peat has the following advantages: improvement in the country's balance of payments, by virtue of burning an indigenous fuel;creation of local employment for the mining of peat; improvement in land utilization;peat is a relatively clean-burning fuel, with low sulphur and ash contents."

Jan 1, 1980

By SangHyeok Han

Selecting the best possible cranes and identifying spatial conflict-free locations on sites can result in productivity and safety improvements for large-scale industrial construction projects. In the current practice, experienced lift engineers select cranes based on the heaviest lift and/or the largest lifting radius of the identified crane. This practice is relatively time-consuming, and optimization of the crane?s use and location is also difficult. There are many factors which need to be considered during the crane selection process, a reality which further complicates the process. This paper presents a framework which aims at developing a decision support system to enhance the crane selection process and collision-free path planning for large-scale construction projects. This paper utilizes an innovative crane selection matrix in order to establish a process for optimized crane selection for construction projects. The study considers more than 40 different factors in order to reduce time and improve safety for crane operations. Following finalization of crane type (mobile crane versus tower crane), a visualization model to simulate crane operation and identify collision-free crane operation paths is proposed. This process can assist project managers to plan the lifting process more effectively and efficiently. A case study-based approach was utilized to demonstrate the proposed methodology. The methodology was tested in the planning and construction process for boiler house structures in Mannheim, Germany. The project entailed numerous challenges: one of the major tasks was to lift a 102-ton load on the top of the boiler structure through crane collaboration; space limitations on site also presented several challenges related to crane selection, location, and operation processes. Based on the project constraints, the proposed crane selection framework, and the visualization models, two tower cranes were selected and successfully implemented in the case study.

Aug 1, 2013